Expeditionary tour "Reserved"

Karakol Nature Park "Uch-Enmek"

The area of the natural park is 60,551 hectares, of which 810 hectares are reserved for a protected area, where any activity is prohibited, 4777 hectares for a specially protected area, where any economic activity is prohibited except for excursion routes with mandatory guide escort, and 54,964 hectares for a recreational zone. On the territory of the park is the sacred lake Aru Kem. It's a small mountain lake. Despite the fact that the lake is located in the mountains, its waters are relatively warm and it is quite possible to swim. From the lake and from the observation deck, located 15 minutes walk, you can see the mountain Uch-Enmek. Its three peaks are among the most revered in Altai. It is located in the protected part of the park.

Karakol valley

In archaeological terms, it is one of the richest areas of the Altai Mountains. The earliest finds here belong to the Paleolithic era, the burial mounds of the Bronze Age are recorded, isolated in the unique Karakol culture. The basis of the complex are large mounds of Scythian time, belonging to the tribal and tribal nobility. There are reasons to believe that this area is not only a necropolis for peoples of different eras, but also the largest sanctuary of the Altai, which includes ritual structures, steles and a huge array of rock paintings.

Pazyryk Valley

The name "Pazyryk" comes from the Tuvan "bazyryk" - "kurgan". There are 5 large mounds here. The time of their construction refers to the VI-III centuries BC. The archaeological culture of that time was called Pazyryk. In 1929, academician S.I. Rudenko and M.P. Gryaznov excavated the 1st mound. In 1947-1949, the rest were investigated. Due to the fact that in the highlands, the burial chamber turned into an island of permafrost, priceless finds have been preserved to this day. The excavated valuables are currently stored in the Hermitage. In the royal mounds were buried kings - rulers of the peoples who inhabited the Altai Mountains. The diameter of the mound mounds reaches 60 m.

Chulyshman Valley

A trip to the Chulyshman Valley is one of the most interesting. On the way we overcome the difficult and interesting pass Katu-Yaryk. This descent into the valley of the Chulyshman River is a dizzying serpentine 3.5 km long (consists of 9 turns). The elevation difference here is about 600 m. The height of the directly pass is about 1600 m. The road allows you to travel with oncoming only on turns, where it expands somewhat. The most recent descent is the longest and steepest. When driving along the pass, passengers are dropped off, and all the beauty of the surroundings they have the opportunity to contemplate during walking ascent or descent.

The name of the river Chulyshman comes from "Cholush" - "crust-nakrest." The river probably got its name from its twisting. Chulyshman is the main tributary of Teletskoye Lake. Length 231 km Average annual consumption - 149 m3 / s. It originates from the high mountain lake Julukul. Very beautiful and inaccessible river with clear greenish-blue water. It has two significant tributaries of Shavla and Chulch, flowing from the Shapshalsky Range through the Chulyshman Highlands, as well as the main tributary - the Bashkaus River.

From the steep slopes of the Chulyshman canyon, several picturesque waterfalls break down.

Altai State Reserve

The reserve has an elongated shape and with an average width of about 35 km extends in the meridional direction for 250 km. It is one of the largest reserves in Russia. Founded in 1932. The main part of the reserve is the Chulyshman Highlands. In the south-west it is bounded by the Chulyshman River, in the east its border passes along the Shapshalsky ridge, in the north along the peaks of the Abakan ridge. The pearl of the reserve is Teletskoye Lake. On the territory of the reserve there is a huge number of lakes. Only at Lake Dzhulukul (the second largest lake in the Altai Republic) there are about 250 of them. 45% of the reserve is forest. A lot of cedar, individual specimens of which reach the age of 600 years. Flora is represented by 1500 species of plants, fauna - 70 species of mammals (including kabarga, elk, brown bear, lynx, snow leopard) and 300 species of birds. According to the species diversity of plants, the Altai Reserve ranks second after the Caucasian. Of the one and a half thousand species available here, more than 250 belong to the Altai-Sayan endems, 120 species are relics of various epochs of the Tertiary and Quaternary periods.

The vicinity of Chemala

The unique beauty of Chemal is associated mainly with the Katun River, breaking through among the majestic rocky mountains. The central place of pilgrimage of tourists is the confluence of the Chemal River into Katun, as well as the Chemal HPP and the Church on the island of Patmos. The height of the surrounding mountains: Krestovaya - 1336 m, Camel - 928 m.

The Temple of John the Theologian on the island of Patmos. The first missionary temple in Chemal was built in 1849. In 1915 it was transferred to the Katunsky island of Patmos and consecrated by the metropalite Makariy (Nevsky). Therefore, the island is often called the island of Macaria. In the 20s the temple was destroyed. Today (2000) was restored by V.N. Pavlov. Now the island of Patmos is a female hermitage of the Barnaul Znamensky Monastery. The temple is working. Anyone who wants to go through the bridge can.

From the island of Patmos to the confluence of Chemala and Katuni there is a path called the “goat trail”. From it, Katun is beautifully viewed, carrying its waters among the crags of the mountains. A little further the Chemal HPP, standing on the river. Chemal is slightly above the place of its confluence in Katun. Built in 1935. Power 400 kW. The height of the falling water is about 10 m. In the summer for fans of thrills there is an attraction "Barzanka". There are good opportunities for recreation at the Chemal Reservoir.

Katun River

Residents of the Altai Mountains associate this name with “Kadyn” – “king, woman, mistress”, and this is due to the ancient custom of peoples to glorify and worship large rivers, mountains, etc. and now the Altai people venerate and glorify Katyn, which is called Kadyn-Syy.

The Katun River is the largest river in the Altai Mountains. The length (688 km) and the area of the pool it has no equal in the Altai Mountains. After merging with Bia, it forms the Ob. In Katun live the gharius, taimen, and in the lower reaches appear pike, perch, mould. Katun inherited the valley, laid before the rise of the mountainous country Altai, about 70 million years ago. It originates on the southern slope of the Katun ridge near the city of Belukha (Geblar glacier) at an altitude of 2000 m. The average annual water consumption is 600-700 m3 / s.