In 2022, construction of the Mamison ski resort began in Ossetia. The tourist center is located in the unique Mamison Gorge, which is surrounded by various natural and man-made attractions.
Mamison: the future resort pearl of the Caucasus
Mamison Ski Resort is a grandiose project that the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation plans to open in 2024. According to their plans, it will be able to attract 700 thousand tourists a year, providing a good income to the region. So far, there is no rich landscaping in Mamison: everything is in the process of construction, which they promise to finish soon. But even without numerous hotels and cafes, there is something to do here.
Mamison Gorge is located 120 km from Vladikavkaz, deep in the mountains. Now it is of interest to tourists who love a "wild" vacation: there is amazing nature, a unique climate, but there are practically no hotels. So they go to Mamison mainly from Vladikavkaz or other neighboring cities. The nearest settlement to Mamison, the village of Kamsho, cannot boast of good hotels (but there is a Mouratov ancestral tower here, we will talk about it later).
Promising tourist Mamison
North Ossetia is gradually developing in a tourist direction (which is quite logical, given the stunning nature and clean mountain air), and the Mamison ski resort is one of its most ambitious projects. The authors of the project claim that after the completion of the first facilities, which will take place in 2024, Mamison will become a world recreation center, attracting hundreds of thousands of vacationers from all over the planet every year. The planned work is really large-scale: there will be 40 kilometers of trails of different difficulty levels (for comparison, 14 kilometers of ski trails are open on Elbrus), 7 modern and reliable cable cars, 7000 different places to stay (from elite hotels to very budget hotels), a bunch of different spas, souvenir shops and other infrastructure for tourists. It is still unclear how fully the project is being implemented, but let's hope that soon another global point of attraction will appear in North Ossetia.
At the same time, the Ministry of Economic Development claims that Mamison will work all year round. In winter, of course, everyone will go to the ski slopes. In summer, vacationers are planned to be attracted by mineral springs, spas using the gifts of nature, as well as skiing on the Zaramag glacier. Both Russian experts and invited French analysts spoke about the possibility of year-round skiing
However, these are all just plans. Now Mamison is quite a wild place, ideal for trekking and independent exploration of the surroundings..
Untamed Mamison
A ski resort is being built in Mamison, but it doesn't mean that there is nothing to do here in summer. Beautiful nature, unique monuments of ancient architecture, pure mineral springs - you can experience all this at any time of the year.
The local architecture deserves special attention. Not far from Mamison, right in the village of Kamsho, you can get acquainted with the combat and dwelling towers of the Mouraovs. These towers are rather poorly preserved, but the ruin has even given them a certain picturesqueness: the ruins look poetic against the background of majestic mountains. Door and window openings can still be recognized in the ruins. On the outskirts of the village you can find the Dambadeli Dzuar sanctuary.
If you move along the Mamison-don River, you can reach the quiet and tiny village of Kalak. The Gayev and Eloyev families once lived here. Their watchtowers are still preserved in the village. Like in Kamsho, it has its own sanctuary (even two).
Let's shift to another direction: on the road from Vladikavkaz to Mamison the first tower complex will be Tib. This is where the battle towers of the Botsievs are located. The view from the road is amazing: dilapidated buildings against the background of sandy slopes. Tib is a residential village, there are about 30 inhabitants. It is hard to believe that in the XIX century it was one of the most populated settlements in the Mamison Gorge - more than two hundred families once lived here. Many of them left an interesting architectural heritage, which can now be studied. Passing Tib, pay attention to the Kadzovs' complex - it is a galuan (i.e. a castle complex). There is now a plaque next to it telling the history of the place and its former inhabitants.
We drive further towards Mamison and end up in Tli, located across the bridge from Tiba. Its towers can be seen on the approach to the village - they rise on the tops of the hills. Tli is one of the oldest settlements in the Mamison Gorge. You can try to compare the ruins here and in Tiba, as well as throughout the area - pay attention to how the architecture of the people gradually developed, becoming more refined, exquisite, precise. When passing through Tli, be sure to look at the ruins of the Christian temple - they are about a thousand years old!
If you turn right on the approach to Mamison, you will find yourself in Lisri. This place definitely deserves a visit at least because of the beautiful ancient Church of the Assumption. Despite its venerable age, it has preserved not only most of the architectural elements, but even the icons! The village of Lisri itself is located in a very picturesque side branch of the gorge. In addition to the temple, there are many other ancient buildings here. Perhaps it is the location (Lisri is protected from winds by high hills on all sides), but the ruins here have been preserved much better than in neighboring villages. Stone towers, a half-destroyed temple, unidentified ruins - all together it makes a very picturesque, peaceful composition.
