Baikal's younger brother. How to relax on Lake Teletskoye

Many interesting sights can be seen in the vicinity of Lake Teletskoye, whose name in the southern Altai language sounds like Altyn Kol, translated as “Golden Lake”. It is located in the northeast of the Altai Mountains, in a place famous for the beauty of rich forests, mountain peaks, clear rivers and majestic waterfalls. The natural splendor of the reservoir is breathtaking; it is not surprising that it is so popular among tourists. Comfortable recreation centers and excursion routes covering the most interesting places have been prepared for guests here.

Sights of Lake Teletskoye

Korbu Waterfall is located on the territory of the Altai State Nature Reserve.
Its height is 12.5 meters, it is hidden in dense thickets of trees and bushes. Excursions are available to the waterfall. It can only be reached by water. Kishte Waterfall is also located on the territory of the reserve; excursions are available to the waterfall. The height of the water flow is about 8 m.

A few kilometers from the village of Artybash there is a waterfall on the Third River, which you can get to on your own. There are smaller waterfalls nearby, but they are located in picturesque places.

The valley of the Chulyshman River, where the natural monument “Stone Mushrooms” and the Uchar waterfall are located. The river abounds in fish, making it popular among fishermen. Grayling is found in the upper reaches and in the middle of the river, and taimen are found in the lower reaches. Thrill-seekers enjoy river rafting.

The Biya River, originating from Lake Teletskoye. Its length is about 300 km, the water in the river is very clear. The Biya River is a popular place for recreation and fishing. Thanks to its rapids and whirlpools, the river is popular among rafting enthusiasts.

Stone Bay is located near the village of Yogach, it is a small bay surrounded by stone rubble, on which larches and cedars grow. There are a lot of fancy stones around the bay; many tourists do not miss the opportunity to take a small pebble with them as a souvenir.

Cape Kyrsai, which offers a breathtaking view of the entire lake. This is where you can swim in the pond.

Mount Tilan-tuu or snake mountain, whose height is 741 m. The mountain offers breathtaking views of the source of the Biya River, the northern part of Lake Teletskoye, and the village. Climbing the mountain is possible on foot, on horseback or by bicycle.

Local history museum "Ermi-tash", the name of the museum translates as "star stone". In the museum you can learn about the history of the lake, get acquainted with the works of folk craftsmen, appreciate paintings by local artists, and learn about the traditions of local residents.

The Silver Spring is located near Artybash. It is believed that the water contains silver, so the water from the spring has healing properties. The water in the source is clean and very tasty. You can get to the source yourself.

To the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye through the Katu-Yaryk pass

There are two roads leading to Lake Teletskoye, the largest in Altai: to the northern shore there is decent asphalt from Gorno-Altaisk, to the southern shore there is an average dirt road from Aktash. The latter, in its picturesqueness, may well give odds to the Chuisky tract itself, but its culmination - Katu-Yaryk - in general, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting mountain passes in the world.

My grandmother dreamed of visiting the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye in her youth. There was no road through Katu-Yaryk at that time, and it was possible to get there only on horseback. Due to osteomelitis suffered in childhood, when my grandmother almost lost her leg and remained disabled for life, this option was not suitable for her. Nowadays, everything is simpler: there is a road, a car is rented, points of interest are entered into the navigator, and the odometer is already cheerfully counting the kilometers left behind. Grandmother is looking forward to meeting her dream. Isn't this the most important thing?..

The road to the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye begins in Aktash. It is three hundred and sixty kilometers from Gorno-Altaisk along the Chuysky tract. In Aktash there are several guest houses that welcome tourists all year round (which is rare for the Altai Mountains), a Sberbank branch with a working ATM (another trump card), a supermarket with a meager assortment, where, nevertheless, you can find everything you need, and a gas station. If you plan to get to Lake Teletskoye and then return back along the same road as we did, fill up the tank full right away: although there are a couple of gas stations further along the way, it’s not at all a fact that they will work.

Not everyone in Aktash knows Russian. Already on the way back, we gave a lift to the wife of an unlucky local resident, whose car had broken down somewhere in the Ulagan Pass area. The man, albeit with difficulty, was able to explain to us what the hell he wanted, but his wife did not know a single word of Russian, even at the “hello, thank you” level. Local children, by the way, know Russian much better than adults.

From Aktash to Lake Teletskoye it is one hundred and sixty kilometers. If you drive non-stop and take a little care of your car, and if you’re lucky with the weather, you can get there in about five hours. With every kilometer the road will get worse and worse.

The first part of the route - through Ulagan to the village of Balyktuyul - is called the Ulagansky tract. On tourist sites you can find a description: they say that the asphalt there is sometimes replaced by unpaved areas. Don’t believe it, the authors of these articles have never been to Altai. In reality, the opposite is true: the Ulagansky highway is mostly, albeit quite flat, but unpaved, with rare inclusions of broken asphalt.

Beautiful places begin almost immediately after Aktash (or to be more precise, they simply do not end). The road dives into the gorge of the Chibitki River, ending with the “Red Gate” - a tight winding passage, cut through many centuries by water between steep carmine-colored rocks. Their bright shade is due to the high mercury content in the rock (the same as on “Mars”).

Nowadays, the river is led into a pipe, on top of which a road surface is laid.

After the “Red Gate” the road runs out into a vast valley that smoothly rises to the Ulagansky Pass. There are many small pretty lakes here, which in mid-May are just beginning to thaw from the winter.

Chibitka is making noise nearby.

The weather is getting worse. The forecast for the coming days is worse than ever: snowstorms, ice and other meteorological surprises are predicted on the passes; The Ministry of Emergency Situations recommends staying at home. But there is nowhere to retreat: this is not why my grandmother and I traveled hundreds of miles to turn around when Lake Teletskoye was just a stone’s throw away.

The sky darkens and darkness falls over the valley. A blizzard is brewing. May - a spoiler and a sorcerer - blows her fresh fan.

The weather metamorphoses in Altai are more interesting than in Norway: it was just snowing like a wall, and it seemed that it would last for a long time, but after five minutes the weather changed dramatically.

The snowfall stops, the clouds break, and the bright May sun begins to break through the growing gaps in their blanket.

Three hundred meters before the Ulagan Pass is a particularly beautiful place, you can’t help but stop.

Here is Lake Kidelyu, considered one of the most beautiful in Altai (although here, no matter what you spit, it’s beautiful). Behind us rise the peaks of the Kuraisky ridge, soaring almost three and a half kilometers into the sky.

Ulagansky pass. Its height is a little more than two thousand meters. This is one of the highest road passes in all of Altai.

What is a mountain pass for us is a shrine for the Altai people. Centuries-old larches along the road are hung with white dialams and Altai ritual ribbons.

Mountain passes in Altai are considered “peace zones”; according to local tradition, in such places you need to behave quietly and reservedly, thereby showing respect for the mountain spirits.

After the pass the road descends to the Ulagan plateau. Its heart is the village of Ulagan. It traces its history back to 1765, when after the fall of the Dzungar Khanate and the entry of Southern Altai into the Russian Empire, the first Orthodox church in this region was founded here.

Ulagan is a place untouched by civilization. From here all the way to Lake Teletskoye, the lands of the Telengits, one of the indigenous peoples of Russia, begin. Telengits are direct descendants of the ancient Turks. They speak the Telengit dialect of the South Altai language. The local faith is Burkhanism with an admixture of Orthodoxy.

Every year in Ulagan a Kurultai of Storytellers is held - an amateur festival organized with the aim of preserving the traditions of Altai throat singing.

