Katun river

General info

Sights

Lake in the Turquoise Katun

The place of attraction for tourists visiting the resort The Turquoise Katun is an artificial, warm freshwater lake. It was created by human hands in 2007. The total area of 4.5 ha and a maximum depth of 5 m. The shape resembles a boot. In the summer the lake warms up to + 23C, suitable for swimming. The beach around the lake is sandy and clean. In late autumn, after the high season, the water in the lake is completely replaced by fresh, clean water from the river Katun. Children's shallow part of the lake is enclosed by special buoys.

On the territory of the lake there are various water attractions:

waterslides,
trampoline with catapult,
sunbeds,
catamarans,
jet skis,
children's two-level labyrinth,
inflatable boat,
bungee jumping,
slingshot attraction.

Price: entrance fee 250 rubles / person / day. Sunbeds 100 rubles, 600 rubles umbrella, attractions are paid additionally.

How to get: 45 km from Gorno-Altaysk, 5 km from the village Manzherok. On the right side of the toll bridge over the Katun, immediately upon entry into the territory of tourism and recreation zone the Turquoise Katun. Crossing the bridge is to be paid: about 100 rub/car.

Ski resort in the Turquoise Katun

The resort offers 3 ski slopes of different difficulty levels, suitable for both professionals and amateurs skiers. The total length of tracks - 3500 m, width to 100 m, elevation - 300 m.
There are also snow tubing trail, training slope, free ride skiing, surface lift (900 m, capacity of up to 1000 people per hour), baby-lift - 150 m.
Trails are prepared by snowcat, lighting at night is available.

Infrastructure:
- Cafe with 50 seats with hot meals;
- Parking for 120-150 cars;
- Rental of ski equipment.

Open hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 10:00 to 17:00.
Price: ride by surface lift from 50 rubles / person, 800 rubles / person / day, the food in the cafe from 250 rubles / person.
Phone +7 913 360 5005
Website: www.bkatun.ru
How to get: on the territory of Special economic zone "Turquoise Katun", 1 km to the north-west of the artificial lake, 45 km from Gorno-Altaysk.

Tavdinsky caves

Tavdinsky caves (also Taldinsky) is a complex from 30 caves, located on the left bank of the Katun river, on the territory of Special economic zone "Turquoise Katun", surrounded by pine forest. The length of rocks with caves is about 5 km. Caves are located almost on the border between Altai Territory and Altai Republic. The caves are a natural monument of Altai Territory. Many caves have several inputs and are connected to each other, forming large interconnected system. Most of the caves are easily accessible for a visit. However, the entrance to the easily accessible caves is to be paid.

Tavdinsky caves are known that at different times they were inhabited by people. During the excavations pottery items and other archaeological finds were found, dating back to the early iron and bronze ages. At the beginning of the 19th century there it was inhabited by the Old-Believers.

The cave, known as the Big Tavdinsky, archaeological finds were made. Another name for this cave, common among tourists, "Maiden's Tears" and Tavdinsky-1. It is the most visited tourist cave in Tavdinsky group. Lower inputs to the cave are located in the 70-80 meters from the road and can be seen in the gaps between the trees. Gradually, the main cave underground corridor expands, sometimes forming fairy grottoes. Sometimes the cave opening "windows" through which the sun shines. From here you can enjoy beautiful views of the river Katun.

Near the cave there is a unique Tavdinsky karst arch: rest of a karst tunnel or cave, which was initially wide - bridge and later arch. It is located at an altitude of about 80 meters above the water's edge of the Katun river.

Caves have always attracted treasure hunters. There are legends about hidden Kolchak's gold.

How to get: You can get to the caves, driving along the new bridge over the Katun river near the spring Arzhan Suu. After the bridge, turn left and drive about 1 km to the caves. This is the dead end. A parking place is equipped.
Price: entrance 100 rubles / person. Excursions to be extra paid.
Open hours: year around
No special training or equipment is required. Clothing according to the season and the weather. Bring a flashlight.

