Almost three years have passed since my family and I settled in Ongudai. Looking back, it no longer seems so spontaneous the decision at that time to give up everything: an apartment in a new comfortable house, a promising job, property acquired over the years. And all because of an old dream - to live away from the bustle of the city, smoking factory chimneys, drunken neighbors, noisy life big city. Over the past few years, the soul has been torn to freedom, closer to the origins, nature, silence. Perhaps the dream of having my own house in the countryside would have remained a dream, if not for one event that turned my whole life upside down.

How to choose a place to move

Two years before the move, together with our work colleagues, on another vacation, instead of a boring vacation at sea, we went on an extreme journey by car along. I will not describe all the details of this exciting journey with tents, fishing and rafting on rough mountain rivers. I will only note that upon my return, the goal was set - to move to this marvelous preserved corner of nature as soon as possible.

However, it was not so easy to sell the apartment, it was necessary to drop the price significantly in order to find a buyer faster. Autumn was approaching, and they wanted to postpone the move, but suddenly a buyer was found. In two weeks, all bulky items were sold out, container transportation was immediately abandoned due to the high cost. Didn't stop me from moving and the fact that I worked in a large construction company with a good salary and the prospect of promotion to head of division in the near future. At work, many could not understand the reason for my dismissal, but for a long time they did not persuade, as they say, there are no irreplaceable people.

Everything was ready for departure, it only remained to decide on the choice of location. Between the Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai, it was decided to give preference to the latter, since Altai region was more of an industrial and agricultural area, but I wanted to go deeper into nature. But at the same time, I didn’t really want to vegetate in a God-forgotten village. Therefore, it was decided to choose one of the regional centers: Maima, Turochak, Chemal, Shebalino, Ongudai and Kosh-Agach. Turochak and Chemal were rejected for the reason that they are tourist centers and housing there is quite expensive, Mayma is too close to the capital of the Republic of Altai - and Kosh-Agach has harsh winters and short summers. As a result, a village with a polyphonic name was chosen - Ongudai (which means "seven peaks" in Altai), which is located in the very center Gorny Altai.

First Impressions

All the necessary things were collected, and in September 2011 my family and I set off on our journey. A little more than a day in the train compartment of the Krasnoyarsk - Biysk train, and then the trains do not go, you can only get there by bus or car. We were lucky, the private driver agreed to take us to the place of arrival for a modest reward of 5 thousand rubles. As it turned out later, it was possible to get to Ongudai by bus for 700 rubles per person, but it would have taken more time. The driver used to work as a truck driver and often transported goods in Altai, so he knew these places well. While we were driving, he led a mini-tour along the way, talking about local attractions, the main of which is the village of Srostki. This is the birthplace of the writer and actor V. M. Shukshin, in which his house-museum is located. Famous theater and film actors come here every year.

The first impression of the trip was a perfectly flat road - the M-52 Federal Highway or the Chuisky Trakt. How many times I have not traveled around Russia, I have never seen such a smooth road. There are no potholes, no potholes, no patch repairs, and this despite the heavy natural conditions: on one side of the road sheer cliffs, and on the other a deep abyss. The M-52 highway is the only road that connects the village of Ongudai with civilization, so it is closely monitored by road services. In addition, along this road through Kosh-Agach, you can go beyond the border of the Russian Federation - to Mongolia or China.

"Chuisky tract". Photo by expert684 (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/expert684)

Another vivid impression was the pearl of Altai - the Katun River. It originates from the most beautiful place- Belukha Mountains, flows through the entire Altai and flows into the Ob. This is a powerful mountain river, along which hundreds of tourists are rafting. In autumn, it acquires a beautiful turquoise hue. If you ever decide to go to Altai, then it is best to do it in the fall. In the spring, hundreds of small rivers flow into the Katun, which make the waters of the Katun muddy, but in the fall it acquires that same turquoise hue, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over Russia and even from other countries. The Katun also attracts many fishermen, as it is home to such fish as grayling and taimen. Many recreation centers, hotels, cafes and souvenir shops have been built along the Katun and Chuisky tract, since more than 50% of all business in Altai is associated with tourism.

