Wonder of Western Altai Nature Reserve

Eastern part of Kazakhstan is another unique place with spectacular nature. It has captivating history and local culture. During the wonder of western Altai nature reserve tour, you will discover the beauty of the West-Altai National Reserve. This place is famous not only for its natural riches, but also for mysterious phenomena. The reserve was created relatively recently, and the study of local flora and fauna continues. So this is a good chance to look at the untouched natural world of the Western Altai.

Besides that, during the tour you can feel the atmosphere of a bygone era, as well as familiarize yourself with the tradition and life of the old village nearby the forest.

Duration	3 days/ 3 nights.
Season	June – Early September
Level of difficulty of the tour	Middle level, possible long drive, accommodation in hotels and guest houses, hiking in the Nature Reserve)

Day 1

Ust -Kamenogorsk

Arrival to Ust-Kamenogorsk. We will begin our acquaintance with East Kazakhstan with a 3 hour excursion around the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Here you can see the old city – the heart of Ust-Kamenogorsk, which contains the atmosphere of the old time. While wandering through the provincial city, old merchant houses will open you a completely different life, which took place here more than 2 centuries ago. During the excursion we will also visit the confluence of two rivers, which inspired Major Likharev to build the fort Ust-Kamennaya in its time.

Day 2

Ust – Kamenogorsk – Western Altai Nature Reserve – Poperechnoe

On the second day of our tour, early in the morning, we will transfer to the city of Ridder surrounded by mountains. On the way, we know about the history of the settlement of Old Believers in this region.

Further our journey will continue in the West-Altai nature reserve. Despite a relatively small territory (86 000 hectares), the reserve is rich for interesting places and even mysterious phenomena. During our tour, you will see a huge number of furry firs, rare birds, meet a lot of plants, some of which are listed in the Red Book. But truly the most unique tree here is the cedar patriarch, which has been the guardian of the Linea for more than 400 years. And at the end of the tour we will climb to the top of the bastion, from where opens a stunning panoramic view.

Further, our journey will continue to the village of Poperechnoe. The village, which consists of only one street, preserves traditions and cultural heritage for 250 years. The village itself is surrounded by picturesque surroundings, where dense forests and sparkling rivers create an atmosphere of peacefulness.

Day 3

Poperechnoe – Ust-Kamenogorsk

After a leisurely breakfast, we will visit a small local museum, where the locals keep a memory of their previous generations. Then, you will be presented some traditions and customs local life. After that, you will have a walk along the nearby meadows.

Lunch also will be a surprise for you, because it will be cooked according to the recipes of the past centuries.

After lunch, we will go to the forest, where our guide will show the diversity of local vegetation. Among the nature gifts, you can collect medicinal herbs, mushrooms and berries. After the walk, we will climb to the nearest hill, and admire the spectacular view opening from its height.

After such an eventful day, we will return to the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, to continue our journey to the other end of the country