Article text updated: 03/09/2019
Popular wisdom says: “A precious egg for Christ’s Day,” and that publishing a report about a car trip to interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region, which happened at the end of March, when it was still winter in the Urals, and not now, on the threshold of summer, is not good. But I have so much material in the queue for posting on the site that it’s impossible to share travel reviews promptly. Therefore, excuse me, my friends, I’m only telling you now. And, although the route that I will describe today is more suitable for excursions in winter, I am sure that some of the guests reading this text will decide to follow it in spring, summer, and autumn.
In general, it all started with the fact that after an exciting, very eventful car trip around the Perm Territory for the New Year, my wife and I did not want to sit at home for the holidays on March 8 (this year we had as many as 4 free days). We spent a long time deciding where to go; we really wanted to combine visiting interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria. The main goal of this journey was to be the Mambet rock, up to 200 meters high. It is located in the Gafuriysky district of Bashkiria, 10 km from the village of Tolparovo. Getting there in summer is not easy, as you have to ford the Zilim River about 10 times. But in winter you can come to the camp site, and from there, on a horse harnessed to a sleigh, right along the river bed, get to the foot of this amazing natural attraction.
Well, on the way to the Mambet rock you can see a lot more: mountains, rocks, and caves (at a minimum, I wanted to stop by the Abaznovsky ice waterfall and visit the Askinskaya ice cave). In order not to be distracted, I’ll tell you about this route at the end of the article, since we didn’t get to Tolparovo because we woke up on March 8, the day the trip started, with a fever. And the trip that I’m telling you about today is a shortened version of that planned large-scale trip around the Southern Urals in March.
- Route map listing the sights of the Southern Urals that we visited, or those that have already been described in the blog.
- Ustinovsky Canyon in the vicinity of Miass and Bazhov Mountain Park in Zlatoust.
- Observation deck Black Rock in Taganay National Park.
- Description of excursions in the city of Satka, Chelyabinsk region and in its environs.
- A trip to the Idrisovskaya cave in the Salavat region of Bashkiria.
1. Map of the travel route to the sights of the Chelyabinsk region
Let me show you the outline of the trip that took place and the one that was originally planned. By the way, even if the cold hadn’t gotten in the way, we wouldn’t have gotten to Mambet: it’s too far from Yekaterinburg - for such a trip you need to either skip other interesting places and rush all day without stopping, or have a vacation of 5-6 days at your disposal.
Note. On the map, the red dots are the actual route of the trip, the orange ones are those places whose description can be found on the blog in the “Weekend Hikes” section, the colored ones are those attractions that I have not yet seen or have not written a report on the site.
So, our trip to the Southern Urals took place on March 24-25, 2018. The plan and the fact are slightly different, so we would not be able to see everything we wanted: below is the real route.
Day one of the trip:
- Ustinovsky Canyon (did not reach).
- Mountain Park named after Bazhov (we visited the red hill nearby in Zlatoust, but did not go).
- Hike to the Black Rock observation deck in the Taganay natural park.
- Karagai magnesite quarry in Satka (we couldn’t climb to the observation deck).
- Excursion to the Hammer and Sickle Monument on the outskirts of Satka.
Second day:
- A trip to the ancient hydroelectric power station in the Porogi tract.
- Excursion to the Zyuratkul National Park. Visit to the Ice Fountain and the Sokhatka elk farm.
- Transfer to the border of the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria, where we are already on the side of the neighboring republic and go on a hike to the Idrisovskaya cave.
We left home at 17:30 along a road the existence of which I had not previously guessed: through Starobelokatay and Tyulgash we went to the city of Mikhailovsky. We arrived in Yekaterinburg at about 11:30 p.m. The journey, although it partially took place in familiar places, turned out to be very rich and varied in impressions. Once again we pleased our souls by visiting interesting places.
2. A trip to the Ustinovsky Canyon. Mountain Park named after Bazhov on Krasnaya Gorka in Zlatoust
At 7:30 we leave Yekaterinburg towards Chelyabinsk, before reaching which, along the high-speed section of the M5 highway "Chelyabinsk - Moscow", we return towards the city of Miass. We covered a distance of 330 km in about 6 hours, including a stop for lunch at a cafe on the highway. Unfortunately, the section of the road to the canyon, only 3 km long, was covered with snow, and we did not have suitable equipment with us.
Just in case, here are the GPS coordinates for the navigator: 54.868874 59.971545. Here is my description of how to get to the Ustinovsky Canyon: from Miass we take the highway to the city of Uchaly and drive to the village of Chernovskoye. After about 5.5 km there will be a right turn to the Ryabinushka gardens (here are the coordinates of the beginning of this dirt road: 54.871144, 60.012874). The closer you get to the attraction, the more it narrows (but in good weather it is passable by any car). The distance from the asphalt road to the rocks is about 3 km.
We sigh that we had to make a small detour and go to Zlatoust, where at first I wanted to take a very beautiful view of the city at the foot of a huge mountain (we are talking about the Double-Headed Hill in Taganay Park, which we climbed several times).
I had two points from where I could take this view. I found the first one on Google Maps, just by reading the caption to the photo from one of the tourists: “Taken in Zlatoust from Krasnaya Gorka.” Google claims that this is the name of a microdistrict on the outskirts of the city.
We're coming. The road ends at the chapel, and the Two-Headed Hill is nowhere to be seen. But the pleasant sound of bells comes from the tower - there are some sculptures behind the fence. We decide to check out what kind of attractions there are.
Zlatoust, due to its location next to the Taganay National Park, is a center of attraction for tourists from all over the country. For their entertainment, here, on Krasnaya Gorka, the incompatible was erected: a chapel and a monument to Yuri Gagarin. The bell tower was built in 2006, and the monument to the first cosmonaut of the Earth was built in 2012.
Katya and I wandered around the square, got ready and left for the Black Rock, and now, while preparing the review, I just found out that: firstly, you can climb to the roof of the tower - there is an observation deck with a beautiful view of Chrysostom; secondly, on Krasnaya Gorka, apparently behind the bell tower, there is a mountain park named after Bazhov.
Judging by the photo reports of other travelers, Bazhovsky Park is a pleasant place for a walk with children (many cultural compositions with characters from fairy tales of the great Ural writer), and there, in clear weather, you can really take a beautiful shot with a telephoto lens with the Taganay Mountains hanging over the urban development. Watch the report video.
And here is a video with a report on Vadim Malkovsky’s excursion (in the description of the video there is a link to his blog - you can see a detailed photo report on the excursion to the Bazhov Park.
GPS coordinates of the bell tower in Zlatoust: 55.133479, 59.671353.
Coordinates of the Bazhov Mountain Park: 55.134038, 59.669376.
Working hours: from 10:00 to 19:00.
3. Observation deck “Black Rock” in Taganay National Park
My passion for weekend trips around the Urals began with a two-day hike in the Taganay mountains. We have been here twice in the summer, twice in the fall, and now in the winter (or spring, depending on how you feel about our Ural weather). In the “Weekend Hikes” section you can read a detailed guide on how to get there, see a map of routes and a table of distances for walking for one, two or more days.
The last time I was in Taganay was in the fall of 2016. With guests from St. Petersburg and the Baltic states, we came to the Chelyabinsk region to climb the Dvuglavaya Sopka and marvel at the terrifying failures at the site of titanomagnetite mines (Magnitsky faults). Then we were unlucky with the weather: due to the fog that covered the Black Rock, we were unable to see the stunning panorama of the Otkliknaya Ridge mountain. We hoped that we would be able to do this now, but the heavenly office decided differently...
In the year and a half that has passed since the last excursion to the Black Rock, checkpoints and ticket offices have been installed here. Entrance is now paid: 100 rubles from strangers, 50 rubles from residents of Zlatoust.
The route to the Black Rock is just right for older tourists and children: the walk is only 600 meters in one direction, if you move clockwise, you won’t have to climb a hill anywhere. In a word, relaxation. And the nature here is real: dense, just like on the main routes of the Taganay Park.
I already photographed this “bench with a view to nowhere” on a foggy autumn morning in 2016. Now, too, the view of the Otkliknaya ridge from it is hidden by the natural elements. Perhaps we need to start a tradition: every time I come to the Chelyabinsk region to see the sights, I will photograph this bench.
If you are lucky, and there are no other tourists on the Black Rock at the time of your excursion (and for this, I think, you need to come here either early in the morning or late in the evening), the observation deck offers such wild views, somewhat reminiscent scenes from a thriller.
When I first started my passion for photography, I thought that it was no fun to shoot in bad weather: no sun, no picture. Now I understand that bad weather adds drama to photographs. For example, here is a view of the taiga from the top of the Black Rock. There's a ridge there somewhere. Now he’s gone, just “white flies”... But isn’t that an interesting shot?
The photo above is a panorama assembled in “Photoshop"from 9 vertical frames. I took photographs handheld, without a tripod. Here's another panorama shot in the same way.
Having admired the views (I actually stood at the cliff for about 10 minutes, closing my eyes, and listening to the snowflakes falling), we slowly returned to the parking lot. Another observation deck was built 200 meters below, from which you can observe the Black Rock itself.
The blizzard got stronger. The snow was already blinding my eyes. Mount Black Rock is located at an altitude of 753 m above sea level - the nature here is harsher than below, even in Zlatoust. If you are planning your excursion to Taganay, dress warmly and take suitable shoes - it was funny to watch mothers in high heels pulling sleds with children...
GPS coordinates for the navigator: 55.273583, 59.699077.
Ticket price: 100 rubles per person.
Attraction opening hours: probably around the clock - although I don’t know if there is security there after the end of the working day.
4. Excursions to interesting places in Satka and the surrounding area
According to our travel plan, we wanted to spend the night in Satka, just like during our trip to the sights of the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria during the May holidays in 2015. Both in the town itself and in its surroundings there are many interesting places that are convenient to get to.
Monument to Sergo Ordzhonikidze and Satka Iron Smelter
At first I wanted to photograph the monument to Stalin: I read that Satka is one of the few cities where there is such a monument. For some reason, I was sure that the sculpture I needed stood on the shore of the pond near the Satka Iron Smelting Plant.
However, I was mistaken, the mustachioed comrade on the pedestal is another famous revolutionary: Sergo Ordzhonikidze. And Stalin stands (according to information from the Internet) at the address: st. Bocharova, 10.
There's some dark history there. You can find news online that a monument to a man whose personality divides Russian society even 66 years after his death, used to stand in the village of Taiginka in Kyshtym. But in 2010 it was stolen, and later it “surfaced” in the city of Kasli. And then he was discovered in Satka.
If I log into Street View at "GoogleMaps" and type the address: Chelyabinsk region, Satka city, Bocharova street, 10 - you can find that the generalissimo is standing in the courtyard of the Zyuratkul complex (Sonkina Lagoon).GPS-coordinates: 55.038489, 59.030894. I hope that among the readers there will be either residents of the city or tourists who have been there, and in the comments they will tell you where to find Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin in Satka now.
The entertainment complex “Sonkina Laguna” was built by entrepreneur Yuri Titov, who owns the “Zyuratkul” gas station complex, a hotel and a restaurant. I have already shown unusual sculptures from there in the report on my May trip to the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria. At the same time he showed the “mysterious island” - the hollow of an eagle. In winter it looks even more sinister.