Bee yard

The tourism and recreation zone Turquoise Katun offers to visit a bee yard, keeping by Vyacheslav Kolesnikov. Here you can buy a real Altai honey. In the bee yard there are about 150 bee families. It's a kind of non-aggressive bees, which were brought from Europe.

Honey is collected in conditions that are far from urban dirt and exhaust of vehicles, such honey benefits cannot be doubted. Honey helps strengthen the immune system, is a very good substitute for sugar. In addition, honey improves metabolism, accelerates the regeneration of tissues and has an antioxidant effect.

For visitors some educational trips can be organized, guests will be told about beekeeping and its history, you will be introduced to the life of bees, can taste honey varieties. The bee yard has its guest house, beekeeper's home, winter bee house. The bee yard offers procedures of health improvement and diseases prevention with the use of live bees ("Sleep on hives").

Location: The tourism and recreation zone Turquoise Katun, 40 km from Gorno-Altaysk, from Chuysky tract turn right, cross a toll bridge and you are in the heart of the Turquoise Katun.
Open hours: daily 09:00-21:00
Phone: +7 (906) 994-33-34
Website: www.michka-med.ru

Manzherok lake

Manzherok lake is situated 1, 5 km away from Manzherok village on the right bank of the Katun River. The level of the lake is 88 m that is higher than the level of the river itself. The length of the lake is 1112 m and the width is 400 m. The lake area of 37.6 hectares. The depth does not exceed 2.5 m. Since 1966 the lake is a natural monument of Altai Republic.

The lake appeared as a result of the moving of glacier that influenced the look of the river valley.

This is a shallow lake and its banks are quite sloping. The death is about 2, 5 m. The water is fresh and soft, but the colour is muddy green and practically not transparent, as for the temperature, the water is +22˚C in summer. You can find there different types of fish – silver and golden crucian, tench, carp, pike, minnow. And here water chestnut grows.

The lake, its coastal slopes are rather gentle. The water is fresh, soft. Color - dirty-green, slightly transparent, the water temperature in summer + 22 ° C. The water is rich in trace elements and minerals that give it specific taste and smell. It has healing properties and is suitable for drinking. The bottom is muddy. In the lake Manzherok there is a plant-endemic chilim (water chestnut) and white water lilies blooming in July. The lake is surrounded by pine, spruce, fir, birch, honeysuckle, currant, hawthorn, buckthorn, rhododendron ledebourii and others. The lake is located at the foot of Malaya Sinyukha mount, near the village of Ozernoye.

In 1966, Soviet singer Edita Piekha sang a song called "Manzherok" ("Tell me, friend, what is Manzherok?.."), dedicated to the festival of the Soviet-Mongolian friendship held in the village of Manzherok. The song became very popular, became the anthem of the youth tourism not only in the Altai Mountains, but also in the entire USSR.

The main part of the lake has swampy shores, convenient approache to the water is only in the north-west coast, where the road passes. In the north-western shore of the lake there is a camping. Accommodation with tent - 100 rubles / day for a tent, 100 rubles / day per car. The lake runs catamaran and rowing boats rental.

Ski resort Manzherok

By the lake Manzherok there is the ski resort Manzherok, located at the foot of Malaya Sinyukha mount. The resort is equipped by 32 first-class slopes of varying degrees of difficulty (blue and green), with a total length of 60 km. The resort is operated by a cable car (year-round, 2389 m), a surface lift (only in winter time, 275 m) and a baby lift (50 m). There is also a training slope 255 meters long. For a more comfortable riding trails are covered with artificial snow and compacted by snowcat, for security tracks are fenced.

Manzherok is a great place for the whole family all year round: in winter - downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing; in summer – tourist ride uphill by the cable car to the mount, bus and walking tours.

Infrastructure:

hotel for 117 guests;
quadruple cable car (2389 m);
surface lift (275 m.);
ski slopes;
cross-country skiing;
snow tubing track;
ski equipment rental;
ski school Walenki;
a cafe;
banya;
picnic area;
outdoor parking;
ATV rentals (in summer);
souvenir shops (in summer).

