Dombai is a mountainous country in Karachaevo-Cherkessia (Russian North Caucasus)
, in the Kuban river basin. Wellknown Mountain Elbrus (5642 m) is some 65 km to the East and Black Sea coast 60 km to the West.
The south end of the region Dombai runs along the Main Caucasian Range. Mountain Dombai-Ulgen, 4040 m, is the highest pea of the region. The region three main ravines are Alibek, Amanauzs and Dombai-Ulgen, and at there cross they form the natural center - the clearing Dombai (1600 m).
Dombai is not an administrative unit, and has not got any clearly defined boundaries. By tradition it is the name of the country situated in the upper reaches of the Teberda river, a major Kuban tributary, which encompasses several mountainous ravines running from the Main Caucasian Range.
In Karachai "dombai" means aurochs. According to one of legends there had been a time when aurochs abounded in the local forests. The name of the highest mountain in this region - Dombai-Ulgen in karachai language means "a killed aurochs". According to the other legend, the Dombai clearing was called after the hunter Dommai, who while chasing the aurochs killed the animal, but did not managed to save balance, fell from the high mountain to the precipice and died.
Back to hoary antiquity (1000 BC) here was the mountainous frontier between Sarmating to the North and Colches to the South. Later (4-8 century ac) the southern part of the mountains was occupied by Abhazians and Alans who had come to live in the mountainous ravines of the Kuban river.
In the large Gonachkhir ravine crossing the Klukhor Pass here was an old trade road, it was used by the Roman, Genovese and Byzantine caravans. The Tartar invasion had put an end to the Alan state and many of the tribes which had lived in North Caucasus were driven into the mountains. The Karachai nationality which then came to live in the Kuban and the Teberda ravins has been preserved as the indigenous population in our days. It had been formed as a result of mixed marriages of Alan and Turkey-speaking kipchaks.
First researchers appeared in the area far back as in 1895. It was at the turn of the century that it become clear that the Teberda-Dombai region had great prospects for the future, with the emphasis on Teberda. Beginning from the 1930 s Dombai has been turned into a very popular recreation and sports center.
First travelers and mountain climbers to arrive in Dombai in 1904-1905 were members of the Russian Mountaineering Society. In 1925, 1929-1933 small groups of soviet mountain climbers ascended Mts Ertzag, Jugaturlyachat,Boolgen, :: In 1933 Aleinikov's group reached the peak of the formerly inaccessible Mountain Dombai-Ulgen. Now it is a classical route of many climbers.
The first tourist base in Dombai was opened in 1935. It situated in the place of the modern hotel "Dombai" and was called " the tourist-climbing camp of the Society of Proletarian Tourism and Excursions (SPTE).
A recreation center of Scientist, which later became famous as " the wooden tower", the pride of the Dombai clearing, was set up there in 1937. Recently the Solnechnaya Dolina (Sunny Valley) tourist center has been inaugurated here.
Before the World War II there was a growing number of tourists and climbers arriving in Dombai. Training sessions of the best soviet alpin-skiers were held in this area.
During the World War II from August 1942 till January 1943 Dombai was occupied by the German troops of the "Edelweiss" division . The staff of the division was placed in the building of the Solnechnaya Dolina. The German troops controlled the local mountain passes. But they were forced to get away hasty, not having an opportunity to destroy the existing in Dombai buildings, including the Solnechnaya Dolina.
Beginning from 1944 new routes were being sought , new peaks ascended. In 1946 in extremely difficult conditions the massifs of Ptysh, Akbek and Jugaturlyachar were traversed.
Now Dombai is a modern recreation and sports center, a mountain climbing, skiing and tourist Mecca of the Great Caucasus. At present one can find a tourist complex of 12 hotels here. The important part of Dombai are the funiculars. A pair armchair funicular almost 1900 meters in length and two towing bow-collector funiculars build across the slope of the mountain Mussa-Achitara are at mountain-skiers and holiday makers disposal.
There more then 10 variants of slopes of different difficulty, steepness and speed, beginning from the top of the Mussa-Achitara. This can satisfy the tastes of the experienced mountain skiers and even of the beginners.
Beginning from the Dombai clearing there is a great number of interesting tourist routes.
Dombai is often called "the heart of mountains". It is surrounded by them from the every side. The beautiful Belialakaia (stripped mountain) - is a specific symbol of Dombai. It takes its name from the words - "beli" - the belt, "ala" - bright, stripped, and "kaia" - scale. In translation it means - the scale with bright stripes. The Peak Kop (3400), Erthog, the black tower of the Alibeck-bashi are seen behind it. Mountain Sulachat looks like a sleeping woman. From the top of the Mussa-Achitara one can see a great panorama of the Main Ridge of the Big Caucasus, an unbroken toothed wall. The Dombai -Ulgen (J.) and Dombai-Ulgen are the parts of it. Peak Ine (needle) is seen foreground. Many-headed ridge of Jugudurloo-Chata, tetra-headed ridge Amanauz can be seen after it. The way to the Zub Sofrudshoo, a scale ridge with the black bugle - like head lies through the very beautiful ravine Amanauz. It means - "an angry mouth", because there were times when angry bears lived there.
The Dombai is situated in the territory of the Teberda National Park. You can find there not only the grand mountains. In Teberda and Dombai region there are many waterfalls: Sofrudshunsky, Ptysh, Chuchhur and others, there are high - mountain lakes - Kluhor, Turye, and unique forests and plants.
Dombai is a center of mountain-climbing and tourism in the Caucasus. It is not easy to find many places with such nature treasures like Dombai clearing, where you can find everything that attracts tourists and mountain climbers.
It was not fortuitous that famous Swiss scientists and mountain climbers once said that "for its beauty and a rich variety of glaciers, luxurious forests and vegetation Dombai far exceeds, anything to be found in the Alps". It would be difficult to say in what season Dombai looks its best. It is beautiful in all seasons!