Trip to Altai mountains (July 15-19)
(will be organized by Institute of Cytology and Genetics)
July 15
09-00 We start from the Hotel “Zolotaya Dolina”
13-00 Entering the Altai kray (region) The first stop. Lunch.
Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai kray, is located 15 km to the south on the left bank of the Ob River at its confluence with the Barnaulka. In 1738, a silver-refining works was established, the settlement becoming the hub of the Altai mining region. It was a major trade center in the second half of the 19th century.
Biisk city. The city is situated on the right bank of the Biya River, just above the latter’s confluence with the Katun, which then forms the Ob. It was founded in 1709 as a fortress.
17-00 The second stop 392 km from Novosibirsk. A village of Srostki, the motherland of a well-known Russian writer and actor Vasiliy Shukshin, a representative of “village prose” writers, who treated the clash of rural traditions with modern life in a realistic idiom. Altai foothills are starting near the village. The hill Beket with the beautiful view on flood-plain of Katun river. Museum of Vasiliy Shukshin.
Crossing the border of GORNO-ALTAI, republic, in the Altai Mountains. It is bounded on the south by Mongolia and China.
19-00 Accommodation in the Hotel Polyex on the bank of mountain lake Aja.
July 16
09-00 We start from the Hotel Polyex. Chemal river, power station built by deportees in 1935
12-00 Village Cherga. The experimental farm of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics. The refugium of rare animals and birds.
17-00 Village Kamlak. Altai botanical garden
20-00 back to the hotel
July 17
08-00 Leaving the Hotel Polyex
10-00 The first stop at the Seminsky pass (1400 m).
12-00 Chike-Tamansky pass (1295), beautiful view on mountain rivers Ursul and Great Ilgumen.
13-00 Onguday forestry, magnificent mountain scenery, the influx of Great Ilgumen
river into the Katun river, the cave with the drawings of ancients
14-00 Accommodation in the cottages made from cedar wood. One can experience Russian Banya. In the evening it will be national cuisine dinner
July 18
10-00 the trip along the Katun river bank, departure after lunch.
18-00 accommodation in the hotel Polyex. Farewell party.
July 19
09-00 departure from the hotel
10-00 Gorno-Altaisk, the capital of Altai republic. Museum of Altai Republic.
Departure to Novosibirsk
20-00 Arrival to Novosibirsk
The whole other costs including transportation in the comfortable car, accommodation (rooms in the hotel Polyex will be reserved for you for July 15 till July 19 morning), accomodation in the cottages in Ongudai camp, all excursions, and meals on July 18 (including farewell party), lunch and dinner on July 17 will sum to $150.
Meals on July 15, 16, 19 and breakfast on July 17 will be in restaurants or bistros on your own and will cost not more than $50 for all meals.
Please have with you the warm closes, rainwear and electric torch.
Excursion “Ecosystems of the North Altai” (July 15-19)
(will be organized by Centaral Siberian Botanical Garden)
The prospective main excursion “Ecosystems of the North Altai” will be held in the territory of the Altai Republic in the period of July 15-19. This excursion will show the best examples of natural and semi-natural vegetation and diversity of flora of the northern part of the Altai mountain system. The climate of this region is moderately warm and humid in comparison with other parts of Siberia. The average annual tem-perature in the low mountain zone is +1 – +30C, the effective heat sum (above +100C) varies from 17000 to 18000 and annual precipitation varies from 450 to 600 mm. The relief is formed by low and middle mountain ridges (altitudes are of 350-2000m) and scenic wide river valleys (the Katun, Sema) are typical. A wide spectrum of South Siberian vegetation types will be visited, from the xeric European-Siberian steppes to the high-mountain vegetation: xeric steppes of the terraces of the Katun river and petrophilous shrub steppes of mountain slopes; meadow-steppes, pine and larch hemi-boreal grass forests, verious types of true boreal (taiga) forests, natural Siberian forest meadows, subalpine tall-forb vegetation, high-mountain Betula rotundifolia and Dryas oxyodonta plant communities. Four vegetation belts will be visited: steppe, forest-steppe, taiga and high-mountain.
The scheduled programme of the excursion:
July, 15 – the bus leaves Novosibirsk and travels 500 km to Kamlak village (the North Altai). The Kamlak field station of Centaral Siberian Botanical Garden will be place of allocation of participants of the excursion.
July, 16 – visiting forest and forest-steppe belts of the Sema river basin.
July, 17 – visiting taiga and high-mountain belts of the Seminskiy ridge.
July, 18 – visiting steppe and forest-steppe belts of the Katun river basin.
July, 19 – journey from Kamlak to Novosibirsk
Please have with you warm closing, convenient tourist shoes, possibly woolen socks, an umbrella or rain coat. The fee of the tour equals to $250. The fee includes: transportation by bus, accommodation at Altai, everyday meals, guidance at excursions.