A real winter fairy tale meets tourists who come to Gorny Altai for the New Year. Snow-covered trees and houses, streets decorated with garlands, ice figures and slides give the feeling of being in a magical kingdom, and a large number of entertainment allows you to have fun and interesting time.
Where to celebrate the New Year in Altai?
A variety of New Year's tours to Gorny Altai are presented on the Internet sites. You can use package deals or plan your trip yourself.
The region is quite developed in terms of tourism. Many bases have been built here, there are entertainment, cultural and sports services. Among the directions for winter holidays, we recommend considering the following:
- surroundings of the Katun riverwhose turquoise waters do not freeze even in 30-degree frosts;
- areas of Lake Teletskoye, famous for its picturesque waterfalls and clear water, which freezes in winter and turns the reservoir into a "big skating rink" of amazing beauty;
- the territory of Lake Aya, equipped in winter for family recreation: slides, snow towns and special trails for young tourists are being erected here.
During the New Year holidays in Altai, there are a large number of ice rinks, as well as slopes for skiers and snowboarders. Fans of active recreation will be especially interested in the ski resorts "Manzherok" and "Teletskoe". The latter, located in the village of Artybash, is known for its 1.5-3.5 km long trails.
Winter weather
Mountain Altai is characterized by cold winters with 20-degree frosts, winds and an abundance of snow. The most comfortable area for recreation is the area of Lake Teletskoye, protected by mountain ranges from strong air currents. In January, during the daytime, the thermometer drops here to the marks 10-12 gr. below zero, at night - up to 17-18 with a minus sign.
When going on a winter vacation to Altai with children, it should be borne in mind that it is warmer in the southern part of the lake. Ulagansky and Turochaksky districts with the famous villages of Bele and Yaylyu, as well as Chemal are distinguished by a mild climate.
The Ukok Plateau and the Kurakai Basin are characterized by a harsh climate with strong winds, blizzards and temperatures down to 30 degrees. Those who come to Altai in winter for the first time will not enjoy their stay here.
When buying tours to Altai for the New Year, it should be borne in mind that the weather at this time is unpredictable. Even in the vicinity of the relatively warm Teletskoye Lake, the temperature can drop to 25 degrees. below zero, so it is imperative to take special clothing on a trip.
The cost of rest in Gorny Altai for the New Year holidays
Due to the increasing number of people wishing to relax in Altai for the New Year, prices traditionally rise in the first ten days of January.
Lodging
When planning your trip, we recommend booking a hotel or cottage in advance. As a rule, the best tourist bases are filled in 4-5 months. before the start of the January holidays. Accommodation in a guest house during this period will cost at least 2,000 rubles. per night; the cost of renting a cottage in Altai for the New Year for four starts from 3,000 rubles.
To save money on housing, we recommend looking for it from local residents. On Booking, you can find tempting options within 1,000 rubles. per day.
Flight
The cost of a flight to Altai for the New Year 2021-2022 from Moscow is on average 10-15 thousand rubles. However, when buying a ticket for earlier dates (December 20-25), you can catch profitable options (8-9 thousand rubles). You can save even more by planning your trip in advance.
Nutrition
When calculating the amount for food, we advise you to allocate 1,200 rubles. per day. A full lunch in a cafe will cost 350-400 rubles, lunch in a restaurant will cost 800-900. Organization of a New Year banquet in the Altai Republic will require 4,000 rubles. from a person and more. At the same time, it is worth booking a table in a restaurant in advance or learning about the festive program in sanatoriums.
To save yourself the hassle of transfer, accommodation and meals, we recommend using services for the selection of ready-made vouchers, for example, Travelata.
The cost of 6-7-day New Year's tours to Altai starts from 65,000 thousand (for two with breakfast included). Most often, agencies offer such popular destinations as Manzherok resort (Ozernoye village) and Artybash village (Teletskoye Lake).
What to watch and where to go?
According to reviews about holidays in Altai in the New Year, the greatest advantage of the region is its extraordinary beauty of nature. In this regard, we advise you to devote the main time of your stay to acquaintance with the sights:
- the foot of Belukha, the highest mountain in Siberia (over 4,500 m);
- waterfalls and caves;
- A bright lake, where about 400 swans arrive (the second name is Swan Lake);
- Geyser, Teletsky and Blue lakes; baths have been built next to the latter, where winter bathing lovers can warm themselves;
- mountain views of the edge, opening from observation platforms near the village of Manzherok, etc.
A walk through the original village of Askat (Chemalsky district), where several exhibitions and shops with handicrafts work, as well as performances of the local theater "Gamayun", will diversify your vacation.
