Hunting in Altai. 10/12/14 days.

Region: Russia, Southern Siberia, Altai
Activity: hunting, hiking, horse riding
Trip Category: regular
Difficulty: easy to medium, need of special skill and gear.
Dates: April to December

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 - gives an unique social experience.

There are also many archaeological and historical sites to visit in Altai: from Stone Ages (1,500,000 BCE Down Paleolith Ulala sit in Gorno-Altaisk, Ust-Kan Cave Site 600,000 BCE) to famous Pazyryk Scythian King's burial mounds, Elangash and Kalbak Tash rock art sites (the 1st is the World's 2nd Rock Art site- more than 40,000 petroglyphs!), stone figures (Deer Stones, Kamenny Baba - Stone Woman, Balbals) and many more!

In 1998 The Golden Mountains of Altai were included to UNESCO World Heritage list.

Due to their historical background, Altai people have deep and long-term hunting traditions. By living on the steppe/forest edge and mountain taiga zones, even their diet had become milk and meat - based because their main activities are cattle grazing anfd hunting rather than agriculture. This order keeps the same by milleniums, from the Stone Ages through early nomads to semi-settled Turk tribes and even now is not changed drastically. So one can find experienced hunters in every Altai settlement - from Northern taiga to the steppes on Mongolian and Chinese borders in the South. Another long - running tradition is horse riding. Horse is holy animal to Altai people - even Shaman tamburin usually is made from the horse skin. Overall Altai hunting tradition is based on: ranger skill; sniper fire (Altai people are pefect snipers!); horse riding and local hunting dogs. By participaiting in Altai hunting, you may check all that skills by yourself!

Hunting species: maral deer, Siberiam ibex, Siberian roebuck, brown bear. Additional trophies: boar, wolf, wood grouse, black cock.

Hunting calendar

Species	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Roebuck								+	+	+	+	+
Maral						+	+		+	+	+	+
Bear				+	+			+	+	+	+
Ibex								+	+	+	+

Itinerary (12 days, maral and ibex)

Day 1	Arrival to Gorno Altaisk. 460 km, 8-9-hrs drive (or 1,5 hr helicopter flight) to Tungur village. Hut accommodation, dinner, Russian bania (sauma).
Day 2	Meeting with the huntsmen, route planning. Horseride to the hunting mountain base. Hut accommodation FB.
Days 3-9	Hunting within 1-20 km from the base. Hut or tent accommodation.
Day 10	Return to the base. Farewell dinner. Trophy preparation.
Day 11	Return to Gorno Altaisk. Hotel accommodation.
Day 12	Transfer to airport. Departure from Gorno Altaisk.

Itinerary (9 days, roebuck)

Itinerary (14 days, brown bear)

Note. The start and finish point might be changed with Barnaul or Biysk.

Trophy fees:

Additional trophy fees:

Trophy fee (payed ex-post) includes: primary treatment of trophies (boiling out the horns, salting skins, delivery for chemical analysis), packing and delivery to the hunting base in Tungur, veterinary certificate for trophy shipping to Moscow (besides CITES).
Not included: trophy shippment Gorno Altaisk - Moscow (€300-700).

Any possible tailor-made trips are available! Just us of fill in the request form!