Riding uphill by the cable car to the top station takes in the summer 25-30 minutes, in the winter - 5 minutes to the middle station (for skiers and snowboarders, 927 m), 15 minutes up to the top station.

On the top you can use the service of professional photographers, visit the small museum "Legends of Altai" and the yurt (acquaintance with Altai life, Altai cuisine, photographing in national costumes), as well as to be photographed against the backdrop of an unforgettable panorama of the Altai Mountains.

Open hours: in summer daily 10:00-19:00, in winter daily 09:30-18:00
Price: 400 rubles / person, surface lift 40 rubles / person, 1 day ski pass from 700 rubles.
Official website: www.mglk.ru
Phone: +7 (38844) 282 90

Arzhan Suu mineral spring

Arzhan Suu is translated from Altai language as "living water". This mineral spring is located in the Altai Republic, 478 km of Chuysky tract, not far from the road and the river Katun. It is a natural monument of national importance.

Altai legend says: "In the old days there was a hunter, he was following an animal. Then he saw in the distance a red deer. He sneaked up unnoticed behind it and caught it, but was able only to injure a deer that bleeding ran away. The hunter ran behind the wounded animals whose forces were already at the end, a lot of blood was lost. But the deer arrived a spring and ran into the water. The hunter was surprised to see how wounds of the deer were beginning to heal and the deer ran away with new forces. The hunter was surprised by such a miracle and threw into the water a dried fish - grayling, and it swam! He threw an otter skin and a live otter came up from the stream and chased the grayling. The hunter understood that this stream has life-giving force, spoke about the miracle to all people, and the spring was named "Arzhan Suu", which means "living water." Since that time the Altai people respect the spring and come here to heal every disease."

The spring comes out of the rock cracks in several places and in some meters forms a single stream. Water in the spring is full of silver, copper and other mineral impurities, can be stored for a long time and has, most importantly, beneficial effect on the improvement of metabolic processes in the body. The content of ferrous iron in the water ArzhanSuu is much higher than in mineral water Yessentuki and Borjomi. Water temperature is 7-8 °C.

A large gift market is located near the spring where you can buy maps, books, art, articles made of cedar.
Location: Republic of Altai, 8 km from the village Manzherok, after the bridge to the Turquoise Katun, on the left side. In the summer, there can be problems with parking.

Kamyshlinsky waterfall

Kamyshlinsky cascading waterfall is located on the river Kamyshla, 400 m from the place of its confluence with the Katun. Natural Monument of the Altai Republic.
It is not the highest waterfall (12 m.), but, nevertheless, it is very effective. This is one of the most popular and accessible sights.
The waterfall can be divided into three sections: upper, middle and lower. At the top there is a sharp edge from the quiet side of the Kamyshla river into the Katun. In the middle section the water flows on inclined surfaces. And at the bottom the water breaks with a crash and colorful splashes from sheer shoulder to the bottom of the cliff.

How to get: Location of the waterfall corresponds to approximately 490 kilometer of Chuysky tract, which runs on the opposite, right bank of the Katun river (between the villages Barangol and Ust-Sema). From the tract turn right over the Katun bridge before Ust-Sema village. Then walk about 3 km downstream. It will be well-marked trail along the shore, and it will lead you directly to the waterfall. The other, a shorter route to the waterfall is from the tourist camp The Tsar's Hunt (2 km).

Blue lakes

The lakes are instable (they disappear during Katun high water). They appear during flood decline in the Katun river (August-April). There are two or three lakes, depending on Katun water level. The water in a lake flows out into another lake and then into the river. The Altai people believe that the water of these lakes is healing, is possible to treat eye diseases. In winter the lake is not nipped by the frost, the water temperature is ~ +9 degrees Celsius. At the bottom of lakes beat unusually powerful springs. No warm springs, they are cold! But they give so much water that the lake does not freeze at 40 degrees (Celsius) below zero. Water in lakes is clean, emerald green. The bravest can take a dip! The greatest depth of the lake - 8 meters. On the shore of the lake in winter a banya is organized.

Location: the Altai Republic, Chemal district, left bank of the Katun river, 5 km from the village Askat, please hike along a quite well-trodden path.

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