Altai

Kucherla - Myushtu – Koni-Airy – Darashkol – Riga-Tourist – Ak-Kem

This trip can be scheduled upon request. The best season is July-August

This route was developed by an experienced guide Sergey Turgenev together with co-guides Serafima Kuropatkina and Michael Hendriks.

The first part of the hike will take us up the river Kucherla to the famous Kucherlinskoye Lake. Then we shall come to the Myushtu glacier, visit the Myushtu and Koni-Airy waterfalls, and finally descend to the picturesque lake Darashkol. In the second part, we will overcome the Riga-Tourist Pass (1B, 2850m/9350ft) and go down to the Seven Lakes valley and further on to the foot of Mount Belukha - Lake Ak-Kem. Here you can see a general map of the route.

The route is unique because it brings together two of the most scenic areas of the Altai Mountains: Kucherlinskoye lake - Ioldo-Airy - Darashkol Lake on one side, and Lake Ak-Kem - Seven Lakes Valley – Mount Belukha - Valley Yarlu on the other. Usually, these two sections are offered as separate trips by our peers on the market.

We tried to make this trip intense and packed with adventure. In terms of terrain, we’ll have mountain rivers, lakes, forests, valleys, moraines, glaciers and snow-capped peaks. The elements of the extreme will include river wades, mountain passes and, if we're lucky, a trip on GAZ-66 – the king of Russian off-road technology. Not forgetting a 17-hour drive from Novosibirsk to Tyungur. If you don’t fall asleep, you may observe a whole region of the Russian Federation from steppes along the Chuisky Trakt (Chuisky highway) to the villages and ails of the Republic of Altai Mountains.

But above all, expect the romance of being in the wilderness: campfires, guitar, tents, tea with herbs and peculiar Russian trekking cuisine, Russian sauna (banya) and good company. And all this with the background of magnificent Altai Mountains, which will provide spectacular shots for any photographer with any equipment and training.

The trip can also be combined with a few days in St.-Petersburg or Moscow.

Day 0

Overnight flight from Moscow or St.-Petersburg to Novosibirsk.

Day 1

Early morning – arrive at Novosibirsk and meet the team. Drive to Tyungur village (about 15-17 hours). Night at the base camp “Vysotnik” in tents or cottages.                                                              

Description of the Novosibirsk – Tyungur drive

Most part of the drive will go via the R-256 highway, known as Chuisky Trakt. This road was initially planned as a trade route connecting Mongolia and Russia. Its construction took 34 years (1901 -1935) and used labor of both paid workers and prisoners.

Chuisky Trakt follows the Katun river. Katun originates from glaciers of Belukha and flows into the river Ob. Its length is 665 km and elevation drop - 1800 m. It has many rapids and attracts rafters from all over Russia.

Srostky is a village famous for its market of honey and its derivatives (especially mead). But its historical value is being the birthplace of a famous Russian writer Vasily Shukshin.

The settlement with a romantic name "Valley of Freedom" stands on a section of the Chuisky Trakt built by women prisoners, which had been promised freedom after completion of construction. That’s how the village got its name.

Seminsky Pass - the highest point of Chuisky Trakt (altitude 2200m/7218ft). It is a kind of boundary between "organized civilized" and "wildly exotic" tourism of the Altai region.

Novosibirsk - Barnaul – Byisk (162 km/101mi) - Srostky (36 km/22 mi) – Valley of Freedom (40 km/25mi) – Maima (15 km/9mi)  – Seminsky Pass (140 km/87mi) – Ust-Koksa (240 km/149mi) – Tyungur (60 km/37mi)

Day 2

After breakfast at the base camp cafe we will repack and get ready for the hike. Anything that is not needed on the route (including a set of clean clothes for the return trip) can be deposited in the base camp office. Camping equipment, food and some amount of personal belongings can be placed on horses (only for the first two days).

