Diving in Altai and Nizhny Katun. Horse and water tour

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On this tour, you will have a fascinating immersion into the life and traditions of the indigenous population of Gorny Altai, familiarization with equestrian tourism, and at the same time rest with the maximum possible comfort for an equestrian tour.

After a leisurely chat with Altai horses, Altai will give you a surge of adrenaline, you will become conquerors of white water, going rafting on the Katun River.

There are also interesting options for this tour: Diving in Altai. Horseback riding tour (without rafting on the final day) and Diving in Altai: horseback riding, rafting and trekking (an excursion to the Karakol Lakes on Sunday is added).

Location

Manzherok village

from

Discount available

Contact the tour coordinator

Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Communication with Altai horses

Fascinating horseback riding tours with immersion in the Altai nature and its ancient history

The mystical history of Altai

Getting to know the way of life and traditions of the inhabitants of the Altai Mountains, a hot sauna and campfire gatherings

A surge of adrenaline

Conquest of the white water – an exciting rafting trip along the Katun River

Itinerary

Day 1 - Transfer to the Aru-Kem cordon
Arrival. It is possible to travel independently by private car, by intercity bus, by booked car or with a collective transfer from Gorno-Altaysk airport, most importantly — up to 10 hours!
Since after all the events in the Taiga, the group will be transferred to the Aru-Kem cordon, where the guests will live for the next 5 days.
This fascinating journey with all the planned stops takes at least 7 hours.
So, upon arrival at the Taezhnik eco-hotel, the guests will be greeted by a guide, introduced to the surroundings and conducted to a cafe for breakfast until 10:30.
If the whole group is assembled, then after completing our preparations, we leave for the Taezhnik — Aru-Kem route and have lunch on the way to a cafe.
If not everyone is present, wait and have lunch at the Taiga cafe, then check out along the route.
Moving to the Aru-Kem cordon passes along the famous Chuisky highway with stories about its sights.
On the way, stops are planned at the Seminsky Pass, at the monument to the Gopher, and a visit to the museum in Kulada village.
There are also technical stops (shop, gas station, toilet).
In the evening we arrive at the cordon, where we check in according to the selected accommodation options.
Dinner in a cafe, sauna.
An evening of dating and relaxation.
Length: by car – 178 km.

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Day 2 - Horseback riding tour: Arukemskaya Cave — Lake Aru-Kem
General wake-up at 8 a.m. and breakfast at 9:00 in the cafe.
Fees.
Safety briefing for equestrian tourism.
Acquaintance with Altai horses and their distribution among tourists.
On this day, participants will have a simple horse crossing.
The path mostly runs along a dirt road among a mixed forest.
Turning off into a clearing, the travelers will leave their horses for a while and make a short ascent to the cave, which offers a beautiful view of the valley of the Arygem River.
After descending back to the clearing, tourists are already on horseback heading to the clear mountain lake Aru-Kem.
Here, rest awaits the tired, lunch awaits the hungry, and bathing awaits those who wish.
After enjoying a rest by the water, the travelers continue their horseback ride first along the lake and then towards the cordon, which has sheltered for a week.
Upon arrival at the parking lot, everyone will have dinner in a cafe, a sauna and a master class.
Today it is the national game of "Kamchi" — knocking down wooden blocks with a whip.
Length: koni — 15 km, on foot — 2 km.

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Day 3 - Kara-Tash Pass (Black Stone) Horse Riding Tour
Breakfast at the cafe.
Having mounted the already familiar horses, the group sets off on the road.
Today, tourists will have to overcome a route running along horse trails among coniferous forests, with access to an area located above forest level, at an altitude of 2000 m, where the weather can differ significantly from the valley.
On the way to the sacred pass, travelers will see ribbons tied on trees. Here they will learn about this ancient rite and more.
The Kara-Tash pass offers a panoramic view of the entire Karakol Valley and the nearest two villages are visible from a bird's-eye view.
Here, guests of Altai will get acquainted with the traditions of installing Wallpaper, find out what they were put together for, and also participate in the construction of a new one.
And when descending from the pass, the sacred mountain Uch-Enmek is shown.
Hiding in the nearest fishing line on the shore of a temporary riverbed, the group prepares tea over a campfire and lunch as a snack.
After resting, tourists go to the parking lot, now they are waiting for a long descent into the valley.
In the evening, tired travelers will have dinner in a cafe, a hot sauna and a master class.
Horse crossing: 18 km.

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Day 4 - The valley of mounds and rock paintings
Breakfast at the cafe, after which the group sets off.
The horse-drawn crossing of this day is not difficult, it again runs mainly along dirt roads with minor deviations.
But the day is full of cultural monuments.
The first one will be the Sooru tract, a large valley with more than 450 archaeological sites.
Among them are the site of ancient people, Scythian mounds, and Turkic balbals.
Here, guests will enjoy an exciting excursion into the past.
After continuing the journey and overcoming a small but steep pass, tourists settle down for a picnic by the river in a clearing.
The next point of the tour will be a visit to the rock carvings, but to see them, you will need to climb the mane ridge on foot.
In addition to the rock carvings, tourists will visit the site of ancient rituals of worshipping the spirits of Altai and the story about it.
After going down to the horses, we go to the parking lot, where, according to the established tradition, dinner, a master class and a sauna are waiting for travelers.
This time there is a master class in Altai archery.
Horse crossing: 18 km. Walking distance: 1 km.

