Chuysky tract - motor road M-52, which runs along the route Novosibirsk-Biysk-Tashanta, is the main transport artery of Altai. The site from Biysk to Tashantha is called "Chuyskiy tract". Officially, the Chui highway starts at the bridge across the Biya River, passes through the Altai Territory and is mostly located in the Altai Republic, and ends at the border with Mongolia. The length of the motorway is 953 kilometers

Where to stay

On the Chuysk tract, mainly on the right bank of the lower Katun river, from the village of Souza to the village of Chemal - in the so-called "Chemalsky dead end", there is a "resort zone" of the Altai Republic with a large number of tourist centers, campsites and hotels. It is here that large-scale construction of tourist recreational areas for comfortable recreation "Biryuzovaya Katun" (in the Altai Territory near the village of Nizhne-Kayancha) and "Altai Valley" (in the Altai Republic near the village of Manzherok) is planned.

What to see

Mount Babyrgan. At 30-35 km south of Biysk is the northern outpost of the Altai Mountains - Mount Babyrgan. It is located in the Altai region, on the left bank of the Katun, 14 km west of the village of Platov. The peak of the Babyrgan mountain is composed of individual rocks with a height of 5 to 15 m, with picturesque weathered forms of towers.

On the 77th km of the Chuysky tract behind the village of the Svoboda Valley, there is an arch, a symbolic beginning of the Altai Republic.

Maima village. It is located 7 km to the north of Gorno-Altaisk, on the rivers Mayma and Algairka in the place of their confluence in Katun, at an altitude of 270-300 m above sea level. Here the temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit operates - this is the first stone church and the first stone structure of the Mountainous Altai. From Maima Chuysk tract goes further along the Katun valley.

Lake Aya. The village and the lake are located 25 km from Gorno-Altaisk and 17 km south of the village of Maimy, just off the Chuysk tract on the left bank of the Katun. Lake Aya, located in a hollow among the green mountains, is characterized by a transparent and warm water. It fills one of the three hollows on the surface of the terrace. In the center of the lake there is a small islet - Arbor of Love, which can be reached by swimming. The main advantage of Lake Aya is its warm water. In addition, in the vicinity of Ai there are picturesque mountain landscapes, caves, pine forests on the left bank of the Katun.

Manzherok Village and Manzherok Lake (Doingool). On 127 km of the Chuysk tract, at the foot of the Malaya Sinyuha mountain (1196 m) there is the village of Manzherok. It was founded in the late 19th century by Russian settlers. In Manzherok there is a source of drinking water, which has a curative effect and is a natural monument. On Katun, near Manzherok, there is a well-known threshold - the Manzherok Gates. The river with noise and foam spray breaks its way between five huge stones.

At 1, 5 km from the village of Manzherok, in a small forest, from the left of the Chuysk tract is located the Manzherok lake. The lake is located in the ancient terrace of the right bank of the Katun, it is shallow, and the banks are rather flat. Here live the gold and silver crucian carp, tench, carp, pike, minnow.

Source Arzhan-Suu. "The Chauffeur Key", "The Golden Key", "Holy Water" - a national nature monument, is located 7 km from Manzherok. The water in the spring is saturated with silver, copper and other mineral impurities, which is why it is stored for a long time and has a beneficial effect on human health. Here you can also see the so-called shaman trees, decorated with white ribbons. Arzhan-Suu is a popular place among tourists. Along the road you can buy a variety of Altai souvenirs

Tavdinsky caves are located opposite the source of Arzhan-Suu, on the opposite (left) bank of the Katun. They can be crossed by the river from the village of Lime, located 5 km up the valley. Cave holes are in steep cliffs and cliffs, but it's not difficult to get to them. In the past, caves served as human habitation. The Tavdinsky karst arch is unique, which represents a rare form - the remains of a dome of a karstic tunnel or cave in the form of a wide span - a bridge that passes into an arch.

