In a picturesque place of the Soloneshensky district of the Altai Territory there is a nature reserve that has long had an official status of a natural monument. It is very popular among Russians and not only as a convenient and interesting place for lovers of eco-tourism. The main attraction of this region is Shinok Falls. It would be more correct to call it a cascade of waterfalls located in the vicinity of the village of Tog-Altai, which is 25 km south of the village of Topolnoye.
On this territory there is a state reserve with an area of more than 10 thousand hectares, including almost 7 thousand hectares of forests. It is located on a small hill, which forms the Bashchelak Range in this place. Altitude ranges from 800 m in the lowest to 2,300 m in the highest.
Solonesheni district - geographical and climatic features
In addition to the forest, in the reserve of Soloneshensky district there is a watershed plateau, which is formed by the local mountain rivers Chapsha, Bashchelak and Schepet. This territory received its status in 1999, the main goal of the state is to protect local nature. This also includes the protection of animals that live here in a natural way, and plants of all natural ecosystems in the area (forest, swamp, and aquatic).
The climate in the Soloneshensky region of the Altai Territory is mountainous, but even for it, the humidity here is quite high and most of the time it is cool. The average temperature in the year does not exceed two degrees of heat. Most often, frost reigns. In order to get to the waterfall at a time when they are not there, you have to go with a bow to nature and come only in the allotted two months of the frost-free period.
When is it better to go to the Altai mountains?
Despite the short period when there is no frost, the reserve has enough active vegetation, which has been in the vegetation process for about 3 months. If you want to look at the beauty of nature and especially the Shinok waterfall in the Altai Territory, you need to choose a time from about the end of April-beginning of May to the end of September. Already in early October, the whole territory is covered with snow up to 50 cm thick, and it does not disappear until next spring.
You can fall under the snowfall in the area of Shinok Falls in the summer. In these parts, summer snow has long been used to, as well as powerful thunderstorms - they are also not uncommon.
The Shinok River, on which the waterfalls are located, is a tributary of another, larger river, called Anuy. Its origins are located here in the Soloneshensky district, however, on its very edge - where the border with the Ust-Kansky district of the Altai Republic passes on a swampy plateau. Translated from the local dialect, the word "shinok" means "impregnable", which is not at all surprising. With such a formidable cascade of waterfalls on the Shinok River, it is almost impossible to swim along it. It’s also unlikely to pass dangerous places along the shore, because climbing a steep cliff surrounding the gorge where Shinok flows can be done only by a professional climber with special equipment.
Shinok Waterfall - Description
The natural cascade on the Shinok River, without warning or any hint, begins at the largest threshold. The first and main place in it is occupied by the steep and high Sedoy Falls, the water in which flies a distance of 70 m before it reaches the ground. Behind it is a series of waterfalls. It is called Steps. They seem to fail and prepare for the next steep descent - Rassipnaya waterfall. Water falls here from a height of 25 m. The Gorka or Skaty waterfall closes this ceremonial procession of the water element. Water falls here at a slight angle of only 30 degrees, so calling this phenomenon a waterfall would not be entirely correct (a waterfall is all that is more than 45 degrees). However, Gorka consists of two slopes, which in total give a height difference of about 19 meters, which is essentially very close to a real waterfall. This whole complex is generally called the Shinok Falls.
Ecotourism in the Altai Territory
In fact, this is not all the charms of the wild nature of this region. The most desperate and courageous tourists who go hiking in the Altai mountains, climb upstream for the very first and largest Sedoy Falls. There is a gorge, in which there are six more small waterfalls with a height of not more than 6 meters. The landscapes here are simply amazing, but, again, getting there is extremely difficult. Only the very most go to it - those who came for extreme sports, people who are not looking for easy ways.
Now the whole area around is mapped and divided into routes with the designation of all trails, waterfalls, etc. Previously, tourists went on a tour of the Altai Mountains at their own peril and risk, exchanging among themselves useful information to overcome the most difficult areas. Since then, popular names have been assigned to seething rapids. So, the Sedoy Falls received a number of exotic names: Giraffe, Beard, Silver. The next Rassipny waterfall began to be called Yogi or Double Jump. The steps or waterfall after the first two waterfalls were fondly called the Tender Mirage and Tramplin. Such a number of names contributed to the spread of some confusion in tourist guides, for various compilers included different names in their cartographic notes.
Tourism in the area of the Shinok waterfall has been developed since time immemorial. In its modern form, it looks like a tourist camp with tents and parking lots, from where hiking and climbing routes are organized. A similar camp was created above the mouth of the Shinok River, it is called "Wheel ford". Even closer to the mouth there is a real campsite - “On Anui”. The place is very convenient and is popular with tourists for the reason that it is not far from another natural monument - Denisova Cave.
Denisova Cave
It is located 50 km from the village Soloneshnogo, upstream of the river Anuy. It is 15 km from Karam's parking lot. The nearest village is 6 km away and is called Black Anui. What is famous for Denisova cave? No less, but scientists were able to identify a new subspecies of people who were called Denisovans. The first signs of life, according to objects found during excavations, date back to the 4th – 3rd millennia BC, and despite the fact that the region has been studied very little. So far, the appearance of the first cattle-breeding tribes that have already practiced the extraction of copper and gold is attributed precisely to this period.
Some more interesting facts from the history of the region
The objects found in the Soloneshensky district allowed scientists to conclude that a human foot stepped on this earth about 800 thousand years ago. This was told by Karama parking. It was found by archaeologists at the mouth of the river of the same name (the left tributary of Anui). Most tours to the Altai mountains necessarily include a visit to the parking lot, and waterfalls, and Denisova Cave.
Hunting, fishing, or anyone you can see in these places
In the reserve it is forbidden to hunt wild animals - for some this is a real punishment, because the animal world is quite rich here. Of the large artiodactyls, you can find roe deer, elk and wild deer. From predators: lynx, fox. There is also furs - Altai sable, squirrel, hare, mink, otter. However, all these species of the animal world are under state protection, as is the fish, which is found in abundance in the Shinok River: grayling, burbot and taimen.
Shinok waterfalls - how to get?
The largest city in the region, through which you will definitely have to pass, is Biysk. Here you can relax before the last jerk at a distance of 220 km. Leaving Biysk, you need to follow the route to Smolenskoye, then to Soloneshnoye, and then to Topolnoye. And finally, the last point of the route is the cascade of Shinok waterfalls. But it can only be reached on foot, as the car will not pass.
Of course, it is easier if the car has a navigator in which the coordinates of the Shinok waterfalls are set. In this case, a pleasant female voice will tell you how to get to them. GPS coordinates: 51.355717, 84.55581.
Today, in these places, not only with open arms they welcome tourists, but also conduct various trainings and competitions for them. Recently, extreme climbing has become popular ice climbing. Every year in winter, when waterfalls freeze, lovers of this dangerous sport gather here and arrange a real holiday for themselves.