Where to relax in the Altai Territory on the weekend. Rest in the Altai Territory

Lake Aya area. The nearest place in Gorny Altai where you can go. In winter, this place is also attractive for families with children, as well as in summer. Lake Aya in winter turns into a huge skating rink, which is illuminated in the evening and at night. Excursions are also offered, both on foot, horse and bus.

It is located very close to Lake Aya. Visitors will be pleased with the ski lift. There is also an ice slide, a cheesecake track and a baby lift.

In the area of Lake Aya there are a large number of bases designed for year-round use, so they are well suited for families with small children. For example, good for winter holiday with kids recreation center "Three Bears". Families will be comfortable in comfortable buildings, there is also the opportunity to take a steam bath in the bathhouse, for children there is a playground and a small zoo.

Prices for a room at this base vary in winter from 1900 rubles. up to 4800 rub. (per suite).

On the territory of the lake itself there are two comfortable hotels: park-hotel "Aya" And "Yugoslav".

Conditions for winter recreation are also created in guest houses in the nearest villages (settlement Katun, Aya). Small estates try to organize the leisure of their guests in the best possible way. At the homestead, “little guests can play on the playground, and adults can take a steam bath in the sauna after skiing and tubing. Prices from 600 rubles / person.

lift on Mount Kokuya (Teletskoye)

teletskoye lake. Continuing the discussion about lifts, we will deviate a little from the Chuisky tract in the direction of Lake Teletskoye (the villages of Artybash and Iogach). After all, it was there that it recently opened on Mount Kokuya with a rental of children's and adult equipment (you can go not only skiing, but also “cheesecakes”), organized dog sledding, and a children's room.

In winter, in the area of Lake Teletskoye, you can also visit the Edelweiss Zoo, ride a sleigh, ATV or snowmobile, or take a horse ride - snowy trails are not a hindrance to this. In the area of Lake Teletskoye there is a sufficient number of year-round bases that can offer comfortable living conditions for both families with children and demanding adults.

We advise lovers of comfort to pay attention to, located right on the shore of Teletskoye. By the way, the estate is only 5 km away. from the ski lift. Comfortable, stylish rooms with a fireplace, delicious breakfasts with pancakes and lunches with all sorts of other delicacies, and a sauna with a hot tub right on the lake. Prices for a room start from 1900 rubles.

For those who appreciate Mountain Altai for originality and originality, on the contrary, it is worth moving away to Stone Bay, swim across the lake and settle in the silence of the Altai State nature reserve on . Complete harmony and unity with nature, and possibly even winter fishing(here it is better to check with the owners) you are provided. Prices start from 600 rubles per person. per day.

Let's continue the review, returning to the direction of the Chuisky tract.

Manzherok. In the area of Lake Manzherok there is also a ski slope with a lift, as well as a tubing track. Near the ski slope there is a park-hotel "Manzherok" with comfortable rooms and developed infrastructure. You can rent not only mountain skis, but also cross-country skis.

"Turquoise Katun". There is also a ski slope next to the tourist one. Along with the ski slopes, there is also a tubing track and a baby lift.

There are several cafes near the slope, horseback riding and excursions are offered.
The lake itself turns into a skating rink in winter. This fate is typical for all lakes in the Altai Mountains, both natural and artificial.

Further along the Chuisky tract is museum complex Russian culture "", where you can look at a real hut on chicken legs, taste pies from a Russian oven and take a master class in felting or pottery.

Base "Tursib". Another place where you can go in winter is in the Altai Mountains. This base is very well suited for families with children. The bravest ones can try to swim in the spring lakes – they do not freeze even in winter. At least, that's what they say on the site of the base - we ourselves did not swim in them. On the territory of the base itself, a skating rink and an ice slide are poured.

On the territory of the base there are gazebos with barbecue facilities, so you can have a family picnic and barbecue.
In addition, there is a well-equipped children's room at the Tursib base, where you can leave a child for 150 rubles. at one o'clock.

Finally, if you are completely tired of winter activities, you have the opportunity to visit the water park, which is located very close to the base. The water park has a swimming pool for children, as well as a sauna with a hammam and a gym.

In this section, you can see other bases located near the water park "Tursib".

For example, for a winter holiday, you can recommend a base located just a kilometer from the water park.
At the base, in addition to being close to the water park in winter, you can:

take a steam bath;
make a massage;
undergo a course of reincarnation therapy;
finally, a delicious meal (three meals a day are organized, including a children's menu).

A little further, at a distance of 4 km. from the water park in the village of Uznezya is located hotel with a playground, comfortable rooms, a fireplace. A picturesque view of the winter Katun, on the banks of which the hotel is located, will complement your vacation.

"AltaiRay". This recreation center is located even further along the Chuisky tract near the village of Elekmonar near the Rublyovka complex.

In winter, the lake, like all the rest in the Altai Mountains, turns into a skating rink.
You can stay in two-room comfortable houses with a shower and a TV. At the base there is a cozy dining room with delicious dishes and toys. Prices per room in winter range from 1750 to 2500 rubles.

