The Altai region is a complex territorial entity that has absorbed the western regions of the Altai-Sayan Mountains and the southern areas of the West Siberian Plain. Mountainous Altai is an amazing and very beautiful land, about which a lot of enthusiastic words are written and written. It is called "Siberian Switzerland", thanks to the striking similarity of the Altai Mountains and the Swiss Alps. Another Mountain Altai is often compared with Tibet. According to many legends, somewhere here there is an entrance to the mystical country of Shambhala - the country of touching the Mystery, the knowledge of truth and enlightenment.
Mountain Altai is a country of contrasts. There are many unique and completely unlike each other natural-climatic complexes. If we continue to talk about contrasts, then it is noteworthy that here is the highest peak of Siberia - Belukha Mountain (4506 m) and the first deepest cave in Russia - Ecological (345 m), and the third deepest in Russia Lake Teletskoe.
In a more narrow sense, the Altai region is usually considered within the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic.
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Shopping and shopping
From Altai it is customary to bring products from wood and stone, birch bark, rock crystal, and also carpets-sirmaka, honey, pine nuts, local tinctures and balsams.
Treatment in Altai
Balneological resort Belokurikha is located in the same valley of the river. There are no large differences in atmospheric pressure, and the air, saturated with beneficial ions, gives vivacity and well-being. The main wealth of these places is underground warm sources of nitrogen-radon water.
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Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Altai
Chuysky tract, Teletskoye Lake, Mountain Charysh, Gornaya Kolyvan, Belukha Mountain.
Tourists will also be interested to visit the archaeological and natural monuments of Altai, by the number of which this region is at one of the first places in the Russian Federation .Not one thousand burial grounds and soil burial grounds, ancient settlements and fortifications, cave sites of the Stone Age, religious buildings and mine workings for copper and gold have been revealed .Some monuments are of world importance, for example, Denisov caves, the presence of funerary and cult buildings in the valley of the River Sentelek, a paleolithic site and an ancient settlement near the village of Srostki, a complex of monuments in the Kolyvan area, which has preserved traces of the lives of the ancient miners-metallurgists .Foothill areas of Altai contain an unsurpassed combination of ancient and ethnographic exotics, perfectly inscribed in the local landscape .
The northern ranges of the Altai Mountains
In the north of the Altai Mountains, the Seminsky, Cherginsky and Anuysky ranges ran parallel to each other. This is the last mountain outpost in front of the vast flat areas, an interesting and original district of Altai.
The Anuisk ridge serves as the watershed of the Anuya and Peschanaya rivers, its average elevations are 1400-1500 m. The Cherginsky ridge lies between the Peschanaya and Semoe rivers with the highest point of Mukur-Cherga (2009 m) in the central part.
The northern part of the Seminsky Range is the watershed of Semy and Katun, the highest point of the Sarlyk mountain (2506 m). A border between the Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai crosses the ridges along the ridge. The flora of the northern ranges of Altai is rich and diverse.
One of the attractions of this region is Denisova Cave. It is located on the banks of Anuya, near. Black Anouilh. The wide entrance to the cave opens right in the mountainside, a few meters above the road. For many years, archaeological research has been carried out, more than 20 cultural strata have been revealed, dating back to different epochs of human development. The most ancient artifacts are about 300 thousand years old; many finds are kept in the museums of the Altai Territory and Siberia.
In Denisova cave, the most ancient remains of a human being were found on the territory of North Asia, their age is 42 thousand years. Archaeological investigations are continuing, new sensational discoveries are possible.
At 15 km from Denisova cave there is a cascade of waterfalls on the Shinok River, the largest in the Altai Territory. The three-step waterfall has a total height of about 70 m. It is discovered this miracle of nature relatively recently.
Stepnoi Altai
The Kulunda steppe, located in the southeast of the West Siberian lowland, is rightly called the "edge of a thousand lakes," and it is the lakes that attract most tourists here. The steppe is the lowest in the Altai, the sunniest. The climate of the Kulunda lowland is characterized by a hot dry summer and a cold little snowy winter.
In the central part of the lowland is located most of the lakes. Due to the arid climate, most of them are highly mineralized and have a bitter-salty or salty taste of water. The largest of the lakes are the Kulunda, Kuchuk, Burlinskoye, Bolshoye and Maloe Yarovoye.
Kulunda Lake is located 64 km east of Slavgorod. Many come to the depths of the steppes to see the "Altai Sea" - the largest in the Altai Kulunda Lake. It is shallow, on average 2, 5-3 m, slightly saline and very warm water (summer temperatures + 22 ° ... 25 ° C). Around the lake is a typical steppe landscape, along the coast there are many comfortable sandy beaches. The Kulunda River flows into the lake, at which, with some patience and luck, you can catch a perch or a pike.
In the south-west of the steppe lies a scattering of salty, bitter and fresh water bodies of various sizes and forms - Borovye lakes. The largest of them is Crimson, called so because of the crimson shade of water. In all salty and bitter lakes, water and mud have medicinal properties.
The Big Spring Lake is 6 km west of Slavgorod. The lake is surrounded by a flat plain, on which there are practically no trees. The Big Spring Lake is the deepest lake in the Kulunda steppe.
Kuchuk lake - the second largest after Kulunda, bitter-salty, water and mud have medicinal properties. The lake is located 4 km from Kulunda, with which it connects with a canal.
