Altai mountains fishing.

Region: Russia, Southern Siberia, Altai
Activity: fishing
Trip Category: special
Difficulty: easy to medium, no need of special skills or gear (kids from 14 years old are allowed).
Dates: May - October as a rule or year round (see details below).

Altai - "The Golden Mountains" is the mountain land on the south of Siberia which keeps ecological purity and untouched wild nature so far. The communication with local people, many of whom are followers of exotic doctrines- pagans (Shamanists), followers of Roerikh and Old Believers ("starovery")- gives an unique social experience. A number of archeological artefacts (from 1,500,000 BC!), including rock paintings and Paleolithical sits are en our route, it makes visit to Altai not only outdoor adventure but captivating trip as well!

Due to a lot of it's crystal clear water rivers and lakes, Altai mountains is perfect place for fishing, especially for flyfishing in mountain streams. The rivers and lakes are inhabited by a variety of fish species, including trout, grayling, taimen (Siberian Salmon, Salmo Taimen), elets (Teletskoye Lake endemic spice), pile, perch and many others. Because of relatively developed road network and tourist infrastructure, it is easy to get to most of fishing places and it makes your trip quite comfortable. On the other hand, if you want enjoy really wild places, you're welcome as well!

To meet as much different tastes as possible we offer several fishing trips to Altai mountains, from very easy to real adventure. If none of followings isn't suits your wishes- just us and we offer you tailor-made trip!

Variant 1. Taimen fishing in Upper Katun area (5 days). NEW!
Species: grayling, taimen (Siberian Salmon, Salmo Taimen), pike, perch etc.

Features:
- short term (for those who has not much time but want to visit wild remote area)
- wild rare visited area but not expensive for no helicopter used
- good balance adventure/comfort (overnights all the times at the hut) but wild rare visited area
- a lot of species
- archaeological artefacts en route: ancient rock painting and Ust Kan cave with down paleolit site (about 600,000 BCE old!).

Cost: us!
Included:transportation from and to Gorno Altaisk, border zone permit, all the transfers and sailing en route, hut accommodation on mountain base FB, cook service, fishing
guide, Russian bania as listed.

Not included: transport to/from Barnaul, personal gear.

Options. Gorno Altaisk is air connected to Moscow and Novosibirsk. Also, it is possible to start and finish from Barnaul (+2 days). Remote side streams fishing (good for taimen), $400/day per group.

Variant 2. Trout fishing in Ugul lakes (not reacheably by conventional transport), 3 days, easy grade.

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrival to Barnaul. Meeting, transfer to Gorno-Altaisk (about 5 hrs)- host city of Altai Respublik). Hotel (**DBL).
Day 2	Transfer to helipad (about 20 min). About 30 min flight to Ugul lakes. Breakfast. Fishing (up to 6 hrs). Picnic. Flight to Gorno-Altaisk. Transfer to Barnaul. Hotel (**DBL).
Day 3	Transfer to airport. Departure from Barnaul.

Cost: us!
Included: meeting in Barnaul airport, transfer Barnaul-Gorno Altaisk-Barnaul (minibus), hotel accommodation in Gorno-Altaisk for 1 night (DBL) and Barnaul (1 night **DBL), transfer hotel-helipad, transfer hotel-airport in Barnaul, cook service on the lakes (breakfast and lunch/picnic), guide/interpreter.

Not included: transport to/from Barnaul, personal gear.

Dates: May-October.

Variant 3. Flyfishing or icefishing on Katun and Koksa rivers (8 days).
Species: grayling, taimen (Siberian Salmon, Salmo Taimen).
Year round option!

Features:
- some taste of adventure but focused on comfort (no hiking, hut accommodation every night!)
- wide area covered
- available year round!

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrival to Barnaul. Transfer to Tungur (about 8 hrs). Hut accommodation.
Days 2-6	Fishing on Katun and Koksa rivers (getting there/away by minibus). Overnight at hut (DBL, breakfast + dinner incl.) 2 times geniune Russian bania.
Day 7	Transfer Tungur-Barnaul. Hotel accommodation (**DBL).
Day 8	Transfer hotel-airport. Departure from Barnaul.