Such a Klondike of interesting places can be found in a single small town in the Chelyabinsk region. I take the last photo of the “Satka Iron Smelting Plant” and set off to look for the Karagai quarry.
Photo 15. Operating Iron Smelter in Satka. Next to it you can see the monument to Sergo Ordzhonikidze, Vissarion Stalin and Vasily Terkin, “Sonka’s Lagoon” and “Hollow Eagle”. Report on a trip to the Chelyabinsk region from Yekaterinburg. 1/1000, 4.0, 400, 200.
Watch the video that shows what “Sonka’s Lagoon” and “Eagle’s Hollow” look like. But if you are planning to go there with children, it is better to read the reviews: apparently, the owner of the complex has a very specific sense of humor...
Karagai quarry in Satka
Another place that I wanted to see in this South Ural town is an old, but active, magnesite quarry. Ore mining began here back in 1900 and they have now dug a hole 1.5 km long, 1.1 km wide and 0.37 km deep.
Reading the stories of tourists, I still did not understand whether it is possible to get there officially, and whether there is an equipped observation deck for visitors. I asked the guys for GPS coordinates, they gave me the following point (55.039167, 58.991928) with parting words: “You will get to Kuibyshev Street, and there it is 500 meters on foot.”
At the intersection of Kuibyshev and 50 Let VLKSM streets there is a checkpoint (behind it trucks with ore are constantly scurrying around) and a garage area. They asked a passerby if it was possible to get to the observation deck, and he replied: “There, go through the garages,” he waved his hand towards the complex, “There should be a path there.” We go there, but we can’t find the path, and we don’t want to trudge through the snow without special shoes and clothes - it’s waist deep there.
Yes, and here’s where I was wrong: when you look at the Karagai quarry on satellite maps, it seems that you can calmly walk to the edge. But in fact, it is surrounded by huge waste heaps up to several tens (if not hundreds) of meters high. We decide to leave the mine for another time, and now we are going to see another interesting attraction of Satka - the Hammer and Sickle monument on a hill located on the outskirts of the city.
You can see what the Karagai quarry looks like in the video. It's a bit long - see starting at 5:56.
The Hammer and Sickle monument in Satka is a man-made landmark of the Chelyabinsk region
This miracle is located at the address: Chelyabinsk region, Satka city, st. Second River, 15. GPS coordinates: 55.040795, 58.967274. The navigator (on this trip through the Southern Urals, as always, we used the Maps.me smartphone application, which works without an Internet connection) led us again to some garages - they look very colorful.
Photo 16. On the way to the Hammer and Sickle monument in Satka. What interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region can you see by car? Weekend route. 1/800, 6.3, 400, 280.
We left the car and climbed the hill on which a huge stele rises. From the top, the city is in full view (more precisely, the microdistrict near the Magnezit recreation center).
Photo 17. Modern graffiti in Satka. How we travel by car in the Chelyabinsk region. Travel route. Report from tourists from Yekaterinburg. Let's go watch Hammer and Sickle. 1/640, 6.3, 560, 280.
In the distance rises a waste heap surrounding the Karagai quarry. When I asked a passing guy how to get to the observation deck, he pointed to this earthen mountain: “My friends and I always climb there. There’s the best view there!”
Photo 18. Landscapes of Satka. Report on traveling by car to interesting places in the Southern Urals. How we looked for the Hammer and Sickle monument. 1/400, +0.33, 9.0, 800, 165.
I can’t find information about who created this monument and when. It would be interesting to know the history of this landmark.
Photo 19. The Hammer and Sickle monument in Satka amazes with its scale and originality. Reviews from tourists about traveling by car to interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region. 1/320, +0.33, 9.0, 400, 86.
While we were admiring the monument, there was no one around at all. Only a lonely dog watched in bewilderment two strange people who had come from nowhere to photograph an art object that had long become commonplace for all Satka residents.
Photo 20. One of the local residents of Satka. Reviews from tourists about a trip to interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region. In the vicinity of the Hammer and Sickle monument. 1/1000, +0.33, 3.2, 400, 95.
Before the sun sets, we make one more attempt to get into the Karagai quarry by driving around the waste heap by car. There is also a checkpoint there, we did not approach it. But they filmed a panorama of the city pond, the Satka Iron Smelter and the monument to Sergo Ordzhonikidze. Agree, the view is amazing!
Photo 21. View of the Satka Iron Smelting Plant. Below is a monument to Sergo Ordzhonikidze. On the right (not included in the frame) is the Sonya Lagoon entertainment complex. 1/160, +0.67, 8.0, 1250, 70.
This photo was taken, approximately, from this point: 55.038320, 59.018273.
It's time to look for housing. We called several advertisements on Avito and rented an excellent three-room apartment with furniture and the necessary equipment for 1,400 rubles.
Yes, advice for tourists who want to save money: on our road trips around the Urals, we almost always stay in apartments rented by the day. It will be more expensive in hotels, even if the room price is comparable. The fact is that then you will have to spend money on going to a restaurant. And in the apartment there are dishes, a stove, and a microwave. We went to the store, grabbed cereal and sausages – we had a great and inexpensive dinner!
Trip to the Porogi tract
We slept great: each room has a huge double bed. The morning of March 25, 2018 was like this for me.
Photo 22. Dawn in Satka (I suspect there is the Zyuratkul ridge in the background). A beautiful morning in the Chelyabinsk region. Description of the route for a car trip in the Southern Urals for two days. 1/200, -0.67, 8.0, 800, 82.
Today we have two options for the morning: visit the “Sokhatka Moose House” in the Zyuratkul natural park, the Ice Fountain (like the moose farm, it is located in the vicinity of the village of Sibirka) and see the Porogi tract. We decide to jump back to the hydroelectric power station first.
The sun has already risen higher. Passers-by are rushing about their business. I am photographing the industrial landscape of the Chelyabinsk region.
Photo 23. Apparently, these are cooling towers of the Magnezit plant. Review of a trip to the Porogi tract in the vicinity of the city of Satka, Chelyabinsk region. 1/500, 11.0, 400, 200.
The distance from Satka to the Porogi tract is 30 km, half of which you cover by grader. Despite the fact that there was snow yesterday, it was cleaned well. We get there in about 40 minutes, never ceasing to groan at the opening landscapes. GPS coordinates of the hydroelectric dam: 55.280900, 59.134433.
Photo 24. The hydroelectric dam in the Porogi tract is one of the calling cards of the Chelyabinsk region. This photo is an HDR of three frames taken handheld on a Nikon D610 + Samyang 14mm f/2.8 DSLR. Settings: 1/1000, -0.67, 8.0, 400, 14.
The Porogi tract is located in a gorge formed by the Chulkova and Uary ridges. The place is very picturesque. True, it’s a little sad here: the building of the ferroalloy plant was flooded with a meter of water, now frozen... There’s a sign on the gate that until 2015 it was looked after for free by a local resident. Now he has died and the UNESCO site is on the verge of extinction. The neighboring tourist center "Porogi" is for sale. There is a high probability that soon this attraction will not remain on the map of the Chelyabinsk region...
Sokhatka Elk House and Ice Fountain in Zyuratkul National Park
In the “Weekend Hikes” section you can read a report about the ascent to the Zyuratkul ridge in mid-December 2016. There I also showed a photo report about an excursion to the deer farm “Bear Joy” (there are red deer and wild boars) and the Elk House “Sokhatka”. The first is located at the checkpoint in the village of Magnitsky, the second - at the checkpoint in the village of Sibirka. But then I was traveling with friends, my wife did not go. And now she wanted to see both the moose and the fountain with her own eyes.
The Sokhatka elk house is located at the “At the Three Peaks” cordon. You get into it through a checkpoint in the village of Sibirka (you buy a ticket, which is also valid for entry from Magnitsky). On the way to Sibirka (26 km from Satka, and, it seems, 11 km along the grader from the M5 highway), this is the view of Mount Bolshoy Uvan (height 1122 meters above sea level) - one of the attractions of the Zyuratkul National Park, where the walking route.
Photo 25. Mount Bolshoy Uvan in the Zyuratkul National Park is one of the attractions of the Chelyabinsk region. Weekend trip by car. 1/640, -0.33, 8.0, 1100, 280.
I forgot to tell you that 2 days before the trip, the news on the federal TV channel showed a report from the Sokhatka Moose House and noted that moose are already released into the forest in the spring. That same day I called the park administration: “No, the elk have not been released yet. Later. True, the Ice Fountain collapsed yesterday...” Oh, what a pity! This winter in “Zyuratkul” he was very tall and handsome. I thought I would please you with pictures of this attraction. And so there are only ice ruins...
Photo 26. We arrived at the Ice Fountain in Zyuratkul Park on March 25, 2018, and on March 24, it turns out, it collapsed... Interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region. Weekend trip around the Southern Urals.
Although the ice miracle did not survive, we still visited it with pleasure. Forest. Sun. Rainbow. Turquoise color of frozen water. Beauty!
Here is a video of what this “icicle” looked like in 2016.
Moose House "Sokhatka" in the Chelyabinsk region
I don’t remember exactly how long it is to travel from the Ice Fountain to the “At the Three Peaks” cordon - it seems about 5 kilometers. Here we leave the car, pay 50 rubles for feeding the moose and rush to the elk. Tip: take carrots or cabbage from home. You can't feed animals bread - they'll get sick. Preparing for our tour of the Chelyabinsk region in early March, we bought as many as 5 bags of carrots! Do you know what the moose’s reaction was?
- Ugh, we don’t eat that. Give us tree bark.
- Yes, kids, where should I put this carrot now? We don't have rabbits at home! Should we chew something ourselves?
- Well, we don’t know. Eat it yourself.
Photo 27. Elk elk in the Elk House “Sokhatka”. Bring a gift with you for its inhabitants. Interesting places in the Chelyabinsk region where you can go with children. Road trip route for two days. 1/640, -1.33, 4.0, 400, 31.
- Well, maybe you’d like some cabbage? We took her too. True, not white cabbage, but Chinese, for salads.
- Oh, we love this, we don’t hold any chauvinistic views. Let's! We are ready to eat just one for at least a week.
Photo 28. Elks in the Chelyabinsk region. Reviews of the trip to the Zyuratkul park. 1/1600, -1.0, 4.0, 400, 44.
Of course, it’s a joke about the carrots: the moose gobbled them up until they crunched. Only the woman caring for the animals said that it would have been better to cut the vegetables smaller.
Photo 29. Moose - they are so cute! A story about a trip to the Sokhatka Elk House in the village of Sibirka. Excursion to the Zyuratkul National Park, Chelyabinsk region.
If you are going to Zyuratkul Park, I advise you to read my previous reports. There you can read stories about climbing the Zyuratkul ridge and a description of the route to other peaks. I myself want to someday climb the highest peak of the Chelyabinsk region, Mount Nurgush (height 1406 m). This is what this giant looks like from the clearing at the “At the Three Peaks” cordon.
