Altai mountains. The main river of the Altai region is the Ob. Which river originates in the Altai mountains

One of the most powerful rivers Gorny Altai- Biya River. It flows out of Lake Teletskoye, and together with another large river, the Katunya, merges into the great Ob River. The Biya is a mountain-plain river; along its entire length there are practically no widenings of the channel. This current makes it convenient for tourist rafting.

At its sources, the river is surrounded by rocks, and then it emerges into flatter places, the banks are covered with bright greenery, trees, and flowers. The total length of the river is 301 km.

Chibitka River

The Altai Republic is filled with many picturesque natural objects. Among them is the Chibitka River, stretching for 39 kilometers along the Ulagan Plateau. The river originates on the slopes of the Kuraisky ridge.

The route along Chibitka is very popular among motorists and travelers. Following the river, you can see many picturesque places. Among them are lakes Uzunkel and Cheybekkel, as well as the “Red Gate” - a narrow isthmus between the mountains, which has a reddish tint.

There are a total of 20 lakes in the Chibitka basin. There are two villages near the river - Aktash and Chibit.

Ursul River

Ursul, the left tributary of the Katun River, is one of the most beautiful rivers Altai Territory, attracting tourists with pristine landscapes and the opportunity to test themselves in water slalom.

Originating on the northern slopes of the Terektinsky ridge, the Ursul River is wide and calm in its middle reaches. Winding among the gentle banks, the river does not show its obstinate temper. Narrow strips of willow, birch and larch frame the coastline. The river becomes completely different in its lower reaches when it flows into the Katun: a seething stream will roar among the steep rocks, rolling over huge boulders that cut the Ursul into separate streams. This is where thrill seekers go. They gave their names to the river rapids: “Target”, “Chernaya Yama”, “Khabarovsk Hydroelectric Power Station”, “Castle”. Ursul rafting is becoming more and more popular among rafters every year.

But the river attracts not only its natural beauties. Along the banks of the Ursul there are many mounds of the 5th-3rd centuries BC, where during excavations daggers, arrowheads made of bone and bronze, as well as inlaid belts, bronze mirrors, and decorations for horse harnesses were found. Along the tributaries of the Ursula, in the surrounding tracts, you can come across stone women depicting warriors with painted faces and details of clothing and jewelry.

Ursul River - perfect place holidays for mountain lovers, wildlife, history and unforgettable adventures.

Charysh River

The Charysh River is one of the largest rivers in the Altai Mountains. The length of the river is 547 kilometers, and its source is located in the Ust-Kansky region of the Altai Mountains, on the northern slopes of the Korgon ridge with altitudes of more than 2000 meters.

On the cozy picturesque shores you can find convenient places for summer parking and tent camps. The banks either clamp the rivers in a vice, or diverge and allow the water of the rivers to calm down, and the earth to spread out into valleys filled with flowers and herbs. Spruce and fir grow along the slopes of the Korgon ridge; higher up there begins a zone of high-mountain meadows with low but bright herbs. Also on the banks of the river you can see many different shrubs, including berry bushes: black and red currants, raspberries, honeysuckle, rowan, viburnum.

The Charysh and its tributaries are famous among rafting enthusiasts. The link of the rivers Kumir - Charysh - Korgon - Charysh is a route of the 5th category of difficulty. This is the only water “five” in the Altai Territory

Fans of archeology and history of ancient times can visit caves in the vicinity of the village of Ust-Kan and on the banks of the Charysh in the middle reaches, where traces of ancient people have been found.

Chemal River

The Chemal River is a mountain river originating in the mountains of the Chemal region of the Altai Territory. There are several tourist centers located along its bed.

Chemal descends from a height of 2000 meters, taking its source in a lake located on the Tamanelen mountain range, at a distance of 95 kilometers from Gorno-Altaisk. The name of the river can be translated from the Altai language as “ant river”. Chemal – the only river in a region whose flow was stopped by a hydroelectric power station built in 1935. The majestic view of the confluence of the Chemal and another river called the Katun can be seen in the main guidebooks to Altai. This place is also called the “Gate of Sartakpai” - named after the legendary Altai hero.

Mild climate, many warm sunny days and excellent weather favor the development of resort tourism in the Chemal region.

Peschanaya River

The Peschanaya River is a left tributary of the Ob, flowing in the Altai Territory. The river flows picturesquely from the mountains, flowing through rapids and dividing into channels, and then joining into one channel. Thus it flows rapidly, calming down only in the valley. It flows along a channel of 276 kilometers.