Rest in Altai has become more and more popular lately. Every year people are more and more eager to touch the untouched nature and this is commendable.

Picturesque landscapes of Altai

Every year this place is visited by hundreds of thousands of Russian and foreign tourists. Here you can choose a tour according to your preferences.

Having visited Altai once, many come back here again to breathe in the purest mountain air, enjoy the picturesque landscapes.

In the mountain range located in the center of Asia, unique natural resources: swift rivers and lakes with clear water, dry steppes, jagged mountains, fabulous meadows and impenetrable taiga.

This piece of land has been attracting travelers for several thousand years. Some kind of inexplicable magic is felt in these places.

But despite the seemingly wild nature, there are all conditions for active winter recreation.

In the heart of the Altai Mountains lies the Lost Land. The Ukok Plateau, on which it is located, is included in the UNESCO List.

In translation, "Ukok" means "Word of Heaven", local residents believe that in this place the road to the higher spiritual world opens.

The plateau gained world fame after the discovery of the body of a Scythian girl frozen in an ice lens.

Here you can also find petroglyphs, stones with images of spirits and animals, burial mounds with ancient warriors buried in them.

Nature

Unique, almost untouched by civilization nature, endless forests, high mountains, stormy rivers, natural and climatic features, richness of national and cultural traditions provide ample opportunities for all kinds of outdoor activities.

Tours to Altai are very diverse, picturesque rivers, roads and difficult paths are specially created for water, horseback, hiking, mountain, auto and bike trips of various categories of complexity.

People of different ages and with any level of physical fitness will be able to find a suitable option for themselves.

Rest in Altai allows you not only to admire nature, but also to test your physical abilities, as well as increase endurance.

Winter in Altai begins in mid-November and lasts until mid-March, and in the Belukha region until April-May.

In the Altai Mountains there are many winter bases relaxation, there is everything you need for winter views sports (skiing, snowboarding, sledding).

Winter in Altai is real, with blizzards, crisp snow, accompanied by bitter frosts.

rest in winter time here is available to everyone, this is the best opportunity to escape from everyday life and relax. The place is perfect for fans ski holidays and extreme.

by the most popular destination winter holidays in Altai are considered skiing. Every year the number of ski resorts here increases.

A feature of winter holidays in this region is that tourists can choose between time-tested well-known resorts and modern bases with developed infrastructure.

The ski resorts Manzherok and Quiksilver are considered to be in great demand among vacationers.

The Manzherok complex is located near the famous Manzherok Lake, it is rightfully considered the largest project in the field of recreation and tourism in Russia.

In winter, you can go skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing. The complex includes three hotels with 100 beds. The rooms are modern in design, have a kitchen area and free internet.

Quiksilver Sheregesh Park is a small track with various jumping figures and spots.

These are mini-pyramids, kink box, rails, a pillow, etc. Local contests, battles are held in the park area, and there are plans to organize a snowboard camp.

The city of Belokurikha is one of the main recreation centers in Altai in winter, its popularity is due to its developed infrastructure and transport accessibility.

Professional sports competitions are often held on the slopes of the local ski complex.

High demands are placed on the preparedness and location of the tracks, as a result, they meet all safety requirements.

The largest ski resorts Belokurikhas are considered:

Yakovka;
Grace.

The Blagodat complex connects four drag lifts (Blagodat, Altai-West, Katun, Severny).

In order to extend ski season the method of artificial snowmaking is used, which allows increasing the height of the snow cover up to 2 meters.

Equipment and equipment are sold in shops, skis can also be rented.

Winter holidays in the Altai Mountains are not only extreme, on excursions you can enjoy the picturesque landscape of the Altai Mountains, breathe clean fresh air.

The Katun River, Lake Teletskoye, Lake Aya and Mount Belukha are the highlights of this region.

These places attract tourists from all over the world; the main year-round bases of Altai are concentrated in this area.

Recreation centers

Aya Park Hotel is a hotel complex located near Lake Aya.

Comfort and measured rest are combined here with a developed infrastructure, in winter there is a skating rink, you can also ride on the hills.

The complex is actively used for seminars, there is a conference room, internet.

The restaurant hosts banquets and receptions, for the convenience of visitors there is a guarded car park.

Tourist base Turquoise Katun accepts tourists all year round, its area is 3380 hectares, on a vast territory all conditions for excellent comfortable rest are created.

The artificial lake is the main attraction of the base; three modern tracks of various difficulty levels have been built here, their total length is 3500 m.

All trails are equipped with lifts and illuminated, a training slope is provided for beginners.

The tourist base Altan is located on the banks of the Katun River, there are two baths and a sauna, and guarded parking is provided.

The Zaimka Kamza complex is located on the banks of the Koksa River, the base provides a customized menu, rooms of different categories, antler baths with the addition of deer farm products.

Additional comfort is created due to the unique location, the base is surrounded by mountain slopes, which hides the place from prying eyes and protects from strong winds.

Also, as in, a huge number of rivers flow through the territory of the Altai Republic, about 17,000 and there are about 13,000 reservoirs with the purest, stagnant water.

