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Last updated on December 7, 2024
Wanna travel to Chechnya with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Chechnya on:
September 8th to 15th, 2025
Chechnya is a republic in the North Caucasus that forms part of the Russian Federation.
Infamous for its agitated past, few know about its stunning mountains, its warm hospitality, and that it has become one of the most modern regions in the Caucasus.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about traveling to Chechnya, including cultural etiquette, permits, how to get in, where to stay, things to do, and more.
Don’t forget to also check our travel tips for Russia.
In this Chechnya travel guide, you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Russia
With all the current sanctions, IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Russia.
Chechnya today: what it’s like to travel there
Chechens were always a proud and fierce group of people living in the remote mountain areas of today’s South Chechnya, feared by the Tsars who conquered them in the 19th century, as well as by Stalin, and modern Russians.
During WWII, Stalin began an ethnic cleansing campaign that consisted of the mass, forced deportations of Chechens into Kazakhstan, and they weren’t allowed to return until 1957, following Stalin’s death. However, their social exclusion continued until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Unlike other Caucasian countries such as Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan, Chechnya was unable to become an independent country because it already formed part of the Russian Federation before the Soviet Union was created.
Decades of being excluded from the rest of Russia – fueled by their strong identity – led to the self-declarion of independence from Russia, resulting in the first Chechen war, from 1994 to 1996.
The war ended with Russia’s victory, although they were never able to fully control the ongoing rebellion, hence a second war began from 1999 to 2009.
These two wars saw a toll of 250,000 deaths, but after 2009 a peace agreement allowed Chechnya to enter a new era under the rule of a controversial but pragmatic leader named Kadyrov, initially a pro-independence revolutionary but later a close ally to Putin.
Kadyrov is the man chosen by Putin to control Chechnya by keeping it free from any separatist movements. In exchange, Chechnya receives big chunks of federal investment and Kadyrov can rule the republic as he sees fit, acting like almost a dictator.
This is a very brief summary of today’s Chechnya.
Chechnya was practically destroyed during the two wars but it was entirely reconstructed. When you travel there, you’ll realize that from an infrastructure perspective, Chechnya is an advanced region as per regional standards, but Chechens have never lost the strong identity that defines them.
Cultural Etiquette: what to expect when you travel in Chechnya
Chechnya is a surprising destination indeed.
Despite being part of the Russian Federation since 1858, this small country is a completely different world from anywhere you might have been in Russia, or any other Caucasus country.
First of all, Chechnya is a Muslim country but, unlike in other former Soviet Muslim nations, religion plays a big role in Chechens’ daily lives.
Men can’t wear shorts
This also translates into strict rules that may affect you as a traveler. For example, wearing shorts in public is strictly forbidden, a rule you will see announced in pretty much any public space, most likely as a warning to all the Russians from Moscow who come for a visit.
No alcohol in Chechnya
Moreover, Chechnya is a near-dry country with only one or two places in Grozny (top-notch hotels) serving alcohol. This is something I wasn’t expecting to experience in a country like Russia.
A homogenous society
After visiting Chechnya, I found it easy for me to recognize Chechens in Moscow, not only because of their facial features but also because they all share a particular style.
Men trim their beards just like Kadyrov does long beards with no mustache. It was pretty intriguing to walk along the main boulevard in Grozny and notice that pretty much all Chechen men looked like Kadyrov.
Most women dress similarly as well. They all wear a long, colourful dress with long trousers underneath, without exception. The vast majority wear a hijab too.
Chechnya has managed to keep a very strong identity, which I for one find truly fascinating.
Read: How to travel in Yamalia, Russia’s extreme north
Visas and permits for Chechnya
Can you travel to Chechnya?
Yes, you can. Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation, therefore any traveler visiting Chechnya will need a Russian visa.
For more information, check the visa section of our travel guide to Russia.
Permits for visiting Chechnya
Do you need any special permit to travel around Chechnya?
No, you don’t, not even in the areas near the border with Georgia.
However, remember that you do need a permit to visit South Ingushetia – travelers tend to cover both republics in one trip.
By the way, Ingushetia is a different republic from Chechnya, but Ingushetians are ethnically and culturally the same as Chechens. They were simply split into 2 different republics in an attempt to divide their society.
You need a permit to visit the border areas, and you’ll also require the help of a local guide and tour operator. It takes one full month for the permit to be issued so if you’re interested in visiting that part of North Caucasus, plan accordingly.
Tours of Chechnya
Traveling around Chechnya and North Caucasus requires complicated logistics, not only in terms of transportation but also because a knowledgeable local guide will always come in handy.
At Against the Compass, we offer one expedition that combines not only Chechnya but also Ingushetia, Dagestan and North Ossetia.