As I already said, in Altai there are two main dangers - drunk drivers on mountain roads, driving as if they were immortal, and ticks. The latter are scary because they carry all sorts of nasty diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis, typhus and ixodid borreliosis.

The next village on our way is Balyktuyul. The population is about one thousand three hundred people, the majority are Telengits.

A couple of kilometers from it is the Pazyrak tract, which gave its name to the archaeological culture of the same name.

Pazyrak is one of three places in Altai, along with the Karakol Valley and the Ukok Plateau, where the highest concentration of ancient mounds is located.

The road traverses along a steep slope. In the photograph this place looks quite nice, but after rains and snowfalls it is treacherous, like the Oblique Shelf on Elbrus. The top layer of the road gets wet, turning into slippery mud: if you give it a little gas, the car is pulled down, and if you slide, you can tumble down the slope for a very long time, and then no one will ever find you. The last time I felt so unpleasant was when I was crossing slippery stones through the fords in the Inguri Gorge.

Below you can see the Uch-Kol lakes (translated from Altai as “Three Lakes”).

Stately cows, a little stunned by such calico, are strolling through the freshly fallen snow.

We are approaching the Katu-Yaryk pass. Its highest point is surrounded by forest and looks something like this.

Having rolled over the saddle, the road smoothly descends until it reaches a flat treeless plateau, cut by a deep canyon. Down there is a protected area, the valley of the Chulyshman River. This is exactly where our path lies.

The descent into the Chulyshman valley is the most exciting section of the road along the entire length from Aktash to Lake Teletskoye. On a slope of 35 degrees, a four-kilometer serpentine road with seven sharp turns and a height difference of more than five hundred meters was built.

In the photographs it looks, of course, steep, but technically this descent is extremely simple. If you have a working car with all-wheel drive, going down or going up is like two fingers on the asphalt.

Katu-Yaryk, if translated literally, means “Hard Cleft”, or simply “Gorge”.

Due to its location, the pass is considered unique: there is no classical symmetry here, where the road first rises in a serpentine path to the saddle on one side, and then descends in the same way on the other. Katu-Yaryk is one-sided, in fact it is not even a pass, but simply a descent from the Ulagan plateau to the Chulyshman valley.

The canvas is narrow. Two oncoming cars can pass each other only on turns.

Interestingly, this road appeared relatively recently - in 1989. Until this moment, from Aktash it was possible to get only to Balyktuyul. And the path to the Chulyshman valley lay exclusively through Lake Teletskoye, or along steep horse trails.

The rocks framing the canyon are amazing in their size. Next to them you feel like a small grain of sand. For example, in the lower left corner of the following photo, “Loaf” is making its way along the road. Do you feel the scale?

We must not forget for a minute that we are in the mountains, and they do not forgive mistakes. Not everyone is lucky.

View of the beginning of the serpentine from the bottom point.

We are at the bottom of the canyon. From here to Lake Teletskoye it is seventy-five kilometers along a dirt road that is not of the best quality.

To the right and left are steep cliffs rising up hundreds of meters.

On their steep slopes, waterfalls thunder, drops of water from which are carried by the wind throughout the valley.

The Chulyshman River is one of the largest in the Altai Mountains. Its length is over two hundred and forty kilometers and it provides up to 70% of the inflow into Lake Teletskoye.

The mountains here have some incredible colors.

The road winds along the river bed. All around are mountains, mountains, mountains.

Around every turn new beauties are revealed, and there seems to be no end to them.

The weather metamorphoses do not stop. The sun was just shining, and now a clot of darkness is rushing along the canyon towards us.

I get out of the car to take a photo. A gust of wind rips the door out of my hands. The result is a severe dislocation of the thumb on the right hand. It’s good that the hinges can withstand impact, and the door, although it crunches, does not break off them. Well, the rental office would be happy if I returned the car to them without the driver’s door.

Where the Chulcha River flows into Chulyshman, there is the Akosh tract.

There are several camp sites here.

The duration of the tourist season in Altai is only a couple of months. But there are so many tourists that all the guest houses and tourist centers are always crowded during the season, and their owners in this short time manage to earn a long ruble for the entire coming year. Over two summer months, a small camp site with several dozen simple houses brings in an average of two million rubles in net profit.

It would seem - welcome tourists, earn money, develop, prosper. But for some reason the approach of local entrepreneurs is: “after us, there’s a flood.” Everything, absolutely all the houses at the local camp sites are some kind of “chicken coops”, poorly built, with cracks in the walls, rickety doors, hastily put together stoves from which coals spill out onto the floor when fired, and a complete lack of comfort. There is one washbasin for the entire base. Toilets are somewhere out of the way, and all of them are of the gravity type: with a hole in the floor. The saddest thing is that there is no choice: the level, regardless of the price, is the same everywhere, plus or minus.

In May, the Chulyshman valley is empty, there are almost no tourists. The tourist centers seem to be working, but the attitude towards vacationers is the most mediocre: if you don’t like something, get out of here, the season will start tomorrow and hundreds will come to take your place and stand in line.

You arrive at the base and ask: do you work? Can I stay overnight? They receive you as if they are doing you a favor, and at the same time they offer you the crookedest of houses, with collapsed beds and a skewed door that simply does not fit into the frame: don’t turn on the stove - you’ll freeze at night. You ask to look at another house, and they look at you like you’re shit - take what they give and be glad that we are even ready to shelter you for your own money. You don’t give a damn, you move to a neighboring camp site, hoping that it’s better there, but there it’s even worse.

And this is the whole Altai: service “a la Russe”, meaningless and merciless...

I lit the stove all night. The temperature outside dropped below zero, and as soon as the firewood burned out, the house instantly cooled down.

The next day, while my grandmother was sleeping, I wanted to visit two local attractions - Stone Mushrooms and Uchar Waterfall. Both of them are located on the other side of Chulyshman, so to get to them, you first need to cross to the opposite bank by boat. The day before, I agreed with the owner of the camp site where we spent the night that he would take me there at dawn, and then, a few hours later, take me back.

When dawn broke, no one, as expected, began to ferry me anywhere. The owner, despite our agreements, simply gave up on everything, and even before dawn he left for Ulagan to get building materials for the next “chicken coop” - the season is coming, we need to prepare. Of course, he forgot to warn me about this.

Stone mushrooms - to hell with them: judging by the photographs that I saw, they are not very different from the Crimean ones, and are certainly inferior in their picturesqueness and diversity to the Cappadocian ones, which already have a variety of rock formations - like uncut dogs. But the fact that I didn’t manage to get to the Uchar waterfall is a shame. This is the largest river cascade in Altai. We'll have to go back.

The fact that the owner of the camp site ditched me with the crossing was even good: although it was sunny in the valley in the morning, after a couple of hours a terrible snowstorm arrived, which I definitely would have gotten into if I had gone to Uchar.

Let's move on.

Koo village. The population is about two hundred people, the majority are Telengits.

The village is alive. Cows graze near the houses.

Horses roam the surrounding hills.

Near the stone scatterings, sheep lazily browse the spring grass.

Pastoral.

The peaks of the surrounding mountains are covered with snow that fell at night.

At the same time, the lower reaches of Chulyshman are one of the warmest places in Siberia. Half the days of the year a warm wind blows from the valley, thanks to which the weather on the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye is often dry and sunny. Locals call it “Verkhovka”.

