Altai is a beautiful region famous for its nature. majestic mountains This region attracts tourists from all over the world. Altai Mountains - the highest mountains in Siberia separated by mountain rivers and pits. The mountain system passes through four countries: Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. In the territory Russian Federation The ranges are located mainly in the Republic of Altai and in the Altai Territory.

The magnificent Altai Mountains formed about 500 million years ago. But due to climate change, earthquakes and ice ages, about 60 million years ago, the mountains were severely destroyed and acquired a completely different look that we can observe today. The Altai mountains are heterogeneous in their relief. Three main groups are distinguished here: plains, mid-mountain and glacial high-mountain relief. 2000 meters - the average height of the mountains. The highest point of Altai is Mount Belukha, its height is 4506 meters.

The Altai Mountains are unique and have been on the list since 1998. world heritage UNESCO.

Beluga whale

Belukha is the highest point of Altai, recognized as the geographical center of Eurasia - it is equidistant from three oceans. This mountain has never been just a mountain, but has always personified sacred place. The ancient Altai people of Kadyn-Bazhi believed that a terrible demon lives in the mountain, which will kill anyone who tries to climb this mountain. This is what explained the regular avalanches and rockfalls caused by the earthquake.

In contrast, Buddhists believe that it is on the top of Mount Belukha that the entrance to the mythical country of the sages of Shambhala is hidden.

For the first time, they tried to climb to the top of Belukha back in the 19th century, but this turned out to be impossible due to constant rockfalls and avalanches. The first ever ascent of the mountain took place only in 1914 by Mikhail and Boris Tronov.

Plateau Ukok

The Ukok Plateau is considered the junction point of the borders of four states - Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Incredible nature, thousands of small rivers and reservoirs attract tourists from all over the world to visit this place. This plateau is famous for a large number of cultural monuments. were found here cave drawings, burial mounds, stone statues. "Princess Ukok" is the main find in this area. This is the mummy of a 25-year-old woman, found here in 1993. Tattoos on her skin, as well as horses, gold, and household items buried with her, give the right to say that she was a very noble woman. Archaeologists, historians, art historians still continue to study this incredibly picturesque place.

Altai mountains brief information.

And extensive intramountain and intermountain basins. It extends from the northwest to the southeast for more than 2000 km.

The mountain system is located on the border of Russia (Altai Territory and the Altai Republic), Mongolia (Bayan-Ulgiy and Khovd aimags), China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) and Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region).

Name etymology

Scientific discussions

Name Altai ancient, hypotheses about its origin are different.

Geological history

Altai region

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

Informally. Altai Krai is very large and diverse. The topography changes as you move through the area. He is like a growing bear, at first quiet and calm, then huge and majestic. So 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 options and come back every year to see them from different angles. You can come in a hot summer, or you can come in cool and rainy weather. Give variety! - this is the main rule of Altai weather.

Summer and Altai mountains

Officially: The Altai Mountains are the most complex system of the highest ranges 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 the globe rush to these places to enjoy the beautiful views of high mountains, mountain rivers, mysterious caves and deserted expanses. Immerse yourself in the tranquility and beauty of these places.

Settlement Altai Territory began
in the eighteenth century

Young Russia needed metal for the production of weapons and coins. Ural breeder Akinfiy Demidov founded in 1729 the first metallurgical plant - Kolyvano-Voskresensky. The bowels of Altai were also rich in silver. In 1744 Demidov began the production of silver. The result of Akinfiy Demidov's activities in the Altai Territory was the establishment of a feudal mining industry based on the serf labor of bonded peasants and artisans.

Event tourism in the Altai Territory

The creation and development of bright, interesting events in the business, cultural, sports life of the Altai Territory has become the basis for the development of event tourism in the region. More than a dozen festivals, forums, holidays are held annually in the region, which can attract thousands of tourists from various regions of Russia and from abroad. These are the VISIT ALTAI International Tourism Forum, the Maral Blossoming holiday, the Altayfest drink festival, the Day of Russia on the Turquoise Katun, the Shukshin Days in Altai festival, the Asia-Pacific International Youth Forum, the SCO forum, the Siberian International Forum on Health and medical tourism, the holiday "Altai Wintering" and many others.

beauty and health

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

Informally. Decoction, herbal teas, berry fruit drinks - this is what everyone who comes to the Altai Territory needs to try. Spa, health and health centers use products made on the basis of Altai herbs.

There are many corners of nature in the world that simply amaze the imagination with their beauty. One of these places is It is located in the southeastern part. In the east, the region encircles the Salair Ridge - for the most part a flat area dotted with numerous low hills. As you move to the southeast, the terrain gradually changes. Boundless plains come close to the majestic To say that they are beautiful is to say nothing.

