Sayan expanses. Sightseeing and walking tour

21 more

Siberia is an unknown land, terra incognita. Open the veil of mystery by going on the "Sayan Expanses" tour. The trip covers three territories of Siberia: Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tuva and Khakassia.

Each of them is interesting in its own way, each has its own history, rich culture, and unique nature, which we will introduce you to in this program.

Location

Krasnoyarsk

from

Contact the tour coordinator

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

Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

The Famous Krasnoyarsk Pillars

We will take a walk through the national park, and thrill seekers will be able to try to climb one of the pillars

Ergaki Nature Park

We will take two hiking routes through the reserve, the purest mountain air, evening bonfires and guitar songs are waiting for us

Tuvan yurts

Let's relax in the Biy-Khem yurt complex

Visit to a Buddhist monastery

We will hear the sermon of a real lama and visit the drum of desires

Siberian bathhouse

A steam room with brooms made of coniferous branches, birch, oak awaits us, and from the steam room you can dive into the icy water of the taiga river.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Group meeting. A tour of Krasnoyarsk. Transfer to the Stolby Nature Reserve
The acquaintance with Siberia begins in Krasnoyarsk.
When you arrive in Krasnoyarsk, the city may seem familiar, even if you have never been there.
Don't be surprised: you've seen him at least once, when you were holding a ten-ruble bill in your hands.
It depicts one of the city's bridges, the Communal One, and the symbol of Krasnoyarsk, the Paraskeva Friday Chapel.
The group gathers in the lobby of the Krasnoyarsk hotel at 09:00 local time (+4 difference from Moscow).
The day will start with a sightseeing tour.
You will be able to visit the most interesting places in Krasnoyarsk.
One of them is Karaulnaya Gora, where the Paraskeva Friday Chapel is located.
It was here that the founding Cossacks of the city set up a watchtower at the beginning of the 17th century. The stone chapel in memory of the defenders of Krasnoyarsk appeared in 1865.
Karaulnaya Hill offers a magnificent view of the city and the Yenisei River.
12:00 Lunch at a cafe in the city.
After lunch, drive to the Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park.
Upon arrival at the National Park, check in.
Accompanied by experienced climbing guides, you will take a walking tour of the tourist area, and thrill seekers will be able to try to climb one of the pillars.
During the tour you will hear the legends and tales of the stolbists.
The appearance of each rock is so unique and unique that almost all the Pillars have their own names – Grandfather, the First Pillar, Feathers (perhaps the most famous rocks).
Dinner, rest, walks through the evening taiga, enjoying the silence and sunset from the height of the legendary cliffs.
Accommodation in guest houses of Stolby National Park (double), lunch in a cafe in the city, dinner in the national park. The mileage is 20 km by bus, 3 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 2 - Hiking in the Stolby Nature Reserve. Night train to Abakan
After breakfast, a hike to the Wild Pillars nature reserve, where not every ordinary person gets.
You will see the Mansky group of rocks: Manskaya wall, Manskaya Baba, Gemini, etc.
Of these, the most interesting, beautiful and difficult to reach is the high, long column of the Manskaya Wall.
In the depths of the area there is a huge rocky Fortress with several peaks, near which is the Vulture rock, famous for the oldest hut of the stolbist company of the same name.
The rocks of the Wild Pillars are overgrown with moss, lichens, trees, and shrubs; they have no pronounced traces of human development compared to the Central Area, there are few trails there – all this will help you feel at one with nature.
The route of the day is set by the guide, depending on the weather, the group's preparedness, and other factors.
Lunch in the national park.
At about 17:00 departure from Stolbov to Krasnoyarsk railway station.
At 18:35, boarding the Krasnoyarsk – Abakan evening train No. 124 (tickets must be ordered additionally, reserved seat or compartment).
Accommodation on the train, breakfast and lunch in the national park. The mileage is 10 km by bus, about 15 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 3 - Tour of Abakan. Tour of the museum-reserve "Shushenskoye". Transfer to the Ergaki Nature Reserve
At 06:15 arrival in the city of Abakan, the capital of Khakassia.
Abakan city tour.
Departure to the village of Shushenskoye.
A guided tour of the Shushenskoye Ethnographic Museum-Reserve will take you to a real Siberian village at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.
Departure to the Ergaki Nature Park.
The path lies through the mountains of the Western Sayan, beyond which, as previously believed, is the edge of the world. The edge is not the edge, but the scenery is amazing, it is impossible to take your eyes off the windows of the bus.
By 15:00-16:00 arrival at the launch site (Ergaki Park visitor center).
Take your belongings to the storage room, pack only the essentials for a four-day hike in a backpack, and you will be provided with a tent, sleeping bags, and mats at the camp.
Hiking along the mountain taiga trail, 4 kilometers to Lake Raduzhnoye.
Arrival at the site of the equipped tent city, accommodation in 2-8 insulated tents.
The tent is equipped with a stove, beds, furniture, a washbasin, and a toilet next to the tent.
The camp is located in a cedar forest. The purest mountain air is saturated with the aroma of pine needles and herbs. It is an untouched realm of peace and quiet.
The camp is equipped with a kitchen, a dining room, a wooden sauna, tents, toilets, a gazebo under an awning for gathering around a common campfire, a wooden house with a stove for drying shoes and clothes, a volleyball court, a swing, a medical tent, a generator for recharging batteries and batteries.
Evening bonfire.
Accommodation in a tent city, breakfast in a cafe, lunch in a museum, dinner in a tent city. The mileage is 250 km by bus, 4 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 4 - Ergaki Nature Park
08:00-08:30 Waking up, morning toilet.
08:30-09:00 Morning exercise.
09:00- 10:00 Breakfast, preparation for the hike.
10:00-19:00 Guided tour: Noisy Waterfall – Lake. Raduzhnoye – Sayan's Tears Waterfall – Intermediate Pass (1A) – Oreshek Rock – Hanging Stone Rock – Hanging Stone Pass (n/a) – Lake Iridescent.
19:30-20:30 Dinner.
20:30-23:00 Sauna.
20:30-23:00 Campfire songs, cinema hall.
Accommodation in a tent city, breakfast, lunch, dinner. The mileage depends on the chosen route, about 10-20 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 5 - Ergaki Nature Park
A new morning, a new day, and new experiences.
The instructor sets the route of the day.
08:00-08:30 Waking up, morning toilet.
08:30-09:00 Morning exercise.
09:00-10:00 Breakfast, preparation for the hike.
10:00-19:00 Guided tour: Lake. Raduzhnoye – Sleeping Sayan Pass (Volos 2, n/a) – Lake Taiga Eye – Lake. Lazurnoe – Sleeping Sayan Pass (Volos 1, 1A) – Lake Iridescent.
19:30-20:30 Dinner.
20:30-23:00 Evening bonfire, guitar songs, games.
Accommodation in the tent city, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
The mileage depends on the chosen route, about 10-20 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 6 - Transfer to Tuva. Accommodation in a yurt complex
After breakfast, the tourists say goodbye to the camp and promise that they will definitely return to Ergaki.
Walking out (4 km, about an hour), meeting with the bus, tourists pick up their things, change clothes and continue the program.
Soon, the group will stop at the border of Tuva and the Krasnoyarsk Territory at an observation deck with a beautiful view of Tuva.
Lunch.
Tour of Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva. Visit To The Geographical Center Of Asia.
A walk along the embankment of the Yenisei River.
Closer to dinner, the group arrives at a yurt complex located near the city of Kyzyl on the banks of the Yenisei.
Accommodation, rest.
Accommodation in a yurt complex. Breakfast and lunch at the tent city, dinner at the yurt complex. The mileage is 210 km by bus, 4 km on foot.