Photo 30. What interesting things can you visit in the Chelyabinsk region? Zyuratkul National Park! Climb Mount Nurgush and see moose at the same time. 1/1250, -0.67, 11.0, 400, 100.
In the Zyuratkul park you can book a house and stay for several days. Convenient for work photographers who would like to shoot a panorama of Nurgush or Bolshoi Uvan during restricted hours.
Photo 31. Moose antlers near one of the houses on the “At the Three Peaks” cordon in the “Zyuratkul” national park. Description of the weekend route for a trip around the Chelyabinsk region. 1/4000, -0.67, 280, 135.
Well, the clock is ticking. We still need to have a snack somewhere (we had to go back towards Chelyabinsk - there is a large hotel and restaurant complex "Zyuratkul") and have time to go to the Bashkir village of Idrisovo, in the vicinity of which there is a cave where the national hero of Bashkortostan Salavat Yulaev once hid ...
Photo 32. Views at the “At the Three Peaks” cordon in the “Zyuratkul” national park. Mount Bolshoi Uvan. I can’t imagine how to climb it in winter - with such a slope. But tourists go... 1/1000, 11.0, 4.0, 400, 112.
The video above (13:30) talks about the excursion to the Sokhatka Moose House. And in the video below you can see in 4K format what open spaces open up from the height of Bolshoi Uvan Mountain in Zyuratkul Park.
5. Idrisovskaya Cave on the border of the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria
The original travel plan included visiting three caves located in the area of the beautiful southern Ural town of Ust-Katav: Ignatievskaya, Serpievsky Cave City (a little further away there is a complex of Sikiyaz-Tamak caves). Now it became clear that we would only have time to see one attraction - we chose Idrisovskaya, since the photographs from here are the most interesting (like from a palace).
33. Map with a diagram of how to get to the Idrisovskaya cave, which is located on the border of the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria (in fact, it is located on the territory of the neighboring republic).
Let's look at the map. You can get to the village of Idrisovo in the Salavat region of Bashkiria along the M5 highway, through Yuryuzan and Ishimbaevo, turning at Sharlash towards Kropachevo. We didn't take this route because of the number of trucks on the road. Although, if I remember correctly, this section is one of the most picturesque: in the Yuryuzan area there is a view of the highest mountain of the Southern Urals, Big Yamantau.
If we had more time, we would have driven along the Satka – Bakal section. Firstly, somewhere on this road there is a view of the Zyuratkul ridge (I saw photo reports with beautiful photographs). Secondly, in Bakala at Lenina Street, building 9 (GPS coordinates: 54.937633 58.809672) there is a colorful dilapidated house of miners’ culture - like from the game “Silent Hill”. And thirdly, 15 km from Satka there is Mount Iruskan, the village of the same name and several quarries. I was interested in Gaevsky and Aleksandrovsky with colored walls. We didn't hit either.
We decided to get to Idrisovskaya Cave along the route “Satka – Mezhevoy – Lakly – Nasibash – Alkino – Idrisovo – Idrisovskaya Cave”. Please note that in those parts there is still one village, Idrisovo - don’t get confused: you need the one located near the Yuryuzan River. And, besides, on Google maps it is indicated, for some reason, the Idrisovo tract (at least, not the village where we ended up). Therefore, here are the GPS coordinates of the village (the point where they left the car): 55.049405, 58.127280. And here is the Idrisovskaya cave: 55.042221, 58.150367.
The road from Satka to Idrisovo is first paved, then after 50 kilometers it is dirt, and is poorly cleared of snow. It was even a little uncomfortable to drive.
But beauty! Somewhere in the Lakla area you pass a narrow gorge, as if you feel like you are in the Caucasus. Then the hills covered with birch groves begin... Looking ahead: back to Yekaterinburg the navigator took us either through Vakiyarovo or through Mezhevoy, but there the road runs along a river with very, very beautiful rocks. I just want to get out of the car and wander on foot with a backpack through those hills and valleys.
Well, okay, let's return to the description of the route to the Idrisovskaya cave. After the P242 highway, we turn at the sign for Idrisovo - 6 km of unclean but rutted road. We arrive in the village, it stands on the Klyuklya stream.
We were driving according to the Maps.me navigator, and in Idrisovo he made us turn left, up a hill - there the rutted road ended, then there was a path gradually disappearing into a birch grove (he suggests turning to this point: 55.052705, 58.132084). The distance to the cave is 2 kilometers. At the same time, before the trip, I studied Google maps and remember that by car you can drive right to the shore of Yuryuzan - which means the aunt from the navigation system is dragging us to the wrong place.
We return back to this intersection (GPS coordinates: 55.049383, 58.127308) and notice the inconspicuous sign “Salavat Cave”. The road is covered with snow, only traces of an ATV. We decide to leave the car and go on foot – the same 2 kilometers.
Spring, forest, fresh air. We charge the energy batteries again. First we move along the Klyuklya stream, then we cross the bridge to the other bank and sharply climb the hill. Further on is the most beautiful section of the trail: on the left is a rock, on the right is a beam overgrown with a light, light birch grove, illuminated by the perky spring sun. Somewhere in the sky a raven is cawing. The wind rustles through the treetops. Tits are dinging like spring. Mmmm, I can only dream of such a walk!
Finally, we reach the shore. There is parking here in the summer. There are some painted awnings - apparently, in the summer or spring, those tourists who raft on the Yuryuzan River on catamarans make a stop at the Idrisovskaya Cave, and the locals organize a “club” and a “car shop” for them.
It is not clear where to go. Something similar to a cave can be seen on the right (this is upstream of the Yuryuzan). But this is definitely not the “balcony” of the Palace (as Idrisovskaya Cave is also called in reports on the Internet).
Photo 34. Rock at the confluence of the Klyuklya stream into the Yuryuzan river. The views there are beautiful, but Idrisovskaya Cave is behind me. Report on a road trip in the Chelyabinsk region. 1/800, +0.33, 9.0, 400, 44.
We turn left to the “houses” and see a plank bridge and some kind of information sign.
Photo 35. How to get to Idrisovskaya Cave? From the “houses” go downstream of the Yuryuzan. Stories from tourists about weekend trips around the Southern Urals. 1/1000, +0.33, 9.0, 400, 36.
Let's get closer. The trail goes steeply upward (although this is not very clear in the photographs). The sign informs us that we are in the Yangan-Tau geological park near the Idrisovskaya cave. But I don’t see its characteristic “gate”. We stomp around in indecision, go even lower downstream - and here it seems!
Photo 36. Three windows of the Idrisovskaya cave, located on the border of Bashkiria and the Chelyabinsk region on the banks of the Yuryuzan River. Reviews about traveling by car yourself. 1/320, +0.33, 9.0, 400, 27.
Photo 37. Entrance to the Idrisovskaya cave and windows... Reviews of tourists about car trips to the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria. 1/250, -0.67, 9.0, 400, 66.
We climb up the path next to the sign. At an altitude of 45 meters this Palace appears.
Photo 38. I also call the Idrisovskaya Cave the Palace. Report on a trip to the Southern Urals. Panorama of five vertical frames taken handheld. 1/320, -0.67, 9.0, 400, 24.
I go inside, and my heart skips a beat with delight: here they are, those views that I have dreamed of photographing for so long (I wanted to go to the Idrisovskaya Cave 2 years ago, but was stopped by the remoteness of this landmark of Bashkiria from Yekaterinburg).
Photo 39. Views from the grotto of the Idrisovskaya cave upstream of the Yuryuzan River. Nikon D610 camera, Samyang 14 mm f/2.8 lens. HDR of three frames. 1/250, -0.67, 9.0, 160, 14.
The cave, next to Idrisovo (in Bashkiria it is called Iҙris, other names: Krasnopolskaya, Kissyatash, Palace) was described in 1770 by the naturalist and traveler from Germany Peter Simon Pallas, who served at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
Bashkiria, according to the official historiography of Russia, peacefully reunited with the Russian Empire. Only the people's hero of Bashkortostan, Salavat Yulaev, is revered for the fact that he personally led the capture of the Simsk and Katav factories, besieged the Chelyabinsk fortress and Orenburg, burned the fortress in Krasnoufimsk, and stormed Kungur. So, according to folk tales, Salavat Yulaev and his squad in 1774 hid from the punitive detachments of Catherine II in the Idrisovskaya cave, which is why it is also called Salavat’s cave.
Photo 40. View from the Idrisovskaya cave downstream of the Yuryuzan River. The photo is an HDR of three frames. Nikon D610 camera, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G lens. 1/50, 8.0, 320, 24.
In the video below you can see what an excursion with children to Idrisovskaya Cave in summer looks like.
A narrow passage leads deep into the cave - there, according to tourists, there are two large halls. In general, the length of the Kissyatash passages is 93 meters, with an average width of 3.8 meters and a height of 2.6 meters. The amplitude of the moves is 10 meters. The entrance to the cavern is at an altitude of 45 m above the level of Yuryuzan.
Well, one last look at the gorgeous view of Bashkir nature, and it’s time to return to the car that awaits us in Idrisovo.
This is where the entertainment part of our trip ended. Looking at the map, we painfully decided which way to return to Yekaterinburg: drive further along the M5 highway towards Ufa and turn in the city of Sim to Yangantau and Mesyagutovo, and then to Krasnoufimsk - there is guaranteed to be asphalt, but you make a detour. Return to Chelyabinsk and then rush home along a two-lane highway - the road in the first section is loaded with trucks.
The Maps.me navigator strongly advises going north to Novobelokatay and Mikhailovsk. I don’t want to trust him: I remember how a bridge was being repaired in Sima and, in order to avoid stuck in traffic jams, I decided to go to Mesyagutovo through Karaidel - then I had to trudge 50 km along a dirt road through the remote taiga.
But the path that the navigation system offers now is the shortest: the distance between the village of Idrisovo and Yekaterinburg is 355 km. Oh, it was - it wasn’t, we’re taking risks!
The road for a trip in winter turned out to be good: mostly asphalt, about 50 kilometers there was a grader, but it was cleaned and without holes (I drove 80 km/h). We were already home at 22:30, that is, we got there in about 5.5 hours, and everything that happened to us during these two days began to seem like a fairy tale or a pleasant dream. It is in our power to make these dreams happen again...
Conclusion to the report on a trip to the sights of the Chelyabinsk region by car
Well, today we found out what natural and man-made attractions you can see in two days. We now know how to get to the Black Rock, the Porogi tract, where to feed the moose and where the Ice Fountain is located. We saw the Idrisovskaya Cave, where the Bashkir field commander Salavat Ilaev spent his days.
Some organizational information:
- The car's mileage in two days is 1071 km.
- Diesel consumption at an average of 9.5 liters per 100 km is 102 liters.
- Fuel costs – 4300 rubles.
- Housing costs – 1400 rubles.
- Food expenses - 300-600 rubles at a time for two.
P.S. 1. If you have not yet subscribed to notifications about new blog articles, you can do this using the subscription form below. Not often, but from time to time I will publish other reports, and you will not miss them. Have a nice trip and a lot of exciting travel experiences!
P.S. 2. Have you watched the cartoon “Bobik visiting Barbos”? Here is a documentary on the same topic.
