Day 1

Early morning arrival in Barnaul from Moscow by a night flight, meeting by the local guide. Breakfast in a cafй and a start of the long journey by mini-van along the historic Chuysky road leading to Mongolia, to the starting point of our horse riding itinerary – towards the Altai taiga forests and mountain peaks (8 hrs). Stop on the way to buy a snack of your choice. Continue with stops on the way at the Seminsky and Chike-Taman passes from where a fascinating view unfolds. Arrival at the Katun River, setting up a tent camp on the river bank. Relax and walk around or help the guides assemble the rafts. Dinner cooked by a guide in camping conditions, evening of acquaintances around the campfire. Overnight in tents.
Day distance auto: 550 km, 8 hrs

Day 2

Outfitting for rafting, instructions and safety briefing. Start the whitewater adventure with a wave of exciting impressions in the first rapid Ilgumensky, a long (500m) rapid with up to 3 m waves. The numerous rapids of the Central Katun are different, each having its own character, and we are going to experience the whole range of them. Continue rafting to the mouth of the Ailagush river.
Breakfast, lunch as a snack on the way, dinner cooked over campfire (BLD). Overnight in tents.
Day distance rafting: 15 km, 6 hrs

Day 3

Continue the rafting trip with a series of interesting technically rapids including the Kadrinskaya Truba – 14 km of diverse obstacles with high waves and deep barrels. Passing through another rapid – Kapkan (“Trap”) till a lovely pine forest.
Day distance rafting: 20 km, 6 hrs. BLD, overnight in tents.

Day 4

Rest day. Wake up late, relax and walk with the guide to the point with a marvelous view of the Katun river valley. A pleasant day at leisure in the nature, in the fresh mountain air. BLD, overnight in tents

Day 5

Continue the rafting adventure. The highlight of the day is Shabash – a 800 m long rapid unfolding in two steps with high waves and “water holes”. Passing through the rapid with preliminary examination from the shore. End of the day trip at the mouth of the Ursul river.
Day distance rafting: 20 km, 6 hrs. BLD, overnight in tents.

Day 6

The last day of our water adventure will seem special thanks to beautiful panoramas of the mountain peaks and the Teldek Pen’ rapid closer to the evening. Teldek-Pen is considered the most exotic rapid on the whole Katun river: it is located in a 70m deep tectonic fault. End of the day trip in a tent camp on the Katun river bank
Day distance rafting: 30 km, 7 hrs. BLD, overnight in tents.

Day 7

Breakfast. Free day for leisure and exploration of the picturesque surrounding areas by walks.

Day 8

Breakfast. Free day for leisure and exploration of the picturesque surrounding areas by walks.

Day 9

Meeting your horse, safety briefing. Packing and loading the luggage bags (archemaks) on the horses. An easy riding trip to get to know your horse. Leave the birch wood and head for the Tyasch-Mesch (Young Cedar) Fold – towards the mountains and real cedar forest. Help the groom with taking care of your horse and setting a tent camp.
Day distance horse riding: 12 km, 4 hrs. BLD, overnight in tents.

Day 10

Enjoy an unhurried ride along the ridge of the Kuminsky mountain range with an excellent view of the Iolgo ridge and snow-capped Sarlyk (“Wild Yak”) peak. Go down the hill to the Kush (“Bird”) river and up again to its mouth. After lunch we follow the trail to the Shaman Valley, a beautiful place worshipped by shamans who used to held rites in honour of Altai spirits and meditations there. Setting a tent camp in the Alpine meadows of the Kyzylgak valley, at the foothill of the Taman-Azhu pass.
Day distance horse riding: 15 km, 6 hrs. BLD. Overnight in tents

Day 11

Ride on a rocky trail to the Taman-Azhu pass (“Rough Road”) and stop at the obo site where stones are put together in pyramids for the Spirit of the Pass. Breath-taking mountains are just in front of us. Go down on the other side of the pass in the canyon Kara-Irbak, past the first mountain lake on our way. We reach the source of the Chemal river. Further we will encounter the Toguskol valley with its warm picturesque lakes where you can bathe. Set up a camp next to the Toguskol river.
Day distance horse riding: 20 km, 6 hrs. BLD. Overnight in tents

Day 12

Continue the ride at a height of 2000m. Under our feet the Malaya Sumulta river is gurgling through the canyon, while we are following the trail passing by 2 small but lovely mountain lakes and the Dead Canyon. We reach the fairy-like Manas Lake surrounded by the rocks where edelweiss blossom. Its water is warm, so one can swim. Continue to the Alpine meadows of Aksas and discover on the way The Watch Towers of the lake made of impressive stones. Stop for overnight at a gorgeous place – at the foothill of the snow-covered Bare Mountains, above the ridges covered by dense forest.
Day distance horse riding: 25 km, 5hrs. BLD. Overnight in tents

Day 13

The last day of our trip – a longest ride through an amazing landscape. In front of us, in the midst of bare rocks, lies a vast Alpine meadow Ales stretching for 7 km. We head straight across the meadow to the Kuzhoy Fold (where we stop for lunch) and further along the fields and shores of the Katun River towards the main camp.
Russian banya and farewell campfire.
Day distance horse riding: 40 km, 7hrs. BLD, overnight in tents.

Day 14

Late breakfast. Say good-bye to the Altai mountains and depart by minivan for Barnaul (410 km, 6-7 hrs) with a stop on the way for a snack. Arrival in Barnaul and check-in at a hotel. Free time to walk in the evening city, dinner at your own expense, overnight.

Day 15

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport and departure by flight to Moscow.