Under the Perseid Stars: KBSU Students’ Journey to the Adyl-Su Gorge

On the eve of Geographer’s Day in Russia, the team of the RGO Youth Club «Mountain People», operating at the Institute of Management, Tourism and Hospitality Industry of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov, made a trip to the picturesque Adyl-Su Gorge. The main goal of the trip was to observe a fascinating astronomical phenomenon — the Perseid meteor shower. At this time, millions of tiny particles from an ancient comet burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, leaving behind white traces.

19 people took part in the trip. They walked 7.5 km one way. The path ran from the Shkhelda alpine camp along the Adyl-Su River valley, through Lake Bashkara and ended at the Green Hotel glade.

For the night, the tourists stopped on the bank of the Adyl-Su, which originates from the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus Range.

“The night under the Perseids exceeded all expectations! The abyss of space unfolded above us. Dozens of falling stars — fleeting, but so bright! The sound of the river, the cool mountain air and this fantastic sky — such moments heal the soul, reminding us of the scale of the Universe and that any difficulties are nothing compared to this spectacle,” shared Ayat Tlakodugova, a student at KBSU.
The Mountain People club is engaged in the popularization of active tourism and helps people get to know their native land better.

As Stanislav Kushchev, the head of the club, said:

“We want KBSU students to travel more around Kabardino-Balkaria, discover the beauty of nature and master the skills of safe travel along routes.”
On Geographer’s Day in Russia, Stanislav Kushchev expressed his wishes for new discoveries, inspiration and energy to his colleagues from the Russian Geographical Society for joint work on popularizing geography and studying our world in depth.

The «Mountain People» will soon set off on expeditions again. The plans include a large-scale week-long hike covering various regions of the republic, which will be the conclusion of the club’s activities for the year.