Golden Altai

After breakfast, we set off along the main highway of the Altai Mountains, where stunning panoramas open from the very beginning. 

The Chui tract is rich in sights, legends and has an ancient history, which our guides will tell you about. 

The first significant point on our way will be the high-altitude Seminsky pass. 

Climbing to an altitude of 1717 meters above sea level, we can enjoy stunning views of the century-old cedars and majestic mountains with small snowfields on the tops. 

Here, the guide will tell the story of the entry of the Altai people into Russia, and also visit the fair of Mongolian goods and souvenirs, where everyone can buy natural Altai products: honey, herbal teas, mummies and pine nuts. 

Continuing along the Chui tract, we will climb the serpentine to the Chike-Taman pass, 1,460 meters high. 

From two observation platforms, we will admire the beautiful views of the eastern slope of the Terektinsky ridge and find out where the old Chui wheeled highway passed in the past centuries. 

Beyond the Chike-Taman pass, we will continue along the picturesque Katuni valley, make a few more stops to capture in memory and in photographs the bright moments of an unforgettable journey through Altai. 

Among the rocks of Maly Yaloman, we will see the beautiful bend of Katun – the "Katun loop" and find out what the "Katun terraces" are, how and when they were formed. 

We will take a short tour to the ancient archaeological complex – the sanctuary of Adyr-Kan, which includes a stone warrior, petroglyphs and several groups of ancient burial structures. 

Let's take a walk to the mouth of the Chuya River, a sacred place for Altaians, where two large rivers of the Altai Mountains meet – Chuya and Katun. 

Merging, they flow for a while with a pronounced color border. 

In the evening, we will check into the base and rest. 

Impressions of the day: the Seminsky pass; the Chike-Taman pass, the Yalomanskaya Arc, the place of power – the confluence of the Chuya and Katuni rivers, the Katun Terraces, the sanctuary of Adyr-Kan, the old Chuisky tract, the monument to Kolka Snegirev. 

The difficulty of the day: moving 340 km – the travel time, taking into account stops, is 9-10 hours, the mountain zone of the Seminsky pass is characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations and has a more severe climate than in the valleys.

Breakfast and back on the road. 

Today we are waiting for the most remote area of the Altai Republic with exotic landscapes similar to the neighboring territories of Mongolia. 

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

Next, we will change the transport to off-road and plunge into the atmosphere of space travel in the valley of the Kyzyl-Chin River.

In the Turkic language, this name sounds like "Red Gorge", and among tourists the valley is known as "Altai Mars". 

And indeed, the landscapes of the tract give the impression that you are on another planet. 

After lunch, we will admire the beauty of the Blue Lake on the Mena River. 

Underground springs erode the silt and blue-white clay at the bottom and create bizarre and unique patterns. 

What kind of drawings will we see today? 

Return to the campsite, free time. 

In the evening, it is possible to organize an additional excursion by off–road cars to one of the peaks of the Kurai ridge - Mount Verkhnyaya (an excursion to the repeater is carried out at the request of the group and for an additional fee, subject to favorable weather).

A 360° panorama of the surrounding area opens from the mountain: the spacious Chui Valley and the North Chui Ridge rising behind it, the peaks of which are covered with snow all year round. 

On the other sides are the peaks of the Kurai range. 

In clear weather, Belukha, the highest peak of the Altai Mountains, 4506 m, can be seen behind the North Chui Ridge.  

Impressions of the day: Geyser Lake, Kurai and Chui steppe, North Chui ridge, "Altai Mars".

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

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

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

Along the way, we will make several stops 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."

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

Here we will see a mysterious Dead Lake, a completely turquoise Uch-Kel, an elongated Uzun-Kel and Kidelu-Kel Lake, which is visible from the high-altitude 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 your courage while 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 grandiose view of the Chulyshman valley, the serpentine mountain and the surrounding mountains. 

Hiking down the Katu-Yaryk serpentine to the Chulyshmansky Canyon. 

Check-in at the 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 by car, including 50 km of dirt road, 3.5 km on foot descent into the valley, elevation difference – 800 m.

After breakfast, we go to the Kurkure waterfall – one of the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls in the Altai Mountains, reaching a height of 30 meters. 

The trail runs along the banks of the Chulyshman River, and since there is no uphill climb, you can enjoy the picturesque views of the mountains and the river. 

If desired, you can camp by the water in the shade of the trees. 

After lunch, free time or, at the request of the group, a walking rafting along the Chulyshman river with a visit to the Tyul waterfall (extra charge, from 2000 per person).

The wide Tyul waterfall, also known as Chul-Oozy, is located on the right bank of the Chulyshman River, in a picturesque place where its waters descend from the rocky ledges of the Katu-Yaryk River.

The waterfall is notable for the almost complete absence of splashes, which allows you to take high-quality photos a few meters away from it without fear of getting wet. 

Impressions of the day: Kurkure waterfall.

The difficulty of the day: a radial exit of 2.5 km in one direction over rough terrain; there is no height difference.

At 9:00 we vacate the rooms, have breakfast and go deep into the Chulyshmansky canyon. 

On the way, we will stop on the banks of the Chulyshman River and from the observation deck we will be impressed by one of the largest waterfalls in Russia – Kuluzun and the power of the Tudan threshold.

Next, a walk in the Ak-Kurum tract to the Stone mushrooms.

Unusual rock formations resemble mushrooms, thanks to their “caps“ and "legs". 

They seem to live their own lives, changing shape and size under the influence of natural forces.

Going up to the Stone Mushrooms, we will enjoy a stunning view of the winding waters of the Chulyshman River and its quiet tract. 

After lunch, we go to the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye – Cape Kyrsai. 

Check-in at the base, rest. 

In the evening, a visit to the sauna, after which you can plunge into the refreshing waters of Lake Teletskoye.

Impressions of the day: Stone mushrooms, Tudan threshold, Teletskoye Lake. 

Difficulty of the day: dirt road, rocks, dust. The radial exit to the Stone Mushrooms is 2.5 km, rugged terrain, height difference is 500 m.

We pack our things, have breakfast and go on the final tour of our trip. 

A boat is already waiting at the pier, and ahead is an unforgettable walk along Teletskoye Lake, also known as Altyn Kel – “Golden Lake". 

During the trip, we will discover one of the secrets of the Altai Nature Reserve – the accessible and spectacular Korbu waterfall.

We will admire the small waterfalls Ayu-Kechpes, Kishte and Maiden Tears directly from the water. 

It was as if they deliberately hid from people in the rocks, but left the opportunity to admire their beauty. 

We will dock in the village of Artybash, wait for the ferry and with a pile of emotions and a pile of memories, we will return to the capital of the Altai Republic.

The approximate time of arrival in Gorno-Altaysk is 19:00-20:00.

Impressions of the day: Teletskoye Lake, Korbu waterfall, Ayu-Kechpes, Forty Sins, Maiden's tears.

The complexity of the day: the weather on Lake Teletskoye is changeable: the sun can be abruptly replaced by a downpour and vice versa. For comfort in all weather conditions, closed boats with panoramic windows are used on water excursions; moving by car is 160 km, poor road surface.