Altai. Hike to the foot of Belukha

The first morning in the mountains charges us with a great mood. 

We wake up refreshed, warm up well, have breakfast, get to know each other again and try to remember the names of new comrades. 

Now you need to re-evaluate whether you need to take everything you brought with you to the mountains and customize the backpack for yourself.

Extra things will wait for your return from the route at the tourist complex. 

We have to drop off by car from Tyungur to the parking lot "Elan".

We have lunch in a very nice place, near the rock paintings (we will definitely go to see them).

Our first full-fledged crossing and the first mountain river begin from the parking lot.

The color of the water in the Kucherla river is milky with a turquoise tint. 

On its way, it cuts through many moraines and mountain ranges, beats in gorges, forming an almost continuous chain of complex rapids – a fascinating sight! 

In the evening we will camp at the forester's hut near the river.

After dinner – bonfire, socializing, songs.

Drop-off on high-passable transport 8 km. The passage under the backpack is 12 km, the height difference is 250 m.

We have added a visit to the famous and incredibly beautiful Kucherlinsky Lake, which lies at the foot of the Katunsky Ridge, to the route.

The lake is located at an altitude of 1790 m above sea level and is filled with icy water of a greenish-blue hue.

The most desperate daredevils can swim in it, and the rest will take cool photos from the shore.

In the evening, we will play fun hiking games, sit around the campfire and discuss tomorrow.

The passage under the backpack is 18 km, the height difference is 450 m.

The mountain spirit and the special atmosphere of Altai charge us for a vigorous ascent. 

We properly charge up with morning porridge and warm up before the running day. 

Today we have to climb the crest of the Akkem and Kucherla river watershed.

We will arrange lunch on the border of the forest so that during the meal we can see all these fantastic beauties around.

Having had a good rest, we move out to the "Cedar" parking lots for the night. 

The passage under the backpack is 10 km, the height difference is 700 m. There is no connection.

Today is an important day in our journey. 

Finally, we will see her - the Beluga Whale in all its glory!

The difficult ascent to the Kara-Tyurek pass (3078m, difficulty category 1A) is worth the kinds that will be our reward for your efforts. 

Get ready to admire and photograph a lot – from the highest point of the pass, a fascinating panorama of the Katun ridge with endless peaks and the Yarlu Valley will open (it is also in our program). 

When we have rested and quenched our photographic thirst, we will begin the descent to Lake Akkem, near which we will camp. 

There is a piece of civilization on the shore of the lake, in particular, a hydrometeorological station, a rental point, a base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and even a cafe.

You can buy delicious hot tortillas.

Save the best beach outfits for the evening (which can be in a tourist's backpack) – we have planned a high-altitude bathhouse.

The transition under the backpack is 10 km, the height difference is 1000 m: ascent and descent. The ability to recharge. There is a cafe. A high-altitude bathhouse.

This will be our spare day in case of bad weather. 

The weather in Altai, as in any other mountains, is a capricious and changeable lady, you should always be prepared for this.

Today you can get enough sleep, arrange a laundry, a photo shoot, play active games or just lie on the foam and listen to the sounds of nature. 

The ability to recharge. There is a cafe.

After breakfast, rested and cheerful, we go to the radial exit. 

Let's go to the chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, which was built in memory of the climbers who died climbing to the top in 2006. 

The place is very picturesque, we admire the views, enjoy the grandeur of the local places. 

And, of course, we take a ton of photos and videos that can be sent to a wildlife magazine even now. 

Satisfied and inspired, we go to the lake of Mountain Spirits or to the glacier, which forms the Akkem River. 

In the evening, we return to the camp by winding roads and stone scree. 

Light trekking 6 km, altitude difference up to 100 m. The ability to recharge.

We've been on the road for a whole week – the crossings are no longer so scary, and finally I remember the name of my tent neighbor. 

After breakfast and the obligatory warm-up, we go out light into the valley of the Seven Lakes. 

The trail leads us up, climbing among shrubs and cedars. 

The views are impressive: powerful trees with spreading crowns, sparkling snows of majestic Beluga, fluffy clouds underfoot, the mirrored surface of lakes lost in the mountains.

We will have lunch in the valley to enjoy the beauty and atmosphere of these places longer, and then we will go back to the camp. 

We will exchange impressions over dinner, then arrange an evening of games or songs around the campfire. 

Light trekking is 8 km, altitude difference is 600 m. The ability to recharge.

Another eventful and bright day of our acquaintance with Altai. 

We get up early, eat, pack a camp, and go out into the Yarlu gorge.

To do this, we will need to cross the Akkem river. 

It is worth telling about the gorge in more detail – this is a truly fabulous place, which is often called the Valley of the Edelweiss. 

Because of the bright colors of these flowers, it seems that the mountain slopes are covered with an unimaginably colorful and iridescent carpet. 

It is believed that there is an extraordinary energy in the Yarlu gorge.

The pilgrims built a Stone City here, a very unusual place that is worth seeing. 

After a walk to Yarla, we will have lunch and go to the Tekel waterfall, the highest in Altai (60m). 

From our parking lot, you can only see the upper part of it. 

There is a dense forest below, so it is quite difficult to see the waterfall in its entirety. 

You can walk to the valley separately instead of a spare day on the Akkema, then we will immediately go to the Tekelu waterfall. 

Light trekking 7 km. The passage under the backpack is 9 km, the height difference is 500 m.

We wake up to the singing of birds and the delicious smells of the camp kitchen. 

Today we are waiting for a path along the Akkem River to the parking lot "Three birches".

We rejoice at the first signs of civilization: at a local store you can buy drinks, hot pies, tortillas for lunch. 

It won't be a difficult day, but another pass is planned tomorrow. 

So we save up our strength and get enough sleep in a cozy warm sleeping bag to the sounds of evening nature. 

The passage under the backpack is 13 km, the height difference is 500 m.

In the morning we leave the parking lot "Three birches" to the Kuzuyak pass (1513 m , n / a). 

The way up is not easy, but we are already worn-out camping rolls! 

At the saddle of the pass, we will have a short break and a snack. 

Then we go down to the village of Kucherla, from where we started our route.

We go to the village of Tyungur to a familiar tourist complex, get up camp, run to unpack untouched clean things.

In the evening, we arrange a farewell dinner by the campfire, summarize the results, share our impressions.

The crossing is 18 km, the drop is 650 m.

In the early morning, we collect the camp and personal belongings, leave by transfer to Gorno-Altaysk. 

At the request of the participants, we will visit the N.K. Roerich Museum.

The Museum of Old Believers and the creative association "Gems" in the village of Verh-Uymon. 

Flight home: hug with new friends, mentally say goodbye to the wonderful Altai and promise ourselves to definitely come back here again.

Transfer 5-6 hours to Gorno-Altaysk.