Where to relax in winter in Altai? - I get asked this question more and more often. I'm happy about it! Finally, bright thoughts appear in the minds of people. You can relax in Altai not only in summer, but also in winter. Is it interesting? My affirmative answer is Yes!
Of course, you won’t find big mountain hikes, bright horse routes and dizzying rafting trips in winter, but winter Altai is a special world filled with tranquility and beauty. You need to relax in winter for the benefit of the soul, best of all with a family or in the company of true friends.
Now I will give my opinion, based on personal experience. If you live far from Altai, have never been here and you have only two weeks of vacation, then come! I am sure that you need to start exploring this mountainous country when it is warm. If you are a resident of neighboring regions or have been here in summer, then you just need to come to Altai in winter!
Where we go? What are we watching? How much do we pay?
In winter, there are only a few directions for trips around Altai. They are all tied to a warm placement in one way or another. . To be more objective and not to shock you with prices, I am considering a period not related to the New Year holidays. Even for me, the pricing and arrogance of "tour businessmen" in New Year and the next week.
1. Teletskoye lake.
The village of Artybash is a tourist cauldron where everything is mixed up: the beauty of Lake Teletskoye, real sovereigns, delicious food, and, of course, outdoor activities. Winter (exception) new year holidays) this village is empty, prices for accommodation are falling, there are few people.
From entertainment:
Walking tours in the surroundings. You can choose up to 3 interesting places where it is possible to walk and return in a day.
- snowmobiling. Short or long, it all depends on the wallet, but there is such a possibility.
- a trip to the reserved village of Yailu. If you are the owner of your all-wheel drive car, then you can safely go to this remote corner. Or book a tour in advance and go with a group.
- skiing! There is a lot of talk about this, the ski slope is open and working. Everything is not very good there, but as entertainment for one day - it will do. There are rentals of skis, boards and snowtubes.
Siberian bath with an ice hole. If you have never dived into ice water, then you can start this business here.
- winter fishing on the lake. I'm not a fisherman, so I can't go into details.
- photography. The surroundings of the village are a paradise for lovers of winter nature. You will have to walk waist-deep in snow, but it's worth it.
The average check for accommodation, meals - 1300 rubles. / day per person.
The distance from Barnaul is 420 km.
2. Seminsky pass
Automobile pass at an altitude of 1800 meters. A cult place for the local population and a good place for a relaxing holiday. There are not a lot of bases here, more precisely, there are only a couple of them here. There are very few people.
From entertainment:
Cross hike to Sarlyk peak. In winter, a dubious pleasure, but especially desperate people go on snowshoes or skis. You can also go snowmobiling.
- skiing. Everyone knows the place for skiing or snowboarding. The trails are medium length, suitable for beginners and "cautious" riders. In general, for those who are used to riding without fuss and fear of being knocked down.
- photography. I’ll probably stop writing this paragraph already, for me this lesson is the first ...
Average check for accommodation and meals - 1500 rubles / day per person
Distance from Barnaul 370 km.
3. Chemalsky district, with. Chemal
A popular summer anthill. Which in winter turns into an almost peaceful place. There is a reason for this. There is nothing to do here. It is worth going here only if you have your own car. To the sights you need to drive another 20 - 60 km.
From entertainment:
Auto excursion by private transport to the Tykdelpensky bridge. It's hard to pronounce the name, but it's actually a beautiful place. The narrow canyon of the Katun River, huge ice hummocks, cool. Along the way, you can make stops at a couple of attractive places and you should definitely go to observation deck near the Chechkysh valley.
Hiking in the surroundings. Well, what else is there to do? You can go to the former hydroelectric power station on the Chemal River, to the island of Patmos, climb one of the surrounding peaks and look at the world from above.
- walking tour to Karakol lakes. This is an exclusive. Not for all. And officially, almost no one distributes such an offer in winter.
Average check for accommodation and meals - 1600RUB/day per person
The distance from Barnaul is 340 km.