The most climatically comfortable place on Chulyshman is the village of Balykcha, the last one on the way to Lake Teletskoye and located about ten kilometers from its shore. The population of the village is about eight hundred people, the majority are Telengits.

I can’t believe it, but grapes, apricots and pears are successfully grown in Balykche.

After the village, the worst part of the road begins: a road washed out by rain, shaking, rocky, sometimes replaced by muddy sections, with a couple of small streams that need to be crossed. Ten kilometers from Balykchy to Kyrsai are covered in at least an hour.

Kyrsai is an area and cape on the left bank of the Chulyshman at its confluence with Lake Teletskoye. Here is the camp site of the same name - a small corner of civilization in a wild land: several dozen houses, some summer, some with stoves, a cafe, a bathhouse, a pier.

They are waiting for us: one of the houses is flooded.

Grandmother is tired but happy: dreams come true. We are on the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye.

Don't switch!

Continuation: Lake Teletskoye is the third of the great lakes of Siberia

How to get to recreation centers on Lake Teletskoye

You can get to the tourist complexes located in the vicinity of Artybash and Yogach by car, taxi or bus.

From Gorno-Altaisk

The city is separated from the northern coast by 160 km. The trip will take 2.5–3 hours. Drive towards the Altai Nature Reserve, then turn onto Barnaulskaya Street, and from there onto the 84K-15 highway. Move in a north-east direction along the route:

• after the village of Karasuk, turn south;
• pass Sugul, Paspaul;
• from Sovetsky, move east;
• after Uskuch there will be a bridge over Biya, from there head north along highway 84K-11;
• drive along the river past the village of Kebezen;
• turn east towards Artybash.
• Yogach is located directly opposite, Biya separates them.

Tourists who dream of relaxing on the southern coast will have to travel about 540 km. The route will run along the P-256 highway:

• go west towards the Aya River;
• near the village of Karlushki turn south;
• pass Souzga, Manzherok, Ust-Sema;
• after the village of Topuchaya, go east;
• from Ongudai, move in a southeast direction to Chibit;
• from Balyktuyul, turn northwest until you reach the shore of Lake Teletskoye.

The journey will take a total of 10.5–11.5 hours. There is a campsite “Altyn-Tuu” on the shore. You can also camp on your own with a tent.

From Novosibirsk

Buses depart from the bus station to Biysk, Barnaul and Gorno-Altaisk. Ticket prices start from 1100 rubles. From these cities you can already take a taxi or a regular bus to Artybash. By car you will need to cover 620–630 km to the northern shore of Teletskoye. The path will pass through:

• city ​​of Biysk;
• Ust-Kuiut;
• Turochak;
• Verkh-Biysk;
• Kebezen;
• Artybash.

From Omsk, Tomsk, Novokuznetsk and Kemerovo it is convenient to get to Novosibirsk, and from there follow the above routes. During the summer season, transfers to the resorts of Lake Teletskoye are also organized from Siberian cities; schedules and ticket prices can be found on travel agency websites.

From Moscow

The capital is connected to Altai by air and rail. By plane, Barnaul, Novosibirsk and Gorno-Altaisk can be easily reached in 4–4.5 hours. It is convenient to choose night flights so that you can leave the bus station for Artybash in the morning. Trains go to Biysk and Barnaul, the journey time will be about 3.5 days. Only experienced drivers can travel by car - they will have to cover a distance of about 4000 km. The route will pass through Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk and Gorno-Altaisk. You will need to stop overnight at least twice along the way.

Excursions

Water excursions are the most popular type of tourism services in Altai. I used them and want to offer several options:

Sightseeing tour of the lake

On the day when I had the opportunity to go on a small boat on a trip along the bottomless Lake Teletskoye in Altai, it was cool. Luckily I took warm clothes with me. The tour takes nine hours. During this time, we managed to visit the most wonderful and protected places in Altai: Stone Bay; Korbu waterfalls (entrance to which costs 100 rubles), Kishte and Ayu-Kechpes; Cape Kyrsai, which is located on the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye and several other stunning creations of nature. The first four hours I was filled with impressions, tried to look into the bottomless depths of Teletsky, and then, to be honest, I got tired. In addition, the weather was a little let down and it started to rain. The cost of the sightseeing tour is 2000 rubles. per person. You can reserve your place at any excursion bureau in Gorny Altai.

Korbu Waterfall

This is a more gentle journey along Lake Teletskoye in Altai. Its duration takes only 4 hours. I had the opportunity to sail on a ship, which is equipped with a glassed-in passenger compartment and a buffet. This is definitely a plus. From Artybash it swims non-stop and steadily to the waterfall. While driving, the guide tells many interesting legends and facts about Altai. The cost is 1000 rubles + 100 rubles. for the passage to the waterfall.

Every second, tons of icy water rush down the cliff, producing a mind-blowing roar. Several small rainbows attracted me with their magic and did not allow me to say a word from amazement. Without seeing the Korbu waterfall in the Altai Mountains with your own eyes, you will lose that joy, that amazement and mental communication with local spirits, of which there are countless numbers.

Waterfalls on the third river

Excursions to Lake Teletskoye in Altai can be free. The cascade of waterfalls on the third river is clear confirmation of this. In order to get to them, you need to either walk from the village of Artybash (3 km), or cover this distance by other transport: car, bicycle or horse. I walked. Having reached the third river (the third, because there will be two more before it), we had to make our way along a forest path. It has been trodden for a long time, so there will be no problems with its discovery. A cascade of waterfalls appeared in front of my eyes as soon as the path ended.

The spectacle, incredible in its beauty and power, captivated me and my friends on the spot. The gorge through which the waters flow resembled an artery through which the blood of nature, the blood of Altai, flows. Many thoughts crossed my mind at these moments. Place of power. A place of inspiration.

Observation deck

Mount Tilan-Tuu in Altai, which offers a breathtaking view of Lake Teletskoye, is located in the vicinity of Artybash. For the ascent it will be more convenient to hire horses (approx. 500 rubles), because On the way to the top you can visit a holy spring with drinking water and a cedar tree, which witnessed the existence of the Golden Horde. To save money, we made this journey on foot. The ascent took approximately two hours. Dirty, tired, but incredibly happy, we reached the top.

The place of descent was chosen to be a steep path, which is located next to the observation deck and leads straight down. If your goal is the top, you should climb it. It will take less time, and the climb will leave only the most pleasant memories.

Weather on Lake Teletskoye

The weather on Lake Teletskoye is not always pleasant with sunny days. Rain is a common condition for this place. Therefore, a raincoat or windbreaker will not be superfluous. Check the weather in the Teletskoye Lake area (Turochaksky district).

If you suddenly decide to come to Teletskoye from afar, for example, by plane, then it is better to choose Barnaul or Gorno-Altaisk as your destination. Cheap air tickets can be found on the Aviasales website

Where to stay on Lake Teletskoye?

Parents who come to Lake Teletskoye with their children should carefully consider the choice of a hotel or guest house.

Recreation centers on Lake Teletskoye

Almost at the entrance to Artybash, just 200 meters from Lake Teletskoye, there is a hotel of the same name. For children's leisure, the Artybash Hotel has a good playground and a frame pool.

In the Eden tourist complex, located in the northern part of the lake, in addition to a relatively large swimming pool, there is also a water slide.

Behind the village of Artybash on a hill there is a tourist base “Golden Lake”. There is a good swimming pool at the base, you can pay 150-250 rubles, they will put on a bracelet for you, which will provide you with the opportunity to relax near the pool during the day.

