And vast intramountain and intermountain basins. It extends from northwest to southeast for more than 2000 km.

Altai Mountains
The highest point of Altai is Mount Belukha and the Ak-Kem valley, view from the Kara-Turek pass
Characteristics
Square	741,569 km²
Length	1847 km
Width	1282 km
Highest point
highest peak	Belukha
Highest point	4509 m
Location
48°45′ N. w. 89°36′ E. d. HGIOL
Countries
Audio, photo and video on Wikimedia Commons

The mountain system is located on the border of Russia (Altai Territory and the Altai Republic), Mongolia (Bayan-Ulgiy and Khovd aimaks), China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) and Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan Region).

Etymology of the name

Scientific discussions

Name Altai ancient, hypotheses about its origin are different.

Geological history

According to the modern concept of lithospheric plate tectonics, the beginning of the formation of the Altai mountain-fold system could be associated with the collision of oceanic islands and uplifts (Kuraiskoye, Biysko-Katunskoye) with tectonic blocks of the paleo-island arc (Uymensko-Lebedskaya, Gorno-Shorsky, Teletsky, Chulyshmansky). In the Cambrian blocks Gorny Altai represented a mature island-arc system. Starting from the Middle Cambrian, collisions of the Gorno-Altai block with adjacent structures of Salair, Kuznetsk Alatau, and Western Sayan could have occurred, accompanied by intense shear deformations. In the regions of the eastern part of the Altai Mountains, these deformation events are expressed by breaks in sedimentation and volcanism, as well as local manifestations of adakite, subalkaline granitoid and syenite intrusive magmatism. At that time there was still a sea in the southwest. The main source of geological events in Altai is the collision of India with the Eurasian continent. Traces of three powerful earthquakes (magnitude 7 and above) that occurred about 5500, 3400-3100 and 1300 years ago were discovered in southeastern Altai.

Remembering the legendary and beloved Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky, I want to admire the indescribable beauties of the Altai Mountains again and again, enjoy the silence of the mountains, the silence of sunsets and sunrises, the murmur of icy rivers... Only mountains can be better than mountains...

“We return to the bustle of cities and traffic, we simply have nowhere to go. And we go down from the conquered peaks, leaving in the mountains, leaving our heart in the mountains. So leave unnecessary disputes, I have already proven everything to myself, The only things better than mountains can be mountains that you have never been to before, that you have never been to before.”

Mountain Altai is an amazing and very beautiful region, about which many enthusiastic words have already been said and written. “Golden Mountains” - this is how Altai is translated from Turkic languages.

Altai is located in the very center of Asia, in the south of Western Siberia, and borders on countries such as China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

It should be noted that Gorny Altai is also the cleanest region of Russia; there are no industrial enterprises or railways. I am sure that there is no person in the world who would remain indifferent to the beauty of these places.

I was in Altai for the first time in 2010, and then I was so impressed by the diversity of natural landscapes and crazy beautiful landscapes that Altai became my favorite place. Indeed, such diversity of nature, in a relatively small area, is rarely found anywhere else. In Altai you can see not only alpine meadows, but also landscapes reminiscent of Canada, South America, the steppes of Mongolia and the classical landscapes of Central Asia. And all this, taken together, including the native taiga-Siberian landscapes, is the Altai Mountains.

In the village of Ust-Kan

Local school. Children at a physical education lesson. Here, a healthy lifestyle for children begins with clean air and light physical activity. Real physical exercise can only take place in clean air, and no fitness center with its expensive air conditioning system can ever compare with Altai freshness. My sympathy for the children of megacities, and my worry, of course.

Having passed the Kansk steppe and entered the Ust-Koksinsky region, the landscapes began to change again. Forests have appeared, the surrounding area is again full of greenery, horses are grazing in the meadows. In general, when you imagine a classic Altai landscape, the following picture is drawn in your head: green grass, horses grazing in a meadow, and all this against the backdrop of mountains shrouded in clouds. And now, you can simply observe these landscapes from the car window!

At the entrance to the Multinskie Lakes, we stopped at Dead Lake to take photographs and at the same time collect firewood. Early in the morning, on Dead Lake Sometimes deer and bears come to drink some water.

On the slopes of the Katunsky ridge on the territory of the Katunsky Nature Reserve. These places are a real paradise. Wild and untouched high mountain landscapes, cedar forests, crystal clear lake waters - this is all what makes you come back here again and again. Multinskie lakes are beautiful in any weather. Neither clouds, nor rain, nor cold - nothing will stop you from truly falling in love with these places.