The Biya and Katun are considered the largest, at the confluence of which the Ob is formed.

The Chuya, Argut, Chulyshman, Aley rivers are considered the most fishy.

The most fishy reservoirs are Lake Teletskoye and the Sorochi log reservoir.

People come here for grayling, taimen, trout; in winter, omul, Siberian vendace, and peled are well caught.

Plenty for overnight stays tourist bases and campsites located along numerous rivers and lakes.

Several dozen of them provide organized fishing services, these are: Royal Hunt, Utkul, the Zhukov Estate, Nikolskoye and many others.

Warm cozy rooms with modern furnishings are provided for accommodation, some have a Russian wood-fired sauna.

Almost all bases provide organized fishing services, seven-day fishing tours are in high demand.

In some tourist complexes, fishing tours by helicopter are carried out.

Fishing is in great demand on the Ugul lakes, trout is found here, it is impossible to get to this place on foot or by car in winter.

This is the highlight of the winter holidays in Altai.

You can retire with nature in a calm environment, and in our time it is more and more difficult to find such a place for winter recreation.

Where to relax in winter in Altai

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Altai region- the southwestern part of Siberia, a region whose natural wealth is difficult to overestimate. Tourists in the Altai Territory see an amazing kaleidoscope of natural landscapes - gentle chains of mountains, rocky gorges, sloping boulders covered with patina of moss, steppes, icy springs and majestic rivers, as if cutting forests and endless meadows in two.

In the open spaces Altai Territory there is a resort of federal significance Belokurikha, one of cultural centers Siberia - the city of Barnaul, on the border of the region with the Altai Mountains, in the village of Srostki, the "singer of the Russian village", writer and director Vasily Shukshin, was born, in whose honor the ball was founded the museum-reserve. In the Altai Territory, one can easily feel the beauty and cultural way of Siberia - numerous ethnographic complexes, apiaries, maral deer farms are open to the public, where guests will not only be told about life and traditions, but will also be treated to fragrant tea from Altai herbs.

Geography

Altai Krai is located in the southern part of Western Siberia. The region borders in the south and southeast - with Kazakhstan, in the southwest - with the Republic of Altai, in the west and northwest - with Kemerovo region, in the north - with the Novosibirsk region. The regional center, the city of Barnaul, is separated from the capital of Russia by 3419 km.

The Altai Territory covers the West Siberian Plain, gradually giving way to hilly foothills, low mountains with domed peaks of the Babyrgan and Sinyukha mountains, and, finally, to the northwestern slopes of the vast Altai-Sayanskaya mountain system. The plains of Altai are crossed by gullies and ravines, riverbeds originating in the mountains. The main water artery of the region is the Ob, and the largest reservoir is Lake Kulunda with many islands and bays, sandbars.

Vegetable world Altai Territory is very diverse. Most of the region's territory is covered with forests. The region is the only place in Russia where the unique natural phenomenon pine forests- five bands-ribbons stretch in parallel from Barnaul towards the Irtysh. In the valley of the Ob River and on the Kulunda plain, steppes and forest-steppes dominate, and in the mountains - taiga flora. In Altai, there are many rare plants and endemics, including Siberian linden and water chestnut.

Climate

Due to the remoteness from the seas and oceans, the climate of the Altai Territory is sharply continental. On weather have a significant impact mountain ranges blocking the path of moist air from the west, in turn, the climatic features of the region determine the movement of air masses in the Atlantic, the Arctic, Eastern Siberia and Central Asia.

Winter in the Altai Territory is cold and long. A stable snow cover is formed already at the end of November and disappears only in April. The average minimum temperature in January is -17.7 °С. Severe frosts occur in the period December-January, the temperature can drop to -40, -50 °С.

Summer is sunny and hot. In July, the thermometer often rises to values of 33-35 ° C.

The average annual rainfall in the Altai Territory is not uniform. In the arid western regions, about 200-230 mm falls, the average annual precipitation in the east is about 600 mm.

The number of sunshine is 2150-2300 per year.

Time

Altai Krai lives according to Omsk time. The time zone is UTC+6. Time ahead of Moscow by 3 hours.

Population

According to the 2014 estimate, the population of the Altai Territory is 2,384,708 people.

Types of tourism

The most developed and priority for further development tourism areas in the Altai Territory are recreation, leisure and ski tourism.

Spa treatment . The Altai Territory is the birthplace of the Belokurikha resort, which is included in the state register of unique resorts in Russia. Here, in an amazing way, several powerful healing factors, namely thermal nitrogen-siliceous weakly radon waters, or as they are also called radon baths, mineral springs for drinking treatment, climatic conditions, comparable with the conditions the best resorts peace. The plant diversity of the region contributed to the use of phytotherapy as one of the main methods of spa medicine - infusions and decoctions of medicinal Altai herbs are used for drinking treatment, irrigation and microclysters. In addition, products of antler maral breeding and beekeeping are used here - pantohematogen baths, antler mini-saunas, honey massage. Treatment programs implemented in sanatorium-resort institutions of the region nervous system, heart and blood vessels, musculoskeletal system, respiratory organs, digestive systems, metabolic disorders, allergic diseases, diseases of the genitourinary system.