4. Belokurikha
The resort city, which bears the title of "Best Resort of Federal Importance", starting in my opinion from 2012. That says it all.
It is expensive and rich, but nevertheless there is something to do for a budget tourist.
From developments:
Sanatorium-resort treatment and rest. For every taste. People come here for a long time and almost always come back. This is also screamed by statistics, the occupancy rate of many sanatoriums is consistently above 80%.
- skiing. Perhaps one of the very first ski slopes in Altai is located in Belokurikha. The tracks are not big, but their quality is at a good level.
Walks in the surroundings. There is where to walk, including specially equipped routes. You can keep yourself occupied for a couple of days walking.
- Excursion to the "Swan Reserve". A trip for the whole day to Lake Swan, in the neighboring region of Belokurikha - Sovetsky. An amazing place where wild swans have been flying for wintering for more than 30 years. The number of birds is amazing, and their cries can be heard even a couple of kilometers from the lake.
- Excursion to the "Siberian Compound". A huge platform on which there is a hippodrome, equestrian, poultry yards, a museum with old agricultural utensils, etc. But it’s not interesting to come here separately, it’s better to wait for some, which, by the way, take place here almost every weekend.
Aquapark. There is such a miracle in a distant Siberian city. Entertainment for one day.
Average check for accommodation and meals - 2500RUB/day per person
The distance from Barnaul is 230 km.
I conclude my thought and summarize.
Perhaps someone will say that I have told and shown little. Yes, it's true, Altai is huge, I'm sure that everyone who comes here will find a place to their liking. My story was about the most popular and affordable destinations.
Winter is not a reason to refuse to travel, especially since you will be sheltered and fed almost everywhere, but for your money =)
Rest in Altai has become more and more popular lately. Every year people are more and more eager to touch the untouched nature and this is commendable.
Picturesque landscapes of Altai
Every year this place is visited by hundreds of thousands of Russian and foreign tourists. Here you can choose a tour according to your preferences.
Having visited Altai once, many come back here again to breathe in the purest mountain air, enjoy the picturesque landscapes.
In the mountain range located in the center of Asia, unique natural resources are concentrated: swift rivers and lakes with clear water, dry steppes, jagged mountains, fabulous meadows and impenetrable taiga.
This piece of land has been attracting travelers for several thousand years. Some kind of inexplicable magic is felt in these places.
But despite the seemingly wild nature, there are all conditions for active winter holiday.
In the heart of the Altai Mountains lies the Lost Land. The Ukok Plateau, on which it is located, is included in the UNESCO List.
In translation, "Ukok" means "Word of Heaven", local residents believe that in this place the road to the higher spiritual world opens.
The plateau gained world fame after the discovery of the body of a Scythian girl frozen in an ice lens.
Here you can also find petroglyphs, stones with images of spirits and animals, burial mounds with ancient warriors buried in them.
Nature
Unique nature, almost untouched by civilization, endless forests, high mountains, turbulent rivers, natural and climatic features, richness of national and cultural traditions provide ample opportunities for all kinds of outdoor activities.
Tours to Altai are very diverse, picturesque rivers, roads and difficult paths are specially created for water, horseback, hiking, mountain, auto and bike trips of various categories of complexity.
People of different ages and with any level of physical fitness will be able to find a suitable option for themselves.
Rest in Altai allows you not only to admire nature, but also to test your physical abilities, as well as increase endurance.
Winter in Altai begins in mid-November and lasts until mid-March, and in the Belukha region until April-May.
There are many winter recreation centers in the Altai Mountains, there is everything you need for winter sports (skis, snowboards, sleds).
Winter in Altai is real, with blizzards, crisp snow, accompanied by bitter frosts.
Rest in the winter season is available for everyone here, this is the best opportunity to escape from everyday life and relax. The place is ideal for fans of ski holidays and extreme sports.
Alpine skiing is considered the most popular winter holiday destination in Altai. Every year the number of ski resorts here increases.
