Winter Altai Tour
Frozen rivers, sapphire lakes, graceful deer among the snowy forests — winter Altai promises immersion in a fairy tale. Here, wildlife, caves, blue lakes merged into a single kaleidoscope that gives tourists a storm of emotions.
Route: Barnaul — Biysk — Lower Katun — Chemal — Lake Teletskoe — Sky-Blue Katun — Seminsky pass — Karakolskaya valley — Altaiskoe — Belokurikha — Barnaul (1750 km)
The number of people in the group – minimum 2 people. No age restriction. Children under 18 should be accompanied by adults.
Tour dates: December-March
Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
Detailed itinerary
Day 1
Barnaul — Biysk — Lower Katun
- Meeting in Barnaul. Transfer Barnaul — Biysk city (160 km) — a city built by the decree of the emperor of Russia Peter the Great in the 18th century. Biysk now has the status of the City of science and it is the main gateway to the Altai Mountains.
Excursion around Biysk with a visit to the Bishop’s courtyard and the museum of the history of the Altay spiritual mission (entrance ticket). Founded in 2008, the museum collected about 10 thousand exhibits. The oldest exhibit item is one of the first-printed books in Russia — “Oktoih» published in Moscow in 1618.
Transfer Biysk — Lower Katun (125 km). On the way visit to the ethnopark «Altai. History of Russia», acquaintance with the white «Shaman«, «The Main Tambourine of Altai» and the symbol of well-being of the local indigenous people — «Golden Baba».
Dinner. Accommodation in a tourist complex.Meals: dinner
Day 2
- Chemal — Patmos — Manzherok — Sinyukha — Lower Katun Island
- Breakfast. Excursion to Chemal (70 km): Chemalskaya hydro-electric power station and the Patmos Island. Patmos is one of the most beautiful places in the Altai Mountains. There are a restored church commemorating St. John the Evangelist and the monastic cell of St. Makary Altaisky behind which you can see the rock with the indented image of Holy Mother. There is also a priory located opposite the island. The only way to the island of Patmos is a suspension bridge that connects the rocks of the island with the rocks on the bank of the Katun river. Another attraction of Chemal is the old Chemal hydroelectric station. Walking there you can also see the sources of «live» and «dead» water nearby.
Excursion to Manzherok (65 km). Optional: ascent by chair-lift to the mountain Sinyukha (extra charge). Manzherok — the name of the lake with the relict nuts “chilim”, a village and a ski complex.
Optional: visiting the upturned house (extra charge). Look at this world «upside down»! Walk on this attraction will allow you to diversify the sensations, add original photos to your archive and a bunch of emotions! Transfer Manzherok — Lower Katun (25 km).
Dinner.Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 3
Lower Katun — Lake Teletskoye
- Breakfast. Transfer Lower Katun — Lake Teletskoye (190 km) — the largest lake in Altai and one of the largest lakes in Russia. The maximum depth of the lake is about 330 meters.
The official name of the lake – Teletskoe – came from the name of Altaian tribe – Telesy – who lived here years ago. However local people called the lake Altyn-Kol, which means “Golden Lake”. Many rivers and streams flow into the lake, but only one river – Biya — flows out. Accommodation in a tourist complex.
Excursion to the ethnopark in Artybash. Visiting the Altaian ail, acquaintance with the life, customs of Altai, local way of life. You can taste the national drink — Chegen and learn about the beliefs of the Altaians.
Dinner.Meals: breakfast, dinner.
Day 4
Lower Katun — Lake Teletskoye
- Brearast. Excursion to the visit-center of the Altai Biosphere Reserve in Yaylu settlement, «Yaylinskaya terrace» or «The heritage of the ancient pasture».
Visiting one of the warmest places on the Teletskoye lake, where the water does not freeze even in winter. Ice swash, unique panoramas of snow ridges, a walk through the famous apple orchards, a weather station, a photo session near the Bow Pine. The history of the Reserve, acquaintance with the Altaian ail and much more will be told by the hereditary guide.
Quick meal with aromatic tea, return trip through the famous pass «Mother-in-law’s Tongue».
Dinner.Meals: breakfast, dinner.
Day 5
- Gorno-Altaisk — Ust-Muny
- Breakfast. Transfer Teletskoe — Gorno-Altaisk (180 km). Excursion to the National Museum of the Altai Republic named after Anokhin (entrance ticket). The museum stores a rich ethnographic collection of indigenous peoples of Altai, as well as a unique exhibit — the mummy of Princess of Ukok.
Transfer Gorno-Altaisk — Ust-Muny (80 km). Accommodation in a tourist complex.
