Golden Mountains of Altai is amazing natural complex, separating Siberia and Central Asia. Pure turquoise lakes, picturesque slopes, generously covered with conifers, noisy waterfalls, wide rivers, velvety green meadows and snow-capped high mountains are the wealth of the Mountain Altai. Here is not only geographical borders of Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan, but also history, culture, ways of life of many peoples.
Nature of the Altai Mountains are not just diverse, but it is extremely contrasted. Boreal forests are quickly replaced by dry steppes, low hills and mountains changes to snow-capped peaks. Rivers and lakes have colors depending on season. There are not many places in the world with such a contrasted combination of different landscapes in small area.
The Altai Mountains have been listed in the World Heritage of UNESCO under the name «Golden Mountains of Altai».
A variety of nature has considerably affected on the culture and religion of the indigenous population of Mountain Altai. Altai has been passed by many peoples: the Scythians, Huns and Turks which had been leaving traces of their cultures. Mountain Altai is called an outdoor museum.
Belukha Mountain is the highest peak of Siberia. The two-headed mountain has a height of 4506 meters, and its top is covered with eternal snows. Locals consider it is sacred mistress of the Altai, tourists who have once visited here are eager to return.
Ukok Plateau is unique World Heritage site for its historical and cultural sides. It is a place of excavation of Altai princess (Princess of Ukok), a world-famous mummy founded in 1993. Ukok plateau is important environmental treasure where live many endangered species including snow leopard.
Chuya highway is the traffic arterial of the Altai Territory. It is ranked fifth in the list of tenth most beautiful roads in the world.
Teletskoe lake is a pearl of Altai Mountains, located in a tectonic fault, a huge reservoir of pure, icy even in summer spring water. Yet it looks like a Norwegian Fjord, abandoned in the heart of Asia. Mountain slopes covered with taiga, impassable windbreak of pine, fir, spruce and cedar fall in clear water of Teletskoe Lake.
Altai Mountains is the country of glaciers. There are 1402 glaciers of total area 910 sq. km on the territory of the Altai Mountains. Most of all is near Belukha Mountain. This part of the Altai Mountains is extremely popular among climbers and hikers.
Altai Mountains is the country of caves which quantity comes to 430. Caves are unique natural objects with peculiar underground landscapes, special microclimate, flora and fauna. Mine «Ekologicheskaya» is the deepest cave of Siberia with depth 345 meters.