For vacationers in Manzherok, the attraction "House upside down" is available, as well as the shaman's yurt and the ethnographic museum of Altai Mountains located on the mountain (a cable car works).
Families with children who come to celebrate the New Year in Altai will be interested in visiting the water park in Chemal (the Tursib base), the bison in the village of Cherga and the zoo near the Tilan Tuu mountain. At the holiday, held in the village of Cheposh, guests are introduced to the traditions of Russian culture: they talk about the peculiarities of life, show a real hut, offer to lie on the stove and are treated to fresh baked goods.
Lovers of winter fishing are recommended to go to Lake Teletskoye for burbot, pike and perch. The necessary equipment is provided at the tourist centers.
In addition to the standard winter entertainment (skiing, tubing and snowboarding), tourists on New Year's Eve in Altai are offered to explore the surroundings on snowmobiles and ATVs. An unforgettable experience remains after a walk in a sleigh pulled by dogs; after the ride, the children enjoy communicating with the husky.
Top attractions overview
Excursions in Altai in winter
A variety of excursions offered by local agencies will help make your holiday in Gorny Altai for the New Year interesting and memorable.
Excursion Chuysky tract-Ust-Sema-Chemal-Elanda
One of the popular bus routes starts from the Arya-Yaryk gorge and touches such sights as:
- Marble Cave;
- Dry waterfall;
- Rock of shamans with ancient drawings at the foot;
- ancient burial mounds;
- rapids of the Katun River - Teldekpen # 1 and # 2;
- suspended Oroktoy bridge.
An informative 7-8 hour excursion is accompanied by the guide's stories about the mysteries of the ancient Altai.
Mountains and passes
The starting point is the Seminsky pass, located at an altitude of about 1900 m. The main points of the route are:
- Chike-Taman pass: panoramic views of the mountains and serpentine paths open from the top; here you can also see rhinestone;
- sandy rocks, images on which disappear within a month after application;
- the confluence of the Chuya and Katun (the rivers have different shades, which allows you to see where they join);
- the Kalbak-Tash monument (many rock paintings);
- Shirlak waterfall (Maiden's tears), which turns into a 10-meter ice column in winter;
- eternal glaciers of Belka.
It takes about 12 hours to get to know the passes and mountain ranges.
Horse walking tour
One of the popular horseback riding trips takes place along the paths of the Ayuli Pass. On an area with narrow paths, riders are encouraged to tie up animals and go on foot to the observation deck. Here tourists can take a photo against the backdrop of the Chemal Hydroelectric Power Station, Camel Mountain and Sartakapay Gate. Further, the path lies to the Idyp spring and to the stone baths.
Fans of short walks can choose 2-4-hour excursions: viewing the halls of the Tavdinskaya cave, climbing Malaya Sinyukha by cable car, a trip to Kamyshlinsky waterfall, visiting the maral "Karym" and others.
Or you can arrange a snowmobile excursion:
Where to stay in Altai
Travelers who prefer to plan their vacation on their own are often faced with the problem of choosing accommodation. Based on the reviews of tourists on the Booking website, we advise you to rent a house in Altai for the New Year near the village of Manzherok. Most of the excursions, outdoor activities and more developed infrastructure are available here in comparison with other areas.
- Park Hotel Manzherok, located at a distance of 25 km from the airport, is very popular. You can get to it from Gorno-Altaysk by bus, which stops 300 meters from the hotel building.
The rooms of the complex are equipped with a private bathroom with the necessary accessories (hairdryer, hygiene products, etc.), equipped with a TV, kettle and refrigerator. For an additional fee, meals are available in the restaurant.
On the territory of the hotel you can play table tennis and billiards, relax in the sauna or hammam, use the services of a massage therapist, cook barbecue (equipment provided). Playgrounds have been built for young guests.
The advantage of the hotel complex is its location - on the banks of the picturesque Katun River and 4 km from the ski resort. In 5-10 minutes. walking distance to the cafe-bar "Altai", a supermarket and a market.
- As a more budgetary alternative, you can consider the Country House at 56A Chuyskaya Street. Tourists staying in it note the picturesqueness of the place (the coast of the Katun), the silence and absence of crowds of tourists, the availability of all amenities (the nuance is a shared bathroom), the opportunity to take a steam bath, as well as relax in the courtyard with gazebos and barbecues.
Gorny Altai acquires special charm on New Year's Eve. Frozen waterfalls and non-freezing Katun, snow-covered passes decorated with fir forests, dog and horse teams sweeping along the roads - all this remains one of the best memories of a real New Year's fairy tale.
