Ancient Gods of Siberia (archaeological tour)

1 day

• After breakfast, the group goes to the yurt complex "Kyug", where tourists will live for the next five days.
• Complex "Kyug" is located 140 kilometers from Abakan, on the banks of the small river Askiz, almost on the territory of the national museum-reserve "Kazanovka". In this place, two mountain regions are in contact – Altai and Sayana.
  The yurt complex was created specifically for tourists. Wooden yurts fully correspond to their prototype - yurts of nomadic peoples. They are comfortable to stay, have everything you need for a comfortable rest. Each is designed for two people. Separately located dining room, toilets, showers. The complex is named the same as the valley in which it is located. And “Kyug” in Russian means “joy, pleasure”.
• Upon arrival, guests will be fed lunch, and you can relax, walk around the camp.
• Included food: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

2 days

• There's a full-day tour. The place to go is Khurtuyakh-hol, “Valley of the Sacred Old Woman” (5 km).
• For more than 4 thousand years, this valley was used by locals for rituals. You will have to see and plunge into the secrets of long-vanished peoples.
  Part of the tour will take the bus, part – pedestrian. The surrounding landscape - rocky mountains and taiga, will bring undoubted pleasure.
• Lunch is scheduled at the yurt complex.
• Continuation of the tour.
• Return to the yurt complex, dinner, rest by the fire.
• Included food: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

3 days

• On this day there will be a walking tour to the steppe valley of Chity-Khys, “Seven Sisters”. It is called the Valley of the Ancestors, in this place the whole steppe is covered with mounds. The view of the valley makes an indelible impression. The group will visit archaeological sites (mound XII-X BC). There will be an opportunity to see cave paintings made in various techniques, in accordance with the religious beliefs of Buddhism and shamanism.
• Lunch will be arranged in the camp.
• The tour will end with acquaintance with the mounds of the Siberian Scythians and a mountain temple. At the end of the day, tourists are waiting for another stop at the stone Ah-Tas, which means "White Stone". This stele, according to local beliefs, has healing power. For thousands of years Ah Tas was a place of worship, a kind of cultural center. Many rituals and legends are associated with it, and one of the main purposes of this stone, installed in the valley about four thousand years ago, is to help people. Ah Tas is called a healing stone. Archaeological studies show that the last fifteen hundred years this stone was used by the local population to treat various diseases. "Doctors." Ah tas from edema, cardiac disorders, blood diseases. It is impossible to approach the stone by car, horse, cart - transport is left a hundred meters from Ah Tas. They go to him on foot – in fact, we do not drive into the house. And here, according to ancient beliefs, the house of the spirit that helps to get health. Approaching the stone, you need to walk around it three times in the sun (clockwise), symbolically descending into the world where the spirit lives. After that, the stone is “fed”, leaving at its foot offerings – candy, cookies, buttons, small coins. In no case should you smear the stone with sour cream, oil, fat: this innovation was invented in the 70s of the last century and has no basis.
  After the owner of the stone has accepted the offering, you can approach to heal - for 15-20 seconds to press against the stone, hugging it with your hands. Harsh granite to someone seems cool, to someone - warming warm. It is forbidden to stay more than 20 seconds near Ah Tasa. The stone is on the path of mountain spirits. Meetings with mountain spirits are not always helpful. At least in folk epics there are many stories about people who, by misunderstanding, slept next to Ahtas and then died untimely.
• Return to the yurt complex "Kyug".
• Dinner, rest.
• Included food: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

4 days

• On this day there will be a large outbound excursion (100 km round trip).
• The first place to visit is the Khurtuyakh-Tas stele, the Holy Old Woman or the Mother of Mothers. The local population has always held her in high regard. The stele shows a statue of the face and head, not highlighted from stone, and a well-designed belly of a pregnant woman. According to legend, a pregnant mother-theotokos turned into a statue when her husband was killed before her eyes and her son died. That is why the mask of horror was frozen on her face. Khakas believe that the heart of Khurtuyah-tas still beats in the depths of the stone body. She still brings gifts to women who want to have a child or get rid of female diseases.
• From "Mother Mothers" the path lies in Poltakov stelarium.
• The Museum of Rock Painting “Poltakovo” is the largest collection of rock paintings in Siberia under the open sky. It contains more than 1000 images, six thousand years of “illustrated” history of Khakassia.
• After the tour will be lunch in nature (lunch boxes), on the banks of the river Yes.
• The next point is the village of Safronovo. Here is a unique priestly burial ground, which is attributed to the VI - V centuries BC. The height of the corner stones of the mounds reaches 6 meters. On the stones more than 740 images, which were made in the I - V centuries AD. This is an “illustrated encyclopedia” of early Khakass shamanism.
• Next, you will get acquainted with the ancient statue at the village of Apchinaevo.
• Return to the yurt complex "Kyug".
• Dinner, rest.
• Included food: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

5 days

• On the last day of your stay in the “Valley of Delights” you will have a small excursion to the exposition of Togyr tag petroglyphs (the exposition is located 400 meters from the camp).
• Here, tourists will be told about the cult of mountain spirits at the Khakass, medieval drawings will be shown. Here the rite of farewell to Khakassia is performed - this is the laying of stones in Obea (pyramid of stones).
• In the afternoon - departure to Abakan (140 km).
• Hotel accommodation.
• For departing by train transfer to the railway station.
• Meals included: breakfast, lunch.

6 days

• Breakfast.
• Transfer to the airport or railway station.