Skiing. In the Altai Territory, nature has created ideal conditions for skiing. There are many ski bases, complexes, individual slopes and modern ski resorts in the region. The Belokurikha complexes, equipped with chair lifts and drag lifts, artificial snow systems, trails of various lengths and difficulty levels, slopes for beginners and tubing trails, have earned the recognition of ski lovers. Rescue service and medical post ensure the safety of tourists.

Leisure. Sanatorium-resort complexes of the Altai Territory have their own sports and recreation centers with swimming pools, water parks, gyms and fitness rooms. Tourist centers offer a variety of outdoor activities from hiking and horseback riding through the most beautiful and reserved corners Altai, rental of snowmobiles and ATVs, to paragliding and hang gliding.

Directions

– unique climatobalneological and ski resort in the heart of Russian Switzerland - Altai Territory. The resort is located at an altitude of 250 m above sea level at the foot of Mount Tserkovka. Thanks to natural conditions here a century ago the development of the resort business began. Recovery programs are based on the healing properties of weakly radon thermal baths, mineral springs, therapeutic mud of Lake Gorkoye, and Altai medicinal herbs. In Belokurikha, there are modern health complexes offering both a traditional course of spa treatment and spa services, comfortable resort hotels active recreation oriented. In recent decades, the field of skiing has developed here - today Belokurikha boasts an infrastructure worthy of European resorts. In addition, near the resort there are interesting entertainment complexes - museums under open sky, ethnographic parks, zoo nurseries and farms.

Barnaul- the capital of the Altai Territory. The city, lying on the left bank of the Ob, is one of the largest cultural centers of Siberia. Barnaul is remarkable historical center, which united merchant buildings, sculptures and monuments, a museum and theaters. Rest here is, first of all, educational tourism, the city is the starting point for many thematic excursions. Recently, business tourism has been developing in the capital of the Altai Territory, comfortable business hotels and hotels have appeared, offering guests a high level of service and a wide range of additional services.

Transport component

Air transport. The air gate of the Altai Territory is international Airport Barnaul, host aircraft different regions of Russia, as well as neighboring states. The airport is located 14 km from the city. You can overcome this distance by using a transfer or taxi, as well as by public transport- regular buses and fixed-route taxis.

Railway transport . Altai Krai has a developed network of railways. 1803 km of tracks run through the territory of the region. Large railway stations- Altai, Barnaul, Biysk, Kulunda, Rubtsovsk, Aleiskaya. There are railway stations in small towns. Through Barnaul passes the West Siberian railway. Ways connect Altai with the European part of Russia, Eastern Siberia and the countries of Central Asia.

River transport. Navigation is carried out along the rivers Ob, Biya, Katun, Chumysh, Charysh. The total length of navigable routes is more than 650 km. In Barnaul operates River port and a river station, from where you can go on a boat trip.

Motor transport. The length of roads in the Altai Territory is more than 15,000 km. Large highways pass through the territory of the region, including federal roads P256 and A349. Altai Territory covers a network of regular intercity routes. There are bus stations in large cities, and bus stations in small towns. Barnaul Central Bus Station bus routes with Belokurikha, Biysk, cities of neighboring regions, with Astana and Bishkek.

Urban ground transport in the Altai Territory - buses, trolleybuses, trams and fixed-route taxis. Buses are the main mode of transport in small towns. The region is served by large and small firms offering taxi services. In Barnaul and several large cities of the region, a car rental service has been implemented.

In connection with the adoption of Federal Law No. 214-FZ dated July 29, 2017 “On the Experiment on the Development of Resort Infrastructure in the Republic of Crimea, Altai Territory, Krasnodar Territory And Stavropol Territory”, as well as Article No. 2 of the Law of the Altai Territory dated November 1, 2017 No. 76-ZS “On the introduction of fees for the use of resort infrastructure in the Altai Territory”, we draw your attention to the fact that in the territory of the experiment from May 01, 2018 to December 31, 2022, a resort fee is charged.

The resort fee will be taken directly at the places of reception of accommodation (sanatoriums)

The amount of the resort fee for one night of the actual stay of the payer in the accommodation facility is:

2018 - 30 rubles per day,

2019-2022 - 50 rubles per day.

The procedure for calculating, paying and transferring the resort fee

The resort fee payable is the number of days the resort fee payer actually stays at the property, excluding the day of check-in, times the applicable resort fee. However, the resort fee to be paid is not included in the price.
The resort fee will be collected no later than the time of check-out from the property.
The repeated collection of the resort fee for the same period of stay in the experimental area is not allowed.
The resort fee is subject to crediting to the budget of the subject Russian Federation where the experiment is being carried out.
The transfer of the resort fee to the budget of the subject of the Russian Federation is carried out by the operator of the resort fee after the expiration of the period of actual residence of the payer of the resort fee in the accommodation facility.

The resort fee payers are individuals who have reached the age of majority, living in accommodation facilities for more than 24 hours.