The next tours are scheduled on:
- April 21st to 28th, 2025 – SOLD OUT
- September 8th to 15th, 2025 – APPLY NOW
How to get into Chechnya
How to travel to Chechnya by plane
Grozny – the capital of Chechnya – has an international airport (GRV). To be honest, it’s a very small airport with few international flights, but there are some flights from Istanbul, Jeddah and Dubai.
However, Grozny has several daily connections with Moscow.
Alternatively, you can also fly to the nearby airports of Makhachkala (Dagestan) and Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia).
For more information on how to book flights, read the Getting in section of our travel tips for Russia.
How to travel to Chechnya by train
Grozny has a train station with direct trains from Moscow and many other cities in Russia. Keep in mind however, that the journey from Moscow to Grozny takes more than 1 day.
I personally entered Russia from West Kazakhstan into Astrakhan, from where I took a night train to Makhachkala. From Makhachkala, I entered Chechnya by car through the mountains, but there’s a train connecting both cities as well.
For more information on how to book trains, read the Getting in section of our travel tips for Russia.
How to get around Chechnya
Chechnya isn’t great in terms of public transportation.
I mean, you can easily get to Grozny by train and travel between the different towns and cities by minibus, but it’s very difficult to visit the southern part of the republic, since that’s a barely populated area of the Caucasus.
Hitchhiking, however, should be easy, and it’s something the local people do all the time. It can be quite an adventure too, time allowing.
A 4WD is also necessary to visit the remotest and most stunning parts of Chechnya.
Best time to visit Chechnya
Generally speaking, the best time to visit Chechnya is from June to September.
That’s the best season to visit the mountains as well as for trekking.
However, since Grozny is located in the lowlands, it can get overwhelmingly hot in the summer months, and the same goes for pretty much any other city in North Caucasus.
Honestly, if you aren’t planning to do any particular hikes, I’d say that April-May and October-November are the two best times to visit Chechnya, since the weather in the cities will be pleasant.
Where to stay in Chechnya
Where to stay in Grozny
Grozny has plenty of hotels. I personally stayed at Central City Hotel Grozny, a newly built, small hotel located in the center.
If you want something a bit fancier, check out Grozny City Hotel, located in one of the tallest buildings in Chechnya.
Where to stay in other parts of Chechnya
In South Chechnya, near Itum-Kale, you can stay at Edelweiss Hotel, which is very close to the Tusheti region of Georgia.
I also stayed at Kezenoy, a mountain lake in east Chechnya. While it’s true that the lake is nothing spectacular, you’re likely to stop off here on your way from Dagestan. There’s a government-run hotel called Kezenoy-Am Hotel.
Remember that you can book your accommodation in Ostrovok. Check the Accommodation section of our Russia guide.
Itinerary: Things to do in Chechnya in 3 days
Map of the things to do in Grozny
Day 1 – Grozny, the capital of Chechnya
When it comes to cities in the North Caucasus, Grozny is my favorite, but only because it’s something you would never expect, not only because of its unique identity but also because some areas are more like Dubai than to anywhere else in Russia.
Besides strolling around the city center and along the main boulevard, where Chechens all hang out, I recommend taking a Yandex to Argun, the most newly reconstructed area in probably all of the Caucasus.
I recommend to spend 1 or 2 nights here in Grozny.
Day 2 – Galanchozh, Tsoy Pede and Veduchi
This was my favorite part in the whole of Chechnya, home to utterly jaw-dropping landscapes.
You will need a 4WD, however, since the roads here are really rough.
It’s actually possible to reach Veduchi – the final destination – with a normal car, but then you’ll be missing the highlights found on the road that runs parallel to the Republic of Ingushetia. Please, check the above map for reference.
At the end of the mountain road, you will come to Tsoy Pede, a Caucasus necropolis built in the 13th century, consisting of several crypts built on the top of a hill, and where you can still see human remains.
Next, I recommend heading to Veduchi, where you can stay at a decent hotel named Edelweiss.
Day 3 – Sharoi, Kezenoy-am and Khoi
From Veduchi, you can travel from valley to valley along a pretty insane mountain road that will take you directly to Sharoi, a newly reconstructed Chechen mountain village that has today been turned into an open-air museum.
To be honest, I am not a big fan of these modern, soulless reconstructed places but I must admit it’s actually impressive to see.
From Sharoi, you can also travel to the next valley along another amazing mountain road that will take you to Kezenoy, a mountain lake and popular tourist spot for Chechens.
I don’t think the lake is particularly pretty, but it’s a cool place where you can see locals hanging out and spending their day over a barbecue.
In Kezenoy, you can stay in the government-run hotel called Kezenoy-Am Hotel.
The following day, I recommend continuing onwards on your journey to Dagestan.
More information:
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
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