Lake Talmennoe. Horse riding tour to Altai

On this day, tourists will disassemble the horses, load personal belongings and provisions on them and set off on their way. 

First, the trail will go along the valley of the Vorovskaya Klyuch River, then the group will climb the mountain to the Kholodny Belok pass. 

Here travelers will find the first, but far from the last panorama of the Katunsky ridge spurs.

The crests of the passes, creeping one on top of another, distant squirrels – cold and inaccessible, valleys-depressions stretching for many kilometers, winding ribbons of rivers, appearing from a height like thin snakes – and as always, only one thought: in the photo you will not save this volume and space!

Descent from the pass into the Valacceta valley, where the group sets up camp for the night.

horses are 20 km away.

Tourists will have to overcome several passes and ferment the Quiet Dog River.

The path to the lake runs between the passes of the Katunsky ridge, about 2 thousand meters high, which seem endless. 

But the efforts to overcome them are compensated by the beautiful view that opens from a height. 

Mountain streams are fast and rocky, but it will not be difficult to overcome them – horses are accustomed to cold water. 

Against the background of thundering streams, the Quiet Dog River stands out – there are truly quiet backwaters with large stones, from which streams of water flow smoothly. 

The group will stay overnight on the Proezdnaya-Dog River.

horses are 30 km away.

The last crossing on the way to the lake. 

Bolsherechensky Pass is quite long and has severe weather conditions. 

The trail is partly rocky, partly overgrown with bushes and grass. 

Wet snow is possible at the top of the pass even in summer. 

The Khariuzovsky Pass is quite steep.

It is usually traversed on foot, leading the horses. 

A steep climb of about 500-700 meters opens up in front of you an amazing lake, turquoise and calm, like a handful of water squeezed between two ridges, as in the palms of a giant.

horses are 16 km away.

Talmenye (Taimenye, Talmennoye) lake is located at an altitude of about 1.5 thousand meters above sea level on the southern slope of the western part of the Katun ridge, a hundred kilometers from the nearest settlement.

This is the largest lake in the upper reaches of the Katun River, about one and a half kilometers long with a maximum depth of 68 m.

Grayling and lenok are found here, a relict fish that the discoverers mistook for talmen. 

The lake is a natural monument and is part of the Katunsky Nature Reserve. 

There are 15 species of rare plants growing in its vicinity and about 30 species of wild animals, including lynx, sable and even snow leopard. 

There is a cordon on the western shore of the lake, where the rangers live.

There are gazebos, a sauna, wooden houses for tourists, electricity, motorboats. 

The Katun ridge is characterized by the fact that in summer the weather is mostly warm and sunny. 

The shores of the lake are flat, and therefore you can swim here safely – in hot weather, the water warms up in the coastal zone.

walking distance is 4 km.

The group will travel by motorboat to the eastern shore of the lake in the protected area. 

A walk on the water surface will bring a lot of positive emotions. 

This beautiful lake with greenish-turquoise water stretches 5420 m in length.

Its basin was formed by the movement of an ancient glacier, which left a moraine shaft at the end of its path, springing up the lake. 

The maximum width of Talmen Lake is 1080 m, and the average is 700 m. 

The eastern shore is gently sloping, densely overgrown with larch forest with an admixture of cedar. 

The western shore is steep, with larch woodlands and tall-grass subalpine meadows, on this shore there are areas of steep cliffs with a height of up to 100 m.

The opposite shore gives the impression of absolute wilderness.

Only a gazebo, toilets, and forbidding signs remind of the existence of a person here – you can not hunt on the shore, land helicopters, or make bonfires. 

The group will take a walk along the riverbed to a picturesque waterfall with a drop height of about 40 meters. 

Fishing with a fishing rod is possible by agreement with the rangers.

There are a lot of fish in the lake: this can be seen both by the fry scurrying along the shore, and by the splashes of water from jumping fish.

the boat is 10 km away, on foot 4 km.

The way back runs through the passes already familiar to tourists. 

You can ride up the mountain from the lake, and then you will have to overcome a small but steep descent on foot. 

How the Bolsherechensky Pass will meet the group this time depends on the weather. 

Maybe it will snow here, or maybe the sun will shine. 

Tourists will spend the night on the Quiet Dog River. 

Here, in a quiet backwater, it is quite possible to swim, wash clothes and just wash up.

horses 28 km.

The final day of the equestrian part of the route. 

Today, the group's path will run mainly through valleys. 

But it won't be boring.

Here and there the plain is bordered by ridges and bizarre rock formations.

It seems that the road going over the horizon rests against the clouds.

After crossing the Bolshoy Sugash River, the group will return to the winter quarters on the Small Sugash. 

Here tourists will have a rest, a sauna and a farewell bonfire.

horses are 30 km away.

Moving from the Small Sugash tract to the village of Kaitanak is carried out by tractor, then we load things onto the car and go to the Taezhnik tourist complex. 

Exit. 

Attention! The time indicated is local, the difference from Moscow is +4!

Departure by regular bus to Novosibirsk in the evening of the same day at 22:30, or the next day at 8:40, 11:30, 22:30, travel time is 9-10 hours. Departure by regular bus to Barnaul the next day at 08:40, 9:40, 11:30, 16:00, travel time is 5-6 hours. 

For those who have ordered an individual transfer from Barnaul, the departure time is negotiated individually. 

Delivery to the airport of Gorno-Altaisk is carried out by the time of departure of the aircraft.

car 378 km.