Guest houses and estates

The private sector offers a large number of accommodation options. A variety of offers for guest houses awaits you in the village of Artybash. Once you cross the bridge over the source of the Biya River, you will find yourself on the other side of the lake in the village of Iogach, where every second local resident also rents out housing.

source of the Biya

5 km. from the drag lift on the very shore of Lake Teletskoye there is the Kedrovaya estate, built in the design of a Russian tower, on the territory of which you can take a dip in the plunge pool, send the children to the bright colorful playground and sit in the evening in the room with a fireplace.

For small children, a high chair, a cot, and toys are provided. There are interesting authentic rooms in the old Russian style. And in the morning you can taste delicious pancakes there! The estate welcomes guests all year round. Find out prices

Guest House on Podgornaya "White Wolf". Summer houses with the possibility of self-catering. The house has a library with books for children. as well as for adults. For children, toys and all sorts of interesting entertainment, such as an organized hut in the yard. Next to the house is the Volkov farm, owned by the owners, where you can arrange a photo shoot with the animals.

This house has only one drawback - you can enjoy a holiday there only in the summer (from April to September). Find out prices.

Chalet O&K is a great year-round option for a family holiday. In the village of Artabysh you can rent an entire two-story cottage with panoramic views of Lake Teletskoye. Cozy and at the same time stylish furnishings, fireplace, possibility of ordering breakfast and dinner.

A cot is available for children upon request. In the courtyard on the territory of the mini-hotel, a colorful children's playground awaits little guests. There is a gazebo nearby where parents can spend time. Find out prices

We ourselves stayed in July 2015 in one of these private houses in the village of Iogach.

houses on Teletskoye

In the owner's yard there are 2 two-story warm houses. When we vacationed there, it was possible to rent the entire house, or one of the floors. For us for 700 rubles. We were given a room on the first floor. The room has two sofas, a bedside table with a mirror and a fireplace.

You can cook in the summer kitchen; in the yard there is also a grill and a gazebo. Currently (2018-2019) houses are rented out entirely, without sharing. Guests are welcome all year round. It is better to check prices with the owners. This place is called the “Cozy Coast” Estate.

The shops

Products

Most often, I bought food at the large Maria-Ra supermarket, which is located in the village of Yogach. It has everything your heart desires and at low prices. Prices on Lake Teletskoye can be compared with prices in St. Petersburg.

The only frustrating thing is that there are no 24-hour stores here. One night we needed to go to the store. Having walked through the entire village and cemetery, we found a 24-hour store, which, as it turned out, is open from 9 to 22. Advice - buy everything you need before closing. Then there will be nowhere.

Souvenirs

You don't have to go far to buy gifts for your friends and relatives. Trade stalls are located literally on every corner. There is everything: from a dream catcher to bear paws or simple magnets depicting the beauties of Altai. The cost of souvenirs also varies and depends on the type of item, size and quality. For example, I bought a medium-sized dream catcher for only 150 rubles.

Please pay special attention to Altai honey. Due to the proximity of apiaries, honey is sold of excellent quality. The price per liter is 400 rubles and above. You must try before you buy! Sometimes gullible tourists in Altai can be sold a mixture of honey and caramel. Regarding honey, I advise you to purchase it from apiaries, of which there are a lot in the Altai Mountains. The prices are practically no different from those in tents, and the quality and healing properties are much superior.

Holidays for savages on Olkhon Island

Well, now the most important place for savages to relax on Lake Baikal is a vacation on Olkhon Island, here we can already talk about real savage vacations on Lake Baikal and prices, this is the only place suitable for this type of vacation!

As for the prices for a holiday on Lake Baikal, for example, compare a holiday at the Baikalov Ostrog hotel and a holiday on your own on the shore of Lake Baikal, the cost savings are obvious. Many tourists wonder what vacation on Lake Baikal is cheaper? I think you already know the answer.

In addition, the prices in the shops on Olkhon Island are more than adequate, you don’t have to take a lot of food with you, here you can go have a delicious meal near the shore at reasonable prices in local cafes or buy food and cook it yourself over a fire, food prices are not high.

As for places for savages to relax on Olkhon Island, I can only advise you to find a suitable place anywhere on the island. The entire island is suitable for an independent holiday on Lake Baikal.

Many tourists prefer to relax on the shore closer to the village of Khuzhir, many pass through this village to the wild beaches by car further, behind the village it is very calm and quiet, no one will disturb you, I checked it myself and for several years I have been going on holiday with a tent only to the island!

All camp sites in Khuzhir and prices for accommodation in summer →

I recommend reading on my website:

• Sights of Olkhon, and prices for excursions
• Olkhon tourist centers with affordable prices
• Useful tips about Olkhon Island for a novice tourist

And finally, I decided to share with you a video that I shot on the last day of vacation on Olkhon Island. I and many other vacationing tourists came to watch the sunset on the shore of Lake Baikal, the spectacle is certainly amazing, I recommend watching it!

You will find places to stay on Olkhon without any problems; you just need to go to the coast after the ferry crossing to Olkhon and you will see for yourself where it is best for you to stay! Well, that’s all, summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to think about a savage vacation on Lake Baikal and plan a trip now. Subscribe to the latest articles about everything interesting and you will be the first to know about everything interesting!

Weather and swimming

Contrary to the popular belief that Golden Lake (Altyn Köl - in the local dialect) is very cold, in the summer people still swim and sunbathe here by mid-July. You just need to wait until the winds subside and head into the lake, but not for long. The water is still a little cold, but what a beautiful tan!

Temperature conditions by month are presented in the table:

The weather is so changeable that you can wear jackets one day and swimsuits a few hours later.

What sights to see?

What sights to see in Altai? Everywhere you look, there are beautiful landscapes, but there are places that you should definitely visit if you decide to relax in Altai in the summer of 2020. You will learn what places look like and what sights of Altai you should visit from my separate article, which will not only tell you, but also show photographs.

In addition to tourists seeking to find peace and quiet, Altai attracts lovers of extreme recreation. The most popular entertainment is climbing Mount Belukha. Abnormal cold, snow leopards and lynxes, unique berries - even experienced and seasoned tourists note that this place can not only amaze, but also surprise.

In addition, in the summer months, rafting on mountain rivers is organized - both one-day and long-term. For some reason, when talking about Altai, no one calls them rafting. Fashionable foreign words are too inappropriate in these parts.

Altai is also suitable for family holidays; even holidays with children in Altai are more than in demand. Here you can introduce children to native Russian traditions and customs. In this case, it is better to stay at one of the tourist bases. Their specialty is their own backyard where you can see your pets.

While much is known about the nature of Altai, the presence of a good medical base in the region comes as a surprise to many. There are quite a lot of sanatoriums in the Belokurikha area offering specialized and general programs. Their level may well be comparable to the European one, and in some respects even surpasses it.

History buffs should definitely visit the Soloneshensky district. This is the only place in the region where architectural monuments of the Stone Age and the Middle Ages have been preserved. Next to them are natural beauties, including one of the largest Altai waterfalls - Giraffe.

Flora and fauna

Lake Teletskoye is an entire ecosystem in which, largely thanks to the Altai Nature Reserve, a wise natural balance is maintained. It is home to 14 species of fish, including Teletsky grayling and Teletsky whitefish. There are perch, burbot and taimen. Cedars, fir, spruce, pine and larch trees grow on the banks. The nature of the right bank is protected by the state; this is where the reserve is located.