1 more photo
Day 7 - Tour of Kyzyl. Visit to a Buddhist monastery. Excursion to the lake of Duskhol
Continuation of acquaintance with Kyzyl.
Visit the largest Buddhist monastery in Russia, Thubten Shedrub Ling, where you can hear the sermon of a real lama.
Visit the wishing drum.
Visit to the National Museum of Tuva (guided tour of the "Gold of the Scythians" exhibition).
After lunch, the group leaves in a southerly direction.
On the way, stop at a mineral spring.
Arrival at Duskhol Lake (Svatikovo).
People come here to admire the "desert zone" in miniature, to lie on the hot sand.
The lake is known as a healing lake.
Every vacationer will tell you that the healing properties of the lake are higher than those of the Dead Sea in Israel or Lake Tus in Khakassia.
Diving in the lake is difficult – the water is so dense that it pushes the body out.
The deeper you go, the warmer the water and mud in the bottom layer. Bathing, taking mud baths.
Return to the yurt complex.
Dinner with dishes of Tuvan national cuisine.
In the evening, at the camp, for an additional fee, you can order the fascinating spectacle of shaman worship or a throat singing concert.
Accommodation in a yurt complex. Breakfast at the yurt complex, lunch at a cafe, dinner at the yurt complex The mileage of the day is 150 km by bus.

