Altai Tour | Russia Travel | Join-in Russia Tour with Pyala Travel - Travel Program

Day 1 arrival Barnaul

Morning arrival in Barnaul. Meeting at the airport.
Accommodation at the Barnaul hotel (twin rooms). Rest. Meeting with guides in the hotel's hall at 13:00. Excursion around the central and historical parts of Barnaul. Visit to Altai State Local History Museum. Nowadays museum collection contains more than 150 thousand exhibits; among them is the only model of steam engine in the world, which was invented by Ivan Polzunov in 1763 in Barnaul. Archeological finds are of a special interest, they tell about history of ancient Altai; home appliances, embodying ethnical and social features of local people, as well as historical and technical (including military remnants), numismatic and mineralogical collections, natural-science collecting, representing biodiversity and natural resources of Altai. Then visit the museum of pharmacy of the Altai mountains. The exhibition includes medical items, glassware, tools for the preparation of medicinal tinctures and pills. In the museum you can find also production of various biopharmaceutical Altai companies, medicine consists of the Altai honey, local herbs, sea buckthorn and products of reindeer antlers, which can be purchased. Return to the hotel.

* Accommodation in Barnaul hotel 3*. Breakfast

Day 2 Barnaul - Chemal / visit Manzerok and mineral source

Morning meeting with the guide in the lobby of the hotel.
Transfer by a comfortable bus through the old town of Altai-Biysk which is the symbol of the gateway to the Altai Mountains, as well as the start of the main artery-an ancient trade route - Chuysky tract.
On the way of our trip we visit the village Manzherok where the lake with the same name and ski-resort is located. In the lake grows the water nut – chestnut, preserved from pre-Ice Age.
After lunch, walk by cableway to the Malaiya Sinukha Mount (1196 m. above sea level). From the top of the hill you can see a beautiful view of the valley Katun and the surrounding villages.
Next stop is the spring Arzhan Suu. Water in the spring is full of silver, cooper and other mineral impurities that is why the water is stored for a long time and have a beneficial effect on the improvement of metabolic processes in the body.
A large gift market is located near the spring where you can buy maps, books, art articles made of cedar.
Moving along the river Katun to the Uznezya village located in the forest on the river shore.

* Accommodation in hotel Salyut in comfortable twin rooms. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 340 km a day

Day 3 Chemal city tour

At the first part of the day we organize a walk around Chemal village.
During the tour we will visit Chemal Hydroelectric power station which is located in the southern part of the village. The station is one of the first in the region, built in 1935.
Then we go on the “goat trail” along the river Katun and appears on the rocky island Patmos. On the Patmos island we can visit little church of the femail monastery. The island is connected with the shore of the river with the help of suspension bridge. Next to the temple in the rock is carved image of the Virgin and Child.
Excursion to the national Altai dwelling-Ail. During the visit of Ail you can experience the atmosphere of the 10-13 century, travel back in time and get acquainted with the way of life, traditions, customs, culture, history and pagan religion of Altai nomadic tribes.
After lunch departure to Oroktoiski bridge to the narrowest and deepest place on the river Katun. On the way we visit the tract Che-Chkysh, take a short climb along the creek to the observation platform where we will see the shaman cave.
Then return back to the hotel for dinner.

* Accommodation in hotel Salyut.Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 125 km a day by bus, 3 km a day on foot

Day 4 Karakol valley. Tasting national dishes and Concert of throat singing

Moving along the ancient trade route - Chuyski tract through its highest point Seminskii pass (1739 m above the sea level) to ethno-park Uch-Enmeck.
Accommodation in tourist complex Karakol in twin rooms. Shared facilities. During lunch you will be able to taste traditional cuisine. Archi is cultured milk food which tastes like yogurt; Altai cheese Kurot; Talhan – specially processed wheat mixed with butter and honey in shape of balls.
Karakol Valley is believed to be a Sacred place among natives – Altai people. Whole groups of ancient burial mounds and a great number of rock paintings are situated here. It is believed that ancient monuments of the valley represent an informational code about laws of universe in the light of traditional culture of natives. People of the valley differ by its peculiar mentality and believe they are connected with the nature of this valley spiritually. Temple and funerary complexes Tuekty, Bashadara, Boochi, Karakol – where Afanasyev and Karakol people, royal Scythians and warrior Turkic people build their temples and altars, buried their chiefs and priests. Ride to Boochi. There are a great amount of archeological monuments around this place: steles, stone fences, mounds with balbals – the main part of them oriented to Uch-Enmek peak. Visit of Bashadar mounds group that is a special place, a sacral center. It is proved by systemacy of placing burial mound and a detection of geomagnetic fields within the limits of this system, that response to the human stay in this zone.

Late in the evening at the light of a fire and bright stars you will enjoy a folk program with throat singing and playing national musical instruments. This performance awakes deep personal background, helps to feel the spirit of Altai people, natural devotion, allows enjoy unsurpassed skills of musicians, some of whom are international festivals winners.

And later, coming back to the ail, you will feel like traveling in a time machine back to ancient times. Before going to sleep, they make a fire in the center of ail and the smoke will go out through a hole on the roof. Ancient Altai household facilities, which decorate the habitation, create a special flavor and a spirit of the time.

* Accommodation in twin rooms at the camp Karakol. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 170 km a day by bus

Day 5 Karakol Valley, Kalbak-Tash Hole

Departure to the head water of the Katun and Chyia river. On the way we pass Chike-Taman mountain pass (1295 masl).
Then visit Kalbak-Tash Hole and see rock paintings – petroglyphs. More than 500 formations with more than 5 thousand pictures are drawn on the rocky flattened elevation, situated across the valley of Chuya River. They all are carved with stone or metal tools mainly in a dotty way. The most ancient pictures are dated to the 8th century BC.
Arrival to the tourist camp Nomad. Accomodation in ttwin rooms. Facilities on the territory. Russian banya (bath-house).

* Accommodation at the tourist camp Nomad. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 175 km a day by bus

Day 6 North-Chuysky range, Geyser lake

Excursion on the Chuysky tract towards the Mongolian border.
From a vast intermountain basin a magnificent view is opened on the top of the North-Chuysky ridge, on the highest peaks: Actru-Bash (4075 m) and Karatash (3534 m). Great place for photo and video shooting.

We continue the journey to the village Chagan-Uzun, where we visit the unique valley of the river Kyzyl-Chin. Unreal landscapes reminiscent of Mars. Due to the high mercury content in the rocks, they have different shades of red: from bright orange to dark brown. The valley is located at the beginning of the Chuya steppe; there is practically no vegetation here. The mountains are low, hilly, with crevices. And all this creates amazing landscapes.

On the way back short hiking to the picturesque Geyser lake. The lake is the only one of its kind in the Altai - a rare beauty, clean, non-freezing even in winter, amazing turquoise color. On the mirror of the lake can be seen divorces rounds or ovals in shape, which is essentially a reflection of the processes taking place at the bottom of the lake. There, in the mysterious depths, from time to time come to life "geysers", throwing on the surface of a mixture of bluish clay and sand that form visible concentric circles at the bottom. 
Return to the tourist camp.Russian banya (bath-house).

* Accommodation at the tourist camp Nomad. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 180 km a day by bus, 7 km a day on foot

Day 7 Pass Katu-Yaryk, the Chulyshman river

Today you will travel away from the main roads into the depth of the Altai mountains.
You’ll pass natural monument Red Gates, where the road goes through a narrow passageway between two rocks of reddish color.
On the road visit the place Pasyryk with ancient Scythian burial mounds, which were the graves of tribal leaders.
Descent from the Katu-Yaryk pass to the Chulyshman River. You will go down to a serpentine road, carved directly on the hillside. On the one hand – a slope, on the other – a break of several hundred meters height. Descent extent — 3,5 km on foot, luggage by car, altitude 1200 m. The magnificent view on the valley of Chulyshman and on a hundred meter waterfalls on the other side has been opened from the pass. The Chulyshman valley is one of the most beautiful places in Altai and also it is entered in the list of Objects of the World Natural Heritage.
Arrival to the tourist camp Ezen in the Chulyshman Valley, twin houses, facilities on the territory. Russian banya (bath-house).

