Siberian tour «Tomsk — Novosibirsk — Altai»

Highlights

In this tour, we have combined the culture and history of Siberia and its amazing nature.
You'll see Tomsk - the old merchant city, where you'll find wooden architecture, and learn the history of Siberian Cossacks.
Then you'll visit Novosibirsk - Russia's third largest city, named the capital of Siberia.
And after that, you'll enjoy the really amazing Siberian nature. There you'll see:

• panorama of Kurai steppe and snowy mountains of the North-Chuyskiy ridge;
• multicolored mountains of Kyzyl-Chin, called Martian because of its colors;
• the confluence of Chyia and Katun rivers;
• ancient sanctuary of Kalbak-tash area;
• the Geizer lake.

Itinerary

Day 1. Tomsk

You will arrive in Tomsk early in the morning by plane from Moscow. Our guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel, where you will have some time to get a rest and sleep a little bit after a night flight. In the afternoon you'll have a city centre tour in Tomsk and you'll see:

• Wooden architecture (“Upper Elan” historical district),
• University district (Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk State University (WITHOUT VISITS)),
• Novosobornaya square.

you'll come back to the hotel at 7 p.m. This night you'll stay in a 3 stars hotel.

Day 2. Tomsk

Today we will continue the tour in Tomsk. Highlights of the day:

• Visit the reconstructed Cossack jail in the village Semiluzhki (get to know a story about Siberian Cossacks, fire a real cannon (by prior arrangement). Try on armour and weapons, tea with Siberian herbs (by prior arrangement), the opportunity to climb the guard tower and ring the bell.
• Visit to the mother superior of Bogoroditse-Alekseyevskiy monastery, learn the story of the monastery and about St. Feodor of Tomsk (he, according to the legend, was the Emperor Alexander I).
• The place of Foundation of Tomsk: tour to the point of the Foundation (A memorial stone on the site of Tomsk foundation in the heart of Old Tomsk, the view from the resurrection mountain and the story of strategic decisions regarding the place of construction of the fortress, as well as the story of the past Lenin square Central market of Tomsk province; visit to a site of reconstruction of the fortress wall).
• Street Shishkova (house of the arts, the apartment house where from 1911 to 1915, lived the writer Vyacheslav Shishkov, the oldest wooden house standing today Tomsk (on the move), Holy Trinity Church of the community of faith (on the move)
• Labor camp Garden (you'll know a story of the place, visit the Memorial of Military and Labor Glory of Tomsk citizens, from the cliff you'll enjoy the stunning views of the Tom river).

This night you'll stay in the same hotel.

Day 3. Tomsk - Novosibirsk

After an early breakfast we will drive you by bus to the Novosibirsk city. The road will take about 4 and a half hours. Lunch will be already in Novosibirsk. In the afternoon there will be a tour of the city centre. This day in Novosibirsk you'll see:

• The centre of Novosibirsk and its main sight is the Opera and Ballet Theatre.
• Lenin square.
• The Chapel of St Nicholas — the geographical centre of Russia.
• A Monument of the Heroes of the Revolution (memorial of the Soviet era memorial).
• The Monument of the Bridge is the real old rail bridge span.

This night you'll stay in a 3 stars hotel.

Day 3. Novosibirsk - Belokuriha (Altai)

After breakfast, you'll have an excursion in the Locomotive museum, where you'll see locomotives of different eras, royal carriages and different wagons. After that, we will drive you to the Belokuriha where the mountain area of Altai begins. The road will take about 5 hours. That night you'll stay in a 3 stars hotel.

Day 5. Belokuriha (Altai) - Gorno Altaisk

At the morning you'll have breakfast and after that, we'll drive you along the beautiful hairpin bend roads of Altai making a few stops on the viewpoints (the most interesting are "Rocky mountains", and Worship Cross (Christian shrine on a high rock)). Next point will be the Andreevka village (historical and architectural complex, where you'll have a masterclass of traditional Russian blacksmithing. It will be held by the only female-blacksmith in Russia. After the masterclass we'll drive you to the Artybash village (the road will take about 6 hours). Along the drive we will make a stop in Gorno-Altaisk. There you'll visit the Anokhin Museum of Gorno-Altaisk with the exhibition of the mummy of the Altai Princess and many other interesting showpieces.
This night you'll stay in a hotel that does not have a category in a double/twin room with a toilet and shower inside.

Day 6. Gorno Altaisk - Teletskoe lake

At the morning you'll have a boat trip along the Teletskoe lake. Teletskoe lake is the biggest lake in Altai. The lake is filled with very clean water, that allows you to look through the depth of about 15 meters. Teletskoe lake is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The right bank of the lake is a nature reserve area. Here you’ll have a boat trip. You'll see some interesting places during the trip (Korbu waterfall, Estube kordon, "Stone Creek", etc.). After the boat excursion, we will drive you to the Chemal area (the road will take about 4 hours and a half). This night you'll stay in a hotel that does not have a category in a double/twin room with a toilet and shower inside.