Cost: us!
Included: meeting in Barnaul airport, transfer Barnaul-Tungur-Barnaul (minibus), hotel accommodation in Barnaul (1 night **DBL), hut accommodation (DBL, breakfast+dinner incl.) for 7 nights, transport escort on fishing, 2 times Russian bania, transfer hotel-airport in Barnaul, cook on fishing and guide/interpreter service (Barnaul-Barnaul).
Not included: transport to/from Barnaul, personal gear.

Variant 4. Flyfishing on Bashkaus and Chulishman rivers (12 days).
Species: grayling, taimen (Siberian Salmon, Salmo Taimen), elets (Teletskoye Lake endemic spice).

Features:
- more adventure
- more species/less crouded area
- interesting social experience for the area is pure Altai people populated (Mongolian-type native inhabitants of Altai mountains)
- famous Pazyrik archaeological site en route (Sciphian burial mounds, about 3,000-1,500 BCE)!

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrival to Barnaul. Transfer to Aktash (on Chuya Trakt), about 8 hrs, minibus. Camping on the bank of Chuya river.
Day 2	Transfer to Chulishman river gorge (4WD). Camping.
Days 3-9	Flyfishing on Chulishman and Bashkaus rivers. Hiking with pack horses caravan (horses carry all the gear). Overnight in tents (2 person tents).
Day 10	Transfer Bashkaus river gorge-Aktash village. Camping on Chuya river bank. Picnic.
Day 11	Transfer Aktash-Barnaul. Hotel accommodation (**DBL).
Day 12	Transfer hotel-airport. Departure from Barnaul.

Cost: us!
Included: meeting in Barnaul airport, transfer Barnaul-Aktash-Barnaul (minibus), Aktash-Chulishman gorge-Aktash 4WD, hotel accommodation in Barnaul (1 night **DBL), tent accommodation (2 person tents w/caremats) for 10 nights, 3 time a day hot meals on active part, transfer hotel-airport in Barnaul, pack horses and horseman, cook on fishing and guide/interpreter service (Barnaul-Barnaul), rescue rangers team registration.
Not included: transport to/from Barnaul, personal gear.

Variant 5. Flyfishing on Argut area rivers (12 days).
Species: grayling, taimen (Siberian Salmon, Salmo Taimen) and others.

Features:
- real adventure - totally wild area near Mongolian and Chinese border (have a look at Wild Altai tour report)
- more species/virtually unpopulated area with only one small settlement of Jazator.
- a lot of not investigated yet archaeological artefacts en route (Sciphian and Turk burial mounds, stone figures about 3,000-1,000 BCE).

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrival to Barnaul. Transfer to Aktash (on Chuya Trakt), about 8 hrs, minibus. Camping on the bank of Chuya river.
Day 2	Transfer to Jazator village (Argut river gorge), 4WD. Camping. Russian bania.
Days 3-9	Flyfishing in Argut and it's tributaries (Ak-Alakha, Koksu, Yedigem). Hiking with pack horses caravan (horses carry all the gear). Overnight in tents (2 person tents).
Day 10	Transfer from Jazator to Aktash village. Camping on Chuya river bank. Picnic.
Day 11	Transfer Aktash-Barnaul. Hotel accommodation (**DBL).
Day 12	Transfer hotel-airport. Departure from Barnaul.

Cos: us!
Included: meeting in Barnaul airport, transfer Barnaul-Aktash-Barnaul (minibus), Aktash-Jazatore-Aktash 4WD, hotel accommodation in Barnaul (1 night **DBL), tent accommodation (2 person tents w/caremats) for 10 nights, 3 time a day hot meals on active part, 2 times Russian bania in Jazator transfer hotel-airport in Barnaul, cook on fishing and guide/interpreter service (Barnaul-Barnaul), pack horses and horseman, border zone permit.
Not included: transport to/from Barnaul, personal gear.

Options (for all tours)