The following are exempt from the resort fee:

1) persons awarded the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Russian Federation or who are full holders of the Order of Glory;

2) persons awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor or Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation or awarded the Order of Labor Glory of three degrees;

3) participants of the Great Patriotic War;

4) combat veterans from among the persons specified in subparagraphs 1 - 4 of paragraph 1 of Article 3 of the Federal Law of January 12, 1995 N 5-FZ "On Veterans";

5) persons awarded with the badge "Inhabitant of besieged Leningrad";

6) persons who worked during the Great Patriotic War at the facilities air defense, local air defense, in the construction of fortifications, naval bases, airfields and other military facilities within the rear borders of the operating fronts, operational zones of the operating fleets, in the front-line areas of iron and highways, as well as crew members of the ships of the transport fleet, interned at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War in the ports of other states;

7) war invalids;

8) family members of the fallen (deceased) war invalids, participants of the Great Patriotic War and combat veterans, members of the families of those killed in the Great Patriotic war persons from among the personnel of the self-defense groups of the facility and emergency teams of the local air defense, as well as members of the families of the deceased employees of hospitals and hospitals in the city of Leningrad;

9) persons exposed to radiation as a result of the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as well as as a result of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site, and persons equated to them;

10) disabled people of groups I and II;

11) persons accompanying disabled people of group I and disabled children in accordance with the Federal Law of July 17, 1999 N 178-FZ "On State Social Assistance";

12) low-income families, low-income citizens living alone and other categories of citizens provided for by the Federal Law of July 17, 1999 N 178-FZ “On State Social Assistance”, which have an average per capita income below the subsistence level established at their place of residence in the corresponding subject of the Russian Federation;

13) persons who arrived on the territory of the experiment in order to receive specialized, including high-tech, medical care or medical rehabilitation after the provision of specialized, including high-tech, medical care in the conditions of sanatorium-resort organizations, as well as a person accompanying them if the patient is a child under the age of 18;

14) patients with tuberculosis;

15) persons under the age of 24 studying full-time in educational institutions located on the territory of the experiment;

16) persons permanently working on the territory of the experiment on the basis of an employment contract or service contract;

17) persons who have a place of residence in the territory of the experiment;

18) persons who own residential buildings (shares in the ownership of them) and (or) residential premises (shares in the ownership of them) on the territory of the experiment;

19) athletes, coaches, sports judges, as well as other specialists in the field of physical culture and sports who arrived to participate in official sports events on the territory of the experiment.

We did not plan our winter trip to Gorny Altai in advance. The starting point of the road trip was the city of Novosibirsk, and the point of rest was the hotel "Ayskaya Dolina" near the mountain lake Aya.

Foreword

We did not plan our winter trip to the Altai Mountains in advance, since this route is rather summer for us, and in winter we prefer to relax in warm countries. Perhaps that is why our spontaneous trip became exclusive and unforgettable.

The starting point of the road trip was our hometown Novosibirsk, and the hotel "Ayskaya Dolina" near the mountain lake Aya, the village of Aya was chosen as a resting point. The place was chosen based on the relative proximity to Novosibirsk and the price of the hotel, which was very attractive on the "Buy Coupon" discount site.

It is not in our rules to travel far in one car, there should always be support and assistance in unforeseen situations on the road. Therefore, having loaded into two cars, six of us, in anticipation of unprecedented winter amenities, set off.

Winter road to Altai

The charm of a summer trip to Altai was familiar to us: magnificent roads, which pleases us especially on the highway, an almost direct path and regular signs all the way to Biysk. In winter, it was a little scarier to hit the road: what if snow drifts or icing? How will the car behave on the highway in winter? But Altai did not disappoint - a smooth and clean road, cafes, gas stations ... and a new winter mood for all 455 kilometers and 6 hours of travel. Our route.

About gasoline. With full tanks, we set off from Novosibirsk, refueled in Biysk, and a little later at a local gas station in the village of Aya. You don’t have to choose gas stations here, although you can also find familiar brands. Gasoline prices are slightly higher than in Novosibirsk. Large cities and towns along the way: Berdsk, Iskitim, Cherepanovo, Barnaul, Biysk. Traditionally, we made the first stop in Talmenka. Then we stopped in Biysk and Srostki.

Important: On the section of the road from Barnaul to Biysk, there are very few signs and a lot of cameras, there are also traffic police posts. The absence of signs should not scare you - the road is only straight ahead! Passengers in the rear seat must be buckled up during this section of the journey. We were fined for this.

Except for the fine, the road was pleasant and passed relatively quickly.

Hotel

Following the map and navigator, we drove into the village of Aya and very quickly found our accommodation. This is a small but cozy hotel. All of our double rooms have been nicely refurbished, with comfortable beds and even their own unique style.

Here are the decorations in one of the rooms

Convenient and spacious on-site parking, a barbecue area, a warm house - what else does an inexperienced winter tourist need? Bath ... here it was somehow not very good. Firstly, for some reason they heated the bathhouse for us for half a day, the promised herbal tea was not drunk in a very cozy and cold rest room, and the bathhouse itself was ordinary.

