The real Altai. Car tour

Full of impressions, a long journey. From the warm green Ongudai we go to the highlands at an altitude of 2.5 thousand meters above sea level. 

220 km to the village of Kosh-Agach along the Chui tract. On the way, we visit the Chike-Taman mountain pass, a panorama of the confluence of the Chuya and Katun rivers.

Kosh-Agach welcomes us with a cosmic landscape with no trees and the beginning of a 160 km gravel road to Jazator. 

We'll check in with the border guards on the way, because we're entering the borderlands. 

Peace, quiet and a complete Internet detox. 

Overnight in wooden houses at the Kabarga campsite (on-site facilities).

On this day, we set off along a real mountain serpentine to the Karagemsky pass, which offers an incredible view of the Samakha steppe and the surrounding mountains. 

We overcome the stream, climbing higher and higher into the mountains. We climb on foot to the observation deck with an incredible view of the Yuzhno-Chuisky ridge. 

We return to the Musk Deer for the night.

We return along the Chui tract to the village of Aktash, visiting the unearthly mountains of Altai Mars and Geyser Lake along the way. 

These are the top attractions of the Altai Mountains, accessible to most tourists. 

It can be crowded there, but we will definitely take a break from this by arriving at a secluded campsite on the shore of a beautiful mountain lake. The way to it lies along a gravel road from Aktau towards the village of Ulagan.

We go to the famous valley of the Chulyshman River, the descent to which lies through the picturesque Katu-Yaryk pass.

Photo shoot at the pass, descent and check-in at the houses of the Eden tourist complex (houses made of timber without amenities).  

After a snack, we go on a short hike to the Kurkure waterfall: by boat we cross the Chulyshman River, then about 2 km on foot along a good path to the waterfall.

Overnight at the Eden campsite.

A day of miracles. We cross the Chulyshman river and walk uphill for about 1 km. 

Real stone mushrooms are waiting for us there. They were created by nature itself. This phenomenon is quite rare: the nearest similar mushrooms “grow” only in the Crimea. 

We go down to the river, where a raft (a large boat for rafting on mountain rivers) is waiting for us. 

Accompanied by experienced water guides, we conquer the Chulyshman mountain river (rapids of 2-3 difficulty categories). 

We return to the base, where the guide has already prepared a delicious dinner. 

Overnight at the Eden campsite.

On the final day of our trip, we drive by car to Cape Kyrsai — the place where the Chulyshman River flows into Lake Teletskoye. 

The moment has come to say goodbye to the guide and driver and transfer to the boat. 

Through the entire Teletskoye Lake (77 km), with a stop at the Korbu waterfall, you arrive in the village of Artybash. 

A minibus is waiting for you here, which will take you back to Gorno-Altaysk.