2. Gunib is a district
village in central
Dagestan, situated on a
difficultly accessible
plateau, surrounded by
several hundred meter
deep chasms.
3. Today’s Gunib is located in
the lower part of the
plateau, on a ledge of rock
that hangs over the
Karakoysu River. A hairpin
road leads from Lower
Gunib to Upper Gunib – in
the latter you will find a
tourist centre (turbaza)
and a botanical garden, as
the Gunib plateau has a
microclimate and boasts
many endemic plants.
4. Gunib is a large village
with a market square, a
view terrace and a
regional museum. An aul
surrounded by terraced
fields existed here before
1859, but was destroyed
following the fights
between Russians and
highlanders.
5. It was in Gunib that
Imam Shamil, the
insurgents’ leader, was
captured by the Russian
tsar army. His
imprisonment has ended
the Caucasian war that
had lasted for nearly 50
years. In the 19th century
a tsar army garrison was
located there.
6. In Upper Gunib you can
visit a place that
commemorates the
mentioned events and a
fortress built by Russians
in late 19th century,
beautifully located and
offering a stunning
panorama of Dagestan’s
mountains. While in
Gunib, you can go for one-
day trip in the plateau, e.g.
up the canyon channelled
by the river.
