The Lago-Naki plateau is the main reason serious walkers and nature lovers come to Maykop. A high alpine plateau at around 1,800 to 2,200 metres in the Caucasus mountains, about 100 kilometres south of Maykop, it offers some of the most accessible high-mountain scenery in the western Caucasus: rolling karst meadows, dramatic limestone outcrops, patches of beech and fir forest, and views north across the Adygean foothills and south to the higher peaks of the main Caucasus range.
The plateau is at its best in summer (June–September), when the meadows are in flower and the hiking is straightforward. Marked trails range from easy plateau walks to more demanding routes into the surrounding mountains. The Azish-Tau cave complex on the edge of the plateau is worth an hour — it has stalactites and stalagmites in a limestone cave that can be visited on a guided tour without serious caving experience.
In winter the plateau sees enough snow for cross-country skiing, though facilities are basic. Getting to Lago-Naki requires either a car or an organised tour from Maykop; there is no public transport to the plateau itself.