The river is very popular among tourists and lovers of nature and water sports. It contains rocks and sandbanks, screes and steep bomes, as well as many rapids.

The river is also a route of the third category of difficulty, where water tourism competitions are held annually.

The mouth of the river is a unique natural monument, as this place is very picturesque. This place is home to a huge number of bays and lakes, on the shores of which waterfowl nest.

You can get here by horse or boat.

Katun River in Gorny Altai

The Katun River is the largest river in the Altai Mountains. Its name goes back to the Altai word “kadyn”, which means “mistress”, “mistress”. The length of the river is 688 kilometers.

The river originates on the southern slopes of the Belukha mountain massif, crosses the basin of the Uimon steppe, and after flowing into the Argut River flows in a northerly direction. The river is formed by numerous streams and rivers that flow from mountain ranges. The main tributaries of the river are Chuya, Kuragan, Koksa, Kucherla, Akkem, Ursul, Argut, Sumulta, Isha, Maima, Kadrin, Sema. The most powerful tributary of the river is the Argut, which has a length of more than 230 kilometers.

The river bottom is filled with boulders and pebbles, and there are also frequent bedrock outcrops that form many rapids and waterfalls. In summer, the water in the upper reaches of the Katun acquires a milky white color due to the melting of glaciers, and in the fall the river turns turquoise.

Sights of Gorno-Altaisk

Formed from the confluence of two rivers - Biya and Katun. At a distance of 500 kilometers, the wide ribbon of the Ob crosses the Altai Territory, forming two giant bends. In terms of its length (3680 km), it is second in Russia only to the Lena (4264 km) and the Amur (4354 km), and in terms of the area of ​​its basin, the Ob is the largest river in our country, second only to five rivers on the planet: the Amazon, Congo, Mississippi, Nile and La Plata.

Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Anuy, Alei, Bolshaya Rechka, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding channels with sandy reaches adjoin.

The Barnaulka River is a tributary of the Ob River

The name of the great river "Ob" It owes its origin not to the peoples who have lived on its shores from time immemorial. The Nenets living in the lower reaches of the river called it “Sala-yam”, which means “Cape River”. The Khanty and Mansi gave it the name “As” - “ big river“, the Selkups called the river “Kvay”, “Eme”, “Kuay”. All these names meant “large river.” The Russians first saw the river in its lower reaches when hunters and merchants, together with Zyryan guides, went beyond the Stone (as the Ural Mountains were then called). Long before Ermak’s conquest of Siberia, the region around the Ob was called Obdorsky.

There is a version that the name of the great Siberian river comes from the Komi language, which meant “snow”, “snowdrift”, “place near the snow”.

There is also an assumption that the name is related to the Iranian word “ob” - “water”. And such a name deep river could well have been given by the peoples of the Iranian-speaking group living in the south Western Siberia during the period from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Ages.

River Ob

But there is also an ingenuous version that the word “Ob” comes from the Russian “both”, that is, “both rivers” - “Ob”, meaning two rivers - Katun and Biya, which merged into the mighty beauty Ob.

Biya
Biya is the second largest river in Altai. It originates in Lake Teletskoye. Its length is 280 kilometers. It is considered navigable along its entire length in big water. In the upper part of the river there are rapids, waterfalls, and rifts. Merging with Katun, Biya gives rise to the Ob.

Biya River

Name of Biya associated with the Altai words “biy”, “beg”, “bii” - “lord”. According to one of the Altai legends, the words “master” and “mistress” sound like the names of Biya and Katun. In his works, N. M. Yadrintsev wrote that the direction of the flow of these rivers is explained by the fact that a man and a woman wanted to compete over who would run across whom. Katun tried to run across Biya, and then the offended man Biya crossed her path. According to other sources, the name Biya comes from the ancient Turkic “bey” - “river”, or the Samoyedic “ba” - “river”.

Katun
The Katun flows from the Gebler glacier at an altitude of about 2000 meters on the southern slope of the highest mountain in Altai - Belukha. In the upper and middle reaches the river has a mountainous character, especially in summer time when snow and glaciers are rapidly melting. In the lower reaches it acquires a flat character, spreading below the village. The Maima has channels and channels, and flows along an inclined plain to the north until it merges with the Biya.

