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Blossoming mountains. Rhododendron in Altai
Nature & Wildlife
7 days
6-12 May 2024
Fee
949 EURO
Start & Finish
Gorno-Altaisk
Group size
min. 4, max. 12 participants
Day 1. Welcome!
We will meet you at the Gorno-Altaisk airport, get to know each other, and go! We are waiting for a trip along the Chuysky tract, connecting Russia and Mongolia. This road was recognized by National Geographic magazine as one of the five most beautiful in the world!
Today we will drive to the Karakol valley – a sacred and revered place for the Altaians. But on the way we will stop in picturesque places with flowers. In addition, on the banks of the Katun we will be met by the first flowering bushes of maralnik.
We will stop for the night in the guest houses of a local resident. Her house stands on the edge of the village, and very often you can see Demoiselle Cranes very close by, and in early May you can also capture their impressive mating dances.
Accommodation: hotel | Meals: 3 times | By car: in the city| Walking: Moderate
Highlights: Gorno-Altaisk, museum
Day 2. Karakol valley
In the morning we will have a tour of the Karakol valley. Here we are waiting for magnificent landscapes and historical monuments of different eras – petroglyphs, stone steles and burial mounds.
After lunch, we continue our journey – we leave for the Chuisky tract, climb the spectacular Chike-Taman pass, descend from it and soon find ourselves in the same fabulous garden, where the mountain slopes are covered with an almost continuous carpet of blooming Maralnik. We make many stops, walk, take pictures. We also admire the Ilgumen threshold, the Katun terraces, the bridge in Inya and, of course, the confluence of the Chuya and Katun. In the evening we arrive in the village of Inegen
Accommodation: homestay | Meals: 3 times | By car: 200 km| Walking: Moderate
Highlights: Katun river, Seminskiy pass, Karakol valley
Day 3. Tungur trail
Today we have an active day in nature. We will have a short drive by car to the observation deck, and from there we will go on foot along the famous Tungur trail to the confluence of the Argut and the Katun Rivers.
The Tungur trail is a ghost road that was built in the most difficult conditions, but was not put into operation and gradually turned into a path, although Navigators until recently had designed routes for cars along it.
The trail offers amazing views of the Katun River, and of course, Ledebour’s Rhododendron grows along the banks.
After a busy day in the evening, a Russian bath awaits us.
Accommodation: guest houses| Meals: 3 times | By car: 20 km| Walking: Intense
Highlights: Katun River, Katun and Argut confluence, abandoned road
Day 4. And again blooming mountains!
We return to the Chuyskiy tract and continue our journey along the Chuya River, the banks of which are also decorated with blooming Maralnik.
We will stop at the ancient sanctuary of Kalbak-Tash, at the monument to Kolka Snegirev, at the Geyser Lake and in many other beautiful places.
For the night we will stay in guest houses in the Kurai steppe, from where you can see the stunning North Chuisky ridge, covered with eternal ice and snow.
Accommodation: guest houses| Meals: 3 times | By car: 170 km| On foot: moderate
Highlights: Kalbak-Tash, Geyzer Lake, North-Chuya Ridge
Day 5. Sunrise and colored mountains of Kyzyl-Chin
Today we get up early, because we want to see how the first rays of the sun paint the North Chuya Range in pink tones. We will have breakfast with a magnificent view. We really hope that we are lucky with the weather. After that, we will ride along the Kurai steppe, admire the mountains from different viewing points.
Further, our path lies to the colored hills of Kyzyl-Chin, which are now called Mars. Yellow, white, orange, brown, burgundy clays create truly stunning landscapes.
We spend this day at an altitude of about 1400-1600 meters, it is much colder here and steppe and semi-desert flora prevail. We will not see Maralnik here anymore. But we can meet eagles and even vultures here.
Accommodation: guest house| Meals: 3 times | By car: 150 km| Walking: intense
Highlights: Kurai steppe, Kyzyl-Chin
Day 6. Back to Gorno-Altaisk
Sad as it may seem, today our return home begins … But we have a little consolation – the road back will be very beautiful. And again the mountains are in bloom! In the evening – a sightseeing tour of Gorno-Altaisk and a farewell dinner.
Accommodation: hotel | Meals: 3 times | By car: 390 km| Walking: Moderate
Highlights: Gorno-Altaisk
Day 7. Farewell!
After breakfast we will take you to the airport.
Attractions we will see
Kaichi Travel
Adventure travel, nature tours to Altai – one of the most beautiful places in Siberia.
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