In the evening, the weather began to gradually clear up, and the four of us went for a walk to Lower Multinskoye Lake. The sun shone for the first time all day. In the distance is a lone fisherman busy catching grayling.

The very next morning, we had to see another Altai. About 10 cm of snow fell overnight, and since the snow was quickly melting from the rising sun's rays, we had to have time to capture everything as it was. In the pristinely beautiful, dazzling white snow covers, a different Altai appeared.

This morning turned out to be unforgettable. Everything we filmed yesterday has been transformed beyond recognition today, everything has sparkled with new colors. The snow decorated the surrounding landscapes so much that I perceived it all as a real gift from the Multinskie Lakes.

The water in the lakes is so clean and tasty that you can drink it without boiling it first!

The next point of our journey through the Altai Mountains was the valley of the Chulyshman River and the famous “stone mushrooms”. It’s a long way from Zamulta to Chulyshman, about 550 kilometers. Along the Chuya tract along the Katun and Chuya.

It got dark very quickly, and we entered the Chuysky tract itself in complete darkness. Along the way, on the Chuysky tract, there are quite a lot interesting places worthy of the photographer's attention. One of these places is Chui-Oozy, the confluence of two great Altai rivers - Katun and Chuya. That's where we planned to stay tonight. After some time, the dark September Altai night began to brighten, and soon it began to look more like a northern one.” white night" The fact is that a very bright and full moon appeared in the sky. The moon turned out to be so bright that everything around began to cast shadows; it was possible to read the newspaper without any problems. I have never seen such a bright moonlit night.

Here the muddy Chuya flows into the Katun. The rivers have different colors, and it is very clear how one river dissolves into another. The spectacle is impressive. It is noteworthy that both Katun and Chuya change their water color depending on the time of year. For example, the water in Katun is sometimes dirty gray, sometimes muddy green, sometimes light green, sometimes turquoise, sometimes blue. We found the period when the color of the water, both in Chuya and Katun, was a turquoise shade, the most unusual and beautiful.

I would like to say a little more about Katun itself.

Firstly, this largest river Altai. Originating in the glaciers of the southern slope of the Katunsky ridge, the Katun flows through high mountain ranges, then through the middle and low mountains covered with forests, and finally, in the steppes of the West Siberian plain, merges with the Biya River, forming the fifth longest river in the world. Ob River. The length of the Katun is 688 km, the total difference from the source to the mouth is 2000 m. The unique and varied landscapes along the banks and the possibility of organizing rafting of different categories of complexity make the Katun the most popular holiday destination in Altai.

After the morning photography of Chui-Ooza, we drove further along the Chuisky tract. Now the Chuya tract ran along the Chuya River, and quite a lot opened up from the route. interesting panoramas. It’s not for nothing that the Chuysky tract is a separate tourist route.

Finally we arrived at that same Katu-Yaryk pass. Albert couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the panorama that appeared before us. “Pinch me, I’m probably dreaming!” - Albert exclaimed. From a kilometer height, a crazy beautiful valley opened up to our eyes; below, the rapid Chulyshman River meandered like a snake, compressed on both sides by bare rocks that formed a majestic canyon. Here you can not only see, but also hear the noise of the waterfalls, bringing down their powerful, seething streams from a height of several hundred meters.

And here is the winning photo of The Best of Russia 2013.

Found a mistake? Select it and press left Ctrl+Enter.

The truth of what to say and look at the mountains has long been known to everyone, today we will talk and look at the wonderful heights - the Altai Mountains. The Altai Mountains are located on the border of several states: Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. The Altai Mountains are the largest mountain system in Siberia. ( Looking at the Altai Mountains 11 photos)

First of all, the Altai Mountains are famous for their indescribable beauty and versatility of landscapes. Steep cliffs combine here in unique harmony with picturesque forests and crystal clear mountain rivers. The Altai Mountains truly combine a variety of landscapes, sunny, green meadows give way to sheer windy cliffs, or rugged forests give way to crystal clear waters of lakes.

