Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai - amazing places for outdoor activities

Altai Territory and the Altai Republic are popular places for active tourism. Territorially these two administrative units are located nearby - in the south of the Asian part of Russia. Their names are similar because of the common territory - mountain ranges and valleys with a total length of 2 thousand kilometers. In all other points - history, population, traditions - these associations are completely different. Therefore, the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic are divided quite by chance.

Background and development

The first Russian settlers in the valleys began to appear after 1650. At the beginning of the 18th century, two fortresses were built to repel nomadic raids. In the 1730s Akinfiy Demidov laid the village of Barnaul. After this, the active development of the region began, the basis of which was the extraction of metals of all kinds. After the abolition of serfdom, the plants lost profitability and gradually closed.

With the entry into the USSR, agrarians from all over the country rushed to work on the fertile soils of the region. Tselinniki plowed new land and collected record harvests. After 1991, production, like in many regions of the country, fell into decay. In the new millennium, there are positive changes - cereal production and livestock production are being restored, the flow of tourists is gradually increasing.

Difference in development

The Altai Territory and the Altai Republic joined the territory of Russia not simultaneously. So, the locality, which was south-east of the metallurgical works, remained inhabited by local peoples - the Southern Altaians. They voluntarily joined the Russian Empire after 1756.

The settlers penetrated less deep into the highlands due to the severity of the climate and the crossed terrain. A very long and harsh winter and a short hot summer, ridges and narrow valleys were unaccustomed to Russian farmers. Therefore inaccessible mountain areas preserved the culture of local peoples.

In the Soviet years, the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic were united and included in various administrative units. Since 1991 they act as independent subjects of the Russian Federation.

Tourist points and itineraries

If to speak easier, all locality is one big sight. Being in the lower parts, you can enjoy the snow peaks, climbing up, you will see indescribable panoramas.

So, what is the Republic of Altai attractions? First of all, it is a wild nature, with virtually no human footprints. Sights include the Ukok Plateau. It is located high in the mountains in the border zone between Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. There are many legends about this place, there are many mysterious places here.

Many rock paintings can be seen in the Kalbak-Tash tract. They were created several centuries. Now every traveler can immerse himself in their secret and mysterious worlds. In the same area, at a distance of 14 kilometers, you can see the world's first double-cable suspension bridge. It was laid across the Katun River in 1936. Having spent very little time on the road, you can see the Stone Bab, the merging of Chuya and Katun, the Stone Warrior. What other attractions does the Republic of Altai have? The tract of Elangash, the glacier Mazhoi, the Red Gate and other interesting places.

You can get to all these places only with an all-wheel drive car. It is necessary to stock up an additional wheel and a fuel canister. A similar characteristic of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic is the lack of a sufficient number of asphalted roads. The most modern canvas is the Chui tract - a federal direction. In working condition there are roads to large settlements. But in most interesting points of the terrain can only reach the all-terrain vehicle.

Water reservoirs

High-altitude areas are famous for clean air and water. The rivers of the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic are usually formed from the melting of glaciers and are replenished due to precipitation. In rare cases, they flow from the lakes. The nature of the flow depends on the terrain. If the channel goes through the mountains, then the waters can be very stormy, and during the rains quickly leave the banks. There you can often find rapids or waterfalls. In the valleys of the river are spreading serene smoothness. If we take into account those channels that dry out during the dry period, there will be about 20 thousand of them.

Full-flowing rivers attract lovers of rafting. Their bizarre current gives a lot of thrills to inveterate extremals. And steep rocky beaches amaze imagination with grandeur and nobility.