But the breakfasts were very simple and delicious. Pancakes and porridge are very tasty and nutritious. Once we ordered ordinary dumplings for lunch, but with a frost it was very useful.

Entertainment

Let's start with the most important and free - this is the piercing purity of the mountain air and simply fabulous snow-capped mountains. We have not been to the Alps, but for some reason it was about them that we remembered.

Mountains are better than mountains

This was facilitated by cozy hotels in the style of European houses, and silence, and low population.

Here they are - alpine houses

We immediately went to Bald Mountain to ride on cheesecakes (bagels, buns), but the mountain was already closed, and skiing was postponed until better times.

Sunset on Bald Mountain

Once we are on famous lake Aya, so the first destination is the lake! Here we walked along the ice to the famous pavilion, which is located in the very middle of the lake.

On the strong Ay ice

At the very lake we rode a dog sled, cuddled blue-eyed huskies, rode on a strange swing, got a little cold and went to the hotel to fry meat.

First time on dogs

What eyes!

The most restless of us, almost at dawn the next day, decided to enjoy the silence and went for a walk, where we met another Altai mammoth and many beautiful hotels.

They love mammoths in Altai

Manzherok and Sinyukha

Our next trip was to Manzherok - it was best moment our road trip. On a flat and clean road, we covered the 30 km distance from the hotel to the lake in less than 30 minutes, and here it is - a winter fairy tale. The hills here are low, which is good for beginner skiers, but not very good for experienced skiers.

Timid steps on skis

And there are pros in our ranks!

There is also a big mountain here, but it was closed. There is also a lift and a completely safe trail for riding on buns. But the most important and exciting for us was the trip on the lift to Mount Sinyukha.

Forward to Sinyukha

We were already lucky enough to visit Manzherok once in the summer, it was a very depressing sight: a dirty lake full of people. But what was revealed to us in winter ... It is difficult to convey in words the splendor of a frozen reservoir, framed by mountains and forests. It is here that you understand what it means to "take your breath away" from beauty, it seems that what is happening is unreal, that such beauty simply cannot exist.

And mountains again...

A little to the side, and another sky

On Mount Sinyukha there is a yurt with souvenirs and another " golden woman", the magic of which we did not feel, because we performed the wrong rituals.

And you just had to hold hands

There are also two incorrectly fused trees of different species (pine and birch), symbolizing love, and some other "shamanic" things.

unusual trees

And here are the shaman things

But the most important thing is the view from the mountain. You feel like an insect among these huge mountains and all the natural splendor.

lake in ice

road down

When we returned to the hotel, it turned out that our young part of the travelers did not have enough extreme sports. That is why four brave tourists went to ride in the mountains on snowmobiles, which can be rented near the hotel. After this trip, we saw fear even among the most fearless "snowmobilers" - the level of adrenaline in everyone went off scale, there were a lot of impressions.

Bald mountain and riding on buns

The next day we went skiing from Bald Mountain. Again we arrived from our hotel in 10 minutes and joyfully ran to ride the buns, which we had prudently brought with us. But that was not the case - in order to ride on your own buns, you had to pay 100 rubles apiece or rent local ones. What to do — paid and ride.

The mountain is quite high, there are three levels, you choose your height, and go! Skating is safe enough, given the danger of the most uncontrollable means - buns. But there wasn't much snow.

On the way back, we could not stop at the hotel "Bear's Corner", we really liked the wooden and stone decorations of the hotel. There was also a beautiful descent - access to the Katun, which made its way among the snow-covered ice.

Boots for any feet

Turquoise Katun

After lunch we went to Novosibirsk. On the way back, we often stopped to take pictures and capture the beauty again, we really didn’t want to leave the Altai Alps.

And here she is really turquoise

And boundless

The way home

Finance and results

Gasoline: 2300 rubles, one car.
Price double room for 2 nights and 2 days (with breakfast): about 2000 rubles.
Bath: 500 rubles per hour.
Lunch: 300 rubles per person.
Bald Mountain: 100 rubles for using your own donut.
Lift to Manzherok: 400 rubles.
Skis: 200 rubles.
Snowboard: 200 rubles.

I agree with Natasha's review. Really great tour! We saw both small towns and the nature of Altai. The colors are magical and we were very lucky with the weather. At first it was snowing in large flakes, and we saw fluffy trees, and then the sun shone brightly)

The program is built well, the only thing I would like to do is walk a little more. The sights are interesting and gradually opened up to us.

The guide Vitaly was very pleasant. Enthusiastic, tactful and truly in love with his land) He knows a lot of things, told the legends of Altai, stories from his practice, gave historical information. In the evenings we and sometimes on the road we played. So there was no time to be bored. He went to meet our wishes, while we managed to somehow manage to visit everything. Help with souvenirs

The region is really very beautiful and I want to return there) Thanks to everyone who participated in the development and organization of the tour! Rest was good)

I liked the trip very much!

I was surprised by the color of the water of lakes and rivers - they are magical :) such rich and deep colors. When I looked at the photo of the tour, I thought that maybe photoshop was taking place there, but then I myself was convinced that there are such incredible flowers in nature!

