Katuni Wonders

Magical nature of the Altai Mountains awaits you. Start your day with sunrise, as winter sunny day is not so long and there are a lot of places to visit ahead. Almost all travels will take place along the Chuysky tract. "There is a tract in Altai - the Chuisky tract - a beautiful, rushing road, like the trail of a scourge whipped through the mountains. All sorts of stories are told, sung and invented about it... It beckons to itself, lures young souls by dangerous craft, fairy tales, marvelous beauty. One should go from Biysk to Inya, at least look down from Chike-Taman pass - and it will become scary, and one will pull to overcome the fear again and see the naked beauty of mountains in the morning, feel the healing coolness of celestial height...", - wrote Vasily Shukshin about the route. National Geographic has stated that Chuysky tract is one of 10 most picturesque roads in the world. Therefore, the road is rightfully considered to be a big attraction and not just a way to get from point to point. The first stop along the way will be Swan Lake, which even in winter does not freeze over. Check out these miraculous creatures, and maybe in one of them you will see the very swan princess from the fairy tale of Tsar Saltan. Following the tract, you will see the Blue Lakes, which also do not freeze in winter and are called "Katun's Eyes" for their deep blue color. Don't forget to tickle your nerves with the passage by the suspension bridge to the island of Patmos, which leads to the Church of St. John the Theologian. Further on you will find another famous place of Altai - "Teeth of the Dragon". At the end of the day you'll spend on the ski track, where you can always rent equipment, if you don't have it with you. During the trip you'll have to walk on foot, so don't forget comfortable waterproof shoes!