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Day 5 - Horse riding tour to the Bashadar mounds
Breakfast at the cafe.
The horse-drawn and sometimes automobile road runs smoothly through the territory of the Uch-Enmek Nature Park, without ascents and descents, only occasionally crossing streams and rivers by ford or over bridges.
The mounds are located near the village of Boochi, on the left bank of the Karakol River.
The largest of the mounds have a diameter of 40 meters and a height of more than 2 meters.
In this burial system, a 300-meter-long fence lined with slabs has been well preserved. The structures of the Pazyryk culture predominate (the Early Iron Age of the VI—III centuries BC).
Lunch on the bank of the Karakol River.
Return to the place of accommodation.
Bathhouse.
Supper.
Preparation for departure from the cordon.
Horse crossing: 25 km.

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Day 6 - Rafting on the Katun River. Departure
Early breakfast and departure from the territory of the Aru-Kem cordon before 08:00.
Transfer to the starting point of the rafting.
Meeting with a rafting instructor, getting equipment (wetsuits, splash-proof suits, helmets, vests).
Instruction on the technique of water tourism.
Passing the thresholds: Muninsky (2 cat. difficulties), Manzheroksky (2 cat. difficulties), during the rafting tourists will visit Kamyshlinsky waterfall.
Lunch in the field (tea, sandwiches, sweets).
The rafting opposite the Taezhnik eco-hotel will end.
Dinner at the Taiga cafe.
The end of the program.
Departure for those who travel to Barnaul and Novosibirsk is at about 22:30 (for an additional fee to the driver of the car).
For those who leave the next morning to the airport of Gorno-Altaysk, accommodation in a tent camp is free of charge.
Accommodation in the room fund of the Taezhnik eco-hotel for an additional fee, subject to availability.
You can also book rooms in the neighboring tourist complexes Lyubava or Manzherok, or in any of the hotels in Gorno-Altaysk.

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Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

The equestrian part of the route is easy, does not require special training, and good physical shape is needed to participate in the water part of the route.

Accommodation

or

Tent, Camp Site

5 nights

Comfort

Basic

The tour includes accommodation in tents or cabins.

The cost of the tour depends on the chosen accommodation option

When staying in a tent — 75,800 rubles / person, the surcharge for single occupancy is 4,000 rubles to the cost of the tour.
When staying in cabins, the on—site amenities are 82,300 rubles/person, the surcharge for single occupancy in a 2-bed cabin without a stove is 6,000 rubles to the cost of the tour.

Tent

Another option

Camp Site

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Tour conditions

Group

From 6 to 12 tourists

Minimum age

11 years old

Maximum weight of the tourist

100 kg

Duration

6 days 5 nights

Group meets at

Manzherok village

Included in price

transportation according to the program;
horse rental;
rent of necessary equipment;
placement according to the selected option;
3 meals a day: breakfast and dinner in a cafe, lunch as a snack in the field;
The guide's job;
the work of grooms;
recreational fees, entrance fees;
sauna every day according to the program;
Insurance is included in the price of the route.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Barnaul, Gorno-Altaisk, Novosibirsk and back;
delivery from all cities to the Taezhnik railway station, except for a group transfer from Gorno-Altaisk airport;
meals not specified in the tour program;
accommodation before and after the tour;
tick insurance, it can be issued additionally, the cost of insurance is 400.00 rubles, the validity period is 1 year (issued and paid in advance).

It's important to know

1. A backpack, suitcase or a large travel bag, that is, something in which it is convenient to carry things to the base, special means are issued on the route for transporting things (archimak (saddlebag) and a dry run).

2. Hiking shoes you need to have boots that can be leather, rubber, or birch, the main thing is that they do not get wet and cover the boot from rubbing against the stirrup strap (putlishche), in extreme cases high boots (boots). But rubber boots are preferable, because they do not get wet from the outside, and if water gets inside, they are quite easy to dry by the fire, while they do not deform if you follow the small drying rules.

3. Running shoes or trekking boots for radial exits. Avoid new, unworn shoes. If you choose trekking boots, keep in mind that not all of them can really be dried in field conditions, and when drying by the campfire they can deform and become practically unusable.

4. Replacement shoes for camping (slates).

5. Comfortable clothing for horse crossings and radial pedestrian crossings –trousers made of dense soft fabric that do not restrict movement, without rough internal seams, made of light quick-drying material, preferably cotton. A shirt or a long sleeve T-shirt. A windbreaker made of thick material. A suit for hunters or fishermen, or something similar, is suitable, the main thing is that it is comfortable and does not rustle.

6. A set of clothes for camping and overnight stays – trousers, shirt, shorts, T-shirt, thermal underwear is ideal for overnight stays, it will also help out if the weather deteriorates.

