Autumn gold of Altai

We have breakfast and set off to explore, perhaps, the most popular places in Altai. 

An easy walk to the mysterious Geyser Lake, which you can admire endlessly. 

The incredibly bright, mesmerizing blue color of the water in the lake gives a certain mythical, 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. 

We will stop in the Kurai steppe and enjoy the views of the glaciers of the North Chuya Range, the largest in Central Asia. 

Next, we will switch to off-road transport and plunge into the atmosphere of space travel in the valley of the Chagan-Uzun River. 

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

The Martian landscapes of the tract give the impression that you are on another planet.

Return to the place of accommodation, rest. 

Impressions of the day: Geyser Lake; Kuraiskaya and Chuiskaya steppe; Severo-Chuisky ridge; "Altai Mars".

Difficulty of the day: walking 5-7 km per day, elevation drop of 200 m; car 170 km, including moving to UAZ- loaf 30 km dirt road.

The place where we will go today deserves attention in itself: unspoilt, picturesque and free from crowds of tourists. 

Many travelers come to Altai for such views. 

"Kamikaze trail" or "Wild Chuya" is what fans of extreme adventures call this place. 

The riverbed here is pierced through the rocks forming a canyon with a wall height of 50-60 meters. 

Competitions among professionals of the rough water Chuya — Mazhoy Rally and King of Asia are held at this site. 

At the beginning of the 21st century, when the active exploration of this territory began, ancient petroglyphs were discovered in the river valley, which we will see with you. 

After lunch we go to the Ular waterfalls. 

The path runs along the bank of the Chuya River. After a couple of kilometers, we will reach the first waterfall, squeezed into a narrow gorge, which creates impressive cascades of water.

Next, the path leads to the Bolshoy Ular Waterfall. 

The roar of water is heard on the approach, creating an atmosphere of grandeur and power of nature. 

It is unique in that a mountain river, falling from a height, breaks against a boulder, dividing the waterfall into two parts. 

Powerful jets of water stream down, showering with freshness and spray, and the rock hanging over our heads enhances the impression. 

Return to the place of accommodation, rest. 

Impressions of the day: Mazhoy Canyon; Ular waterfalls. 

Difficulty of the day: rough terrain; 200 m altitude difference.

Today we have to go to one of the most picturesque places of the Altai Republic – the valley of the Chulyshman River. 

This is a unique opportunity to get to know the majestic nature of Altai, learn more about its history and culture, and enjoy the breathtaking views. 

We will make several stops along the way to admire the beautiful scenery and take photos. 

The first stop is the Red Gate, a narrow passage among the red rocks. 

This place is a symbol of the Ulagan district – "the gateway to the land of a thousand lakes."

Then we will go to the high-altitude lakes of the Ulagan plateau. 

Here we will see a mysterious Dead Lake, a completely turquoise lake, an elongated Uzun-Kel and Lake Kidelu-Kel, which is visible from the mountainous Ulagan pass. 

The next stop will be the Pazyryk mounds – unique treasures of the ancient culture of Altai, the Scythian graves of great warriors, which are more than 2000 years old. 

The main impression of the day is two observation decks overlooking the Katu-Yaryk pass. 

First, let's stop at one of the sites where you can test yourself by standing over a precipice. 

From here, you can see the Kaya Bazhi waterfall running underground, and the entire Chulyshman Valley in full view. 

After that, we will go to another observation deck, where from a height of 800 meters we will admire the magnificent view of the Chulyshman valley, the serpentine mountain and the surrounding mountains. 

Return to base, rest. 

Impressions of the day: Red Gate; Ulagan pass; "Royal" mounds; Uzun-kel Lake; Uch-kel lake; Katu-Yaryk pass.

Difficulty of the day: 100 km car crossing, including 50 km dirt road; dust.

At 8:00 we vacate the rooms, have breakfast and set off along the Chuisky highway on the way back. 

To make the road interesting, we planned to visit several fascinating places: the archaeological complex of the Bronze Age "Adyr-Kan";

Ilgumen rapid on the Katun River, Ininsky sand pillars and Tsaplinsky Bridge.

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

In the evening, full of impressions, we return to Gorno-Altaysk.

Estimated time of arrival is 17:30-18:00. 

Impressions of the day: Ilgumen threshold; Ininsky sand pillars; Tsaplinsky bridge; archaeological complex "Adyr-Kan".

Difficulty of the day: travel time is 9-10 hours.