Katun in autumn. Photo by avante22 (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/avante22/)

Ongudai

The village of Ongudai is located between the two highest points - the Seminsky Pass (1717 m) and the Chike-Taman Pass (1460 m). They say that earlier cars moving towards each other could hardly pass through the pass, but now the road is so wide that you hardly notice the pass, only your ears are pawned from the height difference. Not far from the Seminsky pass is located ski base, where the athletes of the national team of our country train skiing. Leaving behind the Seminsky Pass, half an hour later, the village of Ongudai opened up to our eyes. It is located along the Ursul River, and its population numbers over 5 thousand people, of which only a third are Russians, and the rest are the indigenous population - Altaians. In time, the road from Biysk to Ongudai took only five hours.

The first thing that struck me was the modernity of the village. The information that could be gleaned before leaving on the Internet was clearly outdated. They wrote that there are a couple of small shops in the village, where bread, milk, biscuits and bananas are sometimes delivered. It turned out not to be the case. There are two large supermarkets in the village, shopping mall, two dozen small shops, large building Sberbank with a 24-hour ATM, three canteens and a hotel, which, as often happens, turned out to be overcrowded.

We were also pleasantly surprised by the prices, while the cost of packing buckwheat in Krasnoyarsk reached 120 rubles, but here it cost three times cheaper. But the cost of a hotel room reached 1,500 rubles per day, while it was no longer the season. For those who are going to come here for permanent place residence or just relax, I would recommend not to stay in a hotel, but to rent a house. Renting a house in the center of the village costs some 3,000 rubles a month, you must admit, it is much cheaper than a hotel. We did not know this and spent more than 15 thousand rubles for living in a hotel house in two weeks until we found a permanent home.

Buying a house

People here relate to the construction and repair of a house as follows: who is good for what, depending on who, how much money he has. In general, Ongudai looks colorful, but at the same time pleasing to the eye. It is immediately clear that the village does not stand still, many new mansions are being built. Our plans were to build the house we dreamed about, but we arrived in late autumn, so we decided to buy a house.

The choice was small, mostly old houses costing from 700 thousand rubles and more. We bought a house built in the 80s for 1 million rubles, but we replaced the old roof with metal tiles, sheathed the house with siding, renovated the rooms, and as a result, another 300 thousand rubles were spent.

At first, life was not habitual. The house had no hot water, central heating system, toilet, bath and shower. Instead, there was only cold water, a stove that had to be fired with wood to keep the house warm, a toilet outside and a bathhouse. Those who have extra money can afford such urban amenities as a toilet, shower and hot water in the house, but we had little money left, and we were content with little.

I would like to say a few words about the bath. Yes, you need to bring water and melt it properly, but what a thrill you get when you soar in a bath with a birch broom, wash off all the dirt and fatigue from yourself, tip over a bucket of ice-cold well water, and then drink tea with currants. A bath cannot be compared with washing in a bath or taking a shower. Only for this it makes sense to drop everything and go to the village. For those who are going to do this, I would like to advise: do not buy an old house, but purchase land plot and build a new timber house. Construction will be cheaper, since it will not need to be repaired, and it will last much longer.

How they live in Ongudai

As I wrote above, Ongudai is a modern village. There is cellular and the Internet, the renovation of the school and the hospital was recently completed. But getting a job here is not so easy, in the village high level unemployment. Most of the population is Altaians, so it is difficult for Russians to break through. The Altaians can be divided into those who are successful and drive cool cars, and those who either drink "dirty" and do not want to work, or live by fishing for pine nuts and berries, harvesting firewood, and are engaged in subsidiary farming.

I also sat for a year in the employment center, where, apart from the work of a shepherd, they could not offer me anything, in my specialty (economist) I could not find a suitable job. Altaians are preferred here for the position of engineer or chief. Therefore, I had to look for another type of activity that would bring some income. For the past 1.5 years I have been working at a hostel for a private entrepreneur. I work as a bartender from spring to autumn during the season, and I also clean the pool. In the autumn, we harvest pine nuts with the peasants, on which you can make very good money. There is no work in winter - I have a rest, but this is not for long, a couple of months. But I don't lose hope of getting a job.

Most of the population lives at the expense of tourists: they rent rooms, organize hikes and rafting trips, and sell souvenirs. It is not uncommon to see tourists from Moscow, Rostov, St. Petersburg, as well as Germany, France and other countries here. They are attracted to Altai by its originality, mystery and attractive force of wild nature.