The water in the Katun is cold, its temperature in summer rarely rises above 15 C. The river is fed mainly by the melting of snow and ice from glaciers. The length of the river is 665 kilometers; in its basin there are about 7,000 waterfalls and rapids.

Katun River

About the origin of the name "Katun" there is no consensus. According to one version, the term “katun” is based on the ancient Turkic “kadyn” or “khatun” - “mistress”, “mistress”. This is due to the ancient custom of worshiping large rivers, exalting them in their names. In other languages ​​there are such additions, for example, “oros-khatun” in Yakut - “mother river”. During the time of Genghis Khan, the Mongols used the word "khatun" to mean "river". “Boga-khatun” - “small river”, “ihi-khatun” - “big river”. There is a version that the word “katun” comes from “katanga” - “water”, “river”, as rivers from Western Siberia were called to the Pacific Ocean.

Aley
Alei is the most major influx Ob on the flat part of the region. In length (755 km) it exceeds Katun and Biya, but is inferior to them in terms of water content. Alei originates in the low mountains of northwestern Altai. This is a river with a mixed type of feeding (snow and rain), the spring flood reaches its maximum in April. Alei is characterized by large loop-shaped bends; in the lower reaches the river has broad clay soil.

Alei River

Chumysh
Chumysh is the right tributary of the Ob. The river originates in Salair, from the confluence of two rivers: Tom-Chumysh and Kara-Chumysh. Although the river is twice as long as the Biya (644 km), the Chumysh is a relatively low-water river. In many places its valley is swampy and covered mixed forest. The share of snow supply makes up more than half of the runoff for the year, and the maximum flood in Chumysh is in April.

Chumysh River

Lakes of Altai

The Altai lakes are picturesque. There are thousands of them in the region, and they are located throughout the territory.

Most of the lakes are located in the Kulunda Lowland and on the Priob Plateau. No wonder Altai is called the land of blue lakes. Small mountain and steppe lakes give natural landscapes a unique charm and uniqueness.

The largest lake in the Altai Territory is the bitter-salty lake Kulundinskoye(area 600 sq. km, length - 35 and width 25 km). It is shallow (maximum depth - 4 m), fed by the waters of the Kulunda River and groundwater. South of Kulundinsky there is the second largest lake - Kuchukskoe(area 180 sq. km). It is completely similar in regime and nutrition to Kulundinsky and was previously connected to it by a channel.

The Kulunda lakes are all remnants of an ancient sea that existed many millions of years ago on the site of the present plains. Many of these lakes have long been famous for their mineral waters, which have healing properties, as well as healing clays and mud. Gorkoe-Isthmus, Raspberry- are places of pilgrimage for residents of the region and numerous guests. On the salty Bolshoi Yarov There has been a medical and health complex on the lake for many years. Salty water, the abundance of steppe sun, picturesque pine forest along the shores of such lakes create unique conditions for relaxation.

Lake Bolshoye Yarovoye

IN fresh flowing lakes there is a lot of fish, and in the thickets of reeds along the banks - waterfowl. The lakes of the mountainous part of the Altai Territory are very picturesque. They are located in the hollows of ancient drainage, on the site of old channels of long-vanished mountain rivers that arose when an ancient glacier melted.

Altai lakes

One of these lakes is Lake Aya , the blue pearl of the low mountains, is known far beyond the borders of the region. There is a health complex on its banks; you can swim in the warm waters of Aya all summer long.

Lake Aya

Unique beauty Kolyvan Lake, along the banks of which quaint castles of granite rocks are piled. You can admire the stone sculptures of fantastic animals while lying on the sandy beach.

Kolyvan Lake

Many of these lakes form a long chain, connected by channels and small rivers. Some of these lakes give rise to the left tributaries of the Ob (the Barnaulka River, flowing through the territory of the regional center, originates from such lakes located in the forest near the villages of Peschanoye and Voronikha).

Between the Biya and Chumysh rivers there are small and shallow freshwater lakes. There are lakes on the floodplains of lowland rivers, and in ancient and modern river valleys there are small elongated lakes - oxbow lakes.

The rivers of the Altai Territory mainly belong to the Ob system. In the west and north-west of the region there is an area of ​​internal drainage - the drainless basin of the Kulundinskaya Lowland.

The Altai region crosses in its upper reaches the Ob River. At a distance of 500 km, its wide ribbon forms two giant bends. Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Aley, Big River, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding river beds lie, with clearly visible sandy reaches.

