Altai Mountains, RussiaAI generated

Altai Mountains

Russia · Altai Republic · 900 m

Short description of Altai Mountains

The Altai Mountains (Алтайские горы) rise in southern Siberia where Russia meets Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, a range of glaciated peaks, larch forest and dry steppe that carries the UNESCO listing Golden Mountains of Altai. The Chuysky Trakt runs the length of it from the Katun valley up onto high open plateau, and most travel here follows that road. Mount Belukha closes the southern end at four and a half thousand metres, sacred to the Altai people and the target of the main treks. Scythian burial mounds and rock carvings sit beside the highway. Winter shuts most of it down.

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Recommended length of stay

Minimum5 days
Optimal7 days
Maximum12 days

Travel seasons at a glance

Best time to visit: June – September

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

All highlights and sightsBeta

  1. Golden Mountains of Altai (UNESCO World Heritage)
  2. Chuysky Trakt through the Katun valley
  3. Lake Teletskoye and its shoreline waterfalls
  4. Kurai steppe and the North Chuya ridge panorama
  5. Mount Belukha base camp trek(Multi-day trip)
  6. Katun river rafting (June - September)
  7. Katu-Yaryk pass and the Chulyshman valley
  8. Multinskiye lakes trek(Multi-day trip)
  9. Kalbak-Tash petroglyphs
  10. Geyser Lake near Aktash
  11. Patmos Island and the Chemal hydro station
  12. Denisova Cave and its excavations
  13. Tavdinskiye caves above the Katun
  14. Karakol valley and the Scythian burial mounds
  15. Maral antler baths on the deer farms
  16. Ukok Plateau and the Pazyryk kurgans(Multi-day trip)

Map view

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