As for food prices, they are the same as everywhere else, maybe a little cheaper due to the proximity to the Altai Territory, which is known for its developed agriculture. The average salary in Ongudai is small - 6-8 thousand rubles, but the electricity tariffs are very high, plus the cost of firewood must be added - 1000 rubles per 1 cubic meter. m. For the winter you need at least 15 cubic meters or two medium trucks. It is better to buy firewood from larch, as they burn longer. In general, more than half of the local forests consist of larch, so it is widely used as lumber. Larch log cabins are strong, they do not rot and stand for a long time.

Climate

For people accustomed to city comforts, life in the countryside seems difficult at first. Winters in Ongudai are as severe as in Siberia, but with little snow, which causes the ground to freeze and the water to freeze. In the first year we experienced it for ourselves. The water in the house and nearby pumps froze over, and until the very spring we had to carry buckets of water from distant pumps. Taking a bath was a real test - you had to drag 20 buckets of water. But over time you get used to everything. I, an economist by profession, who had never held an ax in my hand, had to learn how to chop wood, carpentry, and build an oven. What can I say, in all our life in the city we didn’t even have a garden plot, but here you can’t live without it.

The weather in Ongudai is very changeable, the scorching heat is replaced by heavy rain with hail and chilly wind. Therefore, in order to grow a crop, you need to monitor the weather and cover the beds at the right time. Having no experience, in the first year we gathered a good harvest of potatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables, and now we are experimenting with growing melons and watermelons. Behind the garden there is immediately a forest full of berries and mushrooms. Surprisingly, there are no mosquitoes or midges in the forest, since you won’t find swamps for many kilometers, and you can also not be afraid to face a wolf, a bear and other predators. Sometimes in the forest you can see deer, hares, sable. On alpine meadows cows, horses, sheep graze calmly. In Altai, you can find nurseries where they breed marals for the production of medicines from antler horns.

Surprise from space

As much as we did not strive for solitude with nature, we did not manage to hide from civilization. It turned out that the village of Ongudai is located on the flight path spaceship launched in Baikonur. Its flight over the village can even be observed with the naked eye in clear weather. It is accompanied by the fall of the second stage, which causes a roar and shaking of the earth. The locals are already used to it and do not pay much attention. In general, local youth tend to leave the village in search of work and a better life because there is nowhere to go to rest. There are no cinemas, restaurants, or clubs in Ongudai. There is only a house of culture, which is occasionally visited by Altai national ensembles. Despite all this, people come to Ongudai to live from Novosibirsk, Rostov, Moscow and other cities.

35 km from Ongudai is the residence of Gazprom "Altai Compound" or, as the locals call it, "Putin's dacha". The place is very picturesque - it is located between the mountains near the Katun. Travel there is strictly prohibited, there is a checkpoint on the way, and no one is allowed to pass without a special pass. But there were many who wanted to, especially in the first years of construction. Much has been written and said negatively about "Putin's dacha" both by the press and by the local population, but this is already in the past. In general, they say that this dacha is intended for personal meetings between the heads of Russia and China on the construction of a gas pipeline to China. They say that the pipe will pass through Ongudai, so in the near future it may be possible to supply gas to the houses of the village. In general, Gorny Altai attracts the attention of not only tourists, but also officials. Here you can find dachas of Medvedev, Kudrin, Gref, etc.

Putin's dacha. Photo http://www.nakvadrate.ru/

For those who, like us, decided to quit everything and move to live in Altai, I would like to give some advice. There are many beautiful, but at the same time modern places where you can settle: Uymonskaya Dolina, Chemal, Turochak, Manzherok. The village of Chemal has a mild and warm climate, which can be compared with the Black Sea coast. Here you can grow heat-loving horticultural crops such as apricots, apple trees, cherries. And those who suffer from lung diseases can improve their health thanks to the healing mountain air and the cedar forest located along the village, rich in phytoncides.

Under Turochak there is a large freshwater Lake Teletskoye, which also attracts tourists, so business tourism is well developed in the village.

The Uimon Valley is located at the foot of the Belukha Mountain, where the Katun River originates. There are still ancient villages of Old Believers, and at the beginning of the twentieth century, the path of Roerich's expedition lay through these places in search of the mysterious Shambhala. Due to the large flow of tourists, housing prices in these villages are not affordable for everyone. Therefore, you can settle in not too expensive villages, such as Ongudai, Shebalino or Mayma.