The river network in the Altai Mountains, with the exception of the southeast, is well developed. Rivers start from glaciers and numerous lakes. On some flat watersheds there are swamps that give rise to rivers (Bashkaus - a tributary of the Chulyshman). Mountain rivers flow in narrow valleys, sometimes in dark, gloomy gorges. Along a rocky channel strewn with boulders and pebbles, the water rushes down with a large fall, encounters hard crystalline ledges and rapids along the way, breaks against them, turning into white bubbling foam. The noise of the rapids gives way to the roar of waterfalls, of which there are many in the Altai highlands.

The picture of thundering water falling in ledges from a height of tens of meters is amazing. The highest and most beautiful waterfalls are located on the slopes of the Belukha massif. On the northern slope along Tekel (the right tributary of the Akkem) there is a waterfall 60 m high; on the Tigirek (the left tributary of the Kucherla) there is a waterfall of 40 m. On the southern slope of Belukha, in the upper reaches of the Katun, on its right tributary, there is the Rossypnaya waterfall, 30 m high. There are dozens of waterfalls on the rivers flowing into Lake Teletskoye. The Korbu waterfall is well known; its powerful stream falls from a 12-meter height.

The rivers of the Altai Territory have a mixed supply: rain, snow, glaciers and groundwater.

Along the rivers of the Kulundinskaya lowland it prevails snow food. They are characterized by spring floods. Very little in summer atmospheric precipitation, rivers become very shallow and dry up in many places. By the end of summer, there is almost no water left in the upper reaches of the Kuchuk River; the channel represents chains of small elongated lakes.

Ob- a lowland river, but its sources and main tributaries are in the mountains, therefore, in the diet and regime of the Ob, signs of lowland and mountain rivers are observed. The Ob has two maximum water rises - in spring and summer. The spring rise in water occurs from the melting of snow, and the summer rise from the melting of glaciers. The lowest water level in the Ob is in winter.

Low water in winter is typical for most rivers in the region. Rivers freeze for a long time. Freeze-up on the Ob and rivers of the plains begins in the second half of November; by the end of April they are free of ice.

Mountain rivers belong to the Altai type, which has special regime and food. First of all, they are rich in water, since they have power sources that continuously replenish water supplies from atmospheric precipitation, from the melting of glaciers and influx groundwater.

Snow melts in the mountains for several months, from April to June. The second feature of snow melting is that first the snow melts in the north of the Altai Mountains in the low mountains, and then in the middle mountains and finally in the southern high mountain regions. In June, snowfields and glaciers begin to melt. Sunny clear days alternate with rainy ones. There are years with long summer rains. Precipitation often falls in the form of showers, and the water level in rivers rises quickly and strongly. The rivers of the highlands are fed by snow and glaciers and therefore are characterized by a summer, namely June, rise in water. Autumn floods occur. It drains in four to five months most of annual water norm.

Hydrography gives an idea of ​​the maximum water level in the river. Altai rivers can be roughly divided into five groups.

1. Rivers with spring floods. Snow food. This group includes medium and small rivers in the foothills with an average drainage height of up to 500 m.
2. Rivers with spring floods and rain floods. This group includes medium and small rivers with average height catchments from 500 to 1500 m.
3. Rivers with spring-summer floods and rain floods. Food: snow, glaciers, rain. This group includes all large and medium-sized rivers with a drainage height from 1500 to 2500 m.
4. Rivers with summer floods. The food is glacial. These are mainly medium and small rivers at altitudes above 2500 m.
5. Rivers with equalized flow throughout the year. Ground nutrition. These are mostly small rivers.

The greatest groundwater recharge is observed on rivers with an average catchment height ranging from 600 to 2000 m. The exception is the Chuya River, in which the share of groundwater is 33% of the annual flow. This is due to the fact that the Chuya depression, filled with sand and pebble deposits, is a huge reservoir of groundwater that gradually flows into the Chuya.

The duration of freeze-up on Altai rivers ranges from 110 to 200 days, and in some sections of the rivers the water does not freeze. The beginning of freeze-up usually occurs in November, the opening - at the beginning - mid-April.

