Mountain Trails

This route is built for strong walkers who can carry a full pack 18–20 km a day. What sets it apart is how much ground it covers: in one trip you take in the greatest concentration of landmarks anywhere in the Khakassian backcountry.

You'll cross high passes and river valleys, linger at mountain lakes and one-of-a-kind natural sites. Among them: Khakassia's highest waterfall (over 100 m), the highest point in the republic — Mount Karakosh (2930 m) — and the extraordinary mountain lake Pozarym. The way leads through the home range of two groups of Siberian ibex (at Lake Pozarym and along the Karatosh river). At this time of year there's a good chance of meeting ibex nannies with their kids, of glimpsing an isolated band of roe deer, and even of flushing a snowcock, a bird rare in these parts. You can't put the beauty of this country into words — it has to be seen, heard and felt in the chest. The souvenirs you pick up along the trail will help you carry these places home with you, and step out of the everyday for a while...

Day by day:

Group transport to the start of the route — the 105th kilometer of the Ak-Dovurak–Abakan road. Down along the Kurukul river. Make camp, supper, sort and fit the gear, overnight.
Hike down the Kurukul and Ona rivers to the mouth of the Karatosh. Set up base camp, supper, fire, overnight.
Rest at base camp: sunbathing, fishing, getting to know the country. Cache food for the way back. Briefing on the river fords, supper, fish soup, fire. Overnight.
Hike up the Karatosh to the upper ford. Fishing along the way, learning the ground, watching the local ibex in their range. Make camp, overnight.
Hike to Lake Pozarym and set up base camp. Swimming, sunbathing, picking blueberries. Photo sessions, fire, supper, grayling on the menu, overnight.
Rest and explore the nearby country, fish the lake and the river. Walk out to Lake Ulug-Khol and the waterfall, watch for Altai snowcock and ibex. Log rafts, fire, fish soup, swapping impressions. Fine-tuning the gear. The guide's talk on the medicinal herbs and the plants and animals of this place.
Return down the Karatosh to the upper ford. Make camp, overnight.
Climb Mount Karakosh, watch and photograph wildlife, descend to camp with shots along the way. Continue down the Karatosh, overnight.
On to the mouth of the Karatosh, fishing as we go. Rest, sunbathing, a spread of grayling and wild-mushroom dishes.
Down the Ona to the hunter's lodge (the mouth of the Sarytkol river), fishing along the way. Rest, banya, packing for the last leg.
To the Snow Leopard lodge. Fire, farewell supper, overnight.
Group transport to Abaza and Abakan.

Want to walk this route? Write to us — we'll tell you how to prepare.

All photos