The Chulyshman Valley has long been known among tourists in Altai. It was formed as a result of the convergence of a huge glacier. There are many interesting and picturesque places in the valley. The plot on the map where it is located is the Ulagansky district of the Altai Republic. It is one of the inaccessible places in the republic.
Chulyshman River
The Chulyshman valley got its name from the eponymous water stream. From the lake Dzhulukol to the Teletskoye Lake (Altyn-Kol), a swift and winding river carries its waters. Her name is Chulyshman. Due to one of the versions, the river got its name from the “chulushken” - “earthworm” because of the many bends.
Its length reaches 240 km, is one of the most important tributaries of Lake Teletskoye (up to 70% of the inflow, the water collection area is almost 17 thousand square kilometers).
A beautiful and powerful river attracts the attention of extreme water tourists. Rafting along it is quite complicated, there are many rapids. For example, the famous Yazulinsky threshold lasts for 15 kilometers.
About the Chulyshman Valley
The Chulyshman valley itself also impresses with its magnificent views. The sheer impregnable walls either converge almost right up to several hundred meters, then again move apart for several kilometers.
Above with. Almost no one lives Yazula, only occasionally hunting lodges and winter huts come across. But the most popular is that part of the valley, which is located north of the Katu-Yaryk pass.
Katu Yaryk
From the pass, the Chulyshman Valley begins for visitors. How to get to it is a difficult question. This pass is one of two possible routes to the valley, and perhaps the only one in winter (with the exception of helicopter travel). It received its name from the Altai "katu tyryk" - "difficult road". Indeed, until the middle of the twentieth century, when the Ulagan-Koo-Balykcha highway was built, it was possible to enter the valley only by the lake or on horseback, through a difficult and dangerous pass.
Despite the fact that today Katu-Yaryk is a normal gravel road, it continues to be considered a rather difficult and dangerous section, which only experienced drivers with strong nerves who are not afraid of heights can decide to cross. But such drivers, as well as their passengers, are waiting for a rather fascinating journey with breathtaking views.
There is another subtlety in a car trip to the valley - since the pass is quite sheer, only powerful cars can go back. The rest remains either to re-sail on a ferry (and the cost of such a crossing reaches 7 thousand rubles), or to use the services of local motorists for a fee.
Uchar Waterfall
The valley is replete with waterfalls that fall over beautiful foamy streams on both sides of the river. Especially a lot of them in the spring, when temporary waterfalls are added to the permanent ones. But the most impressive is the famous Uchar.
The name Uchar can be translated as “powerful” or “roaring”. And indeed, already a hundred meters from its foot, in order to hear each other, you have to scream. Dropping several ledges from a great height - 160 meters - it impresses with its beauty and grandeur.
This is the most beautiful water stream that the Chulyshman valley has. Uchar Falls captivates many with its power.
But getting to it is not easy. To do this, buying tickets at the box office of the reserve for a small amount of 100 rubles, you will need to make a journey of 3-5 hours. The route is quite complicated, and it is better to use the services of a guide. But an experienced tourist with good health can easily overcome the route alone. Travelers who decide on such a walk will get a lot of impressions along the way and will be rewarded with the views and swimming on a convenient beach near the waterfall.
Stone mushrooms
The second most popular tourist pilgrimage destination in the valley is Stone Mushrooms, striking with their unique, nowhere to be seen, view. This geological formation, which, according to the calculations of geologists, will last no more than half a century, is a real forest of stone mushrooms. Massive boulders lie on a rather thin foundation, holding on by some miracle. Moreover, the "mushrooms" themselves vary from very small, no more than a meter high, to huge, ten meters.
The road to the Mushrooms is quite simple, but in some places it goes steeply uphill and takes about an hour. As in the case of Uchar, you will first have to cross the river, using the services of Altai boaters. Having overcome the path, you can admire the wonderful panorama of the valley, as well as take a series of impressive pictures next to the stone giants.
South of Lake Teletskoye
In the north, the valley abuts against the southern shore of Lake Teletskoye, which Mountain Altai is proud of. The Chulyshman valley, as it were, passes into this Altai "sea". Another name is Altyn-Kol. In the southern part of its very picturesque places, this is a real pearl of the valley. Two magnificent mountains - Altyn-Tu and Tualok - give it a unique charm, casting their reflections into the cold expanse of the Golden Lake.
There is a magnificent huge sandy beach and, perhaps most importantly, quite a few vacationers. Due to the inaccessibility of the southern coast, the majority of holidaymakers are concentrated on the northern coast of Teletskiy, giving lovers free space to stay in silence and truly relax in communication with nature. At the same time, there are three camp sites on this shore of the lake, with houses and campsites, where you can take advantage of the necessary minimum of civilizational benefits.
Chulyshman Valley is one of the most picturesque places in the Altai Mountains. The mountains surrounding the valley are striking in their heights. Although it is difficult to access, many tourists continue to strive for the Ulagansky region of the Altai Republic.