Belukha is not only a glacial junction, but also the most important feeding center for large and small rivers spreading from Belukha in different directions. The Belukha glaciers are very active in this regard, because they end low, which means they melt a lot and at the same time receive a lot of precipitation. According to the available hydrometric data, the first place in terms of water content belongs to the Iedygem River, the second and third are the Katun and Bereli, then the Ak-kem and Myushtu-airy. The total flow of glacial waters provided by Belukha is estimated at approximately 400 million cubic meters. m. per year. This entire mass of water is taken at an altitude of about 2000 m and, therefore, has a huge potential reserve of power.

Characteristics of Altai rivers

Altai region

Officially. Altai Territory is located in the southeast of Western Siberia, 3419 km from Moscow. Territory 168,000 square km.

Informally. The Altai region is very large and diverse. The topography changes as you move through the area. He seems to be a growing bear, at first quiet and calm, then huge and majestic. This is how steppes and plains grow into foothills and mountains.

Officially. The climate is temperate continental, formed as a result of frequent changes in air masses.

Unofficially. The four seasons have many variations, and come back each year to see a different perspective. You can come in the hot summer, or you can come in the cool and rainy weather. Give me variety! - this is the main rule of Altai weather.

Summer and Altai Mountains

Officially: The Altai Mountains are a complex system of the highest ridges in Siberia, which are separated by deep valleys of mountain rivers and vast basins located inside the mountains.

Informally: The nature of Altai is amazing. Tourists from all over globe They rush to these places to enjoy the beautiful views of high mountains, mountain rivers, mysterious caves and deserted spaces. Immerse yourself in the tranquility and beauty of these places.

The settlement of the Altai Territory has begun
in the 18th century

Young Russia needed metal to produce weapons and coins. The Ural factory owner Akinfiy Demidov founded the first metallurgical plant in 1729 - Kolyvano-Voskresensky. The depths of Altai were also rich in silver. In 1744, Demidov began producing silver. The result of Akinfiy Demidov’s activities in the Altai region was the establishment of a feudal mining industry based on the serf labor of assigned peasants and artisans.

Event tourism in the Altai region

Creation and development of bright, interesting events in business, cultural, sports life The Altai Territory has become the basis for the development of event tourism in the region. The region annually hosts more than a dozen festivals, forums, and celebrations that can attract thousands of tourists from different regions Russia and from abroad. These are the International Tourism Forum “VISIT ALTAI”, the festival “Blossoming of the Maralnik”, the drinks festival “Altaifest”, the Day of Russia at the “Turquoise Katun”, the festival “Shukshin Days in Altai”, the International Youth Forum of the Asia-Pacific Region, the SCO Forum, the Siberian International Forum on Health and medical tourism, the Altai Wintering holiday and many others.

beauty and health

Officially. The useful flora of the region has 1184 plant species. The most large group drugs, including about 100 types widely used in official medicine.

Informally. Decoction, herbal teas, berry fruit drinks - this is what everyone who comes to the Altai Territory should try. Spas, health and wellness centers use products made from Altai herbs.

General information

The relief of the Altai Mountains is diverse; there are sections of ancient plains, alpine-type glacial high-mountain relief, mountains of medium (1800-2000 meters) and low altitude (500-600 meters), deep basins. The ridges are cut by numerous snow-fed rivers. Turbulent water streams flow into lakes famous for their beauty, lying in picturesque valleys. The Biya and Katun rivers originate in the Altai Mountains, which merge to form the Ob, one of the deepest and longest rivers in Russia.

The highest ridge of the Altai Mountains is Katunsky. With its snowy slopes, sharp peaks, picturesque lakes and glaciers, this part of the Altai mountain system is similar to the Alps.

The Altai Mountains are famous for their caves, of which there are more than 300, especially in the basin of the Katun, Anui and Charysh rivers. Mountain Altai is a land of waterfalls, the highest of which is the 60-meter Tekelyu, which flows into the Akkem River.

The weather in the Altai Mountains is unpredictable, so you should not rely on weather forecasters. Being in the mountains on a warm, clear day, you can witness the sudden birth of a cloud and be in the very thick of it.

The climate of the region is sharply continental with cold winter And warm summer. The weather in any given location depends on its altitude and prevailing winds. In Gorny Altai there is the most warm place Siberia and its pole of cold. The climate is formed under the influence of the Arctic masses, warm and humid winds of the Atlantic and the hot air of Central Asia. Winter in the region lasts from 3 to 5 months, one of the coldest places is the Chui Valley, where the temperature drops to -32°. It is much warmer in the southern regions of the Altai Mountains - for example, in the area of ​​Lake Teletskoye, winter pleases with a comfortable ten degrees below zero. In spring and autumn, cold snaps and frosts are frequent, lasting until mid-June in high mountain areas. Most warm month- July from average temperature from +14 to +16°; in the highlands - from +5 to +8°, ​​here the temperature decreases by 0.6° with an increase in altitude for every 100 meters.

