Altai: on kayaks along the Chui and Kurai steppes (reconnaissance!)

DAY 1

We meet at Gorno-Altaisk airport. We get into minibuses and get on the road. The journey will take about 7 hours. We will pass through the entire Altai Mountains along the famous Chui highway connecting Russia with Mongolia! First along the turquoise Katun, and then along its tributary Chui. We will stay in beautiful places, relax and take pictures. On the way, we'll eat and get to know each other.

In the evening, we arrive at the river, choose a suitable place and camp on the banks of the Kyzylshin River.

DAY 2

Our camp is located in the middle of the huge Chui steppe, squeezed by the Altai mountain ranges. Behind Mongolia, and ahead windingly flow Kyzylshin and Justid. Merging after 10 kilometers, they form Chuya. Here in the steppe, her waters are calm.

After breakfast, we will walk to the Historical and Ethnographic Museum of the Telengites - the indigenous small people of Altai.

And after lunch, after passing the briefing and collecting things, we go out to the water.

DAY 3

Breakfast and rafting. The river here strongly winds, has many branches and lakes. Today we will row all day enjoying the sun and the mountain scenery on the horizon. The sun is almost always here, so do not forget the sun cream, because we are at an altitude of 1800 m above sea level!

We will set up a camp near the confluence of the Yelangash River - tomorrow we will have an excursion to its upper reaches!

DAY 4

Today we go to the valley of the Elangash River to watch petroglyphs! On passable SUVs we will climb to the upper reaches of the river. There are many drawings on the stones, including multi-layered ones. Scientists have conditionally identified three chronological groups - Turkic, Dosaka and Saka. There is no consensus on the reasons for so many images in the area. According to some researchers, this is due to the finding of an ancient sanctuary here for the inhabitants of the Altai Mountains. According to others, the valley was in ancient times part of the route from Mongolia to Siberia, and was used to cross the passes of the South Chui Ridge, after which rest was required for people and caravan animals.

In the evening we return to the camp on the shore of Chui. If there is wood, we will make a camping bath. And if it doesn’t work out this time, we’ll arrange it at the next parking lot.

DAY 5

Keep rafting down the river. After 20 km, the valley narrows, the mountains come closer. Choose a parking lot near the village of Chagan-Uzun, located at the spurs of the Sukor ridge. This ridge separates the Chui steppe from the Kurai steppe.

In ancient times, thanks to the Great Silk Road, trade boiled here. Today, the village is famous for the original Martian landscapes of the surrounding mountains.

DAY 6

Today we are going to see Martian landscapes! We walk around the mountains and take pictures.

This place is called Altai Mars (Kyzyl-Chin). Formed such multicolored mountains - red, with yellow and green stripes, as a result of a large accumulation of sandstone and mineral deposits, oxidized in the future under the influence of atmospheric precipitation. Scientists believe that these mountains were formed during the Mesozoic period. Thus, they must contain a huge number of fossils of ancient reptiles and animals.

DAY 7

Keep rafting. Today, a small passage by water - about 10 km, to our next goal - the stream Kuektanar. The flow of the river is gradually accelerating, there are sheaves and rolls - rowing becomes more fun!

DAY 8

Today, a radial walk up the creek to the lakes of Kuyuktanar (Kuehtanar – everywhere write differently). Walking out about 20 km light, without backpacks.

We will climb the narrow valley of the river Kuektanar to the lakes of the same name. Kuehtanar lakes are located in a chain from north to south in the western part of the Kurai range, near the foot of the Kuyuktanar mountain. Lakes “flow” into each other in a visible way, forming streams, ducts and even waterfalls, or secretly (under moraines). The first, second and third lakes are the largest. The first two lakes are surrounded by taiga and subalpine meadows, and the next are above the vegetation zone in the holtz zone (more than 2000 m high).

DAY 9

Final rafting day. We will reach the p.Kurai - Z0 kilometers of almost continuous shivers and rolls. The river punches its way through the ridge and bursts into the expanses of the Kurai steppe. Here the mountains are closer and the forest thicker.

DAY 10

Spare day - use it if necessary to change the schedule. Otherwise, we will rest before leaving for Kurai or raft downstream to the ruins of the Aktash HPP.

DAY 11

Even in the evening we collect equipment, pack and after breakfast we go back to Gorno-Altaisk.

We'll be in town after 18 hours.