We can talk about the unique beauty of these mountains for an infinitely long time, which is worth saying, because it was the Altai Mountains that served as a place of inspiration for many writers and poets, and the Altai Mountains also appear in many creative works. The Altai Mountains have unique story, scientists claim that the mountains first formed in the period 500-400 million years ago, then the mountain ranges almost completely collapsed, and already in the period 66 million years ago the mountains that we now see were born on Earth.

Thanks to several periods of formation, the Altai Mountains combine all possible reliefs. The Altai Mountains can be divided into four parts: flat terrain, alpine-type glacial high-mountain terrain and mid-mountain terrain. Basically, all areas of the Altai Mountains are cut by small rivers flowing into valleys, forming crystal clear mountain lakes. These reservoirs are fed exclusively by snow, so depending on the time of year, the water level in the reservoirs may fluctuate.

The average height of the mountains is 1800-2000 meters. The highest point of the Altai Mountains is Mount Belukha, whose peak is located at 4,506 meters. The pride of the Altai Mountains are three regions, which together form the “Golden Mountains of Altai” - this is the name under which UNESCO included it in the list in 1998 World Heritage three regions of the Altai Mountains, these are the Altai Reserve, the Katunsky Reserve and the Ukok Plateau.

The mountains are very popular among tourists who prefer an active lifestyle, and the Altai Mountains also occupy a special place in the hearts of climbers. For climbers, these picturesque landscapes guarantee that they will find a difficult climb here, after climbing which they will definitely be satisfied with the beauty that opens up. Having been in Altai, it is worth visiting the Altai Mountains, or at least the plains near the peaks, the atmosphere is unearthly.

The fragile and crumbly structure of the rocks characterizes the origin of numerous caves here; there are about 300 caves in Altai. There are equipped caves for tourists to visit. One of the largest caves is the Bolshaya Pryamukhinskaya Cave, the length of which reaches 320 meters. The longest Museum Cave, its length is 700 meters.

It is here in the Altai Mountains that the deepest mountains of Siberia are located. The Altai Mountains contain many interesting facts, both for archaeologists and biologists. Ancient settlements of Stone Age inhabitants were discovered in one of the caves of the Altai Mountains.

These were the most beautiful Altai Mountains - description and photos. Stay tuned and have a pleasant travel experience.

Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com) Katunsky Nature Reserve in Altai (Igor Shpilenok / wikimedia. org) Black taiga of the Altai Nature Reserve (Bondarevskaya S.A. / tigirek.ru) Black taiga of the Altai Nature Reserve (Golyakov P.V. / tigirek.ru) High-mountain plant belt, subalpine meadow - Altai Nature Reserve (Semyonov Victor / tigirek.ru) Kucherlinskoe lake (Eric Pheterson / flickr.com) Lake view (Obakeneko / flickr.com)

The Altai Mountains, with the beauty of their snowy peaks, turbulent river flows and tranquility of lakes, surrounded exclusively by Altai vegetation and representatives of the animal world, not found anywhere else, have been attracting people for thousands of years.

And if now they are a place of pilgrimage for tourists, then archaeological excavations indicate that life was seething here back in the Stone Age. And about later settlements I can see cult monuments, mounds and burial grounds, where not only metal, wooden and leather household items were found, but also embalmed bodies.

Such a rich cultural heritage, unique nature and the landscape of the Altai Mountains has long attracted the attention of scientists, archaeologists and historians who, with the goal of preserving this beauty for posterity, even in the beginning XIX century raised the issue of creating a protected area in Altai.

Katunsky Nature Reserve in Altai (Igor Shpilenok / wikimedia.org)

In 1932, more than 860 thousand hectares of mountain and forest lands came under state protection under the name “Altai Nature Reserve”.

At the end of the 19th century, or more precisely, in 1991, the state took another part of the Altai Mountains under its protection - the Katunsky Nature Reserve.

And this is another 159 thousand hectares of forest, mountain ranges, rivers, lakes and highest point Altai - double-headed Beluga mountain.

At the same time, a number of scientists worked to ensure that these protected areas were included in the list of world heritage sites under the jurisdiction of UNESCO. And in 1998, these two reserves, together with a unique area where the most valuable archaeological finds were discovered - the Ukok Plateau, were included in the list of UNESCO protected areas under the single name "Golden Mountains of Altai"

Altai Nature Reserve

The main reason why a certain territory is declared a protected area is the desire to preserve its pristine nature, rare plants and the world of animals living in this territory.

Evening on Lake Kucherlinskoye (Oleg Balashov / helgi.35photo.ru)

With a backpack on your shoulders, climbing up along the bed of the Kucherla River, coming into contact with the unique beauties of the Altai forests, after 2 days you can walk on your own feet to the recreation center “Kucherlinskoe Lake”, located on its shore. There is also an equally interesting tourist route to Lake Akkem, however, in this lake, unlike the Kucherlinsky reservoir, there is no fish. And mostly climbers rush there with backpacks on their backs.

On the southern slope of the Katunsky ridge at the foot of Mount Belukha, another river originates - the Katun. Its name comes from the ancient Turkic word “kadyn” - mistress, but this river is actually the water “mistress” of the Altai Mountains, giving rise to the great Siberian river Ob.

The Katunsky Reserve, like the Altai Reserve, is rich in hundred-year-old cedars, larch and pine trees. Morals and roe deer, wolves and bears also run here, and high in the mountains, at the foot of Belukha, the snow leopard listed in the Red Book, the Siberian ibex and other representatives of the Altai fauna roam.

This plateau of the Golden Mountains of Altai is located at an altitude of more than 2.2 thousand m above sea level, surrounded by snowy mountain ranges, which are even higher - more than 2000 m above the plateau (Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola - 4080m, Nairamadan - 4374m).

In geopolitical terms, the uniqueness of the plateau lies in the fact that by walking along its perimeter on the southern side you can visit four countries of the world at once - Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia in a short time.

The vegetation on Ukok is relatively poor. Long cold winters with virtually no snow, spring starting in July, snowfalls in June, despite the fact that sometimes the sun warms the air to +25*C - only high-mountain grasses survive in these conditions.

Nevertheless, Kazakh shepherds still drive their sheep to this pasture, and mountain geese, black storks and vultures, golden eagles, griffon vultures and other alpine birds feel very comfortable here. And somewhere among the snowy peaks a snow leopard wanders alone in search of food.

Ukok Plateau (Zabara Alexander / flickr.com)

Shallow rivers snake through the plateau, originating from melting glaciers, and as the riverbed approaches, the Jazator River merges with its waters. From a bird's eye view, you can see how, between the river snakes, here and there, large and small lakes shine with brilliance, formed in small lagoons once created by glaciers.

There are minerals on the plateau, as can be guessed from the name of its heights. So, not far from the Teply Klyuch pass, radon springs bubble up from the ground, and Mount Molybdenum, whose height reaches 2723 m above sea level, stores molybdenum deposits in its depths.

Altaians consider this area sacred. They are still against holding it here archaeological excavations and are striving to return to its place the mummy of the “Altai princess” discovered here. By the way, this discovery of Russian archaeologists in 1993 shook the whole world.

Archaeologists, studying inch by inch the secrets of the permafrost soils of this plateau, find here traces of the former presence of the ancient Scythian (VIII-X century BC) and Afanasyev tribes.

Today, there are about 600 archaeological sites on the Ukok plateau, which are of particular interest to the world community as historical monuments, including not only Scythian burial mounds, but also rock paintings from the Stone Age period.

Therefore, the Ukok Plateau is included in the list of “Golden Mountains of Altai” as an area under the jurisdiction of UNESCO.

“Golden Mountains of Altai” is not just a name - these are mountains with snow-capped peaks, dense forests with hundred-year-old cedars and pines. These are turbulent rivers and waterfalls, the quiet surface of deep lakes, these are roe deer and deer, wolves and bears, these are golden eagles and black storks. These are mounds with the embalmed bodies of former celebrities and leaders and rock paintings, as an echo of the life that once flourished here long ago. This is all that cannot be described in words, this is what needs to be seen and felt.

The Altai Mountains are a wonderful natural landmark. Mountain ranges are terrifying and awe-inspiring.

There are so many who want to conquer the snowy slopes and climb the peaks, from where they can view the spreading beauty of several countries at once.

Altai Mountains on the map

Geographical position

The Altai Mountains are located in Asia, or more precisely in Central Asia and Siberia. The mountain system covers several countries at once. It lies on the borders of Russia - in the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic, China - the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Kazakhstan - the East Kazakhstan Region, and Mongolia - the Bayan-Ulgiy and Khovd aimaks.

Flora and fauna

The vegetation of the Altai Mountains is diverse and to some extent unique. In a relatively small area mountain ranges You can find almost all types of flora in the European part of Russia, Kazakhstan and Central and Northern Asia. All this is due to elevation changes (the difference ranges from 350 meters to 4500 meters).

