Belukha - the heart of Asia

1 day: Group gathering, rest
The gathering place of the whole group is Ust-Koks village. Tent accommodation. Getting equipment. Instruction. Dating night. Lunch and dinner at the cafe. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1000 rubles per hour).

2 days: Ust-Koksa - Tungur village - ascent along the Kucherla River, car 74 km, walk 12 km
Entrance is OK. 0800. Local time. Moving to the village of Tungur. Rise along the Kucherla River. The Kucherla River (from the Altai Kudzhur-La, "with salt-bearers"), formed by the merger of two mountain streams Mushtu-Aira and Kony-Aira, has an amazing milky color of water with turquoise ebb. The total length of the river is about 50 km, on its way it cuts through many mountain ranges and moraines, beats in the pits, forming an almost continuous chain of complex rapids. On the way - inspection of the rock grotto near the Kuylu River, in the niche of which you can see more than 100 cave paintings. Breakfast in the cafe, lunch and dinner - hiking kitchen. Pack horses are used to transport group equipment and products.

Day 3: Transition to Lake Kucherlin, 18 km walk
In the Kucherly valley there are more than 40 lakes of tectonic, cage and moraine origin. The largest of them - Kucherlin Lake - from the east and west is closed by mountain ranges rushing into it with stone rashes from a height of up to 3000 meters, from the south - a narrow Kucherly valley, and from the north - moraine deposits that create a dam. The lake is filled with icy water of a greenish-blue hue (length 5220 m, height above sea level 1790 m, maximum width 900 m, maximum depth 55 m). Hiking kitchen. Pack horses are used to transport group equipment and products. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 2000 rubles per hour).

Day 4: Transition to Kara-Turek Pass, 7 km walk
Arrangement of the camp on the upper border of the forest. Hiking kitchen. Pack horses are used to transport group equipment and products.

Day 5: Climbing the Kara-Turek pass, walking 10 km
The Kara-Turek Pass (category of complexity 1A, 3060 m, the nature of the obstacles is small), it offers a magnificent panoramic view of Mount Belukha and the endless peaks of the Katun Range. Good opportunity for photo and video shooting. Overnight in the base camp on Lake Ak-Kem (altitude above sea level about 2010 m). On the territory of the base camp: cabin company, tents, gas equipment, toilet. In the muddy white waters of the lake in clear weather, Belukha is reflected, and the panorama of the Katun Ridge, opening from its banks, is breathtaking. Hiking kitchen. Pack horses are used to transport group equipment and products. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1500 rubles per hour).

Day 6: Radial access to Ak-Kem glacier and Lake of mountain spirits, on foot 20 km, on foot 4 km
Visiting the chapel. The trail goes along the lake Ak-Kem, through several picturesque suspension bridges, overcomes the heaps of stones in the form of an old moraine and leads to the upper reaches of the river Ak-Kem, flowing from the realm of ice and cold. Lunch at the Ak-Kem glacier. On the way, you can climb to the Lake of Mountain Spirits (at the request of the group). Overnight at the base camp on Lake Ak-Kem. Hiking kitchen. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1500 rubles per hour).

Day 7: Radial exit to one of the gorges (at the request of the group), on foot 8 km, on foot 6 km
Yarlu Gorge, where the whole city is built of stones. This area is called the Blue Mountains, because the cliffs-conglomerates, located in the valley and reaching a height of 600 meters, almost entirely consist of blue clay, so that in the daytime the slopes of the valley are painted in light blue colors. In the Ak-Oyuk gorge, where there are seven small lakes at once. With favorable weather conditions and good physical preparation of the group members, both radial exits can be made in one day. Hiking kitchen. Overnight at the base camp on Lake Ak-Kem. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1500 rubles per hour).

Day 8: Descent along the river Ak-Kem, walk 16 km
“Ak-Kem” is translated from the Turkic “White Water”. Indeed, the water in the river has a milky white hue. A lot of red currants grow along the banks in its lower reaches; colorful meadow species of Siberian flora are widely represented. The river originates from the Ak-Kem glacier and carries in its waters small pieces of stone lime from the slopes of Belukha. Hiking kitchen. Overnight in the base camp "At three birches". It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1000 rubles per hour).

Day 9: Descent to Ust-Koksa, walk 8 km, car 84 km
After a short transition, the group descends to Tungur on GAZ-66, and then moves to the base camp in the village of Ust-Koksa. Farewell evening. Breakfast, lunch - hiking kitchen, dinner - in a cafe. It is possible to visit the bath (for an additional fee, rent a bath from 1000 rubles per hour).

Day 10: Rest, departure.
Delivery of equipment. For those who wish, horseback riding tours are organized in the vicinity and a 2-hour alloy (for an additional fee).
After lunch - an excursion to the village of Upper Uimon - one of the oldest villages of the Ust-Koksinsky district, which still preserved the traditions of the Old Believers. There are two museums in the village: the N. Roerich Local Lore Museum and the Old Believers Museum.
Breakfast, lunch at the café, dinner at your own expense.