National parks
The Altai Nature Reserve, one of the largest in Russia, includes a variety of landscapes: from taiga lowlands to alpine heights. Maral, musk deer, moose, roe deer, brown bear, wolverine and sable are found here, as well as reindeer, rare argali and snow leopard. In the Teletskoye Lake and its tributaries there are grayling, taimen, lenok, and in some lakes and on the Chulyshman River - Osman.
Address: Altai Republic, Turachaksky district, pos. Artibash; tel .: (38843) 274-86.
| Spring in Belokurikha |
| Unity with nature in Altai |
| Winter on Belukha |
Entertainment
Active leisure in nature, adventure tourism, extreme tourism in the mountains or rafting along the Altai rivers. And also ethnographic and archaeological tours, skiing, and, of course, hunting and fishing. More about each - below.
Ethnographic tourism
The traditional methods of farming and the foundations of the life style that have survived in many areas of the Gorny Altai determine the attractiveness of the region from the point of view of cultural and ethnographic tourism .The ethnographic trend of tourism has become especially relevant recently, which is facilitated by the revival of traditions, including those related to shamanistic customs, Burkhanist rituals .Attractive for tourists is a visit to the theatrical-game festival of Ai-Oyin, held every two years .It will also be interesting to visit a private museum located in the village of Mendur-Sokkon, dedicated to the history, traditions and culture of the inhabitants of Gorny Altai .
Historical and archaeological tourism
Throughout its history, Altai has witnessed the emergence and disappearance of the richest cultures and great states in non-existence: the Türkic, Uighur, Kyrgyz Kaganates, later the Golden Horde. So the most ancient monuments testify to the appearance of people here about 1.5 million years ago. However, the most striking are the monuments related to the Scythian culture (7-2 centuries BC).
In the Altai, the Scythian time is associated with the Pazyryk archaeological culture. Monuments of this era are represented by burial mounds, which amaze the luxury of the decoration of burials. No less interesting is the legacy of the Turkic period (6th-10th centuries), represented by burial mounds and memorial complexes, such as the well-known Kudyrge complex in Ulagansky district, stone peasants and stelae, petroglyphs and runic letters.
Skiing
There are relatively few places for mountain skiing in Altai .The most famous ski centers are located in the resort in Belokurikha (about 10 trails with ski lifts, length from 700-2050 m, height difference from 160 to 550 m), at the Seminsky pass, Avalman base near Barnaul, in the vicinity of Gorno-Altaisk (Tugaya mountain ) and Lake Aya (Mount Veselaya) .For lovers of extreme descents one can recommend the wild slopes of Terektinsky, Katunsky and several other slopes .The ski season starts in mid-November and lasts until mid-March .
Mountaineering
The Altai Mountains are one of the highest in Russia. There are many mountain peaks attracting mountaineers. The highest mountain of Siberia is Belukha (4506 m). In addition to Belukha, climbers are attracted by the peaks and glaciers of the North Chui and South Chuya ranges: Aktru, Maashei, Iaktu.
As a rule, sports climbing in the mountains is carried out as part of a group accompanied by experienced guides and guides. For most routes that pass above the snow limit, special ice equipment is needed.
Rafting
Altai can rightfully be considered the Mecca of water tourism in Russia. It should be noted that the flood period on the rivers of Altai, depending on weather conditions, falls on the end of spring and the first two, less than three summer months. It is also necessary to remember that in the "big" water the standard category of complexity of a number of rivers increases by approximately one point, and, consequently, the danger of local obstacles increases.
The most famous routes are: Biya, Charysh (second-third category of complexity); Katun with tributaries of Coke, Ursul, (fourth category), with Kuragan, Kadrin and Sumulta (fifth category), and the Chuya River (fourth to sixth category); Argut with tributaries Shavla (the fifth category), Yungur (the fifth-sixth category), Karagem and Akalaha (the sixth category); beyond the Katun basin are the most difficult routes of the sixth category on the rivers Bashkaus and Chulyshman.
Recently, in the Altai rivers, rafting is becoming more popular, mainly in Katun and Chuye.
The rivers of the Altai Mountains are famous for their rapid current. They are quite dangerous, so it's not recommended to rafting and rafting without special preparation.
Hunting
Hunting is one of the main activities of the Altai population .As a rule, a small group (2-4 hunters) is gathered for hunting, accompanied by a guide and a huntsman .Hunting is conducted in the taiga zone, often in hard-to-reach places .For transportation, vehicles, horses, skis and helicopters are used .Depending on what beast the tourists are going to hunt, Altai can be visited from April to September .In the Altai taiga you can hunt for a bear, a maral, a wolf, a wood grouse .For lovers of strong sensations, a bear hunt is organized in the den .
Fishing
Altai has long attracted fishermen .Katun and its tributaries, Lake Teletskoye, as well as high-mountainous lakes are famous for the abundance of fish .The most common and valuable species are taimen, burbot and grayling .The main time for fishing from August to September .The most favorable places for fishing are located in the estuaries of the rivers - tributaries of Katun .In the lower part of the Katun, from Chemal to the mouth of the Isha, the catching of burbot is popular, in the summer time - fish of carp breeds .In hard-to-reach but fish-rich areas of the Altai Mountains, it is possible to arrange helicopter or other transport delivery .
Photo of Altai (164)