1 more photo
Day 8 - Khayyrakan Mountain. The ruined Ustuu-Khure temple. Accommodation at the Snow Leopard taiga base
On this day, the group crosses Tuva from east to west, following the path of ancient nomads.
Before lunch, stop at the breathtaking Khayyrakan Mountain, one of the most revered places in Tuva.
In 1992, it was chosen as an energetically strong place and consecrated by the Dalai Lama XIV.
At least once a year, local shamans come here to recharge their batteries, strengthen and purify their spirits.
Lunch-picnic.
Walking, relaxing.
On the way you will see the center of Buddhist culture of Tuva, the restored Ustuu–Khure monastery.
The temple became the crowning achievement of Buddhist construction in Tuva.
There was no such thing not only in Tuva, but also throughout the former Soviet Union.
In 1930, after the adoption of a special decree, Ustuu-Khure was closed, and in 1937 it was demolished. In 1999, the Russian government, recognizing the historical and architectural value of the unique Ustuu-Khure temple, decided to restore it.
In July 2012, during the celebration of the music festival of the same name, the Ustuu-Khure Monastery was officially opened.
Khakassia begins at the Sayan Pass, at an altitude of 2214 meters above sea level.
You will spend the next two days at the Snow Leopard campsite surrounded by mountains and fabulous cedar taiga.
After dinner, you will meet the Snow Leopard instructors, amazing people who are in love with nature, the taiga, who know all the surrounding paths, and who understand the healing properties of herbs.
For the rest of the evening, guitar songs and soulful conversations are waiting for you until late at night.
Accommodation in wooden cedar houses with stove heating.
Accommodation at the Snow Leopard campsite, breakfast at the yurt complex, lunch-picnic, dinner at the campsite.
The mileage is 440 km per day.

1 more photo
Day 9 - Walking tour to the Marankul mountain lake
Hiking in the taiga.
Tourists will have a walk to the Marankul mountain lake.
During the hike, tourists will walk along the suspension bridge of Love.
The suspension bridge crosses the Bolshoy On high mountain River.
The Bolshoy On River flows swiftly, overcoming rapids and ripples, among the centuries-old cedar taiga.
A local tradition is that a spouse or a loved one should carry their beloved in their arms along the bridge of Love over the waters of a mountain river.
Lake Marankul is a relict lake with crystal clear water, located in the highlands of the Western Sayan, the water temperature does not exceed 16 ° C.
These taiga corners will reveal their secrets and give you wonderful moments.
If you go on a trip in the second half of summer, then you can do the business of ancient people – gathering.
However, it's not difficult here.
The taiga is so generous that you don't even have to look for mushrooms and berries, everything grows literally under your feet.
And for sure you will try pine nuts.
Siberian cedar is a unique tree.
Those cedars, surrounded by which you will find yourself, have survived for centuries, have fed dozens, if not hundreds of generations of taiga inhabitants.
The taiga gives a different sense of time and a sense of unity with nature, which you will want to experience more than once.
The clean taiga air is healing, but the true panacea for all ailments is the Russian bath.
In the evening, you will find a steam room with brooms made of coniferous branches and birch, an ice font in the taiga river and the taste of herbal tea.
The end of this day is a star–studded sky.
Accommodation at the Snow Leopard campsite. Breakfast at the campsite, lunch is dry. rations, dinner at the campsite.
The mileage of the day is 16-20 km on foot.

2 more photos
Day 10 - Transfer to Abakan. Boarding the train
08:00 Breakfast, followed by farewell to the "Snow Leopard" and taiga.
Departure to Abakan.
11:00 a.m. Visit to the Khurtuyakh Tas stele – the "stone mother", as locals like to call it. Tourists will have the opportunity to get to know firsthand the life of the Khakass people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Lunch at a cafe.
After lunch, a short sightseeing tour of Abakan.
In the Khakass National Museum of Local Lore you will see a unique collection of stone sculptures – the echoes of ancient cults and beliefs.
It is believed that many of these statues still have not lost their power.
Dinner at a cafe in the city.
By 17:30, the main program ends there.
Boarding train No. 124 to Krasnoyarsk or 067 to Moscow (compartment or reserved seat, extra charge).
In addition, you can stay overnight in Abakan and take a flight to Moscow in the morning.
Breakfast at the campsite, lunch, dinner at the cafe Abakan.
The mileage of the day is 300 km.

1 more photo
Day 11 - The end of the route
06:30 Arrival at the railway station of Krasnoyarsk, departure from the tour.
An individual transfer to the airport can be ordered additionally.
We advise you to take return tickets for flights departing no earlier than 09:00.

Difficulty

Involves moderate physical activity

Tour organizer's comments

The experience of hiking in the highlands is desirable, as well as a willingness to give up the usual comforts. The transportation of heavy backpacks with equipment and tour equipment is not provided for this tour. Untrained tourists, including children, can limit themselves to minimal walking (up to 30 km for the entire route).

Participation in the tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, due to long hikes of up to 10-20 km per day and long trips of 300-400 km per day. But the final decision remains with the parents. If you think that your child is emotionally and physically ready for such a trip, the tour operator will not object.

We also do not recommend that people with high blood pressure participate in the tour, due to the large elevation difference on the route. A particularly dangerous segment of the route is the Sayan Pass (2214 m), after an hour the group descends again to an altitude of 1200 m.