Hike from Tyungur along the river Kucherla to a camp at Izekeryu meadow (12 km/7,5 mi, 5-6 hours*). If possible, we’ll cover a part of the hike on a Russian off-road vehicle UAZ. On the way we will see a prehistoric settlement site with petroglyphs on rocks. Camp, dinner and overnight**

*Distances and hiking times are approximate

**All nights are in tents, and cooking is done by the participants (in shifts) on a campfire (unless otherwise indicated).

Day 3

Hike from the Izekeryu meadow up the Kucherla river valley till Kucherlinskoye lake (alt 1786m/5859 ft), 22 km/13,7 mi, 7-8 hours. Camp, dinner, overnight. It is possible to have sauna (banya), if we can negotiate it with the owners.

Day 4

Say goodbye to the horses. From this point on we will carry our belongings by ourselves. 

Moving along the Kucherlinskoye lake, we head to the upper Kucherla river. On the way, near the Burevestnik stream, we’ll leave a part of provisions, gear and personal stuff that we won’t need on the first part of the route, but will require on the second.

Overnight at the upper Kucherla river, at the merging of Myushtu and Koni-Airy streams. 11 km/7mi, 6-8 hours.

Day 5

Hike up the Myushtu stream. We will see the Myushtu waterfall and set up a camp just above it. Afterwards we walk light to the Myushtuairy glaciers. About 3-4 hours to camp.

Day 6

Cross over to the Koni-Airy stream, visit a waterfall with the same name. Then we go over the Nemytsky West pass (1А, ice, 2950m/9678ft) and reach the Upper Kuragan river. This is a long hike, 13 km/8 mi, about 10 hours. Camp, dinner, overnight.

Day 7

From the Upper Kuragan river we go to the Ioldo-Airy Central pass (1А, 2900m/9515ft) and then descend to the beautiful lake Darashkol. Here we set up camp and rest. 12 km/8 mi, about 10 hrs.

Day 8

We spend the day at Lake Darashkol. There is an option to take a walk along the Nemytsky stream to the glacier with the same name, from which it is possible to see the West peak of Belukha and Kapchalsky pass and glaciers. There are also several shallow lakes along the road where it might be possible to swim.

Day 9

We return to the Kucherlinskoe lake and to provisions that we left at the Burevestnik stream. The path follows the Ioldo cascade. We will have to wade several distributaries of the Kucherla river (quite deep and cold, we might need a rope). Camp, dinner, overnight. 10 km/6 mi, 8 hours. 

Day 10

From the camp we start a steep accent to the Blue Lake and further on to Turquoise Lake. There we camp. Cooking will be done on gas stoves. 6 km/4 mi, 8 hrs.

Day 11

The most difficult day. Hike from the Turquoise Lake over Rizhsky pass (no category, snow/scree, 2600m/8530ft) and then Riga-Tourist pass (1B, snow-scree, 2850m/9350ft). Descent to the Seven Lakes valley. Camp, dinner, overnight. 8 km/5 mi, 10-12 hrs.

Day 12

We will take a walk to the Seven Lakes, and then descend to the Ak-Kem lake. Ak-Kem lies at the foot of the highest peak of Siberia – magnificent Mount Belukha. There is a great view of the mountain from the lake (weather permitting). Night at the Ak-Kem camp. Rest, sauna, dinner. Walking time is about 4 hrs.

From Ak-Kem we can try to send unneeded gear and personal belongings to the base camp on horses (if there will be available horses).

Day 13

An extra day in case of bad weather or delay. If we won’t need the extra day en route, we can use it to visit the Yarlu Valley. 

Yarlu Valley is famous among UFO fans, as well as adepts of various meditations and the cult of RIKLA «The Fire of the Unified Cosmos». In the valley’s center there is a substantial boulder with specific markings, surrounded by a whole city of stone pyramids. There are many legends and miracles associated with this boulder. One of them states that it was discovered by a famous Russian artist and philosopher Nicholas Roerich, and marks a border of a territory within which an entrance to the mythical kingdom of Shambhala is concealed. The other borders are defined by two other stones – one in the Himalayas, the other – near lake Baikal. A different version states that the entrance to Shambhala is actually there, in the Yarlu Valley, but it will be revealed only to the chosen ones. And that is why the valley is so often visited by the UFOs (or so they say)…

Apart from the strange legends, Yarlu is famous for its beauty and edelweiss flowers. If we turn again to Nicholas Roerich: “The bluest, the most resonant mountains” (1927, the artist’s diary).