The territory of the reserve is inhabited by mountain musk deer, Altai sheep, elk, reindeer, deer, wild boar, and Siberian roe deer. Predators also live here - bears, lynxes, sables, otters and wolverines. High in the mountains you can meet the rarest animal - the snow leopard. By the way, 59 species of the reserve’s inhabitants are rare or endangered. There are 1,500 plant species growing in the reserve, 22 of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Where to relax in Altai inexpensively in Manzherok

The main attraction of these picturesque places is Mount Sinyukha. You can climb it on foot or on a lift. The observation decks offer breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Nearby, surrounded by majestic forests, lies Lake Manzherok. Rare aquatic plants are found here, and numerous birds inhabit the shores. Experienced athletes go rafting through the famous Manzherok rapids; for those who only dream of trying their hand at rafting, simple routes are offered.

This area has a large selection of recreation centers and boarding houses, allowing you to find inexpensive housing.

"Three sisters"

Located on the banks of the Katun. Guests are accommodated in “standard” and “comfort” rooms; an area is allocated for a tent camp. There is a bath complex, a cafe, a bar, sports grounds, and barbecue areas. Equipment, bicycles, mopeds are available for rent. Horseback riding, excursions, and river rafting are organized. Accommodation 300–1000 rubles/day.

Contact phone numbers,.

Three sisters

"Lyubava"

Located 2 km from the village on the river bank. The tourist complex is surrounded by a pine forest. Accommodation in cottages and bungalows. There are barbecue areas, a summer cafe, gazebos, a playground, a swimming pool, a sauna, and a billiard room. There is excursion service. Accommodation from 650 rubles per day per person, meals included in the price.

Email: l

Telephone.

Taiga

"Taiga"

The tourist complex is located next to the famous rapids on the banks of the Katun. There are comfortable cottages and summer houses. Places for tents are available for rent (100 rubles per person). It has a cafe, a bathhouse, gazebos, and a barbecue area. There is equipment rental. The cost of a summer house for 2–4 vacationers is from 700 rubles/day, rooms are 1200–1600 rubles.

E-mail address:

Contact phone numbers,

Fans of autotourism will be able to have an inexpensive vacation in Altai in the summer with “savages” in the Soloneshensky district. Picturesque waterfalls, a mountain river, and the mysterious Denisova Cave await travelers in this amazing region. The infrastructure here is poorly developed; budget housing can be rented in the private sector or you can stay in a tent.

A vacation in the Altai Mountains is an opportunity to plunge into the world of pristine nature, touch ancient history and enjoy all the multifaceted beauty of the region.

Adventures from our tourist club in this direction

13.06 – 23.06 |
11 days Along Chulyshman and Lake Teletskoye. A simple and beautiful multi-tour in Altai

18.06 – 24.06 | 7 days

Lake Teletskoye and rafting on the Biya River

Ice and Altai mountains. All at once

How to get to the ski resort

Despite the distance from big cities, getting to Artybash is not as difficult as it seems.

• BY PLANE. There is an airport in Gorno-Altaisk, from where you can get to the village of Artybash by bus or car;
• BY TRAIN. Biysk railway communication is organized with Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Barnaul. From Biysk buses leave for Artybash every morning at 9:15 a.m. and in the afternoon at 3:25 p.m.;
• BY VEHICLE. Bus routes are organized with Krasnoyarsk, Barnaul, Biysk, Novosibirsk, Gorno-Altaisk. You can find the road to the ski resort on your own on the map of the Altai Territory, so traveling in your own car will not cause any difficulties.

Poisoning and rotaviruses

Advice! Buy tablets in Aktash: there are no pharmacies or hospitals here.

Everyone survives as best they can. In my example, no force majeure circumstances arose. If there are medications that you take daily (for example, for blood pressure), be sure to take extra of them with you. It is also better to take purified water from the store for drinking. Although the locals drink directly from the river or waterfall.

At the base where we were resting, I noticed a hose that was connected to a pump and pumped water directly from Chulyshman. Perhaps there was a filter there, which I highly doubt.

General Tips

As with any journey, conquering mountainous terrain also has its own nuances. For example, the last gas station for cars is in Aktash.

Advice: fill the tank full and buy a 20-liter canister in advance, gasoline in the valley is worth its weight in gold. If you don't need it yourself, you'll help tourists in trouble. Second tip: buy a satellite phone, since cellular communication ends behind Ulagan.

A winch can also come in handy on the road if it suddenly starts to rain. Roads are washed away, rivers are overflowing - force majeure situations can arise suddenly. Buy a repair kit: you won’t find a tire shop or repair shop there.

If you are interested in fishing, buy gear in Ulagan (you can also buy it in Aktash or at the Seminsky and Chike-Taman passes in the markets), but for some reason the Ulagan ones are the most “hunting”.

Excursions and leisure

The most popular destinations (tourists book excursions at their place of residence):

1. Uchar Waterfall – you are transported to the trail up to the waterfall by boat. It’s very interesting that after the excursion, sometimes you wait for hours for this “ferryman” - the locals are in no hurry at all and don’t keep track of the time. This is where canned food, crackers, bread and water come in handy. The trail is dangerous, children are not allowed here (but they won’t even warn you about this, apparently they want to make money - the excursion costs 1,500 rubles per person). In addition, you need to have excellent physical fitness. In general, it is mainly young people who are rising up.
2. Stone mushrooms, or Urochishche Akkurum, are transported by the same “ferry” to stone mushrooms. In one day you can see both mushrooms and a waterfall, if you don’t climb too high along the path to it. But the road to stone mushrooms is simpler. You can try to get there with children over 7-8 years old.
3. Fishing is entertainment both on Chulyshman and on Teletskoye. You can go fishing on the mountain river for free if you buy gear in Ulagan. On Teletskoye, this is a paid pleasure (about 20,000 - 25,000 rubles per company).

More about remarkable places of Altai

Food

With food, everything is simple and concise: there are no shops or cafes in the Chulyshman Valley. Buy all provisions in Aktash in the form of non-perishable products, buy more bread, canned food, vegetables, powdered milk (the cows there are not dairy, you will cook porridge in water). There are three or four stores there, but my husband and I liked the Korzinka chain - it is found in villages along the Chuysky tract. There are fresh pastries and hot bread; locals mainly do their shopping here.

There is also a hotel complex “Kyrsai” on Lake Teletskoye, where food is served in the dining room. Prices are also reasonable, but a little more expensive (200-300 rubles per person for one meal). What is really expensive here is beer (120-150 rubles for 0.5 liters), and our men love to drink this drink, especially in the summer.

Review of good beaches for swimming on the lake

In addition to excursion and ecological tourism, another type of recreation is popular on Lake Teletskoye - beach. Swimming in one of the most beautiful lakes in Altai is a great pleasure.

South coast

The southern coast is famous for its wide sandy coastline. Here you can find everything your heart desires: hot golden sand, where you can lie down and sunbathe, clean clear water and amazingly beautiful views of the hilly surroundings. The beach line is long, so even during the peak tourist season it will not be difficult to find a secluded corner.

Cape Kyrsai

• Coordinates: 51.364819, 87.759073.

Cape Kyrsai is located where the Chulyshman River flows into Lake Teletskoye. Its shores are deserted, there are no forests or lush vegetation, only occasionally low bushes and thickets of dry grass are found. Narrow sandy beaches stretch along the water's edge.

