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 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
Top 10 most beautiful roads in the world. Drive from Biysk to Kosh-Agach — 2 days of unforgettable scenery.
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.
Three emerald lakes in the Katunsky Ridge. 22 km on foot or horseback. Overnight by the water.
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.
The most powerful waterfall on Lake Teletskoye. Accessible by boat only. 12 metres of drop.
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.
Red-orange mountains by the Chuya River near Aktash. Morning light makes photos fantastic.
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).
Grade 2–4. Ilgumensky Rapids, Shabash. With guide and gear from 2,500 ₽/person.
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.
Late April–May. Mountains pink with rhododendron. The most photogenic Altai of the year.
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.
Belukha base camp. 2 days on foot. Glacial lake, view of twin-peaked Belukha.
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.
Rock art 6,000+ years old by the Chuysky Trakt. 3,000 images. Free, always open.
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 with views of the Katun from 200 m. Route 4 km. Sunset — top view in Chemalsky District.
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.