A beautiful and exciting trail leading to the southern borders of our homeland is replete with descents and ascents and numerous turns.
In addition, along the way, you will meet a variety of roadside motels, hotels and other places for the night, which are located along the highway to Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol, as well as the Republic of Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia.
M29 (P217) "Kavkaz" - federal highway "stanitsa Pavlovskaya Krasnodar Territory- the village of Yarag-Kazmalyar "(the border of Dagestan with Azerbaijan). Until December 31, 2017 inclusive, registration number M29" Caucasus "(Government Decree Russian Federation dated November 17, 2010 N 928).
The length of the highway is 1,118 kilometers. Docks with M-4. The section of the road from Pavlovskaya to Makhachkala is an integral part of the European route E50. The section from Makhachkala to the border with Azerbaijan is included in the European route E119 and the Asian route AH8. Plot from Mineral waters to Beslan is also part of the E 117 route
It's time to talk about how Natasha and I traveled to the Chechen Republic. Little by little, I'm sorting through the photo archives, and I decided to consistently talk about all the observations from the trip. Therefore, the first entry will be about the Kavkaz motorway, which departs from the M-4 in the area of the Pavlovskaya stanitsa.I have traveled very little by car in Russia. Almost all trips outside the Belgorod Region were limited to the M-4 highway (from Moscow to Krasnodar). I am one of those who believe in stereotypes about "bad roads" in our country, and therefore I try to avoid traveling on them. But we firmly decided to go to Chechnya by car. Half of the way (to Rostov-on-Don) promised to be expectedly good, but I did not find any definite reviews on the network about the road along the "Caucasus". Therefore, having mentally tuned in to a bad road, we hit the road.
1
... A few kilometers after the exit from the M-4, the track began to live up to my expectations, narrowing to two lanes with a very heterogeneous surface. The navigator showed more than 700 kilometers to the destination, and I was a little discouraged. However, at some point we were lucky - a cortege of seven police cars rushed by with the flashing lights on, pushed a line of endless heavy trucks to the side of the road and we were able to slip through them.
2 ... However, the joy was short-lived - soon they began to come across areas with repair work, and that's when I was completely discouraged. Somewhere near Tikhoretsk, the flow rate generally dropped to 20 kilometers per hour, and then all traffic shifted to the side of the road. "If it goes on like this, then I will turn around and take you to Crimea!"- I said to Natasha. But, fortunately, my patience turned out to be longer than the narrow lane M-29, and already at the entrance to the Novokubansky district, an asphalt sea opened up in front of us - a wide strip of fresh asphalt with separated traffic streams. In total, only the first 90 kilometers of the federal highway “Kavkaz” turned out to be “bad”.
4 ... The mood improved along with the quality of coverage, and the stereotype of “bad Russian roads"Stayed behind. At some point, we even began to admire the scale of road construction. Fresh cards Navitela, loaded two days before the trip, could not always indicate the route correctly. Sometimes the navigator showed us that we were driving through a field, although in practice this field was already a good stretch of highway. Somewhere after Minvod we got to the first of the sections with a permitted maximum speed of 110 km / h. There are a few more of them on our way.
The chagrin was caused by the M-29 section, about a hundred kilometers long, running through the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria. And he upset not so much the quality of the road surface as the werewolves in uniform grazing behind each bush. In Kabardino-Balkaria, the Kavkaz highway consists of three lanes (obviously, it was decided to save money on a full fourth). They alternate - now two stripes for our side, then two for the opposite. That is, the middle lane is such pockets for overtaking, the ability to slip past the string of trucks that have accumulated in front of you. On one of these segments I got caught - seeing, out of habit, an extension ahead, I went out to overtake, but already completing the maneuver, I realized that it was a lane for turning to the left. Having dived from it into the right lane, after a couple of hundred meters, I was stopped by happy men with a striped stick, who gathered on the side of the road an impressive column of the same "flyers" like me.
Here, for the first time in my Russian practice, I had to pay a bribe. In all seriousness - for almost five years of driving experience, no one demanded a bribe from me, I thought that in our country they no longer traded for this. Aha, of course! Local gayts taught me all the basics of extortion, and I, not wanting to waste time, paid off.
By the way, on the way back home we were also caught in Kabardino-Balkaria! Moreover, realizing that I am savvy in knowledge of the laws, and it will not work to hit the jackpot for the alleged "violation", the local cop (he doesn’t dare to call these scammers “policemen”) got to the bottom of my outstanding fines and offered to go to the impound lot. As a result, having knocked down its original price tag three times, I paid and left.
In general, I do not know anything about Kabardino-Balkaria, but now there are persistently unpleasant associations with it. Therefore, no pictures. We uncovered the camera only at the entrance to North Ossetia.
6 ... In Ossetia, roads are also being reconstructed very actively. There are many fresh plots, many under construction.