Review of traveling by car in the Southern Urals. Tips for tourists, nature of the Urals, unique sights and photographs.
Preface
We started our journey from the city of Perm. The Perm region is the Cis-Ural region. It's very beautiful there. Everyone should see the Kama River - it’s a breathtaking sight. The Urals itself is very beautiful and unusual. Our team is 4 travelers. The purpose of our trip is to see the unusually beautiful places of the Southern Urals. All 7 days of the trip were useful and flew by in an instant.
During the trip we used Google maps and Yandex Navigator. The latter constantly paved the way for us along a bypass, but good road.
Our route was as follows:
- Permian.
- Kungur (Kungur Cave).
- Ekaterinburg (Ganina Yama).
- Sysert (Talc Stone).
- Chelyabinsk and a little bit of Bashkiria (Ai River).
Road to the Urals
We made a big detour along the way. However, this did not overshadow the trip: the journey turned out to be very interesting, exciting, although difficult. The entire journey was mainly along a normal road. From time to time there were potholes and traffic jams in the city center - this is especially true for Yekaterinburg.
Every major city has a gas station at the entrance and exit points. During the entire trip we spent 3,280 rubles on gasoline.
I would like to say that during long trips you need to be prepared for anything. For example, our car fan overheated because it was very hot.
It is also worth noting that the weather in the Urals is unpredictable: it can change several times during the day. For example, the sun comes out in the morning, it rains during the day, and in the evening snow suddenly falls. That's why you need to take warm clothes on the road.
Kungur cave
We left Perm (near the railway station) on July 8 early in the morning, local time at 06:00 (the difference with Moscow is 2 hours). We passed through the following villages: Lobanovo, Koyanovo, Yanychi, Kukushtan, Shadeika. After 2.5 hours we arrived in the city of Kungur. The weather promised to be pleasant and sunny. We drove very slowly, as some roads leave much to be desired. The distance to Kungur is 100 km. This is the first large city after Perm.
Many tourists come to visit the truly unique Kungur Cave. Having visited this place at least once, you fall in love with it forever.
Kungur cave
At the entrance we bought tickets (adults - 700 rubles, children - 500 rubles) and went on a sightseeing tour.
We booked a hotel in advance on the website. You can look at the nearest hotel. There is a swimming pool and even a sauna, but the prices are decent. A regular double room costs 2,300 rubles per day.
Travel to Ekaterinburg
We drove from Kungur to Yekaterinburg for 4 hours. The road on the P-242 highway is good. We deliberately made a circle (we went through Yekaterinburg, not Krasnoufimsk) to see more sights. Along the way we passed the cities of Revda and Druzhinino, where we refueled the car and had a snack. I liked the cafe "Holy Rus'", but for some reason gasoline here turned out to be more expensive than in Perm.
The Sverdlovsk region is considered the capital of the Urals - there are many interesting and beautiful places. We focused our attention more on nature than on sights, so in the city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma we visited only two interesting places: the Museum of Automotive Technology and the “Military Glory of the Urals”.
Museum of Military Equipment
First we visited the "Military Glory of the Urals" museum, since it was closest along the way. The ticket cost 100 rubles. There you can also buy various souvenirs related to the Great Patriotic War. At the "Military Glory of the Urals" we also purchased a ticket to the Automotive Museum.
While we walked around the building, we looked at all the exhibits and took a lot of good photos. Later the tour bus arrived and we went to another place.
Of course, such automotive technology impressed us. All machines were in full working order.
Automotive Museum
We liked everything, only on the territory of the museums there is no coffee shop, or even a kiosk where you could buy plain water. The nearest cafe is located about 500 meters from the building.
Gas "Chaika" from the Museum of Automotive Technology
Ganina Yama
We visited the famous monastery. It is very beautiful, but you cannot take photographs inside the church itself.
Ganina pit
Unfortunately, we were a little late for the excursion, but we still really enjoyed it. The church itself is beautiful, clean and calm. You can also sign up and find out about excursions on the official website. On the territory of the monastery there are monuments to the Romanov family.
The Romanov family was shot nearby.
On the territory of the temple there is a museum where the life of the royal family is described in detail (exhibits, paintings and much more).
Portrait of the Romanovs
Girls are not allowed to enter the temple without headscarves, bare knees, or pants. But at the entrance they give you scarves and long skirts.
Entrance to the temple
City of Sysert
This city has a lake, which is surrounded by forest and named a natural monument. His middle name is “Bazhov Places”.
Lake in Sysert
This fabulous place fascinates with its beauty: pine forests, birch groves, a quiet pond, a beautiful lake, forest animals, delicious berries and clean air. You just need to see it with your own eyes.
If you travel through the forests of the Urals, you need to stock up on special means against mosquitoes, midges and ticks. We did not have enough such funds, and we had to wear high rubber boots in the summer.
View of the cliff from Talkov stone
At the entrance to “Bazhov Places” there is a pleasant woman who sells tickets and talks about the route, which is about 5 kilometers in one direction. The area is very large. Along with the tickets, you are given a map that shows how and where to go, as well as what you can see along the way. There were signs along the entire route, so it was difficult to get lost.
Signature "Talc stone"
Forest Talk stone
The ticket price is 60 rubles, but other services are also provided here. You can rent tourist equipment (tents, sleeping bags and other equipment), as well as book an excursion or even rent a gazebo for a day.
Talk stone and incredible nature
On the way to the famous lake, we met squirrels and wild birds (feeders were hung in many places). Unfortunately, we did not see the beavers that live in the dam, since we arrived there in the morning, and the animals come out only in the evening.
Talk stone and beautiful views
We received a lot of impressions and left this incredibly beautiful place with sadness.
Karabash city
When we were driving from Sysert to Chelyabinsk, we came across a strange city along the way. We looked on the Internet and found out that this was abandoned Karabash. It is considered the dirtiest city in the world.
Abandoned Karabash
The houses are empty, everything is abandoned - factories and mines. The water and soil are orange, nothing grows.
Orange land in Karabash
It becomes scary when you find yourself in such a place.
Zlatoust city
On the way to Chelyabinsk we had to stop in the city of Zlatoust. Firstly, our car was “boiling”, and secondly, it was the first full-fledged city after Sysert, where there are large shops, gas stations and cafes. It is in this city that the famous Taganay National Park is located. We were not able to visit there, but we promised ourselves to visit it another time. You cannot visit all the unique places of the Southern Urals in one trip.
I would also like to note that the most beautiful sunset occurs in the Urals. When the big red sun sets, the clouds turn a deep pink.
Nature of Zlatoust
Chelyabinsk city
We're almost there. During the entire trip no one felt tired. We, as at the beginning of the journey, were still full of strength and energy.
We arrived in the village of Mezhevoy. The water crossing begins here. We rented boats, or rather, booked a tourist trip along the Ai River, since this is the only way to get to the most picturesque places.
We booked the trip along the river in advance, and already on the spot, in Mezhevoy, we paid 3,500 rubles per person. We were provided with boats, a tent, sleeping bags, and also organized breakfast, lunch and dinner. The price included insurance and the services of an instructor who sailed with us in inflatable boats.
A trip along the Ai River
Each boat accommodated 6 people.
Kurgazakskaya Cave, Dry Waterfalls and Sikiyaz-Tamak
The depth of this cave is 18 meters. We didn’t go down because we didn’t have any special equipment with us. Inside the cave it was quite cold (the temperature was about +6 degrees) and dirty (we had to wear rubber boots).
Dry waterfalls are a unique natural attraction. Water flows over the stones in the spring, straight into the river, and in the summer the water dries completely. This phenomenon gave the name "Dry Falls".
The Sikiyak-Tamak through cave is a dance grotto. Extreme lovers should like it here. However, if you suffer from claustrophobia, then it is better not to take risks: in the cave you need to crawl on all fours through a very narrow tunnel. We had to wait in a long line before we could get into this grotto.
All along the way we came across many more caves and grottoes, we couldn’t even count them all.
Grotto near the Ai River
We also came across a real artesian fountain and a turtle, which nature itself made.
Artesian fountain and natural turtle
Lakly village
The final destination is the village of Lakly. There are shops here, but we booked a room in the village of Mezhevoy in advance. We stayed at the guest house "Lake Ai".
Anyone can go swimming without any experience.
Water in the Ai River
It is shallow and safe for children. The water is incredibly clean. These are the Bashkir cows grazing here. In addition, we met bears.
Animals in the village of Lakly
You can take your child and go there with your family for a whole weekend: there are places for tents, you can rent a house.
The park is full of interesting routes for every taste. It is located in the lower reaches of the Serga River. In the park you can find 6 rocks: “Kissing”, “Light”, “Pisanitsa”, “Frog”, “Karst Bridge”, “Holey Stone”. Lovers of caves will also rejoice in their abundance: “Friendship”, “Big Failure”, “Bolshaya Arakaevskaya”, “Site of an Ancient Man”.
At the entrance, each visitor is given a map of the routes; there will also be signs and gazebos for rest along the way.
Diverse landscapes, historical sites, beautiful views from the cliffs.
How to get there:
Along the Ekaterinburg – Perm highway until the turn to Nizhnie Sergi, Arti. Take the highway in the direction of these settlements. Approximately 15 km after Nizhniye Sereg, shortly after the village of Polovinka, there will be a left turn following the sign to the Olenyi Ruchi Park. There is a parking lot on site.
For the thrill
The Didinsky Tunnel is a popular place among lovers of abandoned buildings. The length of the railway tunnel is 1123 meters, height – 6.1. It is located near the village of Didino and the railway station of the same name. Abandoned since 1995.
The entrance arch to the tunnel is decorated with decorative elements in the form of fortress towers with loopholes and battlements, thanks to which it looks like the entrance to a castle. This is what attracts most tourists. Inside there are two shafts and technical rooms.
Now the tunnel is in such poor condition that even experienced urban tourists should be extremely careful there. To visit, rubber boots and special clothing are required; it is cold in the tunnel even in the warm season.
How to get there:
Along the Novomoskovsky tract towards Perm, then turn left onto the dirt road between Revda and the village of Pervomaisky. From here it is 5 km to the tunnel, but it will only be possible to travel in dry weather, so in the fall there is an option to leave the car and walk.
Closer to the sky
The Kourovo Astronomical Observatory is the only one in the Urals. And it is located not far from the village of Sloboda, on the banks of the famous Chusovaya River.
The observatory belongs to the Institute of Natural Sciences of the Ural Federal University. It works in three directions: observations of the Sun, stars and near-Earth satellites.
How to get there:
Along the Moscow highway to Pervouralsk. Drive through the entire city, cross the dam, pass Bilimbay and drive towards Shali until the turn to the village of Sloboda. Turn into Sloboda. The observatory is located behind the Chusovaya tourist center.
In the footsteps of cinema
Beautiful views of the Urals often flashed in Soviet cinema. But in the 21st century, interest in our places has grown largely thanks to Alexei Ivanov and the film that was based on his book of the same name, “The Geographer Drank His Globe Away.” One of the places where the main character took his class and generally loved to spend time there: a backwater in Zakamsk.
This place is especially beautiful in winter, but in autumn it will be interesting to see a large collection of different types of ships. Here are collected both operational vessels, most of which were launched in the summer and are actively operating, as well as those that have already been decommissioned and rusted.