Dinner. Workshop on cooking teas, tinctures and liqueurs from Altai grass, roots and berries.Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 6
- Seminsky pas — Chuysky tract — Karakol Nature Park «Uch-Enmek»
- Breakfast. Transfer Ust-Muny — Seminsky pass (100 km). Excursion along the Chuysky tract. The history of the tract goes back through centuries, when this road was a pack track, a branch of the Great Silk Road, a «Chinese path». According to National Geographic it is in the TOP-10 list of the most beautiful roads in the world. Stop at the pass with a walk on snowmobiles, skis or skates (optional, extra charge). The Seminsky pass is the highest point of the Chuysky tract and the boundary between the Northern and the Central Altai. Cedar taiga, crystal-clear phytocidal air, ringing silence.
Transfer Seminsky pass — Karakol village (45 km). Accommodation in the hotel «Uch-Enmek».
Excursion (20 + 20 km) to the Karakol Nature Park «Uch-Enmek», which is a natural park with natural, historical and cultural sacral complexes and objects: barrows, rock paintings, megalith complexes. The total area of this park is 60551 hectares. The natural park is located at the altitudes from 890 m to 2900 m.
Visit to the museum of Altai culture and life in the village of Kuluda. The exposition of the museum displays the Altai culture and its cosmogony.
Dinner. The folklore program: a unique throat singing and playing on national musical instruments.Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 7
- Marals «Kaimskoye» — Belokurikha
- Breakfast. Transfer from Karakol village to the enclosure for marals “Kaimskoye” (200 km). Marals are known for the miraculous properties of their horns (also called pants – nonossified antlers). A bath made with the water extracts of boiled antlers is a health-improving procedure.
Pants are a complex of substances created by nature that has huge biostimulating power. Taking such bath and consuming other products made of pants’ extract raises body’s energy, improves blood circulation, supports anagenesis and accelerates the recovery of muscular tissue after physical exertion as well as slows down the aging process. Positive effect comes after 4-6 baths.
Lunch — tasting meat of maral (extra charge).
Transfer Kaimskoe — Belokurikha (120 km). The resort is known for its healing air and radon-containing springs.
Accommodation in a hotel, dinner.Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 8
- Belokurikha — free day
- Breakfast. Sightseeing tour around the resort.
On request: ascent by chair-lift to the Mountain Tserkovka, from where an excellent panorama of the city and its surroundings opens (extra charge).
Free time, visiting souvenir shops.
Dinner.
On request: Visit to the Wellness Center «Water World» — a swimming pool with water attractions (hydromassage, aeromassage plateau, cascade showers, geysers, countercurrents, fast and slow river zones), children’s area, aqua aerobics, SPA, hammam, Finnish sauna, Roman baths, Russian banya (extra charge).Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 9
- Swan Wildlife Refuge — Barnaul
- Breakfast. Excursion to the Swan Wildlife Refuge (90 km). Swan Lake (entrance ticket) is a small reservoir of about 1 km long, located in the Kokshi river basin. The average depth of the lake is about 1 m, the water is clean and transparent. Numerous springs sheds on the shores of the lake and from the bottom, you can clearly see them through transparent water. Thanks to the springs, the lake does not freeze in winter. The lake is unique in that it is the only body of water in Russia where the wild swans pass the winter.
PHOTOSESSION. Transfer Swan Lake — Barnaul (220 km).
Accommodation. Dinner.
Walking tour around Barnaul «Old Town» with a visit to the observation deck in Nagorny Park.Meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 10
Barnaul
Breakfast. Check out. Transfer to the airport.
Meals: breakfast
Price per person:
- Group of at least 2 people: 1/2 twin — 1200 USD
Price includes:
- Transport services from Barnaul during the whole tour on a comfortable bus;
- Accommodation in DBL/TRPL room: standard room with private facilities (shower, WC), in the highlands – rooms with shared facilities on each floor, Hotel «Solnechnaya», Ski resort «Manzherok», tourist complex «Orlinoye gnezdo» (en suit) in the area of Lower Katun, tourist complex «Uch-Enmek» (bathroom facilities on each floor) in Ongudaisky rajon, tourist complex «Gornoe Ozero» (en suit) near Lake Teletskoye, hotel «Neo», «Orion» (en suit) in Belokurikha, hotel (en suit) in Barnaul.
- HB;
- Excursions according to the program;
- Insurance;
- Guide service according program.
Price excludes:
- Museum entrance tickets (from 5$/person);
- Skates and skis renting, snowmobile renting;
- Ascient by chair-lift (7-10 $/person);
- Visitor’s tax – 3$/person;
- Water World entrance ticket (from 20 $/person);
- Russian sauna (from 10$/hour);
- Additional food (lunch);
- Additional excursions (from 10$/person);
- Private expenses;
- International flight