I also want to advise everyone - do not be afraid to drastically change your life. From my own experience I know how difficult it is to break the established course of life: home, family, work. But you just have to really want, make a little effort and you can achieve your goal - to realize your old dream.

Practical information for those who are going on a trip to Altai in 2020: how to get there, what are the prices for accommodation and meals, a list of the best recreation centers, as well as tips and reviews from tourists for 2019.

Our trip. We traveled by car in Gorny Altai for a month and a half. The team visited all the most interesting places from Manzherok to the border with Mongolia. We share our experience with you at.

How to get to Altai

By train. There are trains to Biysk, Novosibirsk and Barnaul. Tickets from Moscow to Biysk cost from 12,300 rubles (coupe), they are quickly sold out, and the train runs only on even numbers. Tickets to Novosibirsk from the capital are cheaper (from 5,500 rubles in a reserved seat), and there are much more trains.

By car. This is the best option, because it is much more interesting, pleasant and cheaper to travel around the Altai Mountains by your own car. My team and I went to Altai from Perm for three days and the same time back. The road is normal, the main problem on the track is repair work, they are very delayed.

Road quality in Altai. The Chuysky tract is ideal asphalt, and everything that is away from it is broken roads, primers or off-roads of varying degrees of difficulty. In principle, you can go to Altai by any car, you can still see a lot. But an SUV is better - there are places where you simply cannot go in a low car without all-wheel drive. If you don't have an off-road vehicle, you can take a tour or drop off to the desired point from local companies - it's easy to find them.

I went to the Altai Mountains in my UAZ "Patriot" and thanks to him I got to the most remote places. I did not go only to the Ukok plateau - for this you need a well-trained off-road vehicle and other crews for safety net.

I'm driving along the Chuisky tract in Altai.
The valley of the Yustyd River is the easternmost point of our road expedition to Gorny Altai.

Where to relax in Altai

Most popular. According to most tourists, it is best to relax in Altai in the villages of Aya and Chemal, as well as in the north. It is easiest to get there, there is the most developed infrastructure and a large selection of bases. But I think that in these places there are too many tourists and too little interesting. The real Altai is not there, it is further along the Chuisky tract, beyond the Seminsky pass.

Real Altai. If you are a lover of adventure, secluded places and majestic mountain scenery, go beyond these tourist spots. I especially liked these places: Uch-Enmek park, Ilgumen rapids, petroglyphs, Ulagan lakes, Katu-Yaryk pass, Chulyshman river valley, Kurai and Chui steppes, Mars. All these places have infrastructure: camp sites, cafes, gas stations. Can be reached by any vehicle.

The wildest lands. And the most best places in Altai - those that are difficult and far to reach. My favorites: Dzhumaly springs, Yustyd river valley, Achik pass. There is also the most inaccessible place - the Ukok plateau, so far I have not had the opportunity to get there, but I really want to.

So, where is the best place to relax in Altai? If you do not have the time and desire to travel far into the interior of the republic, and you just want to relax in nature, fry barbecue, go fishing, then choose the villages of Chemal, Aya, Manzherok - in general, the Lower Katun. If this is not enough for you, you want to see real mountains, the Altai steppes, get acquainted with the local culture, then I recommend driving the entire Chuisky tract to the very border with Mongolia.

I stand and admire the view of the valley of the Chulyshman River.
Lake Igistu-kol in the Ulagan region.

How to look for housing

Gorny Altai is a rather wild place, there are not so many hotels and recreation centers here as in the South of Russia or in Karelia. But there are fewer tourists coming here, so there is usually enough housing for everyone.

But: attention! At the height of the summer season, especially on weekends, a lot of people come to Altai to rest. Therefore, you need to book accommodation in advance. For a month and a half of travel, even in the most remote corners, I have seen many cases of tourists coming to the base, but there are no places. Book accommodation in advance via the Internet or come and check in in the morning, before other tourists.

Housing is different: from the budget segment to the VIP. Almost every recreation center has a bathhouse, a kitchen, a barbecue and the Internet. In summer, camping is very popular among vacationers in the Altai Mountains - this is the most a budget option. Families with children usually choose comfortable cottages near Katun.

In reviews of holidays in Altai, they often write about the shortcomings of some camp sites: dirt, poor-quality or monotonous food, damaged plumbing and shabby furniture. We tried not to pay attention to this, after a week of living in a tent in the taiga, any economy room with a bed and a shower was like a royal mansion for us. Service at recreation centers is often lame - for your money you can get rude.