Karakolskie lakes are located in the upper reaches of the Karagol River, the tributary of the Elikmonar River, in the pre-alpine part of the western slope of the Iolgo Ridge .The group includes seven lakes confined to the steps of a giant car staircase connected by an unnamed tributary of the Karakol River . The height of the lowest of the lakes is 1820 m, the highest one 2097 m . The maximum depth reaches 10 m . The special attraction of lakes determines the fact that it is in this area is the border between the forest and alpine meadows . Karakolskie lakes belong to the protected natural areas .

Sela Yelanda and Kuyus . In the translation from the Altai, Yelanda means "snake" . In front of the village there is a pedestrian one bridge across Katun . 1 km above the village is the Elandinsky threshold . There is a large number of different archeological monuments among the villages of Yelanda and Kuyus: burial mounds and cemeteries, rock drawings . The most crowded areas of Elanda, the mouth of Biika, Cheba , the neighborhoods of Edigan and Oroktoi . (Left Bank of Katun), Kuyusa . Not far from the village of Edigan, 1 km below the mouth of the Edigan River, there are a number of beautiful rapids . The threshold of "Teldeklen-1" is a long rock corridor . Shores - sheer rocks . Huge mass in odes, compressed by rocks, forms chaotic jets and whirlpools .

Karakol Gallery. Not far from the village of Karakol, about 2 km from the mouth of the Karakol River, on its left bank are several plates with runic letters and rock drawings.

The Valley of the Bolshoy Ilgumen River. From the pass Chike Taman the road goes through poplar and birch groves along the valley of the Bolshoy Ilgumen river. On the Katun near the mouth of the Big Ilgumen one of the most powerful rapids is located - Ilgumensky. At 4 km from the river, already along the Chuysky tract, on the plains there are stone women and columns of balbows near the kurgans.

Katunsky terraces. High river terraces are located in the valley of the Katun throughout the Great Ilgumen to the mouth of the Chui River. It is assumed that they were formed in the valley of Katun in an extremely short time due to the fact that a high-mountain lake broke through a natural dam and poured into open spaces with great force.

Inya village. On the outskirts of Yeni, slightly downstream of the Katun, on the right are four stone steles, two of them quite large (2 m) and two smaller (about 1 m). The village of Aktash

Aktash is a former mining village that grew up near the mercury deposit . There is a border crossing point in the village where you can get permission to visit the village of Tashanta . This village is the final section of the Chuysk tract and is located on the border with Mongolia . Aktash is interesting not only because there is a border detachment here, there is also a peculiar boundary of the natural zones: behind Aktash the high steppe begins - first Kuray, then Chui . Aktash is also a vegetation change: there is almost no greenery on the remaining part of the tract, from here the dry land with thorns and piles of stones and high mountain peaks becomes the usual landscape . Not far from Aktash on the Cibitke River, there is a spring with mineral water . Also Aktash is the beginning of the route to the valley of the Big Ulagan - the valley of the Pazyryk barrows . The road passes through the Cibitki Valley . Not far from Aktash there is a beautiful gorge and cascade of small waterfalls . A little further the road from both sides is surrounded by huge e cliffs of a pinkish shade . From large boulders, a view of the cascade of the mountain stream below is seen . These rocks are called the Red Gate . A few kilometers to the left of the road there is Lake Cheybekkel, which is called the Dead Sea due to the fact that in there is no and never was a fish .. The next section of the road passes through the plain with the tundra, where there are several lakes: Taldukel, Sorulukel, Uzunkel, Chagakel, Balyktukel. There are many fish in these lakes. The valley of Pazyryk burial mounds is a group of 5 large burial mounds located on the right bank of the Great Ulagan River.

Mighty Altai Mountains, Chuysky tract, Altai Republic

Chu tract Museum

Chuysky tract is one of the few roads in the world to which the museum is dedicated. The Museum of the Chuysky tract is located in Biysk, at: Central, 10. The museum has documents and photographs of the times of construction of the Chuysk tract, there is a unique volumetric layout of the road, paintings and dioramas.