The Best of Altai7 Days | Barnaul, Biysk, Polevodka, Srostki, Manzherok, Sky-Blue Katun, Chemal, Lake Teletskoye, Kaimskoye, Belokurikha

Meeting in Barnaul. Transfer Barnaul - Polevodka (220 km). Excursion to the ethnopark "Altai. History of Russia", where you will see the "White Shaman", the "Main Tambourine of Altai" and the "Golden Baba" - a symbol of the well-being of the local indigenous people. Transfer Polevodka - Srostki, a birthplace of Vasily Shukshin, the famous writer, actor and film director (15 km). Visit to the Shukshin Memorial Museum - Reserve. The museum consists of 3 buildings: the house-museum of Shukshin’s mother, the building of the former school where he studied and the house where the writer spent his childhood. Visit to the mountain Picket, where the annual festival "Shukshin's Readings" is held. Transfer Srostki - Manzherok (100 km). Manzherok is the name of a village, a lake with relict nuts chilim and a ski complex. Accommodation. Ascent by a chair-lift to the Mount Sinyukha (optional at extra cost). Dinner.

Breakfast. Travel to Chemal (90 km), Chemal Hydro-Electric Power Station and Patmos Island – one of the most beautiful places in the Altai Mountains. The only way to the island is through the suspension bridge that connects rocks of the island with the rocks on the bank of the Katun river. There are a restored church commemorating St. John the Evangelist and the monastic cell of St. Makary Altaisky behind which you can see the rock with the indented image of Holy Mother. Another place of interest in Chemal is the Chemal Hydro-Electric Power Station. Walking there you can also see the sources of "live" and "dead" water nearby. In the summer time thrill-seekers are attracted by the "bungee jump". Lunch. Depending on the weather – either a trip to Che-Chkysh mountain area or an excursion to the Museum-Estate of Choros-Gurkin in Anos. Che-Chkysh is a rocky canyon with the waterfalls, which is located in the Valley of Mountain Spirits. From this place, the visitors can observe a magnificent panorama of the Katun river (30 km). The Museum Estate of Choros-Gurkin is a house and a workshop of the artist and ethnographer, the learner of Shishkin, the author of the famous paintings - "Khan Altai", "Lake of Mountain Spirits", "Crown of the Katun". The reproductions of these and other paintings can be found in the museum. Visit to the Village of masters in Askat, acquaintance with the works of local artists and artisans. Transfer Askat - Barangol (25 km). Optional: rafting/motor rafting down the Katun river (at extra cost) with a visit to the Kamyshlinsky waterfall - the left inflow of the Katun river. The waterfall consists of two cascades with the height of 12 m. Transfer Barangol - Manzherok (40 km). Dinner.

Breakfast. Excursion to Sky-Blue Katun (40 km) - the largest tourist center, with an artificial lake for swimming and fishing, restaurants, hotels, ski slopes, an extreme entertainment park, an art gallery, caves and an apiary. Visit to the Tavdinsky Caves (entrance ticket). The Tavdinsky Caves are a mountain ridge, consisting of a large number of caves (about 30) of karst origin. The length of rocks with caves is about 5 km. The entrances to the caves are in steep cliffs, most of which are easily accessible thanks to wooden steps and lightning. Excursion to an apiary, tasting of Altaian honey, sleeping on bee hives. Transfer Sky Blue Katun - Lake Teletskoye (200 km), the biggest lake in Altai and one of the biggest lakes in Russia. The maximal depth of the lake is 330 meters. The official name of the lake – Teletskoe – came from the name of Altai tribe – Teleuts – who lived here years ago. However local people called the lake Altyn-Kol, which means “Golden lake”. Many rivers and streams flow into the lake, but only one river – Biya - flows out. Accommodation. Dinner.

Breakfast. Tour around the lake with a stop at Korbu Waterfall, which is situated at the foothill of the Korbu Range on the territory of the Altai Nature Biosphere Reserve. Waterfall is 12,5 m high (visitor’s tax). Seeing Kishte Waterfall. Walking tour to the Tretya river (depends on the weather). Optional: rafting down the Biya river (extra cost), visit to the Ethno Park in Artybash village and tasting the national cuisine (extra cost). Dinner.

Breakfast. Transfer Teletskoye lake - Gorno-Altaisk (180 km). Visit to the National Museum of the Altai Republic named after Anokhin (entrance ticket). The Museum has large ethnographic collections of Altaian indigenous people and also displays the unique artifact – the mummy of Princess of Ukok. Transfer Gorno-Altaisk - Kaimskoye enclosure for marals (40 km). Getting acquainted with marals breeding. Marals are known for the miraculous properties of their horns (also called pants – nonossified antlers). A bath made with the water extracts of boiled antlers is a health-improving procedure. Pants are a complex of substances created by nature that has huge biostimulating power. Taking such bath and consuming other products made of pants' extract raises body's energy, improves blood circulation, supports anagenesis and accelerates the recovery of muscular tissue after physical exertion as well as slows down the aging process. Positive effect comes after 4-6 baths. Transfer Kaimsloye - Belokurikha (120 km). It is famous for its healing air and radon-enriched springs. Accommodation. Dinner.

Breakfast. Sightseeing tour including a trip to Belokurikha-2 (30 km, serpentine road). Taking a chair lift to the top of Tserkovka Mountain, where you can observe a beautiful panorama of the town (optional at extra cost). Free time, souvenir shopping. Dinner. Visit to the Water World wellness center with a swimming pool with water attractions (hydromassage, aeromassage plateau, cascade showers, geysers, countercurrents, fast and slow river areas), children's area, aqua aerobics, SPA, hammam, Roman thermae, Finnish and Russian saunas (optional at extra cost - from 1000 rub/person).

Breakfast. Transfer Belokurikha - Biysk (80 km) – the town which was built in 18th century under the decree of Peter I. Now Biysk has the status of Science City and is the main gate to the Altai Mountains. We will take a walking tour with the stops at the historical and cultural monuments - Eparch Yard, Museum of the History of the Altai Spiritual Mission (entrance ticket). Founded in 2008, the museum has a collection of over 10,000 exhibits with Oktoikh among them - one of the first printed books in Russia. Published in Moscow in 1618, this book is considered to be the oldest exhibit in the museum. Transfer Biysk - Barnaul (180 km). Walking tour "Old Barnaul" including visit to Nagorny Park, where you can see a panoramic view of the city, visit to banking and Barnaul old promenade street, visit to the museum and restaurant "Gornaya Apteka". End of the program at 20:00 p.m.