The program is well built. All the surprises of nature are revealed gradually. We have a pleasant and harmonious female group.

Many thanks to our guide Vitaliy - he told us the whole history and nuances of the region in a very accessible way. Very professional guide. And how much interesting legends He said!!! Entertained us on the road with games and stories. He was always ready to help, did not rush us with sightseeing, helped us choose souvenirs. I think that thanks to Vitaly, the trip went in a positive direction and harmony!

There are a lot of moves, but this is understandable, since for such short term you have time to see the most interesting, beautiful and amazing places.

Our driver Eugene was very tactful and patient. There was no motion sickness in the car, as he has a rather calm driving style.

I really liked swimming and bathing at the Blue Lakes! And in what winter fairy tale we got to Manzherok! It's like visiting the Snow Queen :)

Many thanks to all the organizers for such a wonderful tour! Of course, now I would like to come to Altai in summer and autumn.

Like an age-old dream fanned -
Land of legends and wonderful Mysteries
Beneath the endless sky
Khan Altai hides his heart.
...
The peaks are covered with eternal snow
A stern face attracts beauty
And the mists swirl in the valleys,
Filling everything here with silence ... (Khan Altai Olesya Gumenaya)

With these words, I would like to begin my recollection of a winter trip to Altai ...
How many legends we have heard, how many mountains we have seen, breathed in the mountain air, drank healthy spring water from almost all sources, seen enough of the stars and the winter forest, of the brilliant firs and mighty cedars. Here I understood the difference between fir and spruce, the first needles are soft, and the second ones are sharp (if you draw in the opposite direction from the needles). Perhaps civilization is killing knowledge in us.

We tried Chok-chok dessert - these are healthy sweets, which contain no sugar at all. Mix talkan (coarsely ground flour from roasted barley), with honey, sour cream and pine nuts.

We learned that the shaman asked Give (good) for the growing moon (“Ai” in Altai), and Take it (bad) for the waning moon. Here the girl Regina played the ocarina (whistle).

Acquaintance with Gorny Altai began in the evening with a stele, the inscription on which read "Altai", or rather, with a legend about the daughter of the wealthy Khan Altai Katun and about the young shepherd Biy. Numerous fans sought the beauty's hand, but were rejected. No one knew that she secretly loved Biya. And the angry father said: "I will give you to whomever I wish." She ran away from her father. The warriors did not catch up with the fugitive. She met with her chosen one, threw herself into his arms, and so, embracing, they flowed together forever, forming the mighty Siberian river Ob.

Further, we kept our way to Teletskoye Lake, which is called the pearl of Altai, but we could only see its size, as far as the eye can see. On one side of the bridge there is a lake, on the other side the river Biya flows out of the lake. And again, for some reason, legends-tales from childhood are recalled, about how Khan Tele was defeated by the insidious enemy Bogdo, when the soldiers of the latter attacked the guest, a golden sword fell in his house - the invincible weapon of Khan Tele, and in that place a huge abyss formed, which was filled with tears of his wife. Our guide Vitaly will tell us a lot of interesting things along the way about flora and fauna, customs and traditions, people, legends and historical facts.

The next frosty morning we had a snowmobile excursion to the Koono hunting lodge, we drove 20 km, about an hour's drive; in the house, we were treated to tea and golden root tincture, we visited the local ethnographic museum. Sergey is the owner, a very good-natured and smiling person.

Altai is a place of extraordinary power, where all desires come true and the most daring deeds are feasible. Look at the signs! The guy with us was in a group, he had a bag with the word HILO (SIGN: 1. linen fabric, linen underwear 2. thin stream (of water, etc.) 3. go on about), in Russian Hilo, and I thought, but it’s not sickly for you to swim in the Katun, which I asked him about, but first of all myself.

We swam in the Katun! Believe me, the devil is not as scary as he is painted. It turns out that only 5% dare to do this. How proud we girls are! Green men - Robin Hoods - drowned a bathhouse in Aiyl on the bank and treated them to hot herbal tea.

Aiyl - a yurt, usually an Altai family settled in a hut built according to the Russian model, and a traditional aiyl (hexagonal yurt) was installed nearby as a temporary summer dwelling.

We appeased the spirits with a honey drink and we were lucky with the weather, except for the first day, as we were late and missed Manzherok, but isn't that good? It was cold and windy that day. Later, on the way back, we visited it and it was only minus three! And there I met an Altaian with an Altaic name - Madiy. He was a master of sports of the USSR in Greco-Roman wrestling, he also founded a school in national wrestling, an honorary citizen of the Altai Republic. By the way, Altai has been together with Russia for 200 years, about which we read the inscription on the Seminsky Pass. It is located on the 583rd kilometer of the R-256 Chuisky Trakt highway. The height of the pass is 1717 m, the ascent from north side 9 km, descent to the south side 11 km. Here it is ski base Olympic reserve and the Russian biathlon team traditionally trains. Various souvenirs are sold nearby.