A feature of winter holidays in this region is that tourists can choose between time-tested well-known resorts and modern bases with developed infrastructure.
The ski resorts Manzherok and Quiksilver are considered to be in great demand among vacationers.
The Manzherok complex is located near the famous Manzherok Lake, it is rightfully considered the largest project in the field of recreation and tourism in Russia.
In winter, you can go skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing. The complex includes three hotels with 100 beds. The rooms are modern in design, have a kitchen area and free internet.
Quiksilver Sheregesh Park is a small track with various jumping figures and spots.
These are mini-pyramids, kink box, rails, a pillow, etc. Local contests, battles are held in the park area, and there are plans to organize a snowboard camp.
The city of Belokurikha is one of the main recreation centers in Altai in winter, its popularity is due to its developed infrastructure and transport accessibility.
Professional sports competitions are often held on the slopes of the local ski complex.
High demands are placed on the preparedness and location of the tracks, as a result, they meet all safety requirements.
The largest ski resorts in Belokurikha are:
- Yakovka;
- Grace.
The Blagodat complex connects four drag lifts (Blagodat, Altai-West, Katun, Severny).
In order to extend the ski season, the method of artificial snow is used, which allows increasing the height of the snow cover up to 2 meters.
Equipment and equipment are sold in shops, skis can also be rented.
Winter holidays in the Altai Mountains are not only extreme, on excursions you can enjoy the picturesque landscape of the Altai Mountains, breathe clean fresh air.
The Katun River, Lake Teletskoye, Lake Aya and Mount Belukha are the highlights of this region.
These places attract tourists from all over the world; the main year-round bases of Altai are concentrated in this area.
Recreation centers
Aya Park Hotel is a hotel complex located near Lake Aya.
Comfort and measured rest are combined here with a developed infrastructure, in winter there is a skating rink, you can also ride on the hills.
The complex is actively used for seminars, there is a conference room, internet.
The restaurant hosts banquets and receptions, for the convenience of visitors there is a guarded car park.
Tourist base Turquoise Katun accepts tourists all year round, its area is 3380 hectares, on a vast territory all conditions for excellent comfortable rest are created.
The artificial lake is the main attraction of the base; three modern tracks of various difficulty levels have been built here, their total length is 3500 m.
All trails are equipped with lifts and illuminated, a training slope is provided for beginners.
The tourist base Altan is located on the banks of the Katun River, there are two baths and a sauna, and guarded parking is provided.
The Zaimka Kamza complex is located on the banks of the Koksa River, the base provides a customized menu, rooms of different categories, antler baths with the addition of deer farm products.
Additional comfort is created due to the unique location, the base is surrounded by mountain slopes, which hides the place from prying eyes and protects from strong winds.
Also, as in, a huge number of rivers flow through the territory of the Altai Republic, about 17,000 and there are about 13,000 reservoirs with the purest, stagnant water.
The Biya and Katun are considered the largest, at the confluence of which the Ob is formed.
The Chuya, Argut, Chulyshman, Aley rivers are considered the most fishy.
The most fishy reservoirs are Lake Teletskoye and the Sorochi log reservoir.
People come here for grayling, taimen, trout; in winter, omul, Siberian vendace, and peled are well caught.
There are many tourist bases and campsites located along numerous rivers and lakes for overnight stays.
Several dozen of them provide organized fishing services, these are: Royal Hunt, Utkul, the Zhukov Estate, Nikolskoye and many others.
Warm cozy rooms with modern furnishings are provided for accommodation, some have a Russian wood-fired sauna.
Almost all bases provide organized fishing services, seven-day fishing tours are in high demand.
In some tourist complexes, fishing tours by helicopter are carried out.
Fishing is in great demand on the Ugul lakes, trout is found here, it is impossible to get to this place on foot or by car in winter.
This is the highlight of the winter holidays in Altai.
You can retire with nature in a calm environment, and in our time it is more and more difficult to find such a place for winter recreation.