Once you reach Mamison, you can travel along the ancient Ossetian military road (now Transkam). There are dozens of interesting places along this road: customs outposts, combat towers, defense complexes, barrier walls and even crypt burial grounds. The Mykalgabyrt cult complex deserves a special mention - a sacred place dedicated to the patrons of warriors. Archaeologists found here Arabian coins, which inexplicably found their way to the Caucasus. The most popular hypothesis explains it by the fact that the area is simply dotted with various customs points; perhaps the coins were given by Arab merchants.
From Vladikavkaz to Mamison
The shortest way to Mamison is via the Gizelskoye highway, where you should drive to Alagir and turn off onto the Transcaucasian highway. After that, turn right at the Zaramag reservoir towards Nizhny Zaramag. If you want to enjoy the view of snow-covered peaks, make a stop here: further you will descend into the gorge and the mountain tops will be poorly visible. In the Mamison Gorge itself, the whole landscape will be hidden behind the mountain slopes.
Further from Nizhny Zaramag you will drive along the Mamikhdon River. The road ahead is difficult: the way to Alagir is complicated by the poor quality of roads in Ossetia, and on the Transcaucasian highway and further on (all the way to Mamison) you will face steep serpentines, uphill climbs, strong winds and road surfaces of dubious quality (in some places). To safely overcome these 120 km, you should choose a heavy and massive car like Toyota RAV4 or Suzuki Jimny. You should not go on a trip in a city sedan or even a crossover: save your suspension. And harsh mountain winds can easily throw you off course on difficult ascents. The journey will take about an hour and a half.
The second route option is to drive a little further north, along the Arkhonskoye highway. You will need to drive through Michurino to Ardon, and then turn south towards Alagir. After it, the way is the same as the first one - straight along the Transcaucasian highway. So you will make a small detour, which will add about half an hour to the road. But the first half of the way will be on smoother, well-maintained roads.
Keep in mind that you'll still have to drive through some rough mountain serpentines. And the weather in Mamison is usually windy. So the best option is to take a good off-road vehicle and take the shortest route, via the Gizelskoye highway. You should choose the northern route if you have some business in Ardon. In other situations, there is little point in taking this detour.
The Ministry of Economic Development is planning to build a convenient automobile tunnel to the resort so that vacationers do not have to loop around the serpentine. But whether it will be realized, in what timeframe and in what form - it is still unclear, so get ready for a busy trip.
You can't get to Mamison by public transportation at all, and cab drivers will charge you at least five thousand for a one-way trip. So renting a car is the most adequate and cheapest way to get to the gorge and the resort.
Interesting things about Mamison
The Mamison Gorge used to be crossed by an Ossetian military road linking the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia. It was built in 1897, but in fact the trail has been used since ancient times. Starting at the entrance to the Alagiri Gorge, it led to Transcaucasia through the Mamison Pass. In the Alanian period, several customs posts controlled by the Alans were located on its relatively small section. The Ossetian Military Road has now been converted to Transkam, so that it continues to fulfill its function as a connecting section.
The Zaramag Glacier is another reason why the Ministry of Economic Development chose this very place to build the resort. The fact is that thanks to the huge glacier, Mamison can be a ski resort all year round! Few resorts in the Caucasus can boast of year-round popularity; most places designed for mountain sports are visited only in winter, while other resorts are visited only in the warm season. Mamison, on the other hand, will become a year-round attraction point for tourists (at least, that's what the authors of the project promise). In addition to Zaramag, an artificial snowmaking system will be responsible for year-round skiing (it is already being installed).
The management plans to send the main flow of summer tourists not to the slopes, but to excursions in the mountainous part of Ossetia. The resort hotels will become a good base for comfortable accommodation of a large number of people, so the hopes of the project authors to increase the inflow of vacationers to North Ossetia are not groundless.
Question and answer
When will the Mamison ski resort open?
The opening is scheduled for winter 2024.
Will Mamison be open only in winter?
No, it will be an all-season tourist complex. Even in summer it will be possible to ski here; however, only on certain tracks located near the Zaramag glacier.
What is there to see near Mamison?
There are many scattered ruins near the gorge: ancestral, watch and residential towers and burial grounds. Add to this the nature that takes your breath away!
Is it possible to get to Mamison by public transportation?
Now there is no transportation from Vladikavkaz to Mamison (even with transfers). Perhaps, when the resort opens, the situation will improve. But in any case, it is better to travel around the Caucasus in a private car (preferably a very stable and passable one, like Range Rover Sport or Land Cruiser Prado).
What is the altitude difference in Mamison?
The ski resort will have an altitude difference of about 1100 meters.
Conclusion
While Mamison has not yet become a global ski resort, you have the opportunity to enjoy its natural charm in a quiet and secluded atmosphere. Hurry up and explore the area before it is flooded with tourists from all over the world - come to the Caucasus, rent a car and set off on your exciting adventure along the mountain roads!