You can enter the ships themselves by negotiating well with the guards, but here everything is at their discretion and your persuasiveness. The backwater has existed since the 19th century. In 1931, the Kama shipbuilding plant was founded there, and after perestroika in the 90s, the Kama Shipping Company fell into decay.
Probably one of the most unusual landscapes in the Perm region is located in the city of Berezniki. A few steps back you were on the bank of the Kama, surrounded by a familiar forest. And suddenly the turquoise expanse of the tropical sea opens in front of you, lazy waves regularly roll onto the snow-white sand.
Places of extraordinary beauty lie in the north of the Perm region, near the city of Aleksandrovsk - a whole country of mountain lakes, with water of a deep turquoise color. Surprisingly, these lakes are just man-made structures - old flooded limestone quarries.
Museum-reserve of wooden architecture, located on the high cape of the Kama River. The location for the open-air museum was chosen well. The buildings fit harmoniously into the surrounding nature, the landscapes are very picturesque! In this article you will learn about the history and each object of Khokhlovka.
It’s no longer a secret to anyone how beautiful the Urals are. And the onset of winter frosts is not a reason to deny yourself hiking in the snow-covered expanses of the Ural region. Winter paints the landscape familiar from summer hikes in its unique colors. Therefore, having visited a certain place once in the summer, be sure to take the same route in the winter.
Azov Mountain is the most popular natural attraction near the town of Polevsky, the birthplace of Bazhov’s tales. The beauty of this place attracts many tourists. Various legends are associated with the mountain, and in 1940 an ancient treasure was found here...
Teeth of Shurale - this is exactly what, with a strange name at first glance, the Bashkirs call the northern slope of the Karatash ridge, decorated with beautiful rocks. There is another, poetic name: “Eagle’s Nest”. Tourists prefer another name: Aigir Rocks, after the name of the nearby Aigir railway station. And tourists are frequent guests here. In winter and summer, dozens and sometimes hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts go every weekend to conquer these beautiful rocks.
The Alapaevskaya Narrow-Gauge Railway (AUZhD) is the longest passenger narrow-gauge railway in Russia with a gauge of 750 mm. Its opening took place in 1898. In Soviet times, the length reached 600 kilometers, now it is 146 kilometers. Tourists often come to take a ride on the narrow-gauge railway.
These caves are located near the village of Arakaevo (Sverdlovsk region). One of them is the longest cave on the Serge River. The Arakaevo Caves are located on the territory of the popular Olenyi Ruchi natural park, but in this (southern) part of the park there are still significantly fewer tourists than in its central part.
Arkaim is one of the most famous sights of the Urals, having the reputation of an unusual, mysterious, even anomalous place. Every year many thousands of miracle lovers from all over the country come here. In addition to tourists, you can meet many esotericists, psychics and other extraordinary people here.
The Balbanyu River is one of the most famous in the Subpolar Urals among water tourists. This small, but extremely interesting and picturesque river originates near Mount Narodnaya - the highest point of the entire Ural range. By its name, which comes from the bizarre rocks located along the banks, Balbanyu is the “sister” of the now widely known Manpupuner-Bolvanoiz plateau.
One of the main attractions of the city of Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk region. The bell tower with the chapel of St. John Chrysostom has an architecture unusual for the Urals in the spirit of Western European architecture. The total height of the tower is more than 53 meters. And near it lies the Mountain Park named after. P.P. Bazhova.
Anyone who drives along the road from the city of Chusovoy towards Gubakha and Kizel (Perm Territory) pays attention to the fact that the dense taiga forest, after turning towards Gremyachinsk, gives way to mountain crooked forest, and to the side of the road, through a gap there is a view of the valley Bolshaya Gremyachaya river...
At the beginning of the 18th century, settlers from the village of Alapaihi founded a village here, which they named after the river that flowed into Chusovaya, Kashka. Opposite the now former village stands the Rain Stone. Fascinated by the passage of the Kashkinsky search, not all tourists pay attention to it. Meanwhile, this place is interesting and significant...
The Merry Mountains are a mountain range stretching 52 kilometers from north to south. Most of the Vesyolye Mountains coincide with the main Ural watershed, where the border between Europe and Asia passes. The great Ural writer D.N. often visited the Merry Mountains. Mamin-Sibiryak. In the past, Old Believers hid here from persecution and religious processions were held to holy graves.
The article gives an overview of 1-4-week hikes in the Urals and Siberia, provides recommendations for choosing trips, tells how to use sources when independently developing routes, and provides a “hit parade” and route threads. Some of the hikes described are in .
Once, while hiking along the Katunsky ridge in (Altai), I met a group of schoolchildren from Kurgan and got into conversation with their leader. We asked each other where we had been. It turned out that we have approximately the same list of completed trips. This gave me the idea to compile my “hit parade” of travel routes in the Urals and Siberia, and list the places that you definitely need to visit. And although there will be enough routes not yet traveled for ten years, I already have something to recommend from the twenty expeditions I have completed.
Why the Urals and Siberia? Let's imagine that you are a tourist with experience of 2-4 day hikes with an overnight trip in the classical sense - you like to travel with a backpack, live in a tent, and cook over a fire. You already understand that it is this type of vacation that brings the greatest satisfaction. The Earth is full of beautiful places where you can go by bus or fly by helicopter, or climb to the top by cable car. And the views will be no less beautiful than if you climb there on foot. Why is there no such satisfaction? Because people have been traveling on foot or on horseback for thousands of years. And we still have the need sometimes to be in the role of a “primitive man”, a pioneer, relying only on the strength of our muscles and true friends. It is the Urals and Siberia with their wild, endless expanses that can give us these feelings. There are also beautiful mountains - the Caucasus and Tien Shan. But, traveling through them, we understand that we are guests there. That these are lands of other peoples and you need to know the specifics of relationships with local residents. Traveling through the Urals and Siberia, we get acquainted with ours. Does it make sense to “visit” when we are not yet completely familiar with “our apartment”? That is why in the summer I travel around the Urals, Siberia, and the outskirts of Lake Baikal. These are the mountains I want to talk about.
There are three incorrect stereotypes about Siberia among residents of European Russia, and among residents of the Urals too.
1) “Siberia is an endless flat swamp.” But if we look at the map, we will see that at least a quarter of the area is occupied by mountains.
2) “In summer there are a lot of blood-sucking insects.” But on only two of my 20 trips was a mosquito net required. We were seriously eaten up in July in the Northern Urals. After my lecture on Siberian old-timer dialects, the participants in the morning asked from the tent how it was outside - vile or mosquitoy? In Altai there are no mosquitoes at all (the larvae do not mature due to sub-zero night temperatures), and flies are only found on horseback riding routes.
3) “There may not be summer in the Urals and Siberia.” As in the joke: a Uralian or Siberian who comes to the Black Sea is asked: “Why are you so white? Didn’t you have summer?” - “Why, it was only I who worked that day.” Summer in Siberia is short, but real: sunny and hot. If you go on a long enough hike (three weeks), you will probably catch him. I only had one completely rainy three-week trip - to the Celestial Teeth. The summer travel season lasts from mid-June to the end of August (in the Subpolar Urals and in the north of Baikal - from mid-July, south of Baikal the best time is August, before that it is rainy, monsoon winds blow from Lake Baikal).
In this article I will focus exclusively on summer hiking and mountain travel, although some hikes are better done in winter. For example, it is easier to get to Munku-Sardyk (Eastern Sayan) in winter on skis along frozen rivers than in summer to wade through brown forest and dwarf forest. And on Lake Baikal, winter skating trips are interesting.
Types of travel. First, let's define the terms used. Travel through mountainous areas on foot, unless rock climbing and ice climbing equipment is used. Mountain travel, if ropes are used, including for organizing river crossings. Mountain tourism differs from mountaineering in Altai and Siberia in its goals. A mountain tourist, as a rule, travels through several valleys, crossing passes between them and climbing some peaks along the simplest routes. The climber is “thrown” along one valley to the base camp in the simplest possible way (for example, on horseback), then makes acclimatization walks and climbs to the peaks. Moreover, the path of ascent is important to him. He can climb the same peak several times along increasingly difficult routes. The ascent and descent can take up to 24 hours, but the climber will definitely descend to spend the night at base camp. A mountain tourist follows a daily routine more. He will spend the night where it is safe to pitch a tent, for example, in a small area on a pass. For a climber, the main thing is the view from the top; for a mountain tourist, lakes, waterfalls, and canyons are also attractions. In general, a climber is more of an athlete, and a mountain tourist is more of an explorer; he learns to live in the territory through which he walks.
Recently, another term has appeared - trekking. This is a hiking trip along mountain paths, although there may be some obstacles in the form of a kurum (a Ural-Siberian word meaning rocky scree) and even a simple glacier. As a rule, trekking routes pass through villages and camp sites, so there is no need to carry food and tents. I enjoy traveling as a trekker in the Himalayas, but I hope that in Siberia all this infrastructure will not be developed for a long time. There must be a place left for us where we can only rely on ourselves and our team to feel the fullness of life.
So, let's focus on summer autonomous hiking or mountain travel, that is, hiking with a complete separation from civilization. What duration of the hike should I choose? The classic option is two weeks, which includes entering the first river valley, setting up a camp, radials (light walks) to sights, a day, crossing the pass to the second valley, radials in the second valley, a spare day, exit. Radials can also represent climbing to peaks. I prefer three-week hikes (on average, I can visit as many valleys as there are weeks on the hike). In three weeks it is better to “get used to” the area and thoroughly walk around the entire ridge, whereas in two weeks you can only have time to see the main attractions. I consider trips lasting two weeks without the use of mountain (rock climbing or ice climbing) equipment to be easy. A moderate trip lasts two weeks with special equipment or three weeks without special equipment. The arduous journey lasts four weeks, or three weeks with special equipment. With the current level of technology, only constantly training athletes can bear greater weight. Therefore, it is better to divide routes for a long time into two or three “rings” with “bookmarks”, that is, hide products in the next “rings”. In fact, we are talking about several trips that coincide in terms of timing.
Most tourists can only afford one trip per summer. If you are a professional traveler, then it is quite possible to do 2-4. We must not forget about rest. At least once a week you need to have a day off, because this is the usual mode of life for a working person. Some leaders recommend taking a day off on the fourth day, because beginners spend the first three days with enthusiasm, but then they run out of strength, and further advancement is the result of calculated forces. If we are talking about “joining” trips, then I advise you to rest between parts in as many days as there are parts in the trip. For example, if you combine two ten-day hikes together, then rest for two days between them, and if three ten-day hikes, then rest for three days. If we are talking about several trips over the summer to different areas, then, from my point of view, it is most harmonious after a trip to rest for as many days as the trip lasted. I also traveled in this mode for five years: I conducted a two-week hike in Altai in the last week of June - the first week of July, then rested for two weeks and carried out a three-week hike further across Siberia.
What sources to use when developing a route? We will not consider “aerobatics” when it is necessary to create a new route, possibly with first ascents, and when the source is only a map and images from space of the Google Earth program. We will assume that descriptions can be found on the Internet.