Chulyshman is a cold mountain river, but when mixed with the warm waters of the lake, it warms up and becomes suitable for swimming. A visit to the beaches of Cape Kyrsai is not only an opportunity to splash around, but also to admire the impressive views of the blue river and rocky cliffs.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros of rest:

1. Wild pristine nature.
2. Excellent grayling fishing in the valley (free!).
3. Gorgeous sandy beach.
4. Peace of Mind: Sometimes it’s so nice to be in a place where there is no connection.

Disadvantages of rest:

1. The infrastructure is not developed, there is no cellular communication.
2. There are no tire shops, repair shops, or gas stations.
3. Dangerous roads and passes.

If you have not yet chosen where you will live and want to save money when booking, we recommend using the RoomGuru service. Firstly, it contains hotels, apartments and guest houses from many different booking systems, so you won’t miss out on a worthwhile option. Secondly, you can immediately compare prices for one place in different services and book where it is cheaper (this is not always Booking!).

Beach

The beach with a large coastal sandy area is the pride of the lake on the southern side, since there are no such wide shores on the northern side. There are many sunbathers here, some of whom also take water treatments. When you overheat in the sun, you involuntarily feel drawn to the water.

At the base near the Katu-Yaryk pass, we also found a place for swimming (a small inlet from Chulyshman next to the bathhouse right at the base).

It is dangerous to swim in the mountain river itself - the current is very stormy, and only kayakers and rafters - professional athletes - can be found there.

Inexpensive holiday on Lake Aya

The reservoir is located among majestic rocks, in a mountain basin in the Lower Katun region. Many Altai guests come here every year. The popularity of the lake is explained by its transport accessibility, warm water and developed tourist infrastructure. Aya is replenished by melt and spring waters; rivers do not flow into it. In summer it warms up to +22–25 degrees, which attracts swimmers. On the shores of the lake and in its surroundings there are several dozen recreation centers and sanatoriums of different price categories.

"Olympus"

Located near the Katun River, 2.5 km from the lake. And I. Accommodation in “standard” and “comfort” rooms; an area is allocated for a tent camp. There is a shared kitchen, cafe, bar, barbecue area, outdoor swimming pool, sauna, playground, jet ski and boat rental. Cost 300–3000 rubles/day.

E-mail address:

Contact number. Coordinates 51.921619, 85.829061.

Recreation center Olimp

"Shambhala-K"

Located on the banks of the Katun in a secluded place, on the slope of a mountain surrounded by forests. Lake 500 m from the base. Accommodation in summer houses and comfortable cottages. There is a shared kitchen, Russian baths, a children's playground, a billiard room, and a climbing wall. There are excursion services, rental of bicycles and sports equipment. Horseback riding is organized. Accommodation price 350–2000 rubles/day.

E-mail address:

Contact phone numbers,.

Coordinates: 51.898923, 85.85802.

Shambala-K

"Rainbow Coast"

Located 3 km from Lake Ai near the Katun River. Accommodation in summer houses and comfortable cottages. There is a dining room, cafe, barbecue area, bathhouse, swimming pool, sports and children's playgrounds. There is a library and rental of tourist equipment. Excursions are organized. Accommodation 500–1000 rubles per day.

Phone: 8-903-074-01-41.

Coordinates: 51.923577, 85.824924.

"Wild Coast"

Located 300 m from the lake. Guests are accommodated in comfortable rooms. There is a summer cafe and rental of catamarans and bicycles. There is a private pier, water slides, barbecues, board games, and a first-aid post. Fishing and excursions are organized. Price 600–1950 rubles/day.

Email:

Contact numbers: 8 (983) 608-92-95.

Coordinates: 51.906043, 85.851075.

Rainbow Coast

Golden Lake

For a long time, scientists could not understand the nature of the origin of the lake. Some argued that it was formed as a result of tectonic movements, others that it was formed by a glacier. Only in the 60s, as a result of detailed geophysical research, it became clear that the tectonic hypothesis was correct. The formation of the depression took about one million years. By geological standards, this is quite a bit. For comparison: the formation of Baikal took 20 million years! It is surprising that an underwater ridge about 200 meters high runs through the central part of the lake.

Teletska delicacies

In ancient times, Turkic Teles tribes lived on the shores of the lake - hence the name given to it by Russian pioneers. This happened when in 1633 a detachment of Omsk Cossacks led by Pyotr Sobansky came ashore. At that time, local residents called it Altyn Kol - Golden Lake. According to legend, a hungry young man found a nugget of gold on the shore, but the year was so bad that he was unable to exchange it for food. Out of despair, the young man threw the nugget into the lake, jumped after it and drowned. After this, the lake began to be called “Golden”.

Extreme diving

Diving is much more commonly associated with diving into the abyss of the kingdom of Neptune somewhere in hot tropical countries. However, this interesting type of recreation is very common on high mountain lakes. Here it allows you to experience a completely different atmosphere and plunge into the abode of mysterious darkness, creating a feeling of mysticism and mystery. Dive tourism attracts many, but even professionals consider Teletskoye a special lake, arguing that it is not open to everyone. Diving here is more difficult and dangerous, which is due to the temperature of the water in the high-mountain lake and the terrain features. Therefore, it is better to organize such trips through diving centers, for example, in Barnaul or Novosibirsk.

In Altai, the most popular destination for this extreme type of recreation and spearfishing is the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye. Ice diving is also highly valued by professionals. Diving under the winter ice shackles allows you to feel the contrast of a charming extravaganza of light and transparent ice with inky darkness, as if squeezed into a ring of inaccessible rocks and mysterious caves.

Weather on Lake Teletskoye

The climate in the valley is continental, but it is softened by foehns - warm winds characteristic of this area. Also, air currents reign here, called by local residents “Verkhovka” and “Nizovka”. The first come from the south and bring with them clear weather and warming temperatures. The second ones come from the north, hitting the coast with squalls and downpours. During a storm, the waves rise to a height of 3–4 meters, but such strong waves on the lake usually last no longer than an hour. The weather is changeable, with sharp temperature changes throughout the day.

On the northern coast, up to 1000 mm of precipitation falls per year, on the southern coast it is 1.5–2 times less. The temperature regime also differs in different areas - in the south the average annual indicators are +4 degrees, while in the north they do not rise above zero.

In certain areas of the coast and in the valley of the Chulyshman River, hair dryers create a unique microclimate for Altai: apricots, grapes, and pears grow and bear fruit on the mountain terraces. In July, off the southern coast, the water temperature reaches +17–20 degrees. In other places, the temperature of the upper layers does not exceed +10–15, and below the hundred-meter mark - no more than +4. Summer sees the most precipitation, but the rains are short-lived and the sky clears quickly. In the off-season, strong squally winds and surf often stop all navigation.

Where to stay: camp site, camping, guest house

On the north shore. The villages of Yogach and Artybash. During the trip, you can stop in Yogach or Artybash - villages located at the confluence of Lake Teletskoye and the Biya River. There are a lot of mini-hotels, recreation centers, guest houses and other options. The last comfortable accommodation was near the Third River waterfall, about 6 km east of Artybash. Then the main cordons begin: Baigazan, Kamga. The exception is the guest house in the village of Yaylyu. If you go down from Artybash along the western bank, then 15 km from it is the last housing at the Estyuba waterfall, at the recreation center of the same name.

On the south coast. Several tourist centers and campsites are located at the southern end of the lake, at the confluence of the Chulyshman River.

Eastern Shore. On the eastern shore, there are only tents and rare cordons for accommodation: Kokshi and Chelyush (approximately in the center of the lake), Bele and Chiri cordons (closer to the southern part).

