Altai Mountains

The Altai Mountains (also spelled Altay Mountains) are a mountain range in Central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their headwaters. The massif merges with the Sayan Mountains in the northeast, and gradually becomes lower in the southeast, where it merges into the high plateau of the Gobi Desert. It spans from about 45° to 52° N and from about 84° to 99° E.

The mountain range is located on the border of Russian Siberia (Altai Krai, Republic of Tuva and Republic of Altai), Mongolia (Bayan-Ölgii and Khovd provinces), China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) and Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region). The highest point is Mount Belukha (4506 m).

The Altai and Katunsky Nature Reserves and the Ukok Plateau together form the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Golden Mountains of Altai”.

Attractions (Russia)

Altai Republic

Altai Nature Reserve
Saylyugemsky National Park
Mount Belukha
Ukok Peace Zone Nature Park
Uch-Enmek Nature Park
Ak Cholushpa Nature Park
Sumultinsky Biological Reserve
Shavlinsky Biological Reserve
Altai Altyn-Kabai Nature Reserve
Aisky Bridge
V. Shishkov Monument
Ust-Sema
Kamyshlinsky Waterfall
Katun river
Chemal
Church of St. John the Evangelist
Tarkhata Megalithic Complex
Verkh-Uymon
Colored Mountains of Kyzyl-Chin “Mars”
Multinskiye Lakes
Lake Manzherok

Altai Krai

Biryuzovaya Katun
Mountain Devil’s Finger
Denisova Cave
Mount Tserkovka (Belokurikha)
Waterfalls on the Shinok River
Tavdinsky Caves
Oroktoysky Bridge and Teldekpensky Rapids

Tuva

Mount Mongun-Taiga
Mount Ak-Oyuk

Specially protected natural areas

The list of specially protected natural areas includes five unique objects known as the Golden Mountains of Altai: the Altai Nature Reserve, the protected area around Lake Teletskoye, the Katunsky Nature Reserve, the Belukha Nature Park and the Ukok Peace Zone. Since 1998, the Golden Mountains of Altai have been included in the World Heritage List. The Markakol Nature Reserve also plays an important role in preserving these unique ecosystems.

How to get to?

By plane

The Altai Republic has an airport located in Gorno-Altaisk. Airports in Barnaul (Titov) and Novosibirsk (Tolmachevo) are available for international flights.

By train

There are no trains to Gorno-Altaisk. There are Novosibirsk (450 km), Barnaul (250 km) and Biysk (105 km).

By bus

There are regular buses from Novosibirsk and Barnaul to Gorno-Altaysk.

By car

You can get to Republic Altai via the Chuysky Trakt (R-256), the main road in the region. There are also other routes leading to natural attractions.

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