Housing prices in Gorny Altai for two:

Housing	price, rub.	Example
Place for a tent	150-300
Guest house room	from 800	Кедровый берег!}
Ayil or house	from 1200
Number in resort complex 3 stars	from 1800	Отель Манжерок!}
Excellently Reviewed Junior Suite	from 3500
4 star hotel with swimming pool	from 4500	Лесотель!}
Chalet near Teletskoye lake	from 7000

Ail at the recreation center "Tau-Dastarkhan".

How to relax in Altai

What to do on vacation in the Altai Mountains:

• excursions,
• mountain trips or multi-day hikes,
• alloys,
• horseback riding,
• rest on the banks of rivers or lakes (you can swim, but the water invigorates),
• fishing,
• picking berries.

Our vacation in Altai. We rode a lot by car, drove the entire Chuisky tract and not only. For a long time they lived in tents on the banks of the Katun, in a campsite in Aktash and on the Ulagansky lakes. They also lived in traditional villages, in hotels and recreation centers. We met and communicated with the locals, studied the culture of the Altaians, took a lot of photos and videos. We often went on small trips to the forest, picked berries, swam in the Katun. Most of all we liked the area south of Aktash: steppes and snow-capped mountains. And we went to the famous Mars three times.

Reviews of tourists about rest in Altai. People really like the nature and grandeur of the mountains, but many were disappointed by the cold waters of rivers and lakes, and heated pools are not yet common. Summer is short, it gets dark early. There are mosquitoes and midges, but not too many.

Martian landscapes of Gorny Altai.

Prices for holidays in Altai in 2020

Many recreation centers in Gorny Altai offer a leisure program for their vacationers, have cafes and restaurants, organize entertainment and excursions. You can safely surrender to their hands and not worry about anything, but such a vacation will be expensive.

Nutrition in a cafe it depends on the level of the institution, there are enough cafes and canteens along the highway and in large villages. Our average check is 200-300 rubles per person. Complex nutrition at recreation centers in Altai costs 700-1000 rubles.

Excursions there are different ones, the prices are high and depend on the saturation of the program and the distance of the trip. Excursions to the Chemal hydroelectric power station, to the Manzherok lakes and Mount Sinyukha, Tavdinsky caves, visiting the botanical garden, the flowering nursery "Biolit" and the maral (rhododendron) - from 500 to 1000 rubles. Excursions for the whole day with a visit to the mound, the Kalbak-Tash tract, Lake Teletskoye and the Korbu waterfall cost about 2000 rubles. All places are cheaper and more interesting to visit on your own in your car.

We came to see the steles in the Uch-Enmek park.

Our expenses in Altai

We spent a month and a half in Altai: July-August. We drove our car from Perm in the company of friends, there were five of us. We bought most of the products in advance and often cooked ourselves. They lived in tents, hotels, at recreation centers.

Here are our expenses in terms of two people (except for gasoline - this is the total amount):

Gasoline for the way there and back	23 000
Gasoline in Altai	10 000
auto repair	1 000
Accommodation on the go	5 600
Housing in Altai	19 500
Products	21 500
Cafe	10 700
stock of coffee	3 400
Internet and communication	1 700
Attractions	1 300
Life	5 000
Tick ​​vaccinations	3 500
Medications	2 900
total for two	109 100 rubles

Additional expenses: tourist equipment - 48,000 rubles. I had to buy a lot, but these things are not for one trip.

If you don’t count gasoline and housing on the way, repairs, vaccinations, a first aid kit and grain coffee (without which we personally cannot live), then we get 70,000 rubles for two or 35 000 rubles per person. This is pure spending on the rest itself in the Altai Mountains. Very little! After all, we spent a month and a half there and visited everywhere.

We arrived at the Achik pass, from here you can see all the main ranges of the Altai Mountains.

The best recreation centers in Gorny Altai

Recreation center "AltaiRai"

lovers active rest and unity with nature can stay in the summer at the recreation center "AltaiRai" in the village of Elekmonar. Three meals a day in the dining room, there is a bar and a cafe. Bath, free parking, private beach, water park, bike rental, horseback riding, tourist office. Accommodation in a standard double room - from 3500 rubles per day.