There will be no shortage of offers and all you have to do is choose an overnight stay according to your liking and capabilities - from a simple summer house to a hotel complex with a full package of services. There are both winter and summer accommodation options. In the villages of Yogach and Artybash there are shops, an ATM, pharmacies, and cafes.

There is also no shortage of excursions and leisure activities here. Every day will be filled with impressions, and in the evening you can relax, sit by the fire or take a steam bath!

How to get to Baikal?

Before you come to Baikal with tents and make a fire, you need to get to it; you can learn about all the paths and routes to Lake Baikal from a separate article, completely devoted to the question of how to get to Baikal. I know that most tourists already know everything, but there are also people who are coming here for the first time and have no idea where to start, rest assured, this article will help you decide!

And of course, I forgot about the most important thing, which is very closely intertwined with this article - a tent, a sleeping bag and a thermos. For those tourists who have not yet decided how to choose a tent, as well as how to choose a sleeping bag and a high-quality thermos for tea, be sure to read a detailed article about the correct choice of a tourist tent and its accessories.

How to get to Altai?

I’ll now tell you how to get to Altai; you will read about the prices of air tickets and where to buy them inexpensively below. You can get there in two ways: by train and plane, from Barnaul airport or train station we get there by car or bus.

In principle, the cost of the trip and the flight are the same, if you like trains, then I advise you to buy train tickets through the Tutu.ru service, it’s faster and cheaper. We try to book a train ticket no later than one month before the holiday.

Next, we need to take a regular bus to the bus station, here we change to a route that will take you to the Altai Mountains and other vacation spots.

Buses from the bus station leave every 60 minutes, the approximate travel time is 4 hours. 45 minutes.

If you decide to leave from Biysk, then the bus station here is located next to the railway station, so you don’t have to run. In Gorno-Altaisk we boldly look for drivers with cars and drive to the desired vacation spot. The approximate cost of travel is 1300 rubles, do not forget to bargain.

Also during the tourist season you can get on buses from tour companies that have free seats.

For extreme tourists, from Barnaul airport you can get to the Altai Mountains by helicopter; you can rent it right at the arrival point.

People

The locals are calm. For example, a very strong wind rose and the window in the dining room broke in front of us. The owner calmly turns to her worker and says: “When there is time, clean it up.” Even the men had a reaction like “What a tornado!” The women generally screamed. So much for the mentality of the mountains – the very calm and serenity. The slowness is striking: by the time the soup is served in the dining room, it will cool down.

Along the road the villages are small, with a population of about 30-50 people.

About halfway to the lake, we passed a village where local men were lying on the ground in the street of almost every house. We wanted to help, but then we realized that they were drunk. As we were later told, Altaians have a genetic intolerance to strong alcoholic drinks. Russian vodka, even in small doses, knocks them off their feet. Interesting, but true.

Where to relax in Altai inexpensively

Tourists from all over Russia and Europe come here. It is convenient to get to Barnaul, Biysk or Gorno-Altaisk by train or plane. Buses depart regularly from these cities to resort areas. It is advisable to book accommodation in advance - in the summer there is always an influx of travelers in these parts. The most economical option is hostels, camp sites and guest houses. Those who have experience living as “savages” come with tents.

Accommodation in boarding houses and tourist complexes is attractive due to the availability of amenities and organized excursions. A large selection of bases will allow every guest of Altai to find something he can afford. Travelers staying in the private sector will have to take care of their leisure time on their own.

The most visited corners of Altai:

• lake And I;
• Manzherok;
• lake Teletskoye;
• Chemal;
• Belokurikha.

Local Legends

There are many beautiful legends about Lake Teletskoye. For example, there is a story telling about its origin. A long time ago, a mighty guy named Sartykpai lived in these parts. He was a good hunter, he succeeded in everything, but there was no peace in his soul, because he always heard the rivers crying, imprisoned in the rocks.

Sartykpai decided to pave the way for them and pierced the stones with his finger. This is how the Chulyshman River arose. He drew a line in the mountains, and the Bashkaus River flowed. But the other captives continued to cry and ask for help. Sartykpai thought and thought for three days, and meanwhile kept his index finger in the Artybash valley. During this time, Lake Teletskoye flowed into the hollow.

Another legend explains the local name of the reservoir. According to folk tales, one day a poor man found a gold nugget and hid it, hoping to get rich. But soon famine came to his tribe, all the livestock died out and the grass dried up. When all the food in the yurt ran out, the man took the gold and began offering his neighbors to exchange food for it.

But everyone was just as hungry, and no one wanted to give the last meat for gold. The man felt terrible grief, climbed Mount Altyntu, threw the gold into the water, and then rushed there himself. Since then, this lake has been called Altyn-Kol - “golden”.

How to get there

For lovers of active tourism and all those who have vacationed on the northern side of the Golden Lake of Altai more than once, I would advise visiting its southern part. The journey, of course, is longer, rarely does anyone get there in one day from Barnaul (after all, it’s 807 km), but we once covered this path.

There are two ways to get there.

By car

By SUV from Barnaul to Cape Kyrsai through the Chulyshman Valley to the village of Balykcha. Yes, in an SUV, maybe even in a SUV, but under no circumstances risk going on such a difficult voyage in a sedan. The fact is that several small rivers flow into this mountain river. And, since there is no infrastructure at all, there are no bridges across them.

Of course, sometimes these rivers can be crossed with any car, but after precipitation falls, a flood occurs and even UAZs do not always risk driving through there without first examining the landscape of the bottom ford.

The route to Lake Teletskoye (Barnaul - Balykcha village) is as follows:

• Barnaul - Aya, then along the Chuysky tract to the bridge to Tashanta (you will see this sign, you don’t have to turn right away, after a few kilometers there will be a new bridge in the same direction).
• Aya - Seminsky. The pass is the easiest along this route and can be overcome easily at low speeds. But a serviceable engine is the first condition for even this climb in the Altai mountains.
• Seminsky pass - Chike-Taman pass. This climb is complicated, but all the interesting things await the traveler ahead.
• Chike-Taman - Aktash village. The road is asphalted, sometimes curves, but there are no particularly dangerous places. Behind Chike-Taman other, more rocky and high mountains begin. Yes, this is a completely different Mountain Altai than from Aya to Chemal.
• Aktash village - Ulagan village. After Aktash, the roads end, or rather, the “off-road” begins. There are many dangerous places where it is difficult for two cars to pass each other. It’s especially scary to meet locals in trucks: they rush as if across plains. At these moments we stopped, clinging to the rock - let them go, since they were in a hurry. The Ulagan Pass itself is not difficult and not dangerous; an asphalt road is still sometimes found.
• Ulagan village – Katu-Yaryk pass. From Ulagan, follow the direction to Balyktuyul (the village is small, but there are signs). Next, it’s better to ask the locals: where to turn to Katu-Yaryk. There are no signs for the pass, but if you stick to the widest road, you will get there. We printed out a map from the Internet and moved along it, I was the navigator.
• Katu-Yaryk pass - Cape Kyrsai or the village of Balykcha (they are located in the south of Teletskoye). The main task of the tourist is to go down from this pass and not burn the brake pads. The length of the extreme zigzag route is almost 4 km, the height is about one km (892 m). Along the road you have to turn first one way, then the other, a total of 9 times. The last descent is the steepest, and this is where the brakes of the cars come off. Some tourists stop in special “pockets” to cool the pads, others move at reduced speeds. But, in any case, movement is dangerous.