The Altai Mountains are the pride of the world. Translated from the ancient Turkic "Altai" sounds like " golden mountain or "mountain of gold". Looking at these giants, I want to believe that this is really so. In Siberia, it is the largest mountain range. It harmoniously combines snow-capped peaks and picturesque green slopes, silent hills and raging mountain rivers with crystal clear water. The height of the area ranges from 500 to 2000 meters above sea level. The bowels of the fabulous Altai Territory are rich in various minerals. Copper, zinc, gold, lead, silver - this is only a small part of what the local land keeps in itself. On the territory of the region, a lot of building decorative, as well as rare ornamental materials are mined. Rich deposits of jasper and quartzite are known all over the world. And the reserves of soda are the largest in the world. This further emphasizes the importance of the region for our entire country.

The Altai Mountains are cut by small streams, which, smoothly descending to the plain, form lakes. One of them (Teletskoye) is even under protection world organization UNESCO. Along it east coast there is a reserve where many live. Among them - the famous

There is a legend that the Altai Mountains were formed over 400 million years ago. Then, under the influence of the forces of nature, they were completely destroyed, and only after 350 million years did what we see now appear. Ancient giants, shrouded in a blanket of snow, majestically rise above the green hilly plain. The Altai Mountains attract the attention of many lovers of heights. Numerous climbers come here to test their strength, climbing steep rocky areas. Those who are lucky will be able to admire the wonderful landscape from a bird's eye view with pleasure.

Despite the fact that the Altai Territory is a two-pointed Belukha, which rises 4.5 thousand meters above sea level, most climbers do not aspire here at all. They are attracted by a completely different peak - Mount Sinyukha. Altai Territory is famous precisely because of her. The height of this beauty is only 1210 meters. On the territory of the Kolyvansky Range located here, this is the most high point. But that's not what she's interested in. If you look at the mountain from a distance, it seems blue. This is due to the dense vegetation. Maybe that's why they called her that - "Sinyukha". In the nearby vicinity of this mountain, there are two of the most famous lakes in Altai: Mokhovoe and Beloe. At the foot of the massif begins a birch grove. Tourists climb up the trail. The road gradually becomes more difficult. The sunny birch forest is gradually changing into harsh taiga thickets of fir. A few hours of climbing - and the long-awaited peak opens up, which is surrounded granite rocks. One of them has an iron cross. In the very center of the peak there is a block of granite with a cup-shaped depression filled with water. Since ancient times, people believed that if you climb to the top of Sinyukha, wash yourself with water from a bowl and pray at an iron cross, then for a whole year all problems will bypass you and your soul will be calm. The mountain has long been a place of pilgrimage for Christians. And even now, many believe in the ancient legend.

The capital of the Altai Territory is the city of Barnaul. Its history spans a little over 200 years. This is not so much, but the city is rapidly developing and gaining strength. During its existence, it has undergone earthquakes and floods, wars and devastation. Residents sacredly honor the memory of the past, which is stored in numerous museums. Modern Barnaul is a city of contrasts. Against the backdrop of wide avenues and high-rise buildings, ancient buildings have been preserved that remind of bygone years.

The road to Altai lies precisely through Barnaul. Crowds of people strive to see with their own eyes the boundless expanses of mountains and forests of indescribable beauty, swim in the purest lakes and breathe in the fresh air of the Altai meadows.

General information

The relief of the Altai Mountains is diverse, it stands out: sections of ancient plains, alpine-type glacial high-mountain relief, mountains of medium (1800-2000 meters) and low height (500-600 meters), deep basins. The ridges are cut by numerous rivers fed by snow. Stormy water flows flow into the lakes famous for their beauty, lying in picturesque valleys. In the Altai Mountains, the Biya and Katun rivers are born, which, merging, 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 looks like 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- the edge of waterfalls, the highest of which is the 60-meter Tekelu, which flows into the Akkem River.

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

The climate of the region is sharply continental with cold winters and warm summers. The weather in any particular place depends on its altitude and the prevailing winds. In the Altai Mountains there is both the warmest place in Siberia and its cold pole. The climate is formed under the influence of 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 region of Lake Teletskoye, winter pleases with comfortable ten degrees below zero. In spring and autumn, cold snaps and frosts are frequent, lasting until mid-June in high mountainous areas. The warmest month is July average temperature from +14 to +16°; in the highlands - from +5 to +8°, ​​here the temperature drops by 0.6° with an increase in altitude for every 100 meters.

In summer, daylight hours in the region last 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 in Asia, Kazakhstan and the European part of Russia grow. Taiga, steppe, mountain tundra and alpine meadows.