7 ... True, after the bridge over the Terek there is a section of thirty kilometers (by eye), which consists of only two lanes. There accumulates such a good faith of trucks. For some reason, we practically do not have photographs from bad sections; only new sections of the highway aroused the desire to take pictures.
8 ... For example, such. Somewhere at the entrances to Beslan so many new interchanges were built that even Navitel did not know about them.
9 ... I also liked that in many parts of the "Kavkaz" concrete barriers are used for dividing lines. This is very correct, it is a pity that such an experience is not practiced in our area.
10 ... There is a large checkpoint about ten kilometers from Beslan along the M-29 highway. Having passed it, we gradually began to notice that something had changed in the surrounding landscape, but for a long time we could not understand what exactly ... It turned out that there is no clearly defined border between North Ossetia and Ingushetia, and there are no noticeable signs announcing about it. But the contrast between Orthodox Ossetia and Muslim Ingushetia is noticeable in many ways - in the architecture of the buildings, in the clothes and appearance of local residents.
11 ... Along Nazran, the road stretches in a narrow strip, on which you can often meet cows "impenetrable" in their peace of mind. Another interesting local feature is the roadside pillars, all along the way painted in the colors of the Ingush and Russian flags.
12 ... Over time, we leave for a new section of the road. "Oh, probably we are already in Chechnya"- we joke with Natasha. However, this is still the Ingush Republic. There is no clear border between Chechnya and Ingushetia either.
13 ... When there is no doubt that we have entered Chechnya, the road becomes ideal. A good autobahn with a permitted 110 kilometers per hour pleases us for a long time.
14. At the approaches to Grozny, however, the road narrows again to a two-lane road. Here, by the way, the overwhelming majority is trying to comply with the speed limit, and at the intersections, traffic police crews met several times. But we have almost arrived and are in no hurry.
15 ... We are approaching Grozny. Here the M-29 continues to go straight, towards Dagestan. We will soon turn left.
16 ... The last few kilometers to the city limits.
17 ... Work on unreconstructed areas is in full swing.
18 ... Here we are in Grozny. 770 kilometers along the M-29, of which most of- good and very good road... My fears about “one of the main Russian troubles” on the “Kavkaz” highway were in vain. I am sure that in the next few years the problem areas will also be expanded, new asphalt will be laid where necessary, and this federal highway will be no worse than M-4. Bribery in some areas still needs to be dealt with ...
Well, I'll tell you about Grozny and Chechnya, local roads and customs next time. By the way, you can ask questions you are interested in about the Chechen Republic in the comments, I will try to tell you based on my personal experience.
About M4 "Don", I think, there is nothing special to tell - all community members will pass it with their eyes closed with average speed 110 km / h The problems are the same - the rim Voronezh and the Tarasovsky district, where a meat accident happened at the narrowing point in front of us.
On the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, "Kavkaz" is an ordinary unpleasant Russian two-lane road, on every hill and turn of which traffic policemen graze. Interestingly, the quality improves further.
The Stavropol Territory is unremarkable. The road is good, there are a lot of cops, but they don't slow down for no reason. On the outskirts of the region are the so-called resort towns Mineralnye Vody and Pyatigorsk. Essentuki is a little further. Staying in these cities is not worth it, and there are practically no places in filthy hotels, and from what there is, they cost some unthinkable money.
Kabardino-Balkaria. A small traffic police post, a selective stop, we are passing. Suddenly, clear fourteenth and equally clear priors appear on the roads. Tinted, of course, in a circle. According to subjective impressions, black is preferred in the republic
Here they drive either slowly or boldly - they do not hesitate to go completely into the oncoming lane and beat them in the forehead to the last. Driving in the traffic lane is zapadlo.
And the road is getting better - already a permanent 4-lane road with a separator.
At the entrance to North Ossetia, there is the most important checkpoint on the way from Moscow to Tbilisi. They slow down everyone, including us. I previously, back in Essentuki, put behind the wheel mexdrive to double the attention of the nuts. The plan worked, but every next one, even the smallest Ossetian post, was ours. Nobody looked at the documents - they only pretended to.
The mountains begin immediately after Vladikavkaz.
They stood in line for 2 hours in front of the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint, including because of the assholes who consider it beneath their dignity to stand with everyone. The same thing happened on the other side. We skipped the queue back.
Checkpoint passage. It seems like everything is serious. They did not dig into the convertible, but they took a symbolic 500 rubles from the Range for travel without a total inspection.
They didn’t lie about the Georgian checkpoint “Kazbegi” - you open the window, hold out your passport, smile at the webcam and drive calmly.
What's in a nutshell
The M29 “Kavkaz” highway is an awesome thing, no one extorts money or shoots in the head, at least in the section to Vladikavkaz. The most serious post is Kabardino-Balkaria - North Ossetia.
