A car tour of the Altai Mountains. When the maralnik blooms

Excursion to the valley of the Chuya river (Mazhoy canyon).

This is a gorge from the mouth of the Maashey River (Mazhoy) to the village of Chibit. 

"Kamikaze track" or "Wild Chuya" is how extreme water divers call this place.

It is here that competitions are held among professionals of rough water Chuya-Mazhoy rally and the King of Asia. 

There are 54 thresholds of the 5th and 6th (highest) on this site difficulty categories. 

After lunch, an easy walk to the mysterious Blue Lake ("Geyser").

The incredibly bright, mesmerizing blue color of the water in the lake gives a certain mythic, fabulous character to these places. 

And several springs slowly gushing out of the ground, mixing blue clay with sand, paint bizarre pictures that are constantly changing. 

Then drive along the Chui tract through the Kurai and Chui high-altitude steppes. 

Unforgettable views of the glaciers of the North Chui range (the peaks of the four-thousandth Aktru, Kurkurek) open directly from the road. 

We visit the amazing valley with the colored lands of Kyzyl-Chin, which is called "Altai Mars" because of the unusual multicolored rocks.  

Red, yellow, purple, white, mountains... 

This area is characterized by a high concentration of polymetallic ores, which gives it such an unusual appearance. 

We will climb up the mountainside and be sure to go down one of the canyons, we will feel the powerful natural energy of this place.

In the evening we return to the campsite in the village of Aktash. 

210 km, 30 km off-road.

After breakfast, we set off along the Ulagan highway, through the Red Gate to the village of Ulagan. 

The road runs along the Chibitka River and gradually gains altitude.  

Along the way we will see high-altitude lakes. 

The landscape around is gradually changing, the trees are getting lower, the temperature is dropping, and the picture looks more like a high-altitude tundra. 

We will make a stop at Kidel Lake and take a walk to the Ulagan pass.

The height of the pass is 2080 meters above sea level.  

There is a gazebo at the top of the pass, and white ribbons hang on the trees, as evidence of the special attitude of local residents to the sacred places of Altai.

From the observation deck of the pass we will see the peaks of the Eastern Altai and the Kurai ridge.

We will visit the Pazyryk tract with ancient burial mounds that belong to the elite of the Pazyryk society of the VI – III centuries BC.

Then, from the observation deck, from a height of 800 m, we will admire the grandiose view of the Chulyshman River valley and the surrounding mountains.

Katu-Yaryk mountain serpentine. 

Hiking down the serpentine to the Chulyshmansky Canyon, 3.5 km. 

Check-in at a campsite on the banks of the Chulyshman River. 

100 km off-road, 5-6 hours.

The morning starts with a boat crossing over the Chulyshman river and a walk to the Kurkure waterfall, 25-30 m high.

Then we get in the car and go deep into the Chulyshman valley 30 km. 

After lunch, we will take a walk along the Karasu River in the Ak-kurum tract.

There are amazing natural formations here — geological remnants in the form of stone mushrooms. 

For many hundreds of years, nature has been "sharpening" these landforms. 

Soft rocks were washed out by precipitation and blown by winds, a thin "leg" was obtained, and huge boulders were used as a cap.

Such mushrooms still "grow" several mm per year, and reach a height of 7 meters! 

Overnight at a campsite on the banks of the Chulyshman River.

30 km off-road, about 8 km on foot.

Today we are going along the Chushyshmansky canyon and the Bolshoy Ulagan Valley towards the village of Aktash. 

On the way, we will visit the Tudan threshold on the Chulyshman River and the Kuluzun waterfall. 

Hiking up the serpentine to the Chulyshmansky canyon — Katu-Yaryk, 3.5 km. 

Upon arrival in the village of Aktash — banya. 

140 km off-road, 6-7 hours.

With a full baggage of impressions, we set off on the return journey along the Chui tract to Gorno-Altaysk.

We will make a stop at the Seminsky pass, during which you can visit the fair of Mongolian goods and souvenirs, buy Altai products: honey, herbal teas, pine nuts. 

The approximate time of arrival in Gorno-Altaysk is 16:00-16:30 hours.

350 km.