Each natural zone is inhabited by animals adapted to certain environmental conditions. Some of them - bears, deer, sable - roam from one area to another. Elk, musk deer, roe deer, ground squirrel, fox, wolverine, squirrel, and ermine are also found in the Altai Mountains. The rarest animal on Earth lives in the highlands - the irbis (snow leopard), as well as the Siberian goat and the red wolf.

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

Attractions

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

The Ukok Plateau is a protected natural area, a place of concentration of barrow burials of various chronological epochs. 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 burial mounds, cooled by permafrost, well-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 Upper Uimon there is a house-museum of the painter, where you can see his paintings and buy their copies.

Chemal is a picturesque area of ​​the Altai Mountains, where the Katun carries its waters past rocky mountains that fascinate with their impregnability.

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

Lower Shavlinskoye Lake is located surrounded by mountains Dream, Fairy Tale and Beauty in the vicinity of the village of Chibit. Pagan idols are installed on the shore of the reservoir.

The discovery of the Denisova Cave, located in the valley of the Anui River in the Soloneshsky District, has become a notable event in world archeology. The remains of a man 42,000 years old were found in the cave. In addition, the oldest cultural layer of habitation of people who lived in a cave 282,000 years ago was discovered here. More than 80,000 different stone household items, iron products of the XIV century, bronze knives of later periods were found at the site of the ancient man. The cave is accessible to people with any level of physical fitness. Before the eyes of a tourist who is not too lazy to get here, a unique so-called "layer cake" appears, consisting of more than 20 cultural layers formed in different eras of human existence.

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 monument of nature, 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, which is part of the Katunsky Range and revered as sacred by local residents, is the highest point in Siberia and Altai, towering 4509 meters above the picturesque valleys of the Ukok plateau. Belukha is located at an equidistant distance from the four world oceans and is the geographical 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. A special atmosphere reigns here, setting you in a philosophical mood. And this is not self-hypnosis, many scientists claim that powerful bioenergy fields really exist around the mountain. Buddhists believe that somewhere on the top of the mountain there is an entrance to the fabulous land of Shambhala, which only the elite can see. Origins of the main Altai river Katun originate in the Belukha glaciers.

Chuisky Trakt is the Novosibirsk-Tashant 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.

Other sights of the Altai Mountains worthy of attention:

• Lake Aya;
• Multinsky lakes;
• Kucherlinsky lakes;
• Lake Manzherok;
• Rock paintings of primitive people in the Kalbak-Tash tract;
• Scythian burial mounds of Pazyryk;
• Mount Altyn-Tu;
• Patmos Island on Chemal with the Church of St. John the Evangelist;
• The Tsar's mound - a burial site over 2000 years old;
• Valley of the Chulyshman River with numerous waterfalls.

This is only a small part of those 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. Mountain rivers of Altai are ideal for rafting. Speleologists descend into mysterious caves, climbers storm Mountain peaks, paragliders hover over picturesque landscapes, for lovers hiking nature has prepared countless places of stunning beauty. Equestrian tourism is well developed in Altai, which makes it possible to visit the most inaccessible corners of the region, where you can see the Red Book argali sheep, lakes of unreal beauty, hear the inimitable and heartbreaking cries of marals 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 get 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 sanatorium and medical facilities and excellent opportunities for active rest. Vacationers get an unforgettable pleasure walking along the health path along the turbulent river Belokurikha, rushing through the forest gorge. At the service of tourists is a chairlift that lifts the guests of the resort to Mount Tserkovka (height 815 meters), from the top of which a stunning view of the Altai expanses opens.

One of the hallmarks of the Altai Mountains is deer, on the treatment of which the whole medical industry is based on the treatment of antlers. Panty - young, non-ossified antlers of deer, cut only from males in June-July. Male individuals provide a unique healing 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 deer, where they are protected from predators and poachers. Only once a year the red deer are disturbed in order to cut off their antlers. On the basis of many marals, medical bases have been created, where vacationers improve their health among mountains and forests, enjoying peace and quiet in the bosom of Altai nature.

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

Recently, the tourist infrastructure in the mountainous regions of Altai has been developing rapidly: 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 grown significantly.

Information for tourists

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

Communication in Gorny Altai is available on all major tourist destinations. It would be useful to have SIM cards of two or three operators with you, because. in some areas, the connection is better with Beeline, and in others - with Megafon.

Going to Altai even at the height of summer, be sure to stock up on warm clothes - in mountainous areas, the night temperature can drop to +5°C.

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 Altaians, one should not indulge in fun, shouting and littering. Do not flatter your pride - do not leave ugly inscriptions "Here was ..." on the man-made and natural sights of Altai. From tourists, local residents expect respect for their land, ancestors and wildlife.

How to get there

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