Siberia: Altai circle: wild nature and ethnography

Our circled tour represents the majority of important historical places and natural diversity of Altai. A great opportunity to cross Teletskoe lake – the Pearl of Altai mountains, to visit Karakol Valley, the bunch of numerous archeological monuments, to enjoy a beautiful view of mountains from the 2000m height; to see one of the most wonderful rivers of the world – Katun River, Pazyrykskie burial mounds (6 th century BC) and a famouse Chuiskiy tract.

This round a guarantee will be lead to all the declared dates!
Date of arrival to Barnaul: 18 June, 2, 16, 30 July, 13 August, 3 September 2017

Tour programme:

Day 1	Meeting at Barnaul airport (or railway station). Transter to hotel, accommodation. Excursion around the central and historical parts of Barnaul. Visit to Altai State Local History Museum. Then visit the museum of a traditional pharmacy of the Altai mountains.You can purchase production of various biopharmaceutical Altai companies. Altai honey, local herbs and products of reindeer antlers are the most popular Altai's products. Return to the hotel.
Day 2	Departure by a comfortable bus from Barnaul to Chemal village along the famouse Chuysky tract and the Katun river. We visit the village of Manzherok where the lake with the same name and ski-resort is located. Riding by cablecar to the Malaiya Sinukha Mount. From the top of the hill you can see a beautiful view of the valley Katun and the surrounding villages. Next stop is the healing spring Arzhan Suu. Visit a large gift market where you can buy maps, books, art articles made of cedar. Night in Chemal.
Day 3	Chemal. Today you will see Chemal village and its surroundings. First, Chemal Hydroelectric power station, built in 1935. Then we walk along the mountain “goat trail” along the river Katun and visit the rocky island Patmos with a female monastery. Visit the traditional Altai dwelling named "ail". Departure to Oroktoiski bridge to the narrowest and deepest place on the river Katun. On the way we visit the tract Che-Chkysh, take a short climb to the observation platform where we will see the shaman cave.
Day 4	Today's highlights: tasting traditional food and a concert of throat singing. Departure from Chemal village along the ancient trade route Chuyski tract through its highest point Seminskii pass to ethno-park Uch-Enmeck. Accommodation in traditional yurts or ails. During lunch you will be able to taste traditional cuisine (milk and meat dishes). Late in the evening you will enjoy a folk program with throat singing and master-class how to play national musical instruments.
Day 5	Karakol Valley, Kalbak-Tash Hole. In the morning trip around Karakol valley that has been considered to be a sacred place since ancient times among the Altai people. There are several ancient burial mounds and petroglyphs. In the afternoon departure by bus along Chuysky tract to the south. On the way we pass serpentine Chike-Taman mountain pass. In Kalbak-Tash Hole you will see rock paintings – petroglyphs. Arrival to the tourist camp Nomad.
Day 6	Today's highlights: North-Chuysky range, Geyser lake. Departure by bus along the Chuysky tract towards the Mongolian border. Right from the road, in the distance you can see snow-capped mountain peaks and below them the endless Kurai steppe. On the way back short hiking to the picturesque Geyser lake of amazing turquoise color. In the depth, geysers come to life time to time, throwing on the surface a mixture of bluish clay and sand that form visible concentric circles. Return to the camp. Free time. Russian banya.
Day 7	Pass Katu-Yaryk, the Chulyshman river. Today you will travel away from the main roads into the depth of the Altai mountains. You’ll pass natural monument Red Gates, where the road goes through a narrow passageway between two rocks of reddish color. Visit the place Pasyryk with ancient Scythian burial mounds. The highlight of the day is descent from the serpentine Katu-Yaryk pass, carved directly on the hillside. On the one hand – a slope, on the other – a break of several hundred meters height. Descent is possible only on foot! But down you will get into one of the most beautiful places in the Altai – the valley of Chulyshman river.
Day 8	Waterfall Kurkure. In the morning hiking to the waterfall Kurkure, 30 m high (the trip takes 3-4 hrs). People living in the surrounding worship this marvel of nature and consider it to be sacred. Therefore, a few kilometers around no cattle! In the afternoon free time at the camp. Russian banya.
Day 9	Stone Mushrooms We continue to observe natural wonders of Chulyshman valley. Today you will see the unique natural object – “Stone Mushrooms”: huge cone-shaped rocks rise above the mountain slope. Departure to the south part of Teletskoye Lake to cape Kyrsay. Accommodation at the camp on the lake's bank. Russian banya.
Day 10	Pearl of the Altai Mountains Today you will cross the famous Teletskoye lake by boat from the south to the north. It's one of the 20 deepest lakes in the world (325 m). On the way we will visit Waterfall Korbu (12,5 m high). Arrival to Artybash village, accoommodation in the hotel. Walking around the village, visiting souvenir shops (honey, local herbs, art items made of cedar).
Day 11	National Museum of Altai Republic Return to the city of Barnaul. On the way we will make a stop in the capital city of the Altai Republic – Gorno-Altaysk. An excursion in the National museum named after Andrey Anohin is waiting for you. One of its main exhibits in the museum is the mummy of “Altai Princess”. Upon arrival to Barnaul accommodation in the hotel.
Day 12	Transfer to the airport or railway station of Barnaul. The tour ends.

Tour cost, per person: 1540 Euro
single supplement: 270 Euro

Tour cost includes:
Transport service, accomodation in Barnaul in 2* hotel DBL,BB, accommodation en route - in local camps/huts/yurts with shared WC (2-4 people in a room), meals (day 1 and day 12 – breakfast only, days 2-10 – 3 meal a day, day 11 – breakfast and lunch only), excursions with english-speaking guides, folk programme, tickets to the museums and parks, visa support, accident insurance.

Cost does not include:
Flights, alcoholic drinks, extra service.

Every participant of the tour should have:
1) a rucksack or travel bag 2) trekking boots or rubber boots 3) additional shoes to change 4) things for personal hygiene, bathing accessories 5) warm clothes (waterproof and windeblock jacket) 6) sunglasses 7) a hat 8) flashlight 9) gloves 11) the first-aid set 12) anti-mosquito spray

Change of sequence of passage of round is possible.