The country of shamans, well-being and gastronomic discoveries: what to do in Altai in summer

Is it difficult to get to Altai? There is an airport in Gorno-Altaisk that accepts flights not only from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also from other major cities in Russia, including Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Kazan.

There is no tourist infrastructure in the area and your vacation will be boring? You will see, you will have to come back to have time to try everything: from motor rafting and excursions to a maral farm or an apiary, including taking flight in a cedar bath and exploring natural monuments, such as the caves, waterfalls or Altai. Mars” in the Kyzyl-Chin tract.

“Katun friendly. Call the mountains blue. Bela Belukha. The flowers are bright and the green grass and cedars are calming. Who said that Altai is cruel and inaccessible? Both in prehistoric and historical terms, Altai represents an unopened treasure,” Russian artist Nicholas Roerich, who devoted many years to the study of Altai, wrote about the region.

The nature of Altai truly fascinates at first glance, and to get acquainted with all the treasures of the region, one visit is definitely not enough – these places will gradually open up to you, but you still have to start somewhere. It is optimal if the first trip is not too tiring in terms of logistics, and the vacation spot is comfortable and has attractions nearby. The Biryuzovaya Katun district, a special economic zone located just half an hour from Gorno-Altaisk airport, meets these conditions.

So what can tourists do in summer as part of a standard week-long vacation? We’ve put together a list of ideas suitable for a family vacation, a romantic trip, or even a solo trip.

The Katoun River is of course one of the main calling cards of the region. It originates on the southern slope of the Katunsky ridge, at the foot of Mount Belukha, associated with many local legends, for example, according to one of them, Shambhala, the mythical land of wise men, is located on the top of this inaccessible. mountain. The river flows from the southern end of the Gebler Glacier. The slopes of Belukha attract extreme tourists every year.

Beginners can tickle their nerves without going to such remote corners of the region.

Seeing the majestic forests and mountains from the water is a breathtaking sight. You can admire it without being distracted by controlling the raft – experienced instructors will accompany tourists. All you have to do is turn your head so you don’t miss any panorama and hold your smartphone firmly to immortalize the boat ride as a souvenir. The boats will certainly stop at particularly picturesque places: tourists will be able to admire nature at their leisure and at the same time breathe.

Altai is a real country of waterfalls. To get to the highest waterfall, the Bolshoi Chulchinsky waterfall (aka Uchar), you will have to go a long way through the territory of the Altai nature reserve. The landscape is difficult and you cannot do it without a guide. But fortunately, not all natural treasures are hidden in such isolated places. Kamyshlinsky waterfall is suitable for a family walk. The path that leads there takes a wide path through a not too dense forest.

The waterfall itself is 12 meters high, but don’t let this modest figure confuse you: spectacular selfies are guaranteed. You can climb the stairs almost to the top of the waterfall, where there is a viewing platform, where it is worth taking a spectacular photo as a souvenir – the stormy stream will be right behind you.

Rivers and lakes constitute another wealth of the region. They number in the tens of thousands. But the rushing, cold waters are often not meant for swimming. Even during the peak summer season, in places suitable for swimming, the water rarely warms up to 25 degrees. But there is a solution: a heated swimming pool. This is located on the territory of the five-star eco-resort Grand Chalet Altay, on the banks of the Katoun River.

Sun loungers and sun loungers are placed around the pool for guests, but the main feature is that the pool is located in the middle of a coniferous forest, overlooking the majestic mountains of the Seminsky ridge.

You can continue your aquatic treatments in the resort’s public baths, located in a separate chalet made of solid Altai cedar. It not only offers a hammam with professional steam cleaners, but also a large living room with a kitchen area and a terrace with a view of the river. The local flavor of bathhouse traditions can be felt by diving into a heated vat containing Altai herbs and pine needles.

An ordinary walk around the resort will turn into a real relaxation program, which will be a pleasant way to end a day full of impressions: the purest air, the soothing murmur of the river and carefully preserved flora create a feeling of total unity with nature. . Residential chalets harmoniously fit into the surrounding landscape and are located in a checkerboard pattern at a considerable distance from each other – nothing will interfere with a relaxing vacation. Accommodation options meet a variety of needs (and budgets): from a large two-story chalet with three bedrooms on the front line to cozy rooms with a balcony or terrace in the main hotel building.

Coming to Altai and not trying the legendary Altai honey would be an unforgivable mistake. What if you not only tried it, but also saw how and where it is made? One day of your vacation should be dedicated to visiting the apiary: the trip will be exciting for both children and adults. The guides will show you real hives, tell you unexpected facts about bees and beekeeping, and introduce you to the healthy products people get from these vibrant workers (spoiler: it’s not just honey).

Directly in the apiary you can try (if, of course, you are not allergic) different types of honey – mountain, taiga, buckwheat.

Another rare variety is angelica honey, which is harvested from the angelica umbrella plant (also known as angelica officinalis), common in Asian countries, Northern Europe and Siberia.

The secret of the unique taste of Altai honey lies in the fact that bees collect nectar in the midst of untouched nature from environmentally friendly plants, including mountain medicinal herbs and rare honey plants.

The national cuisine of Altai contains many meat and milk dishes – they formed the basis of the diet of indigenous nomadic people. An Altaian will probably offer his guests a hearty barley soup with meat broth (kocho), blood sausage (kan) or an original fermented milk product, which is a cross between sour cream, sweet cottage cheese and butter (kaimak).

Traditions are traditions, but today Altai gastroculture does not stand still. You can get acquainted with a modern interpretation of local cuisine in the Sosny restaurant, where chef Evgeny Maslovsky offers his guests, among other things, roast deer beef, muksun stroganina, game pâté, lingonberry pie and sea buckthorn sorbet.

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