Travel to South Ossetia, an unrecognized country. Direct contact and management of all visas and permits
The secret country of the Caucasus
F.A.Q.S
Of course it is, do not worry. Crime rates in South Osetia are by far the lowest in the entire Caucasus! The conflict with Georgia came to a ceasefire in 2008, which has not been broken since then. So there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.
The Republic of South Osetia does not have an established visa system. On the other hand, all international visitors, except citizens of the Russian Federation, must be on a list of “permitted travelers” at the border post. We take care of all the paperwork.
When you leave Russia for South Osetia and then return to Russia when you leave back home, you will need a double (or multiple) entry visa for Russia.
No, the border between South Osetia and Georgia is completely closed for international visitors. Only residents of the Leningor / Akhalgori district of South Ossetia can cross.
The only point of entry / exit to South Ossetia is the Ruk tunnel (Roki Tunnel) between North Osetia (part of Russia) and South Osetia.
However, if you come from Georgia, you can take a marshrutka (minibus) or a taxi to Vladikavkaz in Russia, where we can pick you up and take you to South Osetia.
For the Georgian government, visiting South Osetia from Russia is illegal. Theoretically you could be persecuted for this if you ever return to Georgia.
To avoid never having any problem, your passport will never be stamped by either Russia or South Osetia when crossing the border. There is no proof of your stay in the country. The tourists who have subsequently visited Georgia have never had any problems.
It depends on your travel objective. The traditional tourist must take into consideration that from the end of November to the beginning of April, the middle and high parts of the country are usually partially covered by snow and some remote villages are not accessible, but it is very spectacular. The rest of the year you will enjoy a continental climate, with long and generally dry summers.
For hiking and exploring the more remote areas we recommend visits in summer and early autumn. For skiing we recommend the rest of the year. It must be borne in mind that in the higher mountainous areas the snow can endure until the end of spring.
South Osetia is prohibited in the international banking system, unfortunately a direct transfer can not be made. Therefore, we can only accept cash payments upon arrival or payments through PayPal. If you need to make a bank transfer for any reason, please contact us and we will find an alternative solution for you.
While the major Russian banks, such as Sberbank, have ATMs throughout the country, many international cards do not work in South Osetia. Therefore, prepare yourself better and withdraw the cash before crossing the border. We can stop at an ATM on route, if necessary.
Within Tskhinval, on the main roads and in all the other larger villages (Dzau, Znaur, Leningor, etc.) you will have a 3G or 4G connection. Only in the mountains there is no sign.
In addition, your accommodation and most restaurants and cafes throughout the country have WI-FI available for you.
South Ossetia uses the same system as most European countries and Russia. The plugs are all “Type C” or “Euro Standard”.
Osetian, Russian and also Georgian are spoken by almost everyone in the country. Some restaurants and cafes you They have international menus (in English) and when you need it, you will find people who are fluent in English at Tskhinval.
But do not worry, the local guides speak English at user level, and in case of any problem we support them with our Russian translator.