Various altitude zones are formed. Each of them has its own flora. Once in the Altai Mountains, you can visit a variety of natural conditions in just a day. Steppe vegetation is widely represented in Altai. Here you can see a variety of shrubs (honeysuckle, sea buckthorn, rose hips), cereals (fescue, feather grass) and other plants.

If you look at the southeastern region of the mountain system at an altitude of more than 1000 meters, it will amaze you with its semi-desert and scarcity. A completely different Altai appears in its famous forests, rich in flora. The world-famous black taiga is adjacent to the main forests and cedar trees, which occupy more than 30% of the territory of the Altai Mountains.

nature of the Altai mountains photo

At an altitude of 2000 meters the alpine zone begins. It includes swamps and tundras. The alpine meadows deserve special mention. A huge variety of grasses spreads on them, some reaching a height of more than one and a half meters.

The flora of Altai is a huge folk “pharmacy” with a large number of medicinal plants. More than 100 plant species are used in the pharmaceutical industry. The most popular and famous medicinal flower is Maryin root. The bright flowers of this peony burn with fire on the colorful green carpets of countless meadows.

The next altitude zone is dominated by mountain tundra. There is no variety of herbs and shrubs, vegetable world represented by numerous mosses and lichens. In some areas you can see low-growing willows and birches surrounded by green mosses. You can also find stone blocks covered with lichens, between which partridge grass grows.

snow leopard photo

The fauna of Altai amazes with its richness. Ecologists count about 90 species of mammals, more than 260 species of birds, 11 different representatives of amphibians and reptiles and two dozen fish. In the steppe, you can come across rodents at every step. Voles, pikas, marmots and jerboas hide here. Everywhere in the Altai steppes live foxes, wolves, and white hares. At an altitude of more than a thousand meters, the fauna is already more diverse, although some representatives of the steppes are still found here.

In addition to them, a wide variety of birds is represented here. Here are the bustard, the Indian goose, and the gray crane. Birds of prey also soar in the sky: black vultures, griffon vultures, saker falcons. The higher you go in the mountains, the more animals you can find among the trees and rocks. Elk, roe deer, and deer are real decorations of the Altai forests. Closer to the northern territories, lucky people can see rare reindeer.

mountain sheep photo

And in the wilderness of the taiga, dangerous, predatory animals roam: bears, wolverines, lynxes. In alpine meadows, the diversity of animals, in contrast to plant species, is much less. Although this is where rare animals listed in the Red Book live: snow leopards, argali, mountain goats.

The aquatic fauna is represented by various types of fish. Lakes and rivers of Altai – perfect place fishing for fishermen. Pike, ide, perch, sterlet and minnows swim here. However, the higher you go in the mountains, the more variety water world becomes poorer. The Altai Mountains are the only habitat of the Altai Ottoman.

Characteristics of the Altai Mountains

Who discovered the Altai Mountains

IN different countries The mountain has been given various names. Like the mountain range itself, its name is very ancient. It is impossible to determine who exactly discovered the mountains and gave them their real name.

beauty of the Altai mountains photo

Linguists believe that the word “Altai” comes from a combination of two Turkic words: Alty - “six” and ay - “moon”. For various nationalities, the Altai Mountains are “variegated” or “golden” mountains due to the fact that they are rich in bright colorful plants, and the snowy peaks sparkle in the sunlight.

• Thanks to the unusual climate in winter in the Altai mountains, peculiar oases without snow cover are formed in some valleys. The temperature in them is usually 10 0 -15 0 degrees higher than in neighboring areas.
• The first mountains formed here 500-600 million years ago. However, due to tectonic processes, their relief was destroyed, and 66 million years ago a mountain range was formed here, which still exists today.
• Natural places located on the territory of the Altai Mountains (Teletskoye Lake, Altai and Katunsky nature reserves, Mount Belukha) were included in the UNESCO heritage list in 1998.
• Experts estimate the reserves of medicinal plants in the mountains to be half a million tons.
• There are numerous mineral deposits in the mountains. However, there is practically no mining of raw materials in these areas.
• The mountain system is divided into: Altai, Southern Altai, Gobi Altai, Mongolian Altai and Steppe Altai.
• The length of the Museum Cave (the longest in the Altai Mountains) is 700 meters.