Where to relax in winter in Altai
5 (100%) 1 vote[s]Altai Krai offers a lot of options for recreation at any time of the year. On the territory of the region there are numerous sanatoriums and recreation centers where tourists can not only relax, but also improve their health. By its beauty, this area is considered one of the best in Russia. Here you can see almost all natural zones (forest-steppe, steppe, taiga mountains). Here flow such large rivers as the Ob, Katun, Biya and others. Of course, the main water artery of the region is the Ob River, which flows within the region for about 500 kilometers. Forests occupy 26% of the territory of the region, there are many natural monuments, more than 30 reserves. The largest lake in the region is Kulunda, with an area of 728 kilometers.
Translated from the Turkic language, the name of the region is translated as the Golden Mountains. In ancient times, this territory was the cultural center of nomads. To this day, archaeologists find various objects that later become exhibits of museums. A number of finds have not only regional or national, but also global significance.
The region has a temperate climate with warm summers and relatively frosty winters (in some places frosts can exceed 30 degrees, but this does not happen often and such frosts are not long-lasting).
The capital of the Altai Territory, the city of Barnaul, which was founded in 1730, is located on the banks of the Ob. The city attracts tourists with its temples, most of which were built in the 19th - early 20th century. Also in the city there are several museums, a visit to which can shed light on the history of the region, its culture and way of life.
Since Soviet times, such an Altai resort as Belokurikha has been very popular among vacationers. This health resort is considered one of the best health resorts in the south of Siberia. The place attracts with stunning nature, well-developed infrastructure for living and recreation, as well as the healing properties of local waters. Increasingly, lovers of various types of extreme recreation come here.
The nature of the Altai Territory is very beautiful, but most often tourists come to this area to combine a romantic nature vacation with a spa resort. Tourists are attracted by a large number of salt lakes, near which many health resorts have been built. A number of resorts offer treatment with radon waters and mud.
Some tourists come to climb the mountains, as well as explore some of the deepest Siberian caves - these are the Altai and Geophysical caves. The region has excellent conditions for hunting and fishing. In local rivers and lakes, you can catch pike, perch, crucian carp, zander and even sterlet. Local hunters most often hunt fox, elk, deer, capercaillie, wild boar.
In the Altai Territory there are many interesting hiking trails that pass through places that cannot be reached by any mode of transport, but only on foot. It is not worth going to the mountains or forests on your own, as you can get lost and find yourself in a difficult situation. The easiest way is to use the services of guides, which are not difficult to find among the local population. For those who love communicating with animals, there are special horse routes. The journey takes place on horses of the Altai breed, which are distinguished by intelligence, calmness and endurance. The horse route allows you to get to hard-to-reach places, look at mountain ranges, gorges, as well as high-altitude steppes. For more thrills and impressions, you can take a horse and water ride, which will take place not only on land, but also along the Altai mountain rivers.
If this is not enough, then you can climb one of the highest mountain peaks in the country - Belukha, whose height is more than 4500 meters. The climbing route is considered quite difficult and is suitable only for people with good physical fitness, but not for beginners.
Recently, yoga tours to Altai have become popular. People choose such tours in order to change something in themselves, to reconsider their attitude to life or to certain moments, and clean air and incredible landscapes, combined with yoga, can achieve the intended result. There are several places in Altai that are called "places of power" and it is in these places that such tours take place.
In winter, Altai offers the opportunity to go skiing, snowmobiling, skating, sleighing, horseback riding. In addition, the region will delight you with delicious meat dishes, a bathhouse, a sauna, billiards and many other entertainments (depending on your wishes and financial capabilities). Recently, the tourist infrastructure for winter recreation has been developing rapidly, new hotels, ski resorts are appearing, equipped in accordance with all safety standards and requirements. Most often, tourists choose an independent trip and do not resort to the help of tour operators, since in this case there is a greater choice and the price will be cheaper.
Thus, Altai is a great place to relax at any time of the year. Tourists are always welcome here and will be able to offer entertainment for every taste and budget.