In summer, daylight in the region lasts 17 hours, which is more than in Yalta or Sochi.

Gorny Altai is famous for its rich flora and fauna. In a relatively small area of ​​the region, almost all types of vegetation of Asia, Kazakhstan and the European part of Russia grow. On the Altai Mountains of different heights there are taiga, steppe, mountain tundra and alpine meadows.

In each natural area Animals live that are adapted to certain environmental conditions. Some of them - bears, maral, sable - migrate from one habitat to another. The Altai Mountains are also home to elk, musk deer, roe deer, ground squirrel, fox, wolverine, squirrel, and ermine. In the highlands lives the rarest animal on Earth - the snow leopard ( Snow Leopard), and Siberian goat and the red wolf.

Endemic species that live only here have also formed in the Altai Mountains: mountain turkey, tundra partridge, Altai buzzard. Other birds of the region are the gray goose, mallard duck, gray crane, snipe, eagle owl, and nutcracker.

Attractions

Lake Teletskoye is a true pearl in the scattering of Altai lakes. The purest waters, framed by mountains and centuries-old cedars, alpine meadows and magnificent waterfalls, remoteness from civilization - the sources of the charm of the famous lake.

Lake Teletskoye

Ukok Plateau - protected natural area, a place of concentration of burial mounds of various chronological eras. Local residents believe that the plateau is the threshold of the firmament, “the end of everything,” a special sacred place to which they entrust the bodies of the dead. In many mounds cooling permafrost, perfectly preserved household items of great historical value were found. Unique nature The plateau and the surrounding Altai Mountains inspired the artist Nicholas Roerich to create world-famous paintings. In the village of Verkhniy Uimon there is a house-museum of the painter, where you can see his paintings and purchase copies of them.

Ukok Plateau

Chemal is a picturesque area of ​​the Altai Mountains, where the Katun carries its waters past rocky mountains that are fascinating in their inaccessibility.

The Katun River near the village of Chemal

Karakol Lakes - 7 reservoirs of amazing beauty, stretching in a chain along the western slope of the Iolgo ridge. To admire the lakes located at an altitude of 2000 meters, you will have to use horses or a specially equipped vehicle.

Karakol Lakes

Lower Shavlinskoye Lake is located surrounded by the Mechta, Skazka and Krasavitsa mountains in the vicinity of the village of Chibit. Pagan idols are installed on the shore of the reservoir.

Lower Shavlinskoye Lake

The discovery of the Denisova Cave, located in the valley of the Anuy River, Soloneshsky district, has become a notable event in world archeology. Human remains dating back 42,000 years were found in the cave. In addition, the oldest cultural layer of people who lived in the cave 282,000 years ago was discovered here. At the parking lot ancient man More than 80,000 different stone household items, iron items from the 14th century, and bronze knives from later periods were found. The cave is accessible to people of any level physical training. Before the eyes of a tourist who takes the time to get here, there appears a unique so-called “layer cake”, consisting of more than 20 cultural layers formed in different eras of human existence.

The Altai cave, one of the deepest and longest in Siberia and Altai, goes down 240 meters, and its length is 2540 meters. This natural attraction, protected as a geological natural monument, is located in the village of Cheremshanka in the Altai Territory. The Altai cave is actively visited by amateur tourists and professional speleologists.

Mount Belukha, part of the Katunsky ridge and revered by local residents as sacred, is the highest point in Siberia and Altai, rising above the picturesque valleys of the Ukok plateau at 4509 meters. Belukha is located equidistant from the four world oceans and is the geographic center of Eurasia. Many who have visited Belukha or near it admit that they felt the enlightenment of consciousness and the incredible energy of these places. There is a special atmosphere here that puts you in a philosophical mood. And this is not self-hypnosis; many scientists claim that there really are powerful bioenergy fields around the mountain. Buddhists believe that somewhere on the top of the mountain there is an entrance to the fabulous country of Shambhala, which only a select few can see. Origins of the main Altai river Katun originate in the Belukha glaciers.

