Snowmobile safari is a hunt for impressions and an indefatigable excitement of adventure. There will be endless snowy expanses of the Altai Mountains around, the landscapes will change and surprise more than once. Just imagine that you will wade through the impenetrable and untouched wilds of the Altai taiga. Perhaps you will feel like a polar explorer in a storm, in a snowy desert. Are you ready to fight the winter elements?!
We will ride snowmobiles through the wild taiga expanses and conquer the harsh mountain passes
Breathtaking landscapes
We will see the immense beauty of the Altai mountains
Taiga bathhouse
After the trip, we will take a steam bath in a hot Siberian bathhouse
Itinerary
Day 1 -
The beginning of the snowmobile route from the Kylai mane to the Karakol lakes
Meeting in Gorno-Altaysk.
Lunch (not included in the price).
A little preparation for the route: instruction on safety and snowmobile management.
Packing things in sleds and snowmobiles.
On snowmobiles, we begin the ascent to the Kylai mane.
The bizarre landscapes of deciduous forest, fir taiga, high-altitude loaches and, finally, cedar forest will replace each other.
In the evening we arrive at the Karakol lakes.
1 more photo
Day 2 -
Snowmobile route through the passes of the ridge and the mountains
Today is a busy day.
Early ascent, departure to the route, and in a few minutes the endless horizons of the Altai mountains and the snow-capped peaks await us.
The snowmobile route will run through mountain passes and snow-covered alpine meadows, as well as many large and small lakes hidden under ice and snow.
One of the highest peaks of the Iloga range, Akkaya (translated from Altai as white peak), rises to a height of 2385 m, our route will run next to this snow–white beauty.
The ascent to the next pass and descent into the Ayryk tract (bifurcated, divided from the Altai language) is a wide high–altitude plain bordered by dense cedar, swampy in summer, being the watershed of the Katun and Biya river basins.
We cross a large high-altitude plateau, climbing another pass from where we have a view of the second half of the ridge And the mountains, where the horizons are still endless.
Descent from the pass along the abandoned logging road to the taiga shelter.
Overnight stay.
1 more photo
Day 3 -
Radial exit to Mount Albagan or to the Sarysaz plateau
This day is very beautiful. Today, depending on the weather, we either go to Mount Albagan and the Ashpagach lakes, or to the Sarysaz plateau, to the Karakokshinsky caves and the Bayoyuk lakes.
We will return to spend the night in the same wonderful cedar house where we spent the night on the first evening.
Day 4 -
Surdinsky lakes
Today we have a long run again.
We are returning to the Karakol Lakes.
On the way, we will stop at the snow-covered Surdinsky lakes, take wonderful photos and continue to Karakol, a warm hut and a sauna.
Day 5 -
Return to Gorno-Altaysk. Departure
Today is the final day of the route.
We are driving along the same familiar road with stops, taking farewell photos in the highlands.
After lunch, we go down to the finish line, where a car is waiting for us, which will take us back to civilization.
The return ticket must be taken the day after the end of the tour, as the tour ends in the evening.
The final overnight stay before departure in Gorno-Altaysk is not included in the price.
Difficulty
Involves moderate physical activity
Tour organizer's comments
The route does not require special physical training. You should be ready for a winter trip and not be afraid of hiking and weather conditions. Warm clothes and shoes are required.
Accommodation
Accommodation
Guest House
4 nights
Comfort
Basic+
The tour provides accommodation in taiga winter quarters in houses without amenities.
The cost of the tour for 1 person depends on the number of seats on the snowmobile:
2 people on a snowmobile
1 person on a snowmobile
155 500
215 050
Double occupancy on a snowmobile is possible only by one request. If you are traveling alone, you must choose accommodation for 1 person on a snowmobile.
Houses on the taiga winter quarters 4 nights
Houses without amenities with stove heating. There are beds or bunks inside.
Tour conditions
Group
From 2 to 12 tourists
Minimum age
16 years old
Duration
5 days 4 nights
Group meets at
Gorno-Altaysk
Included in price
transport delivery from Gorno-Altaisk to the route and back;
snowmobile rental and gasoline;
satellite phone (for emergency communication, tourist calls for an additional fee);
accommodation in taiga bases;
three meals a day (dinner on the day of arrival, three meals a day on the route, breakfast and lunch on the day of departure);
guide services;
rental of equipment provided by the program;
medical insurance.
Paid extra
air and railway to Gorno-Altaysk and back;
meals not specified in the program;
bathhouse;
rent a suit and a chuni;
alcoholic beverages.
It's important to know
Personal equipment you need for the tour
Backpack or soft bag, 80-100 l (if not, please let us know, we will prepare large waterproof PVC bags).
Shoes should be warm. Avoid new shoes that are not worn out.
Warm clothes – a comfortable warm jacket, comfortable warm trousers that do not restrict movement, made of a lightweight quick-drying material that can keep warm at low temperatures.
A sweater and a warm turtleneck or fleece jacket.
Thermal underwear, you can have a couple of sets.
The headdress is necessarily a fleece or woolen cap.
Socks – 3-4 pairs of cotton or linen, 2 pairs of wool.
Toiletry and hygiene supplies, including hygienic lipstick, comb.
Sunglasses that protect your eyes from the bright sun in the mountains can be very necessary.
A small flashlight powered by finger batteries, spare batteries.
Individual medicines-if you need something special (we have a general first aid kit).
Elastic knee pads or elastic bandages.
A camera, a video camera, and spare batteries for them.
Large pins – they help to conveniently dry things in huts in the taiga.
A lighter or matches.
Pocket folding knife.
Flip-flops (for staying in cabins and baths).
Gloves (preferably a couple of sets) + lightweight gloves.
A thermos for tea is desirable, but optional.
When preparing equipment for the tour, think about what you will need, but do not take too much. The excess will really bother us with its volume.Pay special attention to:
Footwear. This is probably the most important part of the equipment. Shoes should be warm and not prone to getting wet. If you don't have your own snowmobile bots, you can take, for example, snowboard boots – they are very similar. (We can only give out simple chunis. They are dimensionless and warm. But not the most convenient ones).
Warm outerwear. Preferably warm suits with a membrane. Ski suits for cold weather are available. Attention should also be paid to this – since the routes run at high altitudes, snowstorms and low temperatures are possible on the passes.
Gloves. It's better to have a couple of sets, this part of the equipment gets wet the fastest. And lightweight gloves for parking periods.
It is advisable to pack personal belongings in plastic bags.
Route features
The route does not require special physical training, but requires a certain level of psychological training. A tourist should be ready for a winter trip, not be afraid of hiking conditions and the hardships of the weather in winter.
What are the features of the tour?
Children under the age of 16 are not allowed on the route without their parents.
There will be no escort except for the snowmobiles themselves. We will carry all things, gasoline, etc. on a special sleigh.
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?
Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.
Dates and Prices
The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification