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Siberia Highlights
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Siberia Highlights

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Highlights of your journey:

 

  • Belukha mountain
  • Lake Teletskoje
  • River Katun
  • Lake Aya
  • Old Believers' villages
  • Chemal village
  • Museum of Altai culture and history in Gorno-Altaisk  

In Detail:

  • The highest mountain in Siberia – the sacred Belukha (4,506 m). 
  • The biggest lake in Altai and one of the 15 deepest lakes in the world – Teletskoje. Many people ascribe magic healing power to the water of this beautiful mountain lake.
  • The most beautiful river in Altai – Katun. It is 688 km long and starts at a height of 2000 m in the Southern Altai mountains, being fed by melting glaciers, smaller rivers, and another big Altai river - Chuja.
  • The picturesque, warm mountain lake Aya, situated on the left coast of Katun River, 25 km from the city of Gorno-Altaisk. It is one of the very few places in Altai suitable for bathing, as in summer the water of the lake gets warm - sometimes over 20 C.
  • Old Believers' villages of the Uimon Valley which are over 300 years old. Here you will visit the Museum of Old Belivers and learn the traditional way of life of Altaic people and their beliefs. The Museum of Local Lore will tell you about the expedition of the world-famous Russian philosopher Nikolai Roerich and his time spent in Altai.
  • Yurts visit in another local village – Chemal. Here you will see the traditional way of life of the local people, their national costume and their traditional activities.
  • The Museum of Altai culture and history in the city Gorno-Altaisk and various ancient archaeological monuments, including rock carvings and petrogliphs aged several thousand years.

 Other info

  • In 1998 the Altai mountains were added to UNESCO World Heritage List.
  • A “green river”: From above the river Katun looks almost like a green river. This is due to the high volumes of limestone in the water.
  • The legends of Altai’s lakes:
    • The original name of the lake Teletskoje in Altai language - Altin-Kol - comes from the local tribes and means "golden lake". It is explained by one of the many old legends of Altai: …Once there was a terrible famine in the region. A wealthy man, who had a very big gold ingot, was visiting all villages in Altai but could not find any food to buy for it. Starving, the "rich" poor man has thrown his ingot into the lake and died in its waves himself…
    • The second magnificent lake of Altai – Aya - translated from Turkish “Ay” means "moon". Indeed the lake has the form of a half moon. The legend says that the Moon “Ay” once came down to the valley in order to seize the cannibal Delbegen and to save the Altai people. At the place where the moon has touched the Earth a dent was formed and the lake has appeared.