Technical reports on sports trips. They most objectively describe the geography, route, timing and obstacles overcome. If you are going to make a sports “career” in tourism, then such reports are the main source of information. If for you, like for me, certificates, titles and regalia are not the main thing, and you are primarily interested in the sights and so that the hike as a whole is interesting, then you need to know the following about technical reports:
1) Most likely, reports on hikes of 1-3 difficulty categories will suit you; hikes of 4 and 5 difficulty categories will be too difficult. Pay attention to the main obstacles. Passes of the first category of difficulty mean that you can climb them in one day without the use of special equipment (pass 1b means that you may need to hang one rope), passes of the second category will require the use of special equipment and training of participants in the necessary skills, even more difficult obstacles require systematic training. There is a method for calculating the difficulty category of a hike as a whole. If we make a rough assessment of travel in the Urals and Siberia, then a hike at a normal pace (20-30 km in the Urals, 15-20 km in Siberia, 10-15 km per day in Altai) and with passing passes of the first category will have the same category as The trek lasts weeks.
2) You may encounter fraud in reports. For example, if the mileage on the last or first day is 40-50 km, then you need to think about whether the group really walked or was given a lift. If there are photographs of participants on the passes, but at some pass there are no photographs (it is written that the weather was bad and the photo did not work out) and this pass is located away from the main route (that is, its passage is not necessary and does not affect the passage of the entire trip ), then you have to think, did the group really go through this pass?
3) Sometimes the route contains excessive “winding up” of passes in order to increase the category of difficulty of the hike, for example, the route goes around a mountain with three passes. You need to think about whether it's worth doing this loop with backpacks over three days, whether there are really interesting sights around the mountain, or maybe it's worth setting up camp and doing two radials?
Commercial route programs. As a rule, they take place in truly beautiful places and are described in terms of the beauty of the attractions. A well-designed commercial route is designed for people with an average level of training and will most likely be suitable for you. It's worth comparing it with a sports report to help you think about how to complete the route in a shorter time than described in the commercial program. Generally, commercial treks are limited in time to two weeks, so may not include attractions worth seeing. Therefore, you need to carefully look at the sights near the route and think about increasing the duration. For example, the most famous hike in Altai “Kucherla - Karaturek - Akkem pass” in commercial programs may include 1-2 radials in the Kucherla valley, although it is worth doing at least 4 radials there. Often, commercial companies offer an unrealistic hike to some “branded” peak, knowing in advance that the group members will abandon the hike when they see on the spot what they have to go through. For example, we saw how groups going to the highest peak of Altai and all of Siberia - Belukha - turned around and left before the Delaunay Pass. Therefore, if a commercial program claims a technical climb or a pass of a high difficulty category, it is worth considering whether the program itself is realistic.
Informal descriptions. These are descriptions of the impressions of the hike made by its participants, usually with photographs. From them you can glean information about what is worth seeing along the route. When reading the description, you need to pay attention to whether the group is similar to yours. And keep in mind that the narrator’s opinion about the area can be very subjective. For example, in the descriptions I read about the terrible swamps near Manaraga, if you go to its foot along the classic route from the Kar-kar pass. In my opinion, these swamps do not pose a serious obstacle. In any case, our speed was at least 4 km/h.
When reading reports, you need to pay attention to the dates of travel and river crossings. Focusing on the peaks and passes, tourists often do not pay attention to the rivers, although in mountain tourism most emergencies happen at the crossings. And if on a sports trip tourists cross the river knee-deep, this is not a guarantee that you will not plunge into the waist-deep water. The good thing about commercial routes is that they simply won’t go through risky crossings. Although there are no guarantees either. So, in Altai from Kucherla one of the most common radials is to Lake Darashkol. Everyone fords Kucherla. In 2010, for several days I could not decide to go to Darashkol because of the high water in Kucherla, replacing this walk with other radials. When there was no time left, we made a horse crossing. And they were not mistaken. A tourist who was fording the river died while we were there (he was knocked off his feet and pulled under a rubble of logs).
Geography of treks and strategies for creating a long-term schedule for several years.
The Urals stretch from north to south and broadly include the mountains of Novaya Zemlya, Pai-Khoi, Polar, Subpolar, Northern, Middle and Southern Urals and Mugodzhary (Kazakh Urals).
An interesting mountain section of Siberia from the point of view of travel begins with Altai (in addition to the Russian Altai, there are also Kazakh, Mongolian and Gobi Altai). To the north of Altai is Kuznetsk Alatau, to the east is first the Western Sayan, then the Eastern Sayan. South of Sayan are the mountains of Tuva.
To the east of Sayan there are mountains around Lake Baikal. To the west and northwest of Bakal are the Baikal ridges, to the south is the Khamar-Daban, on the eastern shore is the Barguzin ridge. Further to the northeast is the Stanovoye Highlands.
Siberia includes the still inaccessible regions of the Putorana plateau and the mountains of Yakutia, the number of which is equal to all previous ones. I think that over the next ten years we will see an increase in tourist interest in these areas. For now, let’s focus on the mountains up to Transbaikalia for one more reason. The transfer to Yakutia is long and, perhaps, the trip there will be more expensive than, for example, to Iceland.
So, before us is a huge mountainous country. Where to go first, what to leave for later? I suggest three strategies:
1) One 2-3 week expedition per summer
2) Two trips over the summer: two weeks in Altai and three weeks in Siberia
3) 2-4 interconnected trips over the summer.
I will describe the travel details in the third strategy. When describing the first two, I will only list the ridges.
Strategy #1. Let's say you want to spend 2-3 weeks of your summer vacation on one trip to the Urals and Siberia, visiting a different mountain region every year. This strategy works for most tourists.
I offer five “hit” hikes, from the “must-see” category:
1) Subpolar Urals. Yugyd-va Natural Park. Mount Narodnaya, Manaraga
2) Kuznetsk Alatau. Tigirtysh Ridge (Celestial Teeth)
3) Altai. Katunsky ridge. Kucherla, Akkem rivers, Kara-Turek pass
4) Western Sayan. Ergaki Ridge
5) Baikal ridge. Rivers Kurkula, Molokon, Peak Bird
These hikes introduce you to key sections of different mountain systems. The order for the inhabitants of European Russia is exactly this, as it is associated with a gradual advance to the east. For residents of the Urals (Perm, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Chelyabinsk) it is easier to get to Altai and Kuznetsk Alatau than to the Subpolar Urals. It is easier for Siberians to start hiking from places that are closer to them, as shown in the following table:
Table of mountain systems, cities and stations
| Region | Near mountain system | Train station or large town |
|---|---|---|
| European Russia | Subpolar Urals | Inta |
| Chelyabinsk region, Bashkiria, Orenburg region | Mountains of the Southern Urals | Zlatoust, Yuryuzan, Beloretsk, Magnitogorsk |
| Perm and Sverdlovsk regions | Northern Urals | Ivdel, Severouralsk, Krasnoturinsk, Serov |
| Omsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk regions, Altai Territory | Altai | Biysk |
| Kemerovo region | Kuznetsky Alatau | Novokuznetsk |
| Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk region | Western Sayan, Western Tofalaria (Eastern Sayan) | Abakan, Minusinsk |
| Tuva | Mountains of Tuva | Abakan, then by bus to Kyzyl |
| Irkutsk region, western Buryatia | Eastern Sayan: Tofalaria Tunka loaches and Khamar-Daban | Nizhneudinsk Slyudyanka |
| Buryatia | Baikal region Transbaikalia | Severobaykalsk Barguzin, BAM station |
You can limit yourself to these trips if you think that the Earth is big, and our country is also big. And you also need to visit Crimea, the Caucasus, the Kola Peninsula, Tien Shan, Yakutia, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands. Another argument in favor of these places is that they need to be visited before they are completely populated. We, accustomed to the wild spaces of our Motherland, are unlikely to want to see equipped trails, cafes, cable cars, hotels and motels on our route.
Each trip in the vicinity of Lake Baikal can be completed with a rest on the shores of Lake Baikal. In particular, those traveling by train to Irkutsk or Slyudyanka can arrange a week-long vacation on Olkhon Island.
For residents of European Russia there may be another start to long hikes:
0A) Southern Urals. Taganay natural park, Turgoyak lake or Zyuratkul, Nurgush and Iremel natural park.
The Southern Urals are close, accessible, there are many cities at the foot of the ridges - an ideal place to start tourism. It makes no sense for residents of the Urals to spend their vacation on these places, where they can go on weekends along several routes. But before moving on to Siberia, they should make the following trips:
0B) Northern Urals. Main Ural ridge.
And a trip to Manpupuner, which opens the second cycle of travel:
6) Northern Urals. Manpupuner.
I have a travel encyclopedia, on the cover of which there are photographs of Paris, Easter Island, the volcanoes of Kamchatka and the Manpupuner rocks. It’s very clear where it’s worth visiting when traveling around the world.
7) Altai. Iolgo and Uymensky ridges, Lake Teletskoye. 77 Altai mountain-taiga route. This is the very beginning of Altai with accessible mountains, but on the horizon you will be attracted by pointed peaks with snowfields, and you will dream of further hikes in Altai.
8) Tuva. Mongun-Taiga. The peculiarity of hiking in Tuva: you need to take into account the crime situation.
9) Eastern Sayan. Tunkinsky loaches
Third travel cycle:
10) Subpolar Urals. Saber Ridge
11) Altai. North Chuysky ridge. Shavlinsky lakes.
12) Western Sayan. Aradan Ridge.
13) Eastern Sayan. Tofalaria.
14) Transbaikalia. Barguzinsky ridge.
Fourth cycle of travel.
15) Altai. South Chuysky ridge.
17) Tuva. Shapshalsky ridge.
18) Eastern Sayan. Valley of extinct volcanoes. Topographers Peak
19) Southern coast of Bakal. Khamar-Daban.
Fifth cycle of travel.
20) Altai. Ukok plateau, Mount Tavan-Bogdo-Ula
21) Western Sayan. Abakan ridge.
22) Transbaikalia. Kodar.
23) Transbaikalia. North Muisky ridge.
Sixth cycle of travel.
24) Altai. Katunsky ridge. Multinskie lakes
25) Eastern Sayan. Tofalaria. West Side
26) Transbaikalia. South Muisky ridge.
27) Altai. Terektinsky ridge.
It turns out that it takes 27 years to go around interesting ridges to Transbaikalia, and then, probably, the same amount to go around Yakutia and the Far East? If you fell in love with the Urals and Siberia, the second strategy will suit you.