Park-hotel "Manzherok"

The year-round recreation center is located in a pine forest on the banks of the Katun River. Near the village ski slope And cable car. Large buildings made of wood and stone, beautiful and well-groomed territory, barbecue area, outdoor pool, sauna and terrace. It is very convenient to rest with children. Accommodation is from 1500 to 3600 rubles per day, meals in the dining room are paid, breakfast is included in the price. Among the shortcomings: there is no daily change of towels and linen in the rooms, there is not always internet.

Recreation center "Zaimka Kamza"

In a no less picturesque place is the recreation center "Zaimka Kamza" in the village of Tyuguryuk. The territory is very large and beautiful, there is street lighting and wooden flooring, neat wooden houses are made in the same style. There is an outdoor pool and a playground, gazebos, deer are kept on the territory. The cost of living is from 2000 rubles for a double room. Cons: Paid parking.

Eco-hotel "Lesotel"

According to tourists, "Lesotel" in Souzga is a great place to relax in Altai. The hotel is located on the banks of the Katun River in a picturesque place, not far from Gorno-Altaisk. The territory is well-groomed, with wooden country houses. The restaurant serves Russian and European cuisine, sauna, spa, swimming pool, cafe, Wi-Fi, a variety of entertainment. Good for families with children. The cost is from 3000 to 9000 rubles per day for a double room.

Gold Camel yurt camping

An interesting option for summer holidays in Altai is accommodation in a yurt camp located in the village of Kosh-Agach. Authentic heated yurts and houses are very picturesque. You can ride camels, rent a bike or book a jeep tour. There is a sauna, a restaurant and a shared kitchen. Accommodation from 3000 rubles per day - the yurt is designed for five.

Gorny Altai is not a place for "mattress" people: people come here to play sports, walk a lot and enjoy nature. For those who are used to spending their holidays on the beach in a pose starfish, such a vacation is unlikely to please.

To save money, do not aim at elite tourist complexes - it is very expensive. Choose recreation centers, inexpensive hotels, live in a tent. In cafes and canteens, prices are not high, but it will be cheaper to cook on your own. Buy groceries in advance in a big city.

Going on vacation in the Altai Mountains in the summer of 2020, be sure to take with you (pharmacies are not available everywhere), as well as repellents.

Come relax in your car. You need to travel around Altai, and not sit in one place!

Man 47 years old Kuibyshev, NSO Companion: Tourist Age: 35 55 Date: 17 8 2020

Igor Man 47 years old Kuibyshev, NSO Companion: Tourist Age: 35 55 Date: 17 8 2020

Looking for a travel companion hiking 7-8 days from the village of Elekmonar through the Karakol lakes to the south of Lake Teletskoye. The length of the route is 205 km, good physical preparation is required. WhatsApp 89538770103.

margarita Young woman 27 years Novosibirsk Companion: Tourist Age: 18 65 Date: 7 6 2020

I am looking for a companion for horseback riding. The group is almost completed, there are a couple of places left. Route: Base Biyka (Chemal district) - Chash-Mesh - Kyzylgak - Toguskol - Lake MANAS - 9 mountain lakes. Transfer, food, everything is organized. Dates: 7.06-15.06 The most beautiful time - on these dates Altai blooms!

Sergey Man 39 years Gornoaltaysk Companion: Girl Age: 28 35 Date of: 2020

I am looking for a calm, adequate, slender girl for joint trips around the Altai Republic on an SUV, spring, summer, autumn, the route is negotiated jointly.

Daria and Dmitry Couple M+F 27 years Nizhny Novgorod Companion: Tourist Age: 20 45 Date: 1 7 2020

We are going to the Republic of Altai in July 2020 for two weeks to visit different places. We are going to rent a car, we are looking for fellow travelers - for a joint trip and car rental. We will discuss all the details. Write to WhatsApp, Viber 89101358187

Irina Young woman 30 years Novokuznetsk Companion: Tourist Age: 25 40 Date: 10 3 2020

In the first half of March I'm going to the Altai Mountains for 5 days. I will share the fuel costs with a fellow traveler on the car. The route is being discussed. I know how to conduct conversations on a wide variety of topics) Whatsapp 89521661867.