* Accommodation in tourist camp Ezen. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 120 km a day by bus, 3,5 km on foot

Day 8 Waterfall Kurkure

Hiking to the waterfall Kurkure, located on the river Kurkure, a tributary of the Chulyshman river, on the opposite side of the camp. The hiking to the waterfall crossing the river takes about 3 - 4 hours.
Kurkure is translated from the Altai means “violent" and this is consistent with the nature of the waterfall. It has an incredible power, strength, and at the same time defenseless natural beauty. The height of the falls more than 30 meters. People living in the surrounding worship this marvel of nature and consider it to be sacred. Therefore, a few kilometers around no cattle!
After the tour, return to the camp. In the afternoon walking around, active outdoor games. Russian banya (bath-house).

* Accommodation in tourist complex Ezen. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 6 km a day on foot

Day 9 Stone Mushrooms

Early breakfast. Departure.
We will do a radial hike to a Karasu river ravine to see a unique natural object – “Stone Mushrooms”. “Stone Mushrooms” is a very interesting natural structure. There are cones rising above the slope of the valley on tops of which, as if by magic, lay huge rocky plates. The foundation of the cone is rather friable sandstone. Some “mushrooms” rise above the slope up to 10 or more meters. A beautiful view on the Valley opens here. A man is charmed by greatness and beauty of nature. You need comfortable trekking shoes for the excursion. Departure to the Teletskoye Lake to cape Kyrsay. Accommodation at the tourist camp of the same name, twin houses, facilities outside. Russian banya (bath-house).

* Accommodation in tourist camp Altyn-Tuu. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 5 km a day on foot, by bus 90 km

Day 10 Pearl of the Altai Mountains

Boat trip along the water area of the Teletskoye lake to its northern part.
The Teletskoye lake belongs to the 20 world deepest lakes. Length is 77,7 km. Average width is 2-3 km. Maximal width is up to 5 km. Its area is not large – 223 ??². However, due to its depth (average depth is 175 m, maximum is 325 m) it contains huge amount (40 km³) of excellent fresh water saturated with oxygen, and  transparent to the depth of  12-15 meters. About 70 rivers flow into the lake, though 70 % of all water is given by Chulyshman  flown from south. Giving its waters to the Biya river (98% of drain) the lake feeds the Ob to a considerable extent.
On the way we will visit Waterfall Korbu – the most picturesque waterfall in the surroundings of the Teletskoye lake. It is situated on the territory of Altai reserve in 100 meters from the mouth of the Big Korbu river flown into the Teletskoye lake in its eastern part. The waterfall height is 12,5 meters. In the middle of the Teletskoye lake opposite the waterfall is situated the deepest place – 325 meters. Old Altai legend says that a gold sword of khan Tele fell down at exactly this place and because of this the lake appeared.
Arrival to the lake's north. Accommodation in the Artybash hotel situated at the Biya river source. 
Walking around the village Artybash to the bridge over the river Biya to continue to souvenir shops. There will be an opportunity to purchase honey, local herbs, art items made of cedar.

* Accommodation in Artibash hotel. Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance 80 km a day by boat, 2 km on foot

Day 11 National Museum of Altai Republic

Departure to Gorno-Altaysk where we will visit National museum named after Andrey Anohin with one of its main exhibits, mummy of “Altai Princess” found on Ukok Plateau.
Arrival to Barnaul, accommodation in the Barnaul hotel in twin rooms.

* Accommodation in Barnaul hotel 3*. Breakfast, lunch 
Distance 430 km a day by bus

Day 12

Transfer to the airport or railway station of Barnaul. The tour is over.

* Breakfast