In Altai, you can even find Berendey's kingdom! The village "Berendeevka" is located in one of the most picturesque regions of the Altai Mountains on the coast of the Sema River behind the village of Kamlak.

In the last century, according to the fairy tale of Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky, the opera The Snow Maiden was written by Rimsky-Korsakov, the action of which took place in a wonderful good kingdom, where the just and kind Tsar Berendey ruled, where Love and Kindness reigned. Hence the expression "Berende's kingdom" - the kingdom of love, goodness and justice! And the Berendeys are ancient nomadic tribes. Most historians consider them "relatives" of the Pechenegs of Turkic origin. Who knows, maybe they were from there.

In Gorno-Altaisk we visited National Museum them. A.V. Anokhin, where they learned about the Pazyryk culture of the Iron Age (VI-III centuries BC), about how wooden products were wrapped with gold foil, that men and women wore felt stockings that were comfortable for riding, and saddles were decorated with felt products, pendants to the saddle of the 4th century BC have been preserved.

They say that part of the Scythians interfered with the Asians over the centuries, they are close to the modern inhabitants of Altai. Horse equipment, weapons and items made in animal style. The mummy of the "Altai Princess", from the family of priestesses, was closed for viewing on the day of the visit. Burials were found on the Ukok plateau. We learned that two log cabins were made during burial, for a man and his horse. How many more secrets are kept in the glaciers of Altai? On Altai mountains there lived a great padishah .... that's what a children's counting rhyme is about ... the Scythians are an ancient Iranian-speaking people, they had padishahs ....
The most breathtaking tour was the tour of the Chemal hydroelectric power station, built in 1935.

We really walked along the “goat path” along the Katun, and the roots of huge pine trees spread along the path, preventing the traveler from passing. A different tale is remembered on the Chemal River, into which two sources of Living and Dead Water flow, "sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka." It is not for nothing that all fairy tales end, a fairy tale is a true story, but there is a hint in it, a lesson for good fellows. But according to legend, Dead Water is not bad at all, just the Dark Shaman bestowed Health with this water, and those who were looking for Love went to the White Shaman for Living Water.

So few people live in the Altai mountains that it seems there is no one in the villages. Once we had to reschedule lunch, as the only cafe of the national Altai cuisine was closed.

On the way we stopped at interesting place, in the Kalbak-Tash tract, where bizarre ancient petroglyphs were depicted on low rocks. I imagined shepherds carving designs with metal tools on a hot day many thousands of years ago. Until now, women come here, to a place of power, sit on a certain stone and ask for procreation.

On the way to lunch, we saw mounds - the ancient burial places of the Turks and the “stone women” guarding their peace. At the gas station instead of gasoline, wooden chocks. Obviously, the gas station was no longer working.

So I wanted to drive along the offshoot of the Silk Road - the Chuisky tract. Previously called the Mungalsky tract, it was mentioned in Chinese chronicles a thousand years ago. On the pass Chike - Taman so observation deck of the modern road, this path is still visible. Near the monument to the song of Kolka Snegirev, a piece of the Chuisky tract is visible, lined with identical stones ..

On the 6th day in the morning we set off along the Chuysky tract towards the Mongolian border. From a huge intermountain basin Kurai steppe we looked at the peaks of the North-Chuysky ridge with Aktru-Bash (4075 m) and Karatash (3534 m) peaks. This is a great location for shooting a village with smoking chimneys, which we did not immediately consider. The steppe was flooded with sunlight. Having risen to a small height, we trampled on the snow crust, looked for junipers and took great pictures!

There on unknown paths
Traces of unseen beasts;
Hut there on chicken legs
Stands without windows, without doors;
There the forest and valley of visions are full
- this is clearly about a unique turquoise lake in the Ulagansky district, at the bottom of which "geysers" wake up from time to time, throwing a mixture of bluish clay and sand to the surface.

From lunch we passed a natural monument - the "Red Gate" on the river. Chibitka, where the road passes in a narrowing between two rocks of a reddish hue because of the stone, is called cinnabar. All inscriptions are prohibited on the rocks, but one from the time of the return of the warrior from the Second World War has been preserved.

On the way, we stopped by the cheerful ensign Valentin Mikhailovich of the people "Mikhalych", who owns his own lake and builds just wooden log cabins, villages for tourists, even pipes for heating. He has goats, which he gives funny political names, piglets, 2 horses, dogs… every morning he raises the flag over his valley and plays the button accordion. The simple life of a simple person.
Finally, we reached the Ulagansky Pass (2080 m), such a soft pink sunset was waiting for us. This extreme point our journey. A little sad to say goodbye.

In the village of Uznezya in the Salut hotel we played cards, sitting by the fireplace, in the village of Aktash in the Rasul hotel we continued cheerful gatherings at a large wooden kitchen table. We formed a mini family for this period of time. I will gladly remember funny jokes and the stories of our driver Evgeny, countless stories about camping life and legends of our guide Vitaly, Margarita's thin voice and humor, the excitement of Veronica and Marcel, Victor's knowledge, tips and help.

Thanks everyone! See you soon!