ALEXANDER Couple M+F 38 years NOVOSIBIRSK Companion: Tourist Age: 27 55 Date: 4 7 2020

Around July 4, 2020 we are planning a trip to Altai!!! The ultimate goal is the South of Lake Teletskoye on a prepared Chevrolet Niva (of course I said it strongly, but I didn’t climb the pass on other cars, but if I leave this one (just kidding ... it was very expensive). We want to visit Karakol lakes, Stone mushrooms again , waterfall Uchar and other sights along the way.There were many places in Altai (twice every year).We are going with a child of 9 years old (a girl with a character - in her mother) ... well, an unmarried colleague-therapist (ha-ha 30 years We will be happy to team up with an adequate travel company! [email protected], there is, of course, also an index ... 632951 can be sent by Russian post, but don’t count on it much ..........

Denis Man 38 years Novokuznetsk Companion: Tourist Age: 20 40 Date: 1 3 2020

In the first half of March, on numbers 1-5, I start from Novokuznetsk to Gorny Altai, then to Baikal. Auto prepared SUV. Looking for 2 passengers to share fuel costs. Reports and movies on past travels will also be sent in PM.

Anatoly Tourist 70 years old Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Companion: Male Age: 30 70 Date of: 2020

I am looking for a travel companion to travel through the Altai Mountains on horseback or by car in September-October. The main purpose is photography. Half expenses. You can have a mountain shelter with radials. Overnight in a tent no problem.

Alexander, Maxim. Man 32 years old Barnaul Companion: Girl Age: 20 35 Date: 20 9 2019

September 20 at approximately 5 p.m. departure from Barnaul. We are going for the weekend - Chike-Taman pass. Let's take two girls with us.

Semyon Man 44 years old Novosibirsk Companion: Girl Age: 30 50 Date: 5 9 2019

Victor Man 42 years old Barnaul Companion: Girl Age: 20 35 Date: 2 9 2019

I am going to the "Valley of the Katun" in the first days of September. I myself, of an athletic build, are pleasant in communication and life. I'll take a slender cheerful girl as a travel companion. I don't take money

Paul Couple M+F 46 years old Barnaul Companion: Tourist Age: 20 60 Date: 5 9 2019

On September 5, we leave Barnaul for the valley of the Chulyshman River. We are looking for fellow travelers in our four-wheel drive car.

Julia and Eugene Young woman 30 years Omsk Companion: Couple M+F Age: 25 40 Date: 12 8 2019

We are looking for fellow travelers in Yarovoye. 12. 08.19 we go back on 18.08.19, a joint vacation is possible.

Alexei Man 27 years Novosibirsk Companion: Tourist Age: 18 40 Date: 11 8 2019

Sofia Glacier Gorge

Interesting places in Altai and how to get to them.

Altai is huge and different. You can come here every year all your life and discover something new every time. In this post, I share with you my favorite places where you can drive an SUV and in some places walk a little. Quite walking Altai will be next time :)

When to go to Altai (seasons) and a few features

You can travel around Altai all year round, But:

• In winter, it is certainly cold here, but fabulously beautiful, because everything is covered in snow. Avalanches are possible in the mountains and it is worth walking on them, understanding what avalanche places are.
• Early summer is good, but there is a lot of water on the gorge roads and ticks.
• In the foothills of Altai there are many recreation centers (Chemal, Lake Teletskoye, etc.) and it is good here all year round.
• The best time for hiking and trips in Altai: August-September, when you can drive even on the Ukok plateau (less water) and the least ticks.

What else is important to know about traveling in Altai:

• In the tourist Altai (Chemal, Teletskoye) there are many tourists, but also many amenities. It is easy to get here by hitchhiking and public transport.
• The most interesting places in Altai are located where buses do not go and hitches are very, very rare (not every day), occasionally houses with local shepherds come across 100 km away. You can partially climb into such places on off-road vehicles, or walk along them on foot.
• Off-road in Altai is magnificent. You can see many beautiful and different places. Let's see which ones.
• (I will remember something else important, I will definitely add :).

Interesting places in Altai for traveling by car, coordinates and photos

Sofia Glacier Gorge

In general, from the village of Beltir you can go to different gorges and they are all beautiful. You can get to the Sofia Glacier in autumn. In winter there is a lot of snow, and at the beginning of summer there is too much water in the gorge. Coordinates: 49.794444°, 87.772222°

How to use Google coordinates can be read

Sofia Glacier

Martian landscapes outside the village of Beltir

You will pass such landscapes on the way to the Sofia glacier or Karagemsky and other gorges. This is not the popular Altai Mars that I write about below, but it looks even more real.

