Siberia
To the heart of the sacred Shambala
The Altai Mountains are one of the most serene and beautiful locations
on Earth. Quiet mountain lakes reflect snowy peaks, while alpine meadows
carpeted with wildflowers cover gently rolling valleys. Glaciers cover
the highest peaks feeding hundreds of mountain streams and rivers cascading
down the peaks in torrents of water. While to the north of the mountains
the flat grassy steppe stretches in Russia, the Altai Mountains shelter
primordial taiga forest. Few other places can compete with the beauty of
the Altai Mountains and the region is a sparsely populated paradise for
photographers, hikers, artists, mountaineers and those who love nature.
The elusive snow leopard and the Altai snowcock also make a home of these
lands.The tour takes us to the west and east parts of the Katunsky ridge: to the canyon of Kucherla river and to Kucherlinskii lake. Mountain passes provide extensive panoramas. The Kucherla river is one of the most lovely mountain rivers of the Katunsky ridge and has milky blue water. Another famous lake we will visit is the Akkem lake. It is smaller, but its waters reflect the peak and glacier of Mount Belukha. These places are a real Mekka for mountaineers and artists.
In addition to visiting a unique corner of the world, you will also learn about the ancient culture of the Old-Believers, who are ethnic Russians who split off from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1966 and sought to live a self-sustaining life, in the most remote place they could find.
- ../images/aventures/s801_map.htm" target="_blank">Route plan
- Recommended equipment
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| Itinerary | 18 days | |
| Group size | Up to 13 pax | |
| Season | July 3 - July 20 | |
| Price | on request  |
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ADVENTURE
# S801
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HIGHLIGHTS
In
order to book this voyage, contact
us 
INCLUDED
- City tour of Moscow
- Full board (half board first & last days)
- Transportation
- Double accom. in Moscow
- Transfers from (to) airports
- Accomod. in thermal center
- Guide, interpreter and cook
- Accomod. as per program
- Nature reserves fees
- Rental horses for cargo
PROGRAM
Day 1
Arrival in Moscow. Accommodation in hotel ***.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a tour of the capital including
the historic Red Square and the Kremlin. Departure from Moscow to Barnaul
at 23.00.
Day 3
Arrive in Barnaul at 06.30 a.m. Bus transfer to Gorno-Altaisk. Lunch
at the restaurant. Visit the Museum of Nature History and Art Gallery.
Start your 500 km bus trip across the Mountain Altai. Overnight in
the tented camp.
Day 4
Continue 500 km trip by car to the Tyungur village. Visit on the way
of the Ust'-Kan cave, ethnographic museum in Mendur-Sokkon, and national
farm producing kumys (traditional drink made of horse milk). Overnight
in tents in the Tyungur village.
Day 5
Hiking of 18 km ( 4 hours). Luggage is transported by horses. We will
pass by the scenic Altaian village Kucherla. Hike across mixed forest
and big meadow, come over easy mountain pass Kuzuyak (1513 m). Overnight
in tents.
Day 6
Hike of 30 km to the lake Aktash. This trail is about 2,5 thousand years
old (it was used since Skythian epoch). Across the larch and cedar
pine forest the trail leads to the alpine meadows of the Oraktoi ridge.
Sometimes, you can see nephrite stones along the trail. We will cross
a small mountain pass Tomul (2580 m). Overnight in tents at the picturesque
small Aktash lake.
Day 7
Hike of 26 km (10 hours with stops) to Akkem lake. There are salting
places, and you will have a chance to observe Siberian ibexes. Lunch
en route, near the waterfalls on the river Tekelyu. It is possible
to see Altaian snowcocks or to hear their cries. Ascend the grassy
slope to the Yarlu-Boch pass (2800 above the sea level). It is unforgettable.
Overnight in the tented camp on the picturesque edelweiss meadow located
in 30 minutes of hike from the Akkem lake.
Days 8 - 10
Radial hikes without luggage in the valley of the Akkem lake. Akkem is
one of the most beautiful lakes in Altai. We will have hiking excursions
around to see some wonderful nature objects: the Valley of Seven Lakes,
Akkem glacier, Yarlu valley and the Lake of Spirits.
Day 8
We ascend to the hanging Valley of Seven Lakes along the steep path.
Ascending along the path across alpine meadows in luxuriant bloom,
we will discover several lakes of various water color laying on different
levels. Ringing waterfalls make the picture especially impressive.
On the way back, we descend to the bottom of the Akoyuk mountain, where,
very close to the glacier, lays one of the most beautiful lakes of
this valley. Our loupe route will take 10-12 hours.
Hike to the Akkem glacier. From the glacier, we enjoy the majestic view to Belukha Peak. The last object of our excursion is the powerful cascade of glaciers. The whole trip takes about 10 hrs.
Day 10
Hiking route to the Lake of Spirits, which, according to the local belief,
has some mystic power. The whole route to the valley of the Lake of
Spirits is quite easy and takes half of a day.
Day 11
Hike from the Akkem to the Kucherlinskii lake across the Kara-Tyurek
("Black Heart") mountain pass.
You will see colonies of marmots and mountain birds. Then the trail goes
to the mountain pass across the stony fields. The altitude of the mountain
pass is 3060 m. From there, we enjoy breathtaking mountain panoramas.
Day 12
Radial hike without luggage to the Green and Blue lakes. There are good
chances to observe Altaian pikas. Small groves of Bergenia (badan)
look very nice among the stony fields. Green Lake laying at the altitude
of 2400 m is very impressive. If we cross the creek by stones and pass
the Green Lake round from the north, in 500 m you will see the creek-waterfall.
It will lead us to the Blue Lake with unusual color of water. Trip
to these lakes takes about 11 hrs.
Day 13
Hike to the valley of the creek Kul'dura-Oyuk. Our route finishes at
the blue lake laying in the nice circus under snow-capped peak (2994
m). This excursion takes the whole day.
Days 14 and 15
Hike to the Vysotnik tourist camping. We will see the rocks adorned by
several dozen of ancient petrogliphs. In the afternoon of the Day 14,
we come to the camping "Vysotnik" in Tyungur. Overnight there.
Day 16
Bus trip to Barnaul (12 hrs). Overnight at the hotel (double accommodation).
Day 17
Transfer to the airport, departure to Moscow at 8.30 a.m. Accomodation
in Hotel ***.
Day 18
Breakfast and departure to airport for the flight home.
We are always happy when our clients write to us to show the satisfaction about they travel and our service.