Accommodation

Guest House

1 night
Train

2 nights
Tent

3 nights
Camp Site

4 nights

Comfort

Basic
Basic+

The tour provides accommodation:

in the hotel rooms of the Narym Scientific and Educational Center in the Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park (1 night);
transfer by train from Krasnoyarsk to Abakan (2 nights);
camping in Ergaki (3, 4, and 5 nights);
accommodation in a yurt complex (6 and 7 nights);
accommodation at the Snow Leopard campsite (8 and 9 nights);
transfer by train from Abakan to Krasnoyarsk or directly to Moscow.

The cost of the tour:

for 2-bed accommodation for Russian citizens – 134,800 rubles /person;
For 2-bed accommodation for foreign citizens, you must request additional accommodation.

The surcharge for single occupancy is 9,500 rubles/person. (except for the tent camp in Ergaki).

2 people can stay in the hotel rooms on the "Pillars" (up to 4 people per room is possible for one family).

Tourists will spend the first night of the tour in a hotel complex in the national park on the territory of the Narym scientific and educational complex. The complex is located in the very center of the National Park.park, 1 km from the central group of rocks, 8 km from Krasnoyarsk. Any accommodation outside the national cordon.The park is prohibited for nature conservation reasons. During the construction of the complex, technologies were used to preserve the soil cover and vegetation intact. Each room has single beds from 2-4 pcs, but we provide a room for 2 tourists. But at the same time, if you are traveling with a large family, you can stay together in one room. The room is equipped with a full bathroom.a node. The food in the national park is imported.

Tour conditions

Group

From 8 to 16 tourists

Minimum age

12 years old

Duration

11 days 10 nights

Group meets at

Krasnoyarsk

Included in price

transportation services (minibus);
2-bed accommodation at the Snow Leopard campsite, yurt complex, in hotel rooms of the Narym scientific and educational center in the Krasnoyarsk Pillars National Park and 2-8-bed accommodation in a tent camp in Ergaki;
meals specified in the program;
services of a Russian-speaking guide and guides;
excursions;
museum entrance tickets;
sauna in the campground and at the Snow Leopard campsite;
accident insurance.

Paid extra

air or railway tickets to Krasnoyarsk and back;
breakfast on day 1, dinner on day 2, meals on day 11;
Krasnoyarsk — Abakan — Krasnoyarsk one–way train tickets - from 3,700 rubles/seat, reserved seat – from 2,700 rubles/seat;
alcoholic beverages;
throat singing concert;
shaman's slaughter;
transfers and hotel in Krasnoyarsk;
insurance against tick-borne encephalitis (600 rubles);
insect repellents.

It's important to know

First of all, travel clothes should be comfortable. Please take with you what you usually wear for hiking and relaxing.

a suitcase or a travel bag for the main trip and a small backpack for hiking in Ergaki;
a light-colored long-sleeve shirt and light trousers that can protect your feet from the prickly grass in the steppes of Tuva;
light-colored shorts and T-shirts;
warm sweater or fleece jacket, thermal underwear, gloves, hat;
cotton socks 2-3 pairs;
wool socks;
windproof and waterproof jacket, raincoat;
3 pairs of shoes: a pair of lightweight indoor sports shoes, a pair of waterproof shoes (trekking boots with high tops or rubber boots), slates
a hat or cap to protect your head from the sun;
sunglasses;
sunscreen (high solar activity in Tuva and Khakassia);
bathing suit;
a flashlight with two sets of batteries;
personal hygiene items (including soap and toilet paper);
towel;
repellents;
individual sleeping bag and air mattress to make it easier to sleep in tents (optional);
to your taste, sweets, nuts, other snacks, alcoholic beverages if desired. Their stock can be replenished in Krasnoyarsk, Abakan, Shushenskoye, and Kyzyl.
the agreement confirming the purchase of the tour;
compulsory medical insurance policy;
insurance against tick-borne encephalitis, if any;
individual medications, in the presence of chronic diseases;
cash (for souvenirs, shaman's receptions, worship, sweets, alcoholic beverages, and other personal expenses).

To go to Raduzhnoye Lake, you need to take all your valuables. All items must be packed in waterproof bags. You can take an air mattress with you, and you can leave your extra luggage needed for another part of the tour at the base before going out on foot. Your belongings will also need to be packed in waterproof bags.

Dates and Prices

$1,605

31 Jul – 10 Aug 11 days 10 nights

Submit request
No need to pay now

Reviews

AA
Anatoly And Lyuba Gryaznovs....

about provider

9 Apr, 2025

The tour managers of the gastronomic tour really thought of everything, from delicious meals to helping us get to know the city.. The days were packed with activities from morning till night.. Thank you..

3 more photos