Martian Altai, Kyzyl-Chin gorge behind the village of Chagan-Uzun

And this is the "Martian landscapes of Altai", where they take on excursions. You have to find this place without coordinates, peeping on Google maps where Chagan-Uzun is located. After it, a small puzzle in the form of branching roads and you are on Mars.

Peak (relay) behind Aktash village

Google Coordinates of the place: 50.34001,87.748672 You can climb here on an SUV right to the very top, driving from Aktash past the abandoned one. The views from the top are bombastic.

Night Teletskoye Lake

The lake can be accessed from two sides. For those who are not interested in easy ways - South coast Lake Teletskoye, to which you can drive through the Katu-Yaryk pass and the valley of the Chulyshman river. The road is quite tiring, but the views here are beautiful. On the shore there are houses where you can stay or put up tents. Coordinates: 51.347994, 87.776104

An easier way to get to Lake Teletskoye is to drive up to it from the north side through the village of Artybash, by public transport.

Valley of the Chulyshman River and the Katu-Yaryk Pass

Descent into the valley right along the serpentine, which is in the photo↓. The road is considered unsafe, but to be honest, I never felt in danger going down it. We go and go to ourselves, admiring the views. Even puzoterki pass here, although some then it is problematic to climb. Google Coordinates: 50.911640, 88.216379

And here is a video from that place:

Uchitel pass, Aktru gorge

Pass Teacher located in the Aktru gorge. The height is about 3150 meters. Difficulty category 1A. One of the easiest category passes in the gorge, which can be climbed and descended in about 4-5 hours.

Google coordinates: 50.084444, 87.778611

View from the ascent to the Uchitel pass

Mountain trails in the area of ​​the Aktru gorge, the trail to the Blue Lake and the Aktru glacier

There are many places in the Aktru gorge where you can go. There are very difficult routes here, where you can go only with equipment and in bundles, and simple ones, where you can “run away” in a few hours. You can ask climbers at the base about routes.

Aktru Base is a place worth visiting on its own. Firstly, because it’s not so easy to get here by car, and if you drive, then it’s already cool, and secondly, it’s wonderful here ...

Blue lake near Aktru glacier

Blue Lake– a transshipment base for climbers ascending the peak or the Aktru glacier. An amazing place worth a stroll from the Aktru base. In time it will take 4-5 hours. Google Coordinates: 50.077716, 87.724579

Top Dome of Three Lakes

The difficulty of climbing to the top of the Dome is 1B. On the ascent and descent, you can lay the whole day (about 12 hours). There are two ways to get here. It is recommended to climb with a guide. In winter - with cats. In any case, before climbing, you will have to talk with knowledgeable people in the Aktru base to find out the way and about the safety of the ascent. The ascent starts from Aktru camp. Dome coordinates are approximately here :): 50.044800, 87.806500

Glade behind the Karagem pass

Place coordinates: 49.962720, 87.622576

The place is beautiful, but you can drive here only on a prepared SUV and it’s better not to go alone, because sometimes you have to pull each other out. The road is difficult. There are many fords with large stones, slopes and ... no road. But it's definitely worth it. Get from Beltir. There is a bathhouse on the glade itself :)

The road from the glade to the Karagem pass.

Ukok Plateau

Ukok is a plateau located at the junction of the borders of Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and Russia. The height here is 2200-2500 m, winds blow, in winter the temperature drops to -50. The most high point Ukoka - Mount Kuiten-Uul 4374 (the second highest in Altai).

Ukok is a place of ancient burials, it was here that archaeologists unearthed the Princess of Ukok. The place is strange, cold, wonderful. It draws to itself again and again ... It is more likely to drive here in August-September. There is a lot of water in spring and early summer. You can drive to Ukok either through the Warm Key Pass (the most likely way), or through the Jazator River.

Plateau coordinates: 49.268354, 87.413683

Warm key: 49.408177, 88.035687

"Road" on Ukok in August

And this is an attempt to drive to Ukok across the Jazator River. Attempt failed.)
Way home from Altai. Chui tract

* All other places did not fit here, because Altai is immense and everything else always remains, not yet explored ... There is also Tuva through the Buguzun pass and many many chic places.