Federal highway P217 "Caucasus" is the hottest highway in our country. She is picturesque and not easy. Frequent descents and ascents, giant serpentines and border crossings of various areas require constant attention from drivers.
Route P217 is part of various European and Asian routes. The section from the village of Pavlovskaya to Makhachkala is part of the long European route E-50. It stretches from the shores of the Bay of Biscay to the Caspian Sea, and is approximately 6,000 km. Another European route E-117 includes the road from Beslan to Mineralnye Vody, while the Asian route An-8 and the interesting European route E-119 include a short section of the route from Makhachkala to Magaramkent (border with Azerbaijan). In addition, the P217 Kavkaz highway joins the M4 Don highway at the Pavlovskaya village.
The total length of the M29 highway is approximately 1,118 km.
The temperature regime is even and favorable. Hot summers and mild winters with little snow.
On the way, the P217 highway crosses the rivers: Kuban, Argun and Terek.
Since the M29 highway runs in highlands, there are many dangerous areas on it. Drivers should pay special attention to the following: 179, 216, 372, 488, 539, 558, 579, 797, 857, 861, 882, 937, 939, 970, 991 km.
In general, the P217 Kavkaz highway leaves good impression... Pleases the road surface. The downside is the width of the roadway. Basically, the M-29 highway, two-lane along its entire length, does not leave any special opportunities for overtaking.
Quality rest is a guarantee of safety on the road
Everyone who has traveled by car to the most picturesque region of Russia, the Caucasus, is familiar with this highway. This region attracts tourists, because it has everything that is necessary for a wide variety of recreation - mountains, sea, beautiful nature, wonderful climate. True, to get to these places, you need to cross a difficult highway, which is distinguished by a series of numerous descents and ascents, serpentine roads and the presence of dangerous sections. Of course, all these conditions require maximum attention from the driver and the ability to quickly navigate the situation.
But, making long journeys, each person, even with a long driving experience, is not immune from fatigue and overwork, which negatively affect the functions of perception. Only quality rest can help a traveler gain strength. Cozy motels on the M29 highway are designed to create the most comfortable accommodation conditions for every tourist so that any tired traveler can recover in the best possible way after a grueling journey.
A wide selection of roadside hotels for every taste
If you are interested in motels on the M29 highway, where you can receive the most cordial welcome, and, of course, have a hearty dinner, sleep in peace, take a hot bath, then turn your attention to our Internet guide, which describes in detail the most best options roadside hotels located along the entire Caucasus highway. By marking the region where you plan to stop for rest on the website, you will receive a list of motels on the M29 highway. Among them, you can quickly find the best option that meets all your requirements.
We have motels on the M29 highway for every taste and budget. These are both small economical, but at the same time the most modern hotels offering comfortable accommodation conditions and a high level of service, as well as hotel and entertainment complexes, which have everything in their arsenal for holding active leisure- baths, saunas, tennis courts and GYM's... If you want to stay in a hotel that is distinguished by the sophistication of the interior, the originality of the dishes of the author's cuisine, the uniqueness of the SPA center, then this is real, there are such luxurious hotels on the M29 highway. Book your rooms in advance and relax in comfort.
Federal highway M-29 "Kavkaz" (the number is valid until December 31, 2017), new motorway number R-217 "Kavkaz". The road runs through the territories of Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan. The public highway M-29 joins the federal highway M-4 and starts from the village of Pavlovskaya in Krasnodar Territory and ends in Magaramkent of Dagestan, on the border with Azerbaijan.The total length of the M-29 highway is 1118 kilometers. The section of the road "Pavlovskaya - Makhachkala" is a part of the European route E 50. The section of the road "Makhachkala - the border of Azerbaijan" is part of the European route E 119 and the Asian route AH8.
On the 229th kilometer of the highway near the village of Kochubeevsky, the A-155 road departs to Cherkessk, the capital of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. At the 233 kilometer of the Kavkaz highway, there is a turn onto the A-154 road, which goes to Stavropol. At the 559th kilometer near the city of Beslan, the third largest city in North Ossetia, there is a turn to the A-301 highway in the direction of Vladikavkaz. The route has entrances to the cities of Armavir, Grozny, as well as bypasses of the cities of Pyatigorsk and Makhachkala. The federal highway M-29 ends at the state border of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan. The last locality here is the village of Gaptsakh, which is located 6 km north of the regional center - the village of Magaramkent.
The road, with a carriageway width of 8 meters, passes in mountainous terrain, and has an asphalt concrete surface along its entire length. There are sections on the road that require special attention from drivers, this is indicated on the signs. At kilometer 1164, the road enters a 1.8 km long tunnel.
The route crosses several rivers, the most significant of which are: near the city of Kropotkin, the Kuban river; the Terek river near the village of Elkhotovo; the Argun river near the city of the same name. Loading capacity of bridges from 60 tons.
M-29 "Kavkaz" is the main highway of the North Caucasus.