7. A warm sweater or hoodie (preferably fleece or wool material).

8. Warm jacket (synthetic or down jacket). Keep in mind the fact that the sintepon is much easier to dry. If someone thinks that warm clothes will not be needed in July, I assure you that this is not the case. The weather in the mountains is extremely unpredictable.

9. A warm hat (fleece or wool).

10. A cap or panama hat that covers the face and eyes from direct sunlight, or a bandana.

11. Gloves (even simple cotton ones will do).

12. Socks – 2-3 pairs of cotton or linen, 2 pairs of wool

13. A splash-proof raincoat or suit that can withstand light rain. On the equestrian route, UgCS (Combined Arms Protective Kit) are issued to protect against rain - a long rubber raincoat with a hood

14. A bathing suit to enjoy sunbathing or take a dip in a mountain pond.

15. Toiletries and hygiene products. Including hygienic lipstick and sunscreen with a high protection factor (UF 50). Towels, shampoo, soap are required.

16. Sunglasses that protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays in the mountains.

17. A small flashlight (headlamp).

18. Individual medicines, the instructor takes the main first-aid kit with him, but if you have an individual intolerance to any standard drugs or need for specific or strictly prescription medicines - take your own.

19. A small water flask. You can use a plastic bottle with a capacity of 0.5 liters., but it is very desirable to have a flask that can be attached to a belt or fastened to a saddle with a carabiner, or otherwise secured.

20. A camera or video camera (optional) with hermetically sealed packaging. and do not forget a spare battery for it, or an external energy storage device, because there will be a lot of species that you want to capture, but there is nowhere to recharge!.

21. Tourist seat (hob).

22. Personal tableware (plate, spoon, mug)

23. For the convenience of packaging, it is recommended to have small bags or garbage bags, and for additional splash protection of things and protection from dirt in archimacs, I recommend having dense plastic bags with a volume of 160-180 liters in the amount of 4 pieces.

FOR OVERNIGHT STAYS IN A TENT, thermal underwear is ideal, it will also help out if the weather turns bad.

Additional items for the WATER part of the combined tour:

Sneakers, sneakers (one size larger for hydro socks) or special alloy shoes, or quick-drying shoes with laces or Velcro.
Thermal underwear or khb T-shirt and shorts under a wetsuit.

Additionally, for the water part: The camera and movie camera must have special sealed boxes or sealed packaging.

The requirement for a set of personal items. Nothing superfluous or sharp (without appropriate packages, which can damage the hermetic packaging). For the convenience of packaging and additional splash protection, we recommend having plastic bags.

Delivery from Gorno-Altaysk

The cost of group delivery from Gorno-Altaysk airport to the Taezhnik tourist complex (round trip) as a gift upon purchase of this tour.

Advice from the tour organizers: to buy flights to the airport of Gorno-Altaysk (the capital of the Altai Republic) with the arrival time until 10:00 a.m. because the delivery from the airport to the Taiga takes 25 minutes. Delivery from Barnaul (Altai Territory, neighboring region) to Taiga takes 4-5 hours.

The meeting at the airport of Gorno-Altaysk is carried out according to the time of arrival of the aircraft.

We ask you to inform us about the actual delays in departure time by text message, NOT by phone (to be indicated on the voucher), so that we can meet you on time. We will inform you about which car will meet you either on the evening before arrival or during your flight.

We kindly ask that you turn on your phones immediately after boarding the plane so that the drivers can contact you, and take with you the phones whose numbers are indicated in the application.

A group transfer means that if you and other tourists arrive on flights with a landing gap of less than 1 hour, those who arrived earlier will wait for the next plane and the tourists arriving on it to board.

It is possible to arrange an individual transfer from / to the airport to Taiga, if you do not wish to travel by group transfer, from 1,000 rubles / car (one way) capacity — from 1 to 4 people.

Attention! One day before the start of the route, tourists are sent the car number and the phone number of the driver who meets them. Therefore, please provide the correct phone numbers so that it is convenient to contact the driver. For those arriving at the airport in Gorno-Altaysk, the driver's contacts and driver's number are sent immediately before arrival.

The rest of the delivery is for an additional fee.

The order of the delivery option is carried out at any time from the moment of booking the tour, but no later than 7 days before the start of the tour.

Recommendations for delivery from Barnaul

Delivery is carried out by private carriers and at the rates of private carriers, payment is made on the spot to the driver (the tour operator only helps with the organization of delivery). 2 collection points.

Meeting at Barnaul airport (from 5:50 a.m. to 7:50 a.m.), meeting at Barnaul railway station from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

If you arrived in Barnaul in advance or live there, you will coordinate the meeting place with the driver, he will pick you up if he is on his way, if not, he will indicate the meeting place.

The car leaves if the delivery team is assembled in full.

The driver will have your contact phone numbers, along with information about the place and time of the meeting, and the driver will contact you.

Cars do NOT set off on the route without meeting all tourists, provided that all planes arrive on time (the waiting time can be adjusted by 1 hour).

If the plane is delayed by 1 hour or more, the formed cars are sent on the flight, your contact details are transferred to the driver of another car, and the departure time depends on the set of cars.