Winter holidays in Altai are not very diverse. But fans of winter sports will definitely find something to do. Until recently, there were only two mountains suitable for skiing in the whole Altai, but three years ago this area began to develop actively.
Ski resorts
Base in Gorno-Altaisk
Located in the heart of the city. There are several barrack-type houses for accommodation (8-10 beds per room, kitchen, bathroom). We went there with classmates, so we were not embarrassed by such conditions. Moreover, the price is very democratic. The only negative is a huge number of people from local residents, who become more active during the New Year holidays and school holidays. On the slope - do not push through. Especially since it rests on the river bank. In general, only notorious extreme sports went skiing, the rest preferred sleds and bagels. Skis and snowboards can be rented.
Mountain "Merry"
Located in the village of Aya. The slope is small, more suitable for beginners. The rope tow lift works intermittently due to the unstable supply of electricity (but this is a problem for the entire Altai Mountains as a whole). On the territory of the base there are several large heated houses, a bathhouse. Cottages are rented entirely or by rooms. The first option is more related to the New Year holidays. If there is not enough space at the base itself, do not despair. You can always rent a house or a room from local residents nearby, such ads adorn every second fence. The place is very picturesque, from the top of the mountain a panoramic view of the valley of the lower Katun opens up.
Village Manzherok
The ski base in Manzherok began to be built quite a long time ago, but was inactive for a long time. A couple of years ago, the owner changed, and the base began to work in full force. Two slopes of varying degrees of difficulty, two lifts: rope tow and chairlift. Equipment rental available. By the way, you can ride on the chairlift just like that, without skis, and go back down on it. Stunning views of the surroundings and the legendary lake Manzherok, sung by Edita Piekha. You can also stay in the village with local residents. On the territory of the tourist complex there are three mini-hotels and one economy class hotel, a cafe and a restaurant, a bathhouse. By the way, the chairlift is open for visiting all year round, however, at the height of the season, you will have to stand in a long queue to admire the surroundings.
Seminsky pass
On one of the highest points of the Chuysky tract there is a tourist complex "Seminskaya Polyana", which is also a training base for Olympic skiers. This place was not chosen by chance: in the high mountain climate, the snow does not melt for a very long time, and its quality is ideal for such training. The slopes are always cleared and prepared, there are various jumps and slalom tracks. But beginners will not be bored either: there are places for beginners and slides for sledding and bagels. We stayed in a barrack-type hostel with bunk beds. For our student gang, this was the perfect option. Of course, there are separate cottages and a hotel. Also on the territory there is a cafe, a disco, several baths. Our company rested there for a week, during which time we decided to go skiing to Mount Sarlyk (the highest point of the Seminsky Pass). To do this, we rented ordinary cross-country skis, which, among other equipment, are available in abundance at the rental point. The base is open all year round, the slopes for skiing are from November to the end of March (depending on the weather).
Year-round hotels and resorts
Resort town Belokurikha
It is located on the territory of the Altai Territory, but already in a mountainous area. There are several large sanatoriums here, where you can get only with a ticket. But mere mortals can improve their health there after consulting a doctor. Radon baths are the main source of healing in this area. Water can also be drunk, but in moderation. In each resort, events are held, animators work. In the resort part of the city, the atmosphere is very calm. Everywhere squirrels jump and beg for treats. There is a small chairlift from which you can admire the surroundings.
Park-hotel "Zdravnitsa Aya"
A large tourist complex on the shores of the lake of the same name. In winter, only the hotel itself is open, where, in addition to the entertainment program, you can go through some wellness procedures: baths, saunas, herbal teas, etc. It is possible to consult a doctor. There are discos and entertainment events. If you are a lover of extreme sports, the mountains are within easy reach.
Also in the Altai Mountains there are many bases and cottages that are launched only on new year holidays. But places in such houses should also be booked a month and a half before the date of arrival, because. it's always full at this time.
