Trekking tour to the Belukha's foot

Rating
8

Duration: 12 days each trip
Route: East Kazakhstan (Asia), Kazakhstan's Altay
Type: trekking
Difficulty level: * * *
Comfort level: * * *

 Mountains have always impressed people with their splendor, inapproachability and unpredictability. From their slopes people admire beautiful valleys and canyons, roaring falls and wild rivers. The Belukha mount (4506 m) amazes with severity and steep icy slopes. It is surrounded with a halo of legends and myths narrating us about the wonderful land called Belovodje (White waters) and mysterious Shambala. The legend fables that here there is the hub of the Universe, energetically linked with the macrocosmos, empowering people with vigor, health and secret knowledge.

The trip to Belukha's foot is a perfect chance to get fantastic impressions, touch to the primeval wild beauty of Nature.

 Trip program

 

Day 1. Ust-Kamenogorsk city - Katon-Karagai national reservation - Rakhmanovskie Kluchi lake.
Departure by cars from Ust-Kamenogorsk. Arrival to the Katon- Karagai national reservation. Obtaining� passes for entering the reservation territory. The first stop is at Kumis-aul: a summer cattle camp of Kazakh graziers on the Bukhtarma river. You will learn about traditional nomad culture, dwellings called �jurta' and national Turkic's drink �kumiz'. The next stop will be at Uryl village where you will pass the frontier post of Katon-Karagai region. You should have your ID or a passport at hands. Foreigners should have a passport and a migration card. Finally, you will get to the place unique with it's brilliance. It is situated between the two scenery lakes near Rakhmanovskie Kluchi resort close to the Kazakhstan-Russia-China borders intersection, at 1760 m above sea level. There you will be accommodated in a tent camp near Rakhmanovskie Kluchi lake.

 

Katon-Karagai national reservation is the largest state national park in Kazakhstan. It occupies the territory in East Kazakhstan within Central and Southern Altai physiographic provinces. It was set-up in 2001. It's territory forms part of the Kazakhstan's Altay-Sayan ecological area. Various species of plants like �Vereschagin-Ludvig iris' or small fruited cranberry grow only in the territory of this park. Seventeen species are included in the Red Data book of Kazakhstan.

 

Day 2. Rakhmanovskie Kluchi - Sarsenbay's camping ground.
Equestrian instruction. Riding from the overnight stop place to the Sarsenbay's camping ground where you will acquaint with everyday life and national cuisine of Kazakh people. Later, you will reach the Radostnyj (Happy) Pass with a bright view of Belukha. Lunch break will be at the bank of Chernaya (Black) Berel river. The following stop will take place at Belaya (White) Berel river where the Sarsenbay's camping ground is situated. Night lodging is at the tent camp.

 

Day 3. Sarsenbay's camping ground - Belaya Berel river - the Lower tent camp near the Kokkol waterfall.
This day you will leave the Sarsenbay's camping ground and ride along the Belaya Berel river with the milky-white water to the Lower tent camp located close to the Kokkol fall. This 82 m waterfall with is the highest in Kazakhstan. On the way to the Lower camp, you will stay for lunch near a bridge across the Belaya Berel river which was built in 1938 from the larch with hand-made nails. At the Kokkol waterfall, a tent camp will be set. This place is very popular with tourists and pilgrims.

 

Day 4. The Lower camp - the Teploye lake - Belukha's foot.
On the fourth day, you will have a radial riding trip to the Teploye (Warm) lake. It is called Teploye or Warm because its water is very warm though it is a highland lake. Finally, you will reach the foot of the greatest mount of Kazakhstan, Altay and Siberia - the Belukha Mount. Buddhists believe that this is the very place where Buddha descended from the heaven and went to India.
Night lodging is at the tent camp.

 

Day 5. The Lower camp - the Ravnovesiya lake - the Kokkol fall.
This day you will have pedestrian trip to the Ravnovesiya lake where you can see perfect reflection of the Belukha mount. The water in the lake is icy-cold with floating ice cakes. A tale tells that to heal any disease it is enough to dive three times in this lake. In the end of the day, you will return to the Kokkol fall - an amazing creation of Nature. Night lodging is at the tent camp.

Day 6. The Lower camp - the Panoramnaya mount.
At this stage, you will walk to the Panoramnaya (Panoramic) mount which proves its name with the splendid view of Belukha, the Belaya Berel river, the Kokkol fall and the Ravnovesiya lake. Night lodging is at the tent camp.

 

Day 7. The Lower camp - the Upper camp.
On the seventh day, you will have a trip to an abandoned Kokkolsky mine (3000 m above sea level). It was operated from 1938 to 1954 to produce quartz, tungsten and molybdenum. Night lodging is at the tent camp.

 

Day 8. The Lower camp - Sarsenbay's camping ground.
You will walk from the Lower camp to the Sarsenbay's camping ground. Lunch break will be at the above mentioned bridge across the Belaya Berel river. After that, you will reach the Sarsenbay's camping ground. Night lodging is at the tent camp.

 

Day 9. Sarsenbay's camping ground - the Yazevoye lake.
You will get to the Yazevoye lake. The picturesque lake is surrounded by softwood forest and is famous with its good fishing. That is the only place where you can fish 3 kilo orfes. Night lodging in a tent camp near the lake.

 

Days 10-11. The Yazevoye lake.
Two-day rest at the Yazevoye lake. Additional paid services at Yazevoye include: hotel, Russian banya (bath).

 

Day 12. The Yazevoye lake - Ust-Kamenogorsk.
The last day, you will come back to Ust-Kamenogorsk by car. At Uryl you will stop for passing� the frontier. The final destination is Ust-Kamenogorsk.

 

Price covers:

# Transportation charges.
# Guide fee.
# Executing passes for access to the frontier area of the Katon-Karagai region.
# Stay in the national park.
# Three meals a day.

 

The value does not include:

# Additional meal, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks beyond the described route.
# Medical insurance.