Day 14

Return to Vysotnik base camp along the Ak-Kem river. On this day we must reach “Three Birch Trees” camp. About 17 km/10,5mi, 6-7 hrs. If all goes well, from there we will leave for Tyungur on GAZ-66 – Russia’s best off-road vehicle. This depends on the weather and car’s/driver’s condition.

Day 15

If not, we go over the Kuzuyak pass and by evening reach Vysotnik.  About 13 km/8mi. Farewell dinner, sauna, overnight in tents or cottages.

Day 16

Early morning we leave for Novosibirsk.

Day 17

Morning flight to Moscow of St.-Petersburg. Return home.

Physical requirements for successful completion of the route

This route is suitable for any person leading an active way of life. Previous backpacking experience will be useful, but is not required. Everyday hikes (10 — 20 km/5 – 15 miles) assume normal health and fitness condition. Backpack weight is 10-18 kg/22-40 lbs for ladies and 18-25 kg/40-55 lbs for men. If you have any concerns regarding your level of physique*, please, discuss it with us, and we can try to work out a solution for you (including hiring a porter).

The participants are expected to:

1. Be positive
2. Be open to new experiences and sensations
3. Be patient, ready to help one another and solve all arising issues in a constructive manner
4. Be ready (and able) to go on without the usual comforts (soft bed, hot water, bathroom, familiar food etc.)
5. Help with camp organization and cooking.

*We will have to wade numerous streams and rivers, cross them via suspended logs, walk over scree and talus, climb snow and ice passes. If you are afraid of heights, prone to dizziness, have a notable difficulty with keeping your balance, fear of uncertainty and unconventional surroundings, please, inform us in advance. We would like to make sure that the trip is enjoyable for all participants.

Gear list

If you don’t have a tent, it will be provided by one of the organizers. For the Riga-Tourist pass we might need crampons (simplest, contact strap) and a helmet. Every participant has to make sure that he/she has a warm sleeping bag and mat, warm jacket, water- and windproof clothes, warm layers, sturdy trekking boots and poles. The temperature this time of year varies between +25 C (77 F) during the day and 0 C (32 F) during the night. A detailed gear list is available here.

Cost of the trip

The average cost of the trip (excluding flights) falls between 750 and 850 EUR (850 and 950 USD) and depends on the selected options (accommodation, food etc.) If you are interested in this trip, the next step is your detailed cost calculation.

Please, note that all foreign citizens require a permit to access the border zone (Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan). The permit needs to be ordered at least 60 days before arrival (before the 1st of June). Some nationals will also need a visa for Russia.

The total price will be split into two parts: the amount that must be transferred before the trip (participation can be cancelled at any time, but there would be a 10% cancellation fee), and the amount you will need to have with you to be able to pay de facto.

7 reasons why you should take part in this trip to Altai

1. Lose weight. Detox your body and get in shape
2. There is no mobile connection (or it’s minimal), and you will definitely rest from your work and social networks. In 3-4 days you will start seeing colored dreams!
3. You will have new experiences. At least once every day you will want to exclaim: “Ah,it's so beautiful!”
4. When you’re back home in civilization, things/actions/processes that you have taken for granted before will make you genuinely happy
5. The trip will be difficult and uncomfortable for you (at least to some extent). This is an opportunity to know yourself, find your limits, distinguish the real and important in you and people around you, find the inner harmony (or lack of it). These things are almost impossible in the comfort of everyday routine
6. Your loved ones will not believe what you have seen and been through when you’re back
7. You will meet new people who will become your friends by the end of the trip.

For us Altai is the most beautiful and magical place on Earth. We are always happy to come back there, and we would love to share this happiness with you!

contact@waysofinspiration.com