Kislovodsk
People come here not for beaches or ticking off sights, but for a distinctive rhythm of life. Mornings begin at a pump room with a glass of narzan mineral water, the day continues with an unhurried walk along the terrenkur trails of the national park, and evenings end with a relaxed dinner on Kurortny Boulevard. The town is compact and almost entirely walkable, and the mountain air at 800–900 metres feels remarkably light. If you fancy a change of scene, you can always set off on a short trip — to the Honey Waterfalls, to neighbouring Pyatigorsk, or to the majestic Mount Elbrus.
Kurortny Boulevard and the National Park
The boulevard is the main pedestrian axis of the town. It runs from the Gothic Narzan Gallery of 1858 straight to the entrance of Kislovodsk National Park. In the gallery, you can sample three kinds of narzan free of charge every day from 7:00 to 19:00: general, sulphate and dolomite.
The terrenkur trails begin at the Colonnade — six waymarked routes with a total length of over 24 km. The most popular of them, No. 2, runs past the Red Stones to the Valley of Roses. There, at an elevation of about 915 m, a high-mountain rose garden of 80 varieties is in bloom. Kislovodsk Park ranks first in the country for visitor numbers: in 2024 it welcomed 5.14 million people.
Accommodation at the resort is worth choosing to match the format of your trip. For a long spa treatment course, the Rebrovaya Balka district is a good fit, while for sightseeing it is better to pick a spot closer to the boulevard.
The town has around 70 hotels in total. A night at the Zerkalny hotel starts from 3,200 ₽, while at the Green Resort Hotel and SPA spa complex it starts from 14,900 ₽.
Summer +26 °C and Convenient Routes
Climate and weather
Summer in Kislovodsk is comfortable: around +26 °C during the day and +16 °C at night. There is no exhausting southern heat here, so walks along the terrenkur trails are pure pleasure. Autumn brings mild weather: an average of +21 °C in September and +16 °C in October. Winter is sunny and mild, and snow falls only rarely: +5 °C during the day and down to −4 °C at night. The sanatoriums operate year-round.
How to get around and what to see nearby
Between the towns of the Caucasian Mineral Waters it is convenient to travel by suburban train: the fastest service from Mineralnye Vody to Kislovodsk takes 57 minutes. In a single day you can climb Mount Mashuk in Pyatigorsk, taste the water at the pump rooms of Yessentuki, or take a stroll along the Cascade Staircase in Zheleznovodsk.
The Honey Waterfalls and Mount Koltso in the Alikonovka Gorge are about an hour’s drive away, whether by car or on a guided tour. And for a weekend getaway you can head into the mountains: Arkhyz, Dombay and Terskol at the foot of Mount Elbrus are all within easy reach.
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Frequently asked questions about Kislovodsk
For a sanatorium course, 14–21 days is the usual allowance. If you are planning an active trip, 3–4 days will be enough. Set aside one day for a walk along the boulevard and the park, and another for a visit to the Honey Waterfalls and Mount Koltso. Leave a couple more days for suburban train trips around the Caucasian Mineral Waters.
The nearest airport is Mineralnye Vody (MRV), about 60 km from Kislovodsk. From Mineralnye Vody station you can reach Kislovodsk by suburban train. The trip takes 57 minutes and a ticket costs from 285 ₽. You can also take a taxi directly from the airport: the ride costs 1,800–2,300 ₽ and takes about an hour. Direct trains run from Moscow — the journey takes 24–28 hours.
The best time to come is May–June or September. It is not hot then, and the roses are in bloom in the park. July and August are a good fit for those who want to enjoy warm evenings and set off into the mountains. The low season runs from February to April and from November to December: during this period, sanatorium packages are at their most affordable.
Yes, Kislovodsk is a good choice for a trip with children. In the town centre you can walk freely on foot, the lower terrenkur trails have a gentle gradient, and the town also has a cable car that leads up to the Valley of Roses, a circus, and a water park at the Dolina Narzanov sanatorium. The town itself sits at an elevation of 800–900 metres above sea level. Such an altitude is usually well tolerated, but in the first few days it is best to avoid steep climbs.