Morning arrival in Barnaul. Meeting at the airport. 

Accommodation at Barnaul hotel (twin rooms). Breakfast in hotel, rest. 

Meeting with guides in the hotel foyer at 13.00 (1 pm). 

Excursion around the central and historical parts of Barnaul. Visit to Altai State Local History Museum. Nowadays museum collection contains more than 150 thousand exhibits; including the world's only model of steam engine, which was invented by Ivan Polzunov in 1763 in Barnaul. Archaeological finds are of special interest, they tell about the history of ancient Altai; as well as home appliances, embodying ethnical and social features of local people, historical and technical (including military remnants), numismatic and mineralogical collections, natural-science collections, representing biodiversity and natural resources of Altai.

Then visit the museum of pharmacy of the Altai mountains. The exhibition includes medical items, glassware, tools for the preparation of medicinal tinctures and pills. In the museum you can also find the production of various biopharmaceutical Altai companies, medicines consisting of the Altai honey, local herbs, sea buckthorn and products of reindeer antlers, which can be purchased.

Accommodation in Barnaul hotel 3*. Breakfast

Morning meeting with the guide at the hotel lobby. Transfer by a comfortable bus through the old town of Altai-Biysk which is the gateway to the Altai Mountains, as well as the start of the main artery - the ancient trade route - Chuyski tract. On the way of our trip we visit the village Manzherok where the lake with the same name and ski-resort are located. The water nut – chestnut, preserved from pre-Ice Age, - grows in this lake. 

After lunch, walk by cableway to the Malaiya Sinukha Mount (1196 m. above sea level). From the top of the hill you can see a beautiful view of the valley Katun and the surrounding villages. Next stop is the spring Arzhan-Suu. Water of the spring is full of silver, copper and other mineral impurities, thus, it can be stored for a long time and helps to regulate metabolic processes in the body. A large gift market is located not far away, so you can buy maps, books, art, items made of cedar.

Move along the river Katun to the Chemal village located in the heart of the Altai Mountains. 

Accommodation in hotel Usadba Kedr in comfortable twin rooms. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. 

Distance 360 km a day

In the morning we organize an excursion 'Chemal walk'. During the tour we will visit Chemal Hydroelectric power station which is located in the southern part of the village. Hydroelectric power is one of the first in the region, built in 1935. Then we go on the “goat trail” along the river Katun to the rocky island Patmos. On the Patmos island we can visit a small church of the femail monastery. Suspension bridge connects the island to the river banks. Next to the temple you can see an image of the Virgin and Child carved in the rock. 

At the end of the day the excursion to the national Altai dwelling-Ail. During the visit of Ail you can experience the atmosphere of 10-13 century, travel back in time and get acquainted with the way of life, traditions, customs, culture, history and pagan religion of Altai nomadic tribes. 

After lunch departure to Oroktoiski bridge to the narrowest and deepest place on the river Katun. On the way we visit the tract Che-Chkysh, take a short climb along the creek to the observation platform where we will see the shaman cave. 

Accommodation in Usadba Kedr. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 85 km a day by bus, 3 km a day on foot

Moving along the ancient trade route - Chuyski tract through its highest point Seminskii pass (1739 m above the sea level) to ethno-park Uch-Enmeck. Then we move to a valley of the Karakol river. 

Accommodation in tourist camp Karakol in four-bed felt yurts or ails. Facilities are on the territory. As for dinner, you will be able to taste traditional cuisine. Archi is cultured milk food which tastes like yogurt; Altai cheese Kurot; Talhan – specially processed wheat mixed with butter and honey in shape of balls. 

Late in the evening at the light of a fire and bright stars you will enjoy a folk program with throat singing and playing national musical instruments. This performance awakes deep personal background, helps to feel the spirit of Altai people, natural devotion, allows to enjoy unsurpassed skills of musicians, some of whom are international festival winners. 

And later, coming back to the ail, you will feel like traveling in a time machine back to ancient times. Before going to sleep, they make a fire in the center of ail and the smoke will go out through a hole on the roof. Ancient Altai household facilities, which decorate the habitation, create a special flavor and a spirit of the time. 

Accommodation in yurts or ails. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 170 km a day by bus

Among natives - Altai people - Karakol Valley is believed to be a sacred place. Whole groups of ancient Tumuli and a great number of rock carvings are situated here.  In the light of natives' traditional culture it is believed that ancient monuments of the valley represent an informational code about laws of the universe. People of the valley differ by its peculiar mentality and believe they are spiritually connected with the nature of this valley. Temple and funerary complexes Tuekty, Bashadara, Boochi, Karakol – where Afanasyev and Karakol people, royal Scythians and warrior Turkic people build their temples and altars, buried their chiefs and priests. 

Ride to Boochi. There are a great amount of archaeological monuments around this place: steles, stone fences, Tumuli with balbals – they are mostly oriented to Uch-Enmek peak. Visit of Bashadar Tumuli that is a special place, a sacral center. Tumuli systematic placing and detection of geomagnetic fields in the area is a clear proof of human stay in this zone. 

Departure to the upper reaches of the Katun and Chyia rivers. On the way we pass Chike-Taman mountain pass (1295 masl). Then visit Kalbak-Tash Hole and see rock paintings – petroglyphs. More than 5 thousand pictures are drawn on the rocky flattened elevation, situated across the valley of Chuya River. They all are carved with stone or metal tools mainly in a dotty way. The most ancient pictures are dated to the 8th century BC. 