Strategy #2
Go on two trips over the summer: one - two weeks in June-July in Altai, the second - three weeks in July-August in Siberia and the Urals. I can say that Altai fascinates everyone who has visited it. Many tourists consider Altai to be the most beautiful mountains. I was told that it is more beautiful than the Tien Shan and the Himalayas. I'm inclined to agree with this. Altai is very diverse. During a hiking day, you can change several climate zones and see many sights. I know tourists who go to Altai every year, and they don’t need anything else. According to this strategy, the hiking plan looks like this:
| Year | Expedition 1 | Expedition 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 Altai mountain-taiga route (3 weeks) | Northern Urals. Manpupuner (2 weeks) |
| 2 | Kuznetsky Alatau. Celestial Teeth | Altai. Katunsky ridge. Kucherla-Akkem |
| 3 | Altai. North Chuysky ridge. Shavlinskie lakes, Maashei | |
| 4 | Western Sayan. Ergaki | Subpolar Urals. Popular and Manaraga |
| 5 | Altai. South Chuysky ridge | Eastern Sayan. Tunkinsky loaches |
| 6 | Altai. Ukok, Tavan-Bogdo-Ula | Transbaikalia. Barguzinsky ridge |
| 7 | Western Sayan. Aradan | Eastern Sayan. Tofalaria |
| 8 | Altai. Katunsky ridge. Multinskie lakes | Subpolar Urals. Saber |
| 9 | Altai. Terektinsky ridge | Eastern Sayan. Valley of extinct volcanoes |
| 10 | Western Sayan. Abakansky ridge | Tuva. Mongun-Taiga |
| 11 | Altai. Source of Katun | Southern shore of Lake Baikal. Khamar-Daban |
| 12 | Altai. Katunsky ridge. Iedygem, Suluairy | Transbaikalia. Kodar |
| 13 | Tuva. Shapshalsky ridge | Transbaikalia. North Muisky ridge |
| 14 | Transbaikalia. South Muisky ridge |
Strategy #3 designed for those who are involved in tourism professionally or are so passionate about tourism that they are ready to travel all summer. This strategy is suitable for tourist clubs, which can organize three or four trips in close areas so that tourists, after finishing one expedition, can move on to the next. From the “New Nomads” tourist club, I can say that we have quite a few tourists who are ready to go on three trips in a row. And if you think about it, this is not fanaticism, but quite. In full accordance with the name of our tourist club (“New Nomads”), some of our tourists go hiking with the onset of summer and return home when winter is in the mountains. This method of planning requires strategic thinking on the part of the club management and coordinated work of the trip leaders.
Great trip to the Southern Urals
The peculiarity of the hike is that there are populated areas along the route, so there is no need to carry all the food on yourself. The trip includes the following hikes:
1) Taganay Nature Park (1 week). Start in Karabash, finish in Zlatoust.
2) Urenga (3 days). Start in Zlatoust, finish in the village of Zyuratkul.
3) Zyuratkul Nature Park (1 week). Ridges Zyuratkul, Uvan, Nurgush. Start in the village of Zyuratkul, finish in Tyulyuk.
4) Zigalga (4 days). Start in Tyulyuk, finish in Aleksandrovka, return to Tyulyuk.
5) Iremel, Avalyak (4 days). Start in Tyulyuk, finish in Nikolaevka, transfer to Verkhnearshinsky.
6) Kumardak, Inzerskie Zubchatki, Yalangas (1 week). Start in VerkhneArshinsk, finish in Beloretsk.
A great trip to the Northern Urals
The difference from the Southern Urals is that the forest border is much lower, so the mountains at the same height seem more impressive. There are a lot of blood-sucking insects in July. The climate is much cooler. Includes routes of the most popular hikes in the Northern Urals:
1) Mountains near the Konzhakovsky Stone (1 week): Serebryansky, Konzhakovsky, Tylaysky, Kosvinsky Stones, Three Bugra, Semichelovechyu, Sukhogorsky (Kazan) Stones.
2) Main Ural Ridge, Kvarkush ridge with Zhigalan waterfalls (1 week).
3) To the rocks of Manpupuner and Torreporreiz (3 weeks, if without Torreporreiz, then 2 weeks). Dyatlov Pass - Kholatsyahl - Otorten with Lake Lunthusaptur and Poritaysori waterfalls - Motevchahl - Yanyghachechahl - Yanyvondersyahl - Pecheryatalakhchahl (source of Pechora) - Manpupuner - Torreporreiz.
A great journey through the Subpolar Urals
This is the very heart of the Urals. Despite the fact that I have been to Baikal, Altai, Sayan Mountains, the Himalayas, Kamchatka, the view from the highest peak of the Urals, Mount Narodnaya, I consider the best view of my life. Traditionally, tourists go to the Subpolar Urals for a week from the Zhelannaya geological base with an ascent to Narodnaya and Manaraga (some then raft from Manaraga along the Kosyu River).
I led a group on a three-week hike, which was a ring: Zhelannaya - the foot of Narodnaya, climbing Narodnaya - Kar-kar pass - the foot of Manaraga, climbing the Small Tooth of Manaraga - the foot of the Bell Tower, climbing the Bell Tower - the Reindeer Herders plateau, climbing Defense and Peak Komsomol – Reindeer Breeders Pass – Khobe-Zapadny Pass – Blue Lakes Pass – climbing Karpinsky Peak – Zhelannaya base. The planned ascents to Blucher, Mansiner and Ugra did not take place due to bad weather. I think that the trip was successful, since we visited the five peaks in good weather, which is often rainy in the Subpolar Urals. Since there are white nights in July, it is possible to “catch” good weather during the day and start the journey at least at 2 am.
The big trip I propose through the Subpolar Urals consists of the following parts:
1) Auxiliary part - transfer of products from the Zhelennaya base through the Kar-Kar pass to the valley of the Manaraga River. In good weather, climb Narodnaya.
2) A ring around the mountains Narodnaya, Blukhera, Yugra, Mansiner, Protection with entry to the Parnuk plateau to collect amethysts. If you do not carry out the auxiliary part, then return to the Zhelennaya base for food for the next part. It will take about 2 weeks.
3) Crossing Kar-kar to the Manaragi valley. Climbing Narodnaya and Manaraga, moving to the Bell Tower and climbing it. Transition to Saber and ascent to Saber, exit. Duration – 3 weeks.
Great trip to Kuznetsk Alatau and Western Sayan
The Sayan is an endless sea of taiga with round caps of char towering above it. There are also ridges in western Siberia that rise above the taiga with pointed peaks. And they have corresponding names: Tigirtysh (Celestial teeth) and Ergaki (fingers) with the adjacent Aradan ridge, which is included (together with Ergaki) in the natural park of the same name. Mountain rivers flow into blue lakes (there are especially many of them in the Golden Valley of the Celestial Teeth). There are graceful waterfalls. There are small glaciers in Kuznetsk Alatau.
The hike consists of three parts:
1) Aradan (two weeks). Nistaforovka River - Rovny Stream - Valley of Nine Lakes - radially to the Minusinsk Tourists Pass and Aradansky Peak - Prokhodnoy Pass - Emerald Guitar Lake - Vodopadny Stream - radially to the Polytechnic Pass - Unexpected Pass - Grebnevoy Pass - Mirror Lake - Lake 1627 - Maraliy Stream - River Lower Small Kazyr-Sug - Osypnoy pass - Aradan lakes - Bear pass - Lake plateau - Prapor Yunosti pass - Red lake - Baklanikha pass - Podnebesnoye lake - Jerboa tourist center. This most common route runs along the eastern part of the Aradan Range. The ridge itself is much longer and includes the still rarely visited central and western parts with the same sharp peaks and lakes.
2) Ergaki (two weeks). Ring through the Ergak passes with radials. Tourist base "Jerboa" - Lake Mramornoe - Western Kursantov Pass - Lake Khuzhnikov, radial to Lake of Mountain Spirits and Zvezdny Pass - Lake Malachite Bath - Strelka parking lot, radial to Tsvetnoye Lakes and Pikanty Pass, radial to Lake Ledyanoy - Taigishonok River - Lake Eight - Tumanny pass-1 - Lake Skazka, radial route to the Bogatyr and Gratsia waterfalls, radial route to the Stone Castle - Skazka pass - Lake Lazurnoe, radial route to the Mother Sayan peak - Taigish Pass-1 - Lake Maloye Buibinskoye - Tarmazakovsky Bridge. From the arrow you can go to Lake Bolshoye Buibinskoye and climb the Metugul-Taiga ridge. Also of interest are the lakes south of Ergak: Bolshoye and Maloye Bezrybnoye, Zolotarnoye and Svetloye. In this case, it takes 3 weeks to complete the route.
3) Kuznetsk Alatau (two weeks). Route “Big Ring along the Celestial Teeth”: Luzhba - Glukhariny shelter - Amzas - Marukha pass (900m) - Podnebesny stream, viewing waterfalls, swimming in a radon "bath", Radial path to Lake Alumni, climbing the Big Tooth (2046m) - the sources of Belsu - Khodovaya pass (1110m) - Turalyg river valley - Goat Gate pass (1806m) - Lake Kharatas. From the pass, walk lightly to the mountains Old Fortress (2211m) and Upper Tooth (2178m). Walk lightly along the Golden Valley, explore lakes and waterfalls, climb Serebryany Peak (2063m). lake Haratas - lake Hunuhuzukh (Golden Valley) - trans. Karatash - r. Maly Kazyr - the mouth of the Vysokogorny stream. Radial to the valley of the Vysokogorny and Vodopadny streams. Climbing No. 2 to the Big Tooth or to the Little Tooth. Kupriyanovskaya Polyana - lane. Kazyrsky - Alguy - Amzas - Luzhba. From Belsu Headwaters you can take an optional week-long trek through the Rocky Mountains.
Great trip to Tuva
The trip to Tuva is a continuation of the trip to Kuznetsk Alatau and Western Sayan and can be completed in one year. Unfortunately, the crime situation greatly limits the tourism opportunities of this beautiful land. Recently, ecotourism has begun to develop in Tuva. It is worth visiting the yurts with ethnic concerts (throat singing) and the world's only shamanic clinic in Kyzyl.
Hiking routes in Tuva:
1) Shapshalsky ridge (two-week trip). Bai-Tal - r. Khemchik - mouth of Chinge-Khem - r. Chinge-Khem - the mouth of the river from Ak-Oyuk - Ak-Oyuk (3613 m radially) - pass to the Chon-Khem valley - Wild Lakes, lane. Rocky (radially) - Mt. Pyramid (3477 m.) - r. Ak-Oyuk - merger of Ak-Oyuk and Shuya - trans. Shapshal, 3349 m. (radially) – r. Shui - village Shui.
2) Mongun-Taiga – the highest peak of Tuva (3976m) – a two-week trip. The climb to the top is easy, but since the peak is covered by a glacier, climbing ropes and crampons are required. During the trip you can visit the valleys of the Tolayta River with waterfalls, lakes Uzun-Khol and Hindiktig-Khol.
Great Altai journey
Altai is probably the most colorful mountain system. From almost any clearing along the route you can admire all the colors of nature: green forest, blue lake or waterfall, multi-colored scree, white snowfields and glaciers. This is one of the reasons why you can go to Altai every year.
Hiking in Altai: 1) Fragments of the legendary route 77: Lake Teletskoye, Iolgo ridge and Karakol lakes, Uymensky ridge (2-3 weeks). This is the northern part of Russian Altai. Here the mountains are low and accessible for climbing, but from the tops you can already see the spiky snow-capped peaks.