Chapel of Archangel Michael at the foot of Mount Belukha

The Chuysky tract is the Novosibirsk-Tashanta highway, ending at the borders of Mongolia. After driving along it, you will be able to get to know the Altai Mountains better and see all their diversity.

Chuysky tract

Other sights of the Altai Mountains worthy of attention:

• Lake Aya;
• Multinskie lakes;
• Kucherlinsky lakes;
• Lake Manzherok;
• Cave drawings primitive people in the Kalbak-Tash tract;
• Scythian mounds of Pazyryk;
• Mount Altyn-Tu;
• Patmos Island on Chemal with the Temple of St. John the Evangelist;
• The Tsar's Kurgan is a burial place over 2000 years old;
• Valley of the Chulyshman River with numerous waterfalls.

This is only a small part of the natural and man-made wonders that the Altai Mountains are rich in.

Why go

Adherents of sports tourism have known and visited the Altai Mountains for several decades. Altai mountain rivers are ideal for rafting. Speleologists descend into mysterious caves, climbers storm mountain peaks, paragliders soar over picturesque landscapes, and nature has prepared countless places of stunning beauty for hikers. Equestrian tourism is well developed in Altai, giving the opportunity to visit the most inaccessible corners of the region, where you can see Argali rams listed in the Red Book, lakes of unreal beauty, and hear the inimitable and soul-stirring cries of deer during the rut.

Fishing in the Altai Mountains traditionally attracts many tourists not only from neighboring regions, but also from the European part of Russia, as well as from abroad. The waters of local rivers are rich in valuable fish - grayling, taimen, whitefish, rainbow trout, burbot, pike and other species.

People go to Altai to receive medical treatment and relax in one of the most environmentally friendly places on Earth. The seismically active region is rich in healing thermal springs, local radon waters are especially valued. Belokurikha is the most popular Altai balneological resort, famous for its unique microclimate, modern health resort facilities and excellent opportunities for active recreation. Vacationers get unforgettable pleasure while walking along the health path along the stormy Belokurikha River rushing through a forest gorge. Tourists have access to a chairlift that takes resort guests to Mount Tserkovka (height 815 meters), from the top of which there is a stunning view of the Altai expanses.

One of business cards The Altai Mountains are deer, on whose treatment with antlers an entire medical industry is based. Antlers are young, unossified antlers of deer, cut only from males in June-July. Male individuals provide a unique medicinal product, rich in amino acids and microelements, a recognized elixir of health and longevity. To obtain valuable raw materials, deer are bred in captivity - the animals live in the vast territory of the maral, where they are protected from predators and poachers. Only once a year are red deer disturbed in order to cut off their antlers. On the basis of many maral camps, medical centers have been created where vacationers improve their health among the mountains and forests, enjoying the peace and quiet in the bosom of Altai nature.

Visitors are welcome in winter ski resorts Altai - Manzherok, Belokurikha, Turquoise Katun, Seminsky Pass.

IN Lately The tourist infrastructure in the mountainous regions of Altai is rapidly developing: modern hotels and recreation centers are being built, new excursion routes are being developed, new roads are being laid and old ones are being improved. The number of agencies offering a variety of tours to Altai has increased significantly.

Tourist Information

Finding suitable accommodation in the tourist areas of the Altai Mountains is not difficult - everywhere there are camp sites of varying levels of comfort, hotels and boarding houses. Many local residents They offer accommodation in the private sector for a very reasonable fee.

Communications in the Altai Mountains are available in all major tourist destinations. It would be useful to have SIM cards of two or three operators with you, because... in some areas Beeline has better communication, and in others - Megafon.

When going to Altai even at the height of summer, be sure to stock up warm clothes- in mountainous areas, night temperatures can drop to +5°.

Popular souvenirs from the Altai Mountains - honey, antlers, pine nuts, teas from alpine herbs, original wooden products of local residents, amulets, national musical instruments and household items.

In places that are sacred to the Altai people, you should not indulge in fun, shout or litter. Don’t stroke your pride - don’t leave ugly inscriptions “I was here...” on man-made and natural sights of Altai. Local residents expect tourists to respect their land, ancestors and wildlife.

How to get there

The most convenient way to get to Altai is from Novosibirsk - by train or bus to Barnaul or Biysk. From these cities there are several flights per day to Gorno-Altaisk and others settlements region. If you are traveling by car, then from Novosibirsk you should take the M-52 highway (Chuysky tract).

Altai, view of the Belukha massif