From the Foot of Katu-Yaryk to Lake Teletskoye it is less than 100 km, but the road is bumpy, so you have to drive slowly, sometimes reducing the speed to 20-40 km/h so as not to leave the suspension in the valley. This is the legendary Chulyshman Valley.

By bus

The second way is how out-of-town tourists get there - by bus from Barnaul to Gorno-Altaisk, then by bus from Gorno-Altaisk to Aktash. There they hire locals in SUVs for a decent fee, and they take them to the Chulyshman Valley to Lake Teletskoye, to the village of Balykcha. There are always people who want to earn extra money. While you are looking for a “tour guide” for extreme sports, you can find accommodation in the village on the website.

Bus schedule for a given route:

As you can see from the bus schedule, you will have to spend the night in Gorno-Altaisk. You can find housing on Avito.

Interesting facts and misconceptions

Many people mistakenly believe that Lake Teletskoye is located in the Altai Territory (the administrative center is Barnaul, the code of the subject of the Russian Federation is 22). In fact, the reservoir is located in the region neighboring the region - the Altai Republic (code 04), the capital of which is Gorno-Altaisk. The cities are connected to each other by the federal highway R-256 “Chuysky Trakt” (distance about 260 km).

The official name of Lake Teletskoye appeared about 400 years ago and is associated with the indigenous population of this territory - the Telesy people, direct descendants of the ancient Turks. The local Altai toponym – Altyn-Kol (“golden lake”) is also common. From the Scythian-Sarmatian era, another “speaking” name has come down to us - Yachavarai (“lake of five shores”).

The great depth of the reservoir is explained by its tectonic origin. A huge narrow basin was formed as a result of a strong fault and shift of the earth's crust during the Paleozoic. Geological studies have shown that the final coastline and complex bottom topography were formed in several stages under the influence of moving glaciers.

Within the framework of tourism marketing, there are many scientifically unconfirmed stories about the uniqueness of a particular waterfall, bay, coastal cliff, or peak. A real exclusive of Lake Teletskoye, which cannot be seen anywhere else, is the black taiga in the gorge of the Oyrok River.

According to reviews and photographs left by visitors to the reservoir, the sandy beach of the Koksha River (the eastern bank in the area of ​​Cape Cherlock) takes the lead among all the picturesque places. The most majestic and impressive waterfall is Bolshoi Shaltan (the height of the fall of the jet is over 20 meters), which is located in the depths of the Kamginsky Bay. The deepest place of Lake Teletskoye is located in the southern reach near the L-shaped bend (the mouth of the Bolshaya Korbu river).

The southeastern coast is constantly exposed to the warm influence of the winds of the Chulyshman Valley, which makes the climate in this place the mildest in all of Western Siberia. Even in winter there are rarely frosts below -8-10 °C. Along with Chulyshman, the lake receives water from another 70 medium and small rivers, but gives rise to only one water artery - the Biya, which after 300 km connects with the Katun and forms the Ob (7th largest in the world in terms of length).

Symbol of Altai

This is one of the rare places on Earth where an unexplored region of wild nature and unique natural resources opens up, located just a few steps from the busy Chuysky tract. Here tourists discover a huge number of rare species of flora and fauna, interesting traces of ancient civilization in the form of ancient steles, burial mounds, rock petroglyphs and other historical and archaeological monuments, harmoniously intertwined with the natural landscape. The panorama of the largest lake in the region is also quite impressive. Lake Teletskoye, spread among high mountains and surrounded on all sides by taiga, is traditionally called the symbol of Altai. It is part of the Altai State Nature Reserve and is included by UNESCO in the List of World Heritage Sites. By the way, the lake ranks second after Baikal in terms of volume of unusually clean fresh water. Teletskoye is often called small Baikal due to its development features.

Yailyu village

On the map of Lake Teletskoye, the small village of Yailyu is located on the right bank, opposite the L-shaped bend (GPS coordinates 51.769091, 87.603329). Belongs to the territory of the Altai State Biosphere Reserve. It is one of the few places (except Artybash and the southern tip) with free access to the reservoir. Has its own solar power plant. It is distinguished by a unique terraced relief.

It is located some distance from Artybash (about 30 km), which is enough to choose this beautiful protected village as a quiet and peaceful place for a recreational and tourist holiday. It has a significant number of guest yards for renting inexpensive, comfortable housing for every taste and period. It is possible to rent various equipment and boats for excursions, walks, and fishing.

Attractions

The Artybash ski complex is located in a place in Altai where you can get acquainted with new sights every day of your holiday.

The most popular of them:

• GEYSER LAKE. The springs gushing from the bottom of the lake constantly change the pattern of its surface, which is impressive and fascinating. From Artybash you can walk to the lake in 15 minutes along a wooden boardwalk;
• TELETSKOYE LAKE. You can admire the lake not only from the shores, but also by taking a boat excursion with a stop at the waterfalls and Stone Bay (spring - autumn);
• KORBU WATERFALL. One of the largest on the territory of Lake Teletskoye, the area nearby has been improved. There is a cafe, toilet, souvenir shops;
• GORNO-ALTAI MUSEUM. The museums have ethnographic, natural and historical collections, a hall with an Altai princess and a separate atrium with sculptures and a dwelling;
• TEMPLE OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIST PATMOS. Located in the center of the village of Chemal, in the ancient temple there are many ancient icons and a special atmosphere of spirituality is felt;
• TAVDINSKIE CAVES. Those who love unusual sensations should visit them; from the upper branches of the caves there is a panoramic view of the Katun River;
• CHEMAL HYDROELECTRIC PLANT. By visiting the hydroelectric power station, you can get an inside look at the process of generating electricity using water;
• KAMYSHLI WATERFALL. The shortest route to it runs through the Tsarskaya Okhota camp site;
• MOUNTAIN "BELUKHA". The highest point of the Altai Mountains with an excellent climate, unique flora and unforgettable views of the nearby plains and ridges;
• Republican Museum of Local Lore named after. V.A. Anokhina. A modern museum with spacious halls, installations, and luxurious decorations.

A little history

The local population prefers to call Lake Teletskoye (Altai Territory) Lake Altyn-Kel, which translated from the Altai language means “Golden”. This name is associated with a very interesting legend that the residents of the village of Iogach told me. According to history, one Altai man threw a piece of gold into the water out of despair. That's it in short. The modern toponym appeared about 400 years ago. The area where Lake Teletskoye is located in Altai was previously inhabited by a people who have now disappeared - the Teles.

Mythical lake bottom

Altyn-Kol (Teletskoye, Altai Republic) rightfully ranks fourth in Russia in terms of its depth. Indeed, the maximum depth of Lake Teletskoye is 325 meters.

Its bottom is shrouded in mystery and has attracted researchers for many years. The temperature at the bottom of Teletskoe in Altai fluctuates at 3-4 degrees. Even the fish that live there do not go deeper than the hundred-meter mark.

But what is going on in the depths of Lake Teletskoye in Altai? If you want to know this about Lake Teletskoye, Wikipedia is unlikely to help you. We must go “to the people.” During our folklore practice, we met a man who helped Belgian scientists during the expedition. According to him, divers diving below 150 meters told incredible things. At the bottom, they encountered a chilling fact: the undecomposed bodies of people and animals floated there. Who knows whether this is true or an attempt to make fun of young philologists. In fact, the legend of the “standing dead” is very popular among the population of the surrounding villages. One version talks about the warriors of Genghis Khan who decided to cross a mountain lake to the other side. From the cold water they instantly became numb and drowned; to this day they stand at the bottom of Lake Teletskoye, untouched by time.