Flights to Gorno-Altaysk
Direct flights from Moscow and St Petersburg to Gorno-Altaysk. From Novosibirsk — 1 hour by air or 6 hours by car along a scenic highway.
Altai is more than mountains. Living nature.
Best fares
Where to stay Altai, in Altai
Riverside glamping, mountain lodges, welcoming guest houses. Book 2–3 months ahead for peak season (July–August).
Zones, of Altai
When to go to Altai
July–August — summer peak, rafting, mountain routes. May — maralnik bloom. Winter — mountain skiing.
Ready-made tours to Altai
What you need to know before you go
Car essential
Without a car, only Gorno-Altaysk and Chemal are accessible. SUV rental — 5,000–7,000 ₽/day. For Chuysky Trakt and Multinsky Lakes, 4WD required.
Altitude and acclimatisation
Altitude sickness from 2,500 m. Acclimatise 1–2 days, plenty of water. Seminsky Pass (1,717 m) — gentle.
Connectivity
MTS stable to Aktash. Beyond — satellite only. Download offline maps on OsmAnd in advance.
Altai cuisine
Lamb, beshbarmak, kurut (dried curd), tea with milk and honey. In Gorno-Altaysk — Gornaya Lavanda.
Must-try experiences
Highway M-52 from Biysk to the Mongolian border — 630 km of scenery that National Geographic ranked among the ten most beautiful roads in the world. Seminsky Pass at 1,717 m, Chike-Taman, Kurai Steppe with views of the North Chuysky Ridge, confluence of Chuya and Katun. Allow at least 2 days one way: you'll stop every 20 minutes.
Cascade of seven lakes in the Katunsky Ridge at 1,700–1,900 m. The main three — Lower, Middle, Upper Multinskoye — connected by the Shumy rapids. Water colour from emerald to milky blue depends on glacial runoff. From Multa village 22 km on foot or horseback (3,000 ₽/day per horse). Overnight in a tent by the water — essential.
Waterfall where the eponymous river flows into Lake Teletskoye — 12.5 m drop, roaring for a kilometre. Located in the Altai Reserve, accessible only by water: scheduled boat from Artybash 1.5 hours one way, tickets from 1,200 ₽. Wooden bridge on the cliff gives the best angle. You'll also see taiga from the water — bears come out on the shore.
Time-eroded mountains of red-orange clay, mercury and manganese in the Kyzyl-Chin valley near the village of Chagan-Uzun, 7 km from the Chuysky Trakt. Palette — from burgundy to green and violet. Morning and sunset colours are especially vivid. Local jeep drivers charge 1,500 ₽/person, but you can walk (3 km one way).
Most famous rapids — Ilgumensky (grade 3), Shabash (grade 4), Teldekpen (grade 5). For beginners, one-day floats from Chemal with Teldekpeni Rapids — 2,500 ₽ per person, gear, guide and lunch included. Serious multi-day floats on the Chuya and lower Katun — for the experienced. Season: May–September.
Maralnik (Ledebour's rhododendron) blooms in bright pink clouds for 7–14 days in late April–mid-May. Flowering starts in the Katun valley near Chemal and climbs higher into the mountains. Best spots — around Manzherok, Patmos Island, Chike-Taman Pass. At peak bloom in May, Altai becomes a film set: hotel bookings double.
Moraine-glacial lake at the foot of Belukha's northern slope at 2,050 m. From Tyungur village two routes: on foot via Kuzuyak Pass (3 days one way) or horseback (2 days). On the shore — climbers' base camp and Chapel of Archangel Michael. Water colour milky white from glacial suspension. Full programme with guide, horses and meals — from 25,000 ₽ per person.
Site at km 723 of the Chuysky Trakt — the largest concentration of rock art in Siberia: over 5,000 petroglyphs on cliffs from the Neolithic (5th millennium BC) to the Middle Ages. Deer, goats, chariots, hunting scenes and shamanic subjects. Free entry, no ticket office. With a guide from Inya village (from 500 ₽) more interesting: without preparation you won't distinguish half the drawings.
Rock outcrop 250 m above the Katun valley near Souzga village in Chemalsky District. Ascent via marked trail — 4 km round trip, about 1.5 hours. From the summit, views open to the Katun's bend and Kamyshlinsky Waterfall in the distance. Best time — an hour before sunset: sun illuminates the rock, river turns golden. In winter the trail ices over — crampons needed.