2) Katunsky ridge, valleys of the Kucherla and Akkem rivers, Kara-Turek pass, possibly climbing Belukha (2-3 weeks). Start and finish in Tungur and Kucherla. This is the very heart of Altai. The highest peak of Altai, Belukha, is climbed by commercial companies, but one must keep in mind that the mountain is treacherous; due to weather conditions, half of the climbs are canceled. To climb you need to have endurance and mountaineering skills. But from the Kara-Turek pass there is a fabulous view of Belukha and other Altai mountains.
3) North Chuysky ridge (2-3 weeks). Start and finish in front of Chibit. Valleys of the rivers Shavla, Maashi, Aktru. Nizhneshavlinsky pass. Shavlinsky lakes, surrounded by walls with snow-white peaks, are one of the best views in Altai.
4) South Chuysky ridge (2-3 weeks). Start and finish in the village of Beltir. Valleys of the rivers Elangash, Karaoyuk, Taldura. Rublevsky, Udachny, Leningradsky passes. Climbing the highest peak - Irbistu Peak (3967m, 2A) - requires mountaineering training. This is an unusual ridge on which there is little forest, but the peaks are visible from everywhere. Local residents breed yaks, which can be found in almost any part of the ridge, and camels near Lake Karakol.
5) Ukok plateau (2 weeks). Start and finish in Jazator. This is the southernmost part of Russian Altai. Steppe with Scythian mounds and lakes and pointed peaks. Climbing the sacred mountain Tavan-Bogdo-Ula requires the use of climbing equipment.
6) Terektinsky ridge (2 weeks). A little-visited, but promising ridge from a tourism point of view. Commercial companies offer mostly horseback riding trips there.
Traveling along the Katunsky ridge in Altai
I singled out the trip along the Katunsky ridge as a separate expedition from the Great Altai trip, because if you visit all the valleys of this ridge, it will take almost the entire summer season and there may not be enough time for other Altai ridges. And the Katunsky Ridge really deserves to be walked along it all summer! Various valleys with lakes and waterfalls on tributary streams and sparkling snow-capped peaks will not leave anyone indifferent. Among esotericists, at the instigation of Roerich, this place is considered Shambhala. A typical two-week route looks like an entry along one river, a stop at the lake, radials, crossing a pass of the 1st category of difficulty to the second valley, radials from there, going down the river to the village. If you combine three or more valleys, then it is logical to transport food on horseback to the valleys in the middle of the hike. I cite only rivers flowing from the northern slopes of the ridge, with the exception of the Katun. There is also the Kazakh river Berel and southern rivers flowing on the Ukok plateau (hiking there is logical to combine with hiking in Ukok).
1) The source of the Katun. Lakes Quiet and Talmen. Start and finish in the village of Kaitanak. Through the Krepkiy pass there is access to the Multinsky lakes, through Khazinikha - to the Kuragan valley.
2) Multa. Transfer from the Multinsky maral farm. Radials on Travel Card Multa, Krepkaya, Multa, Kuiguk. Through the Kuiguk Pass you can go to the Akchan valley and climb the sacred Mount Kolban, which has kurum slopes and does not require special equipment. The routes include visits to beautiful lakes. Through the Krepkiy pass you can go to the Tikhaya River, and from there to Lake Talmen and to the sources of the Katun. From Akchan - transition to Lake Kyrgyz and to the Kuragan valley.
3) Kuragan, Ioldo. Transfer from the village of Katanda (ferry crossing across the Katun). Through Lake Kyrgyz there is access to the Kuiguk Valley, then to the Multinsky Lakes, through the Khazinikha Pass - access to Lake Talmen and the sources of the Katun.
4) Kucherla. Start in the villages of Tyungur and Kucherla. Radial routes to the Colored Lakes, Kuldur-Oyuk, Darashkol, Myushtuairy, Konyairy. In my opinion, this is the central Altai lake, where you can safely stand for a week and make radials that don’t get boring. Camps on other Altai lakes are limited to 2-3 radials. Through Darashkol and the Ioldoairy Western and Ioldo passes, go to the Kuragan valley. Through the Kara-Turek pass - to the Akkem valley.
5) Akkem. Start in the villages of Tyungur and Kucherla. Radial routes to the Ak-oyuk, Yarlu valleys, to Lake Spirits, Tomsk sites on the Rodzevich (Akkem) glacier. From the Tomsk sites begins the route to the highest peak of Altai and all of Siberia - Belukha (requires the use of climbing equipment). Through the Kara-Turek pass there is access to the Kucherly valley, through the Sarybel pass to the Tekelyu valley, then through the Tekelya pass to the Suluairy valley.
6) Valleys of the rivers Suluairy, Mensu, Yedygem, Kulagash. Exit to the village of Dzhazator on the Ukok plateau. Mostly horseback riding tours are conducted in these valleys.
Great trip to the Eastern Sayan
Eastern Sayan is less familiar to tourists than Western Sayan or the mountains surrounding Lake Baikal. At the same time, there is something to see there. These are high mountains, including extinct volcanoes, wild mountain lakes, hot and mineral springs, deep gorges.
Hiking in the Eastern Sayan:
1) Tunkinsky loaches. The best time to travel is August, when there is the least rainfall. The routes require two weeks to complete, but it is better to allocate three weeks to stand at the Shumak mineral springs for a week and do radials. Among esotericists, this area is another candidate for the role of Shambhala. There are warm radon baths and about 150 mineral water outlets for a variety of diseases. In the Tunkinskaya Valley, at the foot of the Tunkinsky Goltsy, there are resort villages with mineral springs - Nilova Pustyn and Arshan. There are three popular routes on Shumak:
1a) Nilova Pustyn village – Shumak pass – Shumak valley – Kitoy river – Arshansky pass – Arshan village. This is the easiest route to take in case of bad weather.
1b) Nilova Pustyn village - Shumak pass - Shumak valley - Narin-gol river - Yaman-gol river - Ara-Khubyty river - Khubytinsky pass - Nilova Pustyn village. I recommend this route in case of stable good weather and low water in the rivers. It includes passing through the gorges of the Narin-Gol and Yaman-Gol rivers, which require making about 40 crossings and in some places walking straight along the river. This is a unique place for Siberia, where you can admire the steep cliffs of gorges and waterfalls. The hike is compatible with a trip around Khamar-Daban, since you need to get to the same station - Slyudyanka.
1c) Nilova Pustyn village – Shumak pass – Shumak valley – Vetreny pass – Bilyuty river – Bepkan pass – Dinosaur pass – Arshan village. The route is recommended when high water makes option 1b impassable, but precipitation does not lead to the formation of snow cover on the passes.
2) Valley of extinct volcanoes, Topographers Peak (climbing requires experience and ice equipment), Khoyto-Gol hot springs and Zholgan mineral springs (3 weeks). The route introduces participants to the various relief forms of the Eastern Sayan. The nearest settlement is Orlik, which requires off-road transport.
3) Tofalaria. A mountainous country with wild nature in the Eastern Sayan is the country of the tofs. It is quite possible to make three trips along it lasting 2-3 weeks: from the west from the Krasnoyarsk Territory to the Grandiozny peak, from the northeast from the Agulskoye and Medvezhy lakes to the Grandiozny peak, from the east to the Triangulators, Zablozhny and Podnebesny peaks.
Great trip to Lake Baikal
Baikal is a unique place for active recreation. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, it allows you to combine a hike in the mountains with a vacation at the sea (as all the locals call Baikal), and visit the birthplace of shamanism - Olkhon Island. There are also hot springs on Baikal - Khakusy and springs on the Goryachaya River.
Hiking in the vicinity of Lake Baikal: 1) Baikal ridge (2 weeks) is located on the western shore of Lake Baikal. You need to get to Severobaikalsk. Visiting the valleys of the Kurkula and Molokon rivers, examining the waterfalls on Molokon, the glacier at the foot of Chersky Mountain, climbing Ptitsa Peak (Ptitsa is a spur of the largest peak of the ridge - Chersky Mountain. Climbing Chersky requires the use of climbing equipment).
2) Khamar-Daban (3 weeks). The best time to travel is August, when almost no clouds come from Lake Baikal. Level mesas in the west give way to sharp peaks in the east. The hike is a long one, designed for hardy tourists (you need to walk about 20 km per day with a total elevation gain of 1200 m). Start in Slyudyanka, finish in Vydrino. Route: Slyudyanka - Chersky Peak (climbing, inspection of Lake Chertova and Lake Heart and waterfalls on Podkomarnaya) - Bosan - Margasan Sopka - Margasan - Tumbusun Dulga - Utulikskaya Horseshoe - lakes Perevalnoe, Patovoye, Galichye - Khan-Ula - Nukhen-Daban and Langutai Gate – Taltsinsky peak – Teplye lakes – Sobolinoe lake – Vydrino. Shortening the route will require canopy crossings over stormy rivers. An alternative form of conducting a hike is to enter from a railway station, radial route, then move to another station, etc.
3) Barguzinsky ridge - the most powerful of the ridges surrounding Baikal with many sharp peaks and alpine lakes. It is quite possible to organize several hikes lasting 2-4 weeks. The routes can start from the Barguzin valley (the eastern base of the ridge) and go through the passes to the eastern shore of Baikal, or start and end on the shore of Baikal at the mouth of various rivers. Often the routes pass through the hot springs of Khakusy, lakes Frolikha and Ukoinda and in the upper reaches of the Tompuda River.
4) Olkhon Island. It’s logical to end your trip to Lake Baikal with a vacation on the island. You can stay in the largest village of the island - Khuzhir, from where it is easy to order transport for trips around the island, a boat, or in Nyurgan Bay - a bay with a sandy beach in a larch forest (from there it is convenient to take walks around the northern part of the island). A week's holiday on the island is enough to visit all its attractions: the birthplace of shamanism - the Shamanku rock, the northern tip of the island - Cape Khoboy and the Uzury Deep, the bays on the eastern shore of Hathu, Idiba and Tashkinei, the lake with healing mud Shara-Nur, the highest peak of the island - Zhimu, south-eastern bays and lakes Khonkhoi, Muku-Nur, Nurskoye, archaeological monument - Kurykan wall.
4b) An alternative to the camp on Olkhon can be a camp on the Holy Nose Peninsula with a visit to the Khakusy hot springs and a boat trip to the Ushkany Islands.
Great trip to Transbaikalia
I separated these hikes into a trip separate from the Great Tour of Lake Baikal, since all these hikes cannot be completed in one summer. Various combinations of hikes are possible from a trip to Lake Baikal and Transbaikalia, ending with a vacation on Lake Baikal.
I have not yet hiked in Transbaikalia and have not explored these routes, so I will write descriptions of these hikes in the future:
1) Kodar with the Chara Sands desert
2) North Muisky ridge
3) South Muisky ridge
4) Verkhne-Angarsk ridge
Conclusion
In a review article on the routes of the Urals and Siberia, I wanted to say that we have a huge mountainous country, which is quite enough for a summer holiday for many years. Commercial tours can be found along many routes, but these only provide a glimpse into the interior of these ranges. A full-fledged hike is possible in a well-coordinated and developing team of hiking friends. Systematic, year after year, detour of the ridges of Siberia requires the organization of a tourist club. And this is quite justified: you will grow up together with your hiking friends, your team will develop, and the Urals and Siberia will give you more and more beautiful views, becoming your Homeland. The “New Nomads” tourist club has a project “