Arrival to the tourrist camp Nomad. Accomodation in the four-person Mongolian yurts. Facilities on the territory. Russian banya (bath-house). 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 235 km a day by bus, 1 km on foot

Excursion on the Chuysky Trakt towards the Mongolian border. A magnificent view of the top of the North-Chuisky ridge and highest peaks Actru-Bash (4075 m) and Karatash (3534 m) is offered from a vast intermountain basin.

Hiking to the picturesque Geyser lake on the way back. The lake is the only one of its kind in the Altai - extremely beautiful, clean, non-freezing even in winter, amazingly turquoise in color. 

Underwater geysers that can be found on the lake bed come to life from time to time, throwing a mixture of bluish clay and sand, thus, drawing circles at the bottom. These processes taking place in the mysterious depth are reflected on the lake surface as here you can see the same circles appear. 

Return to the tourist camp. Lunch. Walking in camp vicinities. Russian banya (bath-house). 

Accommodation in yurts. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 100 km a day by bus, 4 km a day on foot

After breakfast you'll make an excursion to Ulagansky District. 

You’ll pass natural monument Red Gates, where the road goes through a narrow passageway between two rocks of reddish color. On the road visit the place Pasyryk with ancient Scythian burial mounds, which were the graves of tribal leaders. Descent from the Katu-Yaryk pass to the Chulyshman River. You will go down to a serpentine road, carved directly on the hillside. On the one hand – a slope, on the other – a break of several hundred meters height. Distance — 3,5 km on foot, luggage by car, altitude 1200 m. The magnificent view of the Chulyshman valley and waterfalls on the other side is offered from the pass. The Chulyshman valley is one of the most beautiful places in Altai and also it is included in the list of Objects of the World Natural Heritage. 

Arrival to the tourist camp Ezen in the Chulyshman Valley, twin houses, facilities on the territory. Russian banya (bath-house). 

Accommodation in tourist camp Ezen. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 120 km a day by bus, 3,5 km on foot

Hiking to the waterfall Kurkure, located on the river, a  tributary of the Chulyshman river, on the opposite side of the camp. Kurkure means “violent" and it reflects completely the nature of the waterfall. It is incredibly powerful, strong though at the same time is defenceless in its natural beauty. The height of the fall is more than 30 meters. People living in the surrounding worship this marvel of nature and consider it to be sacred. Therefore, no cattle can be seen for a few kilometers around! The hiking to the waterfall across the river takes about 3 - 4 hours. 

After the tour, return to the camp. In the afternoon walking around, active outdoor games. Dinner. Russian banya (bath-house). 

Accommodation in tourist complex Ezen. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 6 km a day on foot

Early breakfast. Hiking detour a Karasu river ravine to see a unique natural object – “Stone Mushrooms”. “Stone Mushrooms” is a very interesting natural structure. There are cones rising above the valley on tops of which, as if by magic, huge rocky plates lay. The foundation of the cone is rather friable sandstone. Some “mushrooms” rise above the slope up to 10 meters or even higher. A beautiful view of the valley can be seen from here. Great natural beauty charm every person who could make his way out here. Please, keep in mind that this excursion will require comfortable trekking shoes. 

Come back to the campsite, lunch. 

Move to the Teletskoye Lake to cape Kyrsay. Accommodation at the tourist camp of the same name, twin houses, facilities outside. Russian banya (bath-house). 

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 5 km a day on foot, by bus 90 km

Excursion along the water area of the Teletskoye lake to the northern part by boat. The Teletskoye lake is one of the 20 worlds deepest lakes. Length is 77,7 km. The average width is 2-3 km. Maximal width is up to 5 km. Its area is not large – 223km². However, due to its depth ( the average depth is 175 m, the maximum is 325 m) it contains huge amount (40 km³) of excellent fresh water saturated with oxygen and transparent to the depth of  12-15 meters. About 70 rivers flow into the lake, though 70 % of all water is given by Chulyshman flowing from the south. Giving its waters to the Biya river (98%) the lake feeds the Ob to a considerable extent. On the way we will visit Waterfall Korbu – the most picturesque waterfall in the surroundings of the Teletskoye lake. It is situated on the territory of Altai reserve in 100 meters from the mouth of the Big Korbu river flown into the Teletskoye lake in its eastern part. The waterfall height is 12,5 meters. In the middle of the Teletskoye lake, opposite the waterfall, there is the deepest place – 325 meters. Old Altai legend says that a gold sword of khan Tele fell down exactly at this place and due to this the lake appeared. 

Arrival to the lake's north, lunch in a cafe. Accommodation in a hotel situated at the Biya river. Walking around the village Artybash to the bridge over the river Biya to continue to souvenir shops. There will be an opportunity to purchase honey, local herbs, art, items made of cedar. Dinner in a cafe.

Accommodation in Artibash hotel. Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Distance 80 km a day by boat, 2 km on foot

Departure to Gorno-Altaisk to visit the National museum named after Andrey Anohin. One of its main exhibits, the mummy of “Altai Princess” found on Ukok Plateau, is waiting for you. Lunch in a cafe. Arrival in Barnaul, accommodation in twin rooms. 

Accommodation in hotel 3*. Breakfast, lunch 

Distance 430 km a day by bus

Transfer to the airport of Barnaul. 

Breakfast