Day 7. Teletskoe lake - Chemal

After lunch, you'll have an excursion to the Chemal area, where you'll visit the picturesque Island of Patmos and walk along the Goat trail. Then we'll drive you to the place called Chech-Kysh, where you can see prehistoric rock art and visit the viewpoint of the Katun river valley. This night you'll stay in the same hotel.
Drive distance: 100 kilometres.

Day 8. Chemal - Chuya highway - Aktash village

We are setting off for Chuya highway. Today you'll see 2 mountain passes:
Seminsky mountain crossing-the highest one in Gorny Altai,
Chike-Taman mountain crossing (it isn’t as high as Seminsky mountain-crossing, although the landscapes, revealed from there are much more impressive). Then, we will make a stop to look at The Chuya and Katun’s confluence (big rivers of Altai Mountains). A lot of people consider it the most beautiful place on Chuya highway. Not far from the confluence is a place called Kalbak-tash. There you'll have an excursion and learn about the rock art of the ancient humans, who inhabited this part of Siberia thousands of years ago, that since remain unchanged. Among these pictures there is a map of the starry arch and water lens, which was used as primitive telescope; the calendar, displaying the main celestial events of the year (the days of solstice etc.);the notion of the ancients about the world order – the diagram of the world, hell and paradise.
This night you'll stay in a hotel near Aktash village that does not have a category in a double/twin room with a toilet and shower inside. Drive distance: 350 kilometres.

Day 9. Katu-Yaruk pass & Chulyshman river canyon

After an early breakfast at the hotel, you'll have a roundtrip to the Katu-Yaruk pass (Drive distance each way: 100 kilometres.). A road to the pass goes through the Ulagan Plateau, where many beautiful lakes are placed. Katu Yaruk is the most scenic pass in Altai. From the pass, you'll see the canyon of the Chulyshman river, the Karasuu waterfall. On top of the pass you'll have lunch and after that, we will drive you back to the hotel near Aktash village.
The approximate time of arrival to the hotel is 6 - 7 p.m.

Day 10. Kyzyl Chin (colored mountains)

The program of the day will start with visiting Geyser lake, which surface is decorated with colourful moving circles. After that, there will be a transfer to Kurai steppe and a panorama of the snowy peaks of the North-Chuya range. Then you’ll visit the unique Kyzyl Chin – colored mountains, which are rightfully called Martian because of bright red and bright yellow and green clay, covering its sides. As an extra option, in the evening we can offer you a concert of Altai throat singer. We’ll spend the night at the same hotel near Aktash village. Drive distance: 170 kilometres.

Day 11. Chuya highway - Chemal

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we will start a return trip along Chuya highway. During the trip, we'll turn off the road and visit: Ilgumen rapids. Rapids are the places of riverbed rocks and water power’s battle, which began hundreds of thousands years ago and still continues. The cliffs cut the water making it «boil», seethe, whirl, producing deadly swirls. This night you'll stay in a hotel that does not have a category in a double/twin room with a toilet and shower inside. Drive distance: 370 kilometres.

Day 12. Free day

This day you'll have time for a rest. As an extra option for this day:

• you can get an easy rafting
• visit maral (The red deer) farm
• have some fun in the aquapark
• or just relax and enjoy the Altai nature nearby Katun river bank.

Day 13. Depart

After an early breakfast, we will drive you to the airport of Gorno-Altaisk. Drive distance: 50 kilometres.

Accommodation

Sloboda hotel

In the Tomsk city you'll stay in the Sloboda hotel in a twin/ double room. Toilet and shower are in the room.
It's a 3 stars hotel.

River Park hotel

In the Novosibirsk city you'll stay in the River park hotel in a twin/ double room. Toilet and shower are in the room.
It's a 3 stars hotel.

Gornoe Lake hotel

Gornoe Lake hotel placed on the Teleckoe lake bank - the famost one in Altai area. You'll stay here in a twin/ double room. Toilet and shower are in the room.

Gemchugina Belokurihi hotel

This hotel placed in the Belokuriha village. You'll stay here in a twin/ double room. Toilet and shower are in the room.

Altika hotel

Altika hotel located on the Katun river bench.
You'll stay in this place twice (3 nights in total) in a twin/ double room.
A toilet and shower are in the room.
This is one of the best hotels in surrounded area.

Hotel near Aktash village

The hotel located on the Chuya river bench.
You'll stay 3 nights in a twin/ double room with a bathroom inside.

The cost includes:

• Transfer (except flights),
• tour-guide services,
• 3 time meals,
• accommodation,
• museum visit,