the altai mountains straddle the border where siberia, mongolia and china meet in the heart of the asian continent. the abundance of wild cascading rivers, remote mountain lakes, and flower carpeted meadows, makes this one of russia's most beautiful ranges. the white, stark faces of the towering mountains shimmer above the verdant, green ridges and valleys. the taiga, siberia's legendary forest, covers the area with a dense, dark, leafy cloak.

the very best time for hiking in altai is july and august. the average temperature is about 25ºC during the day and about 5ºC at night. it rains often in summer during the afternoon but like colorado, extended periods of rain are very uncommon. the wonderful thing is that there are no mosquitoes in the altai forests.

the altai mountains are remote, vast and hundreds of miles removed from any major city. politically the altai is the quietest region of russia. it's almost as though it has been reserved just for adventures.

the vast, fertile region derives its name from the mongol word - altan - meaning "golden". it was the centre of the great nomadic culture in the time of the great khans. the altai is full of fascinating legends, the most intriguing regales the legendary kingdom of shambala, which will, it is said, once again become the birthplace of a future civilization after humanity has destroyed themselves.

wilderness ways has joined with our partners, lenalp tours to bring the following incredible programmes to americans and europeans so that we can all dispel the "evil empire" myths of the 50's and 60's and discover that the centre of what was once the great russian, socialist empire is as pristine and beautiful as it was aeons ago.

these programmes are handpicked to show you the very best that there is in altai and enables us all to enjoy the scenery and wildlife that abounds in this unspoilt region.

we urge you to take this opportunity to explore this region now whilst the russian exchange rate is low in comparison with the dollar, the pound and the deutsche mark. you will also be at the forefront of the tourism trend and see the area before it becomes a little more populated by tourists. unfortunately all areas of natural beauty eventually become tourist attractions but with sensible management, the visitors can be educated to leave as little impact as possible. hiking is one of those activities that can keep the natural beauty in tact and create as little disturbance to the ecological balance as is possible.

these tours are available to groups of 4 or more. if you have a group of 8 or more and would like to be guided by gordon and or angela on one of these trips we can arrange for this at an extra charge per person.

day 1

arrive in barnaul. a representative of lenalp tours will meet you at the airport. travel by bus to reach the base camp vysotnik which is situated in a picturesque spot on the shore of the katun river, near the village of tiungur. a russian sauna and welcome dinner will relax you after your journey.

note: the vysotnik tourist camp is owned by lenalptours. it includes wooden buildings built in the russian style - 2 storey hostel, canteen, sauna and administrative houses. there is also a sports ground and small tourist equipment rental centre. clothes and items not needed for the trek can be left at the check room. all meals are served at a set time. all in all you will be well catered to.

day 2

rest day at the base camp.

day 3

today we start hiking. we journey through the village of kucherla , which is the last populated locale on our way to the mountains. we follow the path through forest. there are plenty of mushrooms, berries, different kinds of trees and grasses along the way. there is also a very good chance of coming across the wildlife of the region, including deer and hares. today we also have to go over the kuzuyak pass (1513m). the pass isn't high but the hiking is testing. we eventually make our camp on a wide meadow on the shores of the ak-kem river.

day 4

today we walk along the banks of the ak-kem river. the mountain path is hidden in the forest. the river derives it's name "ak-kem" from altayan language and means "white water". the path we take is varied and crosses talus and scree fields making good high ankle boots essential. from our camp we have a superb view of the tekeliu waterfall.

day 5

the distance we walk today is fairly short. the landscape changes from taiga - deep siberian forest - to wooded tundra. today we reach our second base camp (2000m) where we stay for a couple of days. the camp has a canteen, sauna and a traditional altai building called an "ail" (a type of wooden yurt.)
the camp is dominated by mt. belukha (4506m.) - the highest mountain in siberia. this is huge snowy mountain massif. the scenery is mesmerising and it is almost impossible to tear oneself away from it.

day 6

this morning we have time to relax. we take an easy day-hike to the yarlu valley. it is unusual because of its brightly coloured slopes. we also make a stop at a meadow of edelweiss - filling the air with a wonderful smell of honey. there is also a spacedrome for ufo's in the yarlu valley so watch the skies closely...after our hike we return to base camp at the ak-kem lake for dinner.

day 7

we have an excursion to the ak-ojouk valley which is famous for its seven lakes. each of the lakes has its own individual colour and character.

day 8

it is impossible to resist the attraction of snowy massif of mt.belukha, today we get closer to it as we hike up to the ak-kem glacier.

day 9

today we leave our base camp 2 and start the second part of our trekking. we will have to work harder and climb up the karatiurek pass (3060m). the descent from the pass is steep and crosses talus and scree slopes again. after crossing the pass we are in the kucherla valley which looks so sunny and inviting after the narrow ak-kem valley. the descent along the tekeliushka river has superb views of many small canyons. we make camp at the mouth of the tekeliushka river.

day 10

we continue to descend along the banks of the kucherla river. our camp place is situated close to the unique monument to the past: rocks with petroglyphs (ancient rock paintings). we also visit the altar stones where sacrifices to the shamaan gods were made.

day 11

today we return to our base camp at vysotnik, from where we started our trek. we have the opportunity again to soak in the sauna, and unpack our backpacks.

day 12

free day. we can also take short walks, relax and explore the area around the base camp. souvenirs of altai herbs, honey, etc. are on sale at the camp.

day 13

travel by bus from the base camp to the city of barnaul. overnight at a hotel. next morning ­ time to say our goodbyes and fly back to moscow and our onward connections. lay overs in moscow can also be arranged for you.

hiking conditions
grades of skill levels for adventure trips are different in different countries. in the altai mountains the hiking is of a moderate grade. it requires no special skills but you should be in good health and be able to walk between 8 to 18 km. (5 to 11miles) per day on mountain paths. normally the participants carry their backpacks with their own belongings plus 2-3 kg of common articles (lunch-packet, tents). it is possible to make the trekking easier by hiring horses for luggage transportation or riding, that leaves the participants to carry only their small day packs.

meals
3 meals a day throughout the trip are included (except dinner in barnaul on day 13). in the base camps at vysotnik and ak-kem lake - meals are taken in the canteen. during the trek, meals are prepared by the guide or cook and assisted by members of the trip.

essential equipment to bring with you

sleeping pad, 3 seasons sleeping bag, 3 seasons jacket, hat (for sun and cold), good lightweight high-ankle hiking boots, waterproofs (clothing and boots), backpack. any special snack that you like to chew on (no shops to buy powerbars!). most essential is your sense of fun and humour.

price per pax:
group 4-6 pax $655
group 7-9 pax $630
group 10 and more $599

the price includes:
accommodation at vysotnik base camp and base camp 2 at ak-kem lake, sauna
full board during the altai trip
english-speaking guide
cook (for a group more than 10 pax for less than 10 you elect a cook from your party!)
bus transfer barnaul ­ tiungur ­ barnaul (with picnics on the way)
overnight at the hotel in barnaul.

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY AIRFARES