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SIBWAYTOUR
Expedition tours around Siberia. Fishing. Photo hunting. 4WD.
Adventures
Tel: +7 923 355 1944
+7 913 509 8314
Email: [email protected]
Trekking tour “The places of Power and Legends of Siberia”
The best way to get to know
Siberia is to feel it with your own
feet, without the hustle and bustle.
Trekking tour is a unique chance
To breathe in the coniferous scents of the natural Stolby
reserve
To walk along the mountain paths in the Ergaki nature park
To feel the vastness of the Khakass steppes and see the ancient
observatory
To find the "Path of ancestors" and find yourself in the Tuva
semi-desert, on the
very border with Mongolia
to swim in crystal clear lake Tore-Khol and enjoy bountiful
fishing.
This tour is intended for those who are not
afraid of distances, for those who want to
see Siberia not from the window of the
sightseeing bus, but from within in all its
grandeur.
mailto:[email protected]
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The tour is a balanced mix of auto-crossings on the specially
prepared 4WD cars and
comfortable walking routes.
You will see the geographical centre of Asia and
the famous “Gold of the Scythians”. You will also
see Buddhist monasteries and ancient statues of
soldiers, mountain trails of the national park
Ergaki and taste Siberian dishes cooked on fire
especially for you.
Group: 6 – 10 pax.
Season: end of May - mid of September
Length: 10 days/9 nights
Distance: 2500+ km.
Additional information:
Transfer is made by specially prepared SUV/ 4WD: GAZ-Sable and
UAZ-Patriot. Cars
are geared up for Siberia, taiga and challenging roads.
Medical conditions: Planning this trip, the tourist should take
into account following
factors:
- Long drives - Part of the route goes at the altitude of 2000 m
above sea level. - Walking/ trekking is possible along the
road.
People with health conditions are recommended to consult with
the doctors.
Physical fit: no special sport fitness is required.
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PROGRAM OF THE TOUR:
Day 1. Krasnoyarsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia and the
unique natural reserve
“Stolby”
Arrival in Krasnoyarsk. Transfer to the unique natural reserve
“Stolby”. The reserve is
located a few kilometers south-west of
Krasnoyarsk between the rivers Mana and
Bazaikha (the main hiking trail is within the city
boarder).
Thanks to its amazing nature, the reserve is
well-known around the world. In the middle of
the taiga the rock cliffs, granite-syenitic
outcrops of pinkish-brown color stand tall. The
height of some of them reaches 100 meters.
More than 200 years ago, these rocks witnessed the great
explorers Vitus Bering (in
1733-1734), botanist Johann Georg Gmelin (1735), Peter Simon
Pallas, professor of
natural history, one of the most important researchers in
Siberia (from 1771 to 1773).
Accommodation at the recreation center "Narym" in the reserve.
Lunch.
Размещение на базе отдыха «Нарым» в самом заповеднике. Обед.
About the recreation center: The complex was built according to
ecological standards, it consists of eight guest houses, a summer
camp, an administrative building and an excursion pavilion. Parking
is provided. Each house is suitable for up to 6 people (24.3 square
meters). Guests are offered comfortable beds with bed linen, a
small kitchen with a microwave, kettle and dishes for 6 people.
In the houses held electric heating. Shower cabins and sanitary
facilities are located next to the houses on the street. Large
dining room and kitchen with refrigerator located in the
administrative building. BBQ area is attached.
We start trekking. You will see syenite rocks, which, for
thousands of years have been
transformed by winds and precipitation into pieces of art. Many
of them even have their
own names: Grandfather, Grandma, Feathers and Chinese wall.
Under the guidance of
an experienced mountaineer, you can climb
to the tops of some of these beautiful natural
artworks and see the incredible panoramas
of the taiga.
Dinner in the forest lodge. For dinner it is
possible to order catering/ lunch boxes or to
do BBQ. Rest.
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Day 2. Khakassia and the paths of shamans
Departure to Khakassia, Efremkino village on a specially
prepared 4WD minibus.
On the way, you will visit one of the most mysterious
places in Khakassia – “Chests”.
It is the complex of steep cliffs, which according to
archaeologists, served the ancient inhabitants of these
places as the observatory, the astrological sanctum and
even fortress. Это скальные отвесы, которые, по
мнению археологов, служили древним жителям этих
мест Обсерваторией, астрологическим святилищем и
даже крепостью. The ridge of 5 scenic mountains owes
its name to the appearance of the First Chest, the rocky
top of which resembles a large stone cube - a chest.
"Chests" is a complex of archaeological objects such as burial
grounds, rock paintings
and special structures that helped ancient astronomers observe
the celestial bodies.
You can see the rock paintings and touch the petroglyphs, which
are more than two
thousand years old.
An incredible panorama of the Khakass steppe
and ancient kurgans opens from the height of
the rock ridge. The perfect photo point.
We stop for lunch in a cafe. Guests will be
offered dishes of national Khakass cuisine.
After some rest we go on the trekking route
“Ancestral Trail” (4 km).
The path goes along the rocky massif Togyz-Az and the side of
the Belyi Iyus river. It is
4 km long, doesn’t require any special skills, just being
attentive.
Togyz-Az literally means “nine mouths”
in Khakass after the many grottos that
line the river. It is believed to have been
a cult complex, that is why it is also
called the "Shamans’ path" According
to the shamanism researchers, the
passage along this path in the sacral
sense corresponded to the passage of
the enlightened one along the Path of
Knowledge.
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Arrival in Efremkino village
Overnight in the guest house "Call of the
Ancestors". The village is surrounded by the
picturesque mountains. The guest house is ideal
for family holidays and small companies.
Dinner. Accommodation in warm yurts.
Possible to visit the Russian sauna “banya” (paid
separately).
Day 3. Relax among the cedar taiga
Breakfast. Transfer Efremkino – forest lodge "Snow Leopard"
(Khakassia)
Accommodation in the houses with wooden fire.
Located in the cedar taiga, the forest lodge offers
its guests trekking trips and various routes for one
or several days (agreed in advance).
About the forest lodge “Snow Leopard”:
accommodation in cozy houses made of pure
cedar. In all houses there are: sleeping places, a
table, a wardrobe, a bedside table, a hygiene room
with a dry closet and a washbasin, the houses are
heated with a wooden fire. Accommodation in houses with a
fireplace is possible. On
the territory of the forest lodge there is a great Russian sauna
“banya”.
Lunch. Choosing the treeking routes.
Options:
- Climbing to the peak “White Mountain” (about 10km west of the
forest lodge below the mouth of the Karatosh River).
This is an amazingly beautiful place: rocky areas of
white peak (1876m above sea level), at the foot of which
the famous rapids of the river thunder. Just over 15 km to
the South-West, on guard of the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion
rises the highest point of Khakassia - Mount Karagosh
(2,930m above sea level). Breath-taking views. The areas of
sheer slopes are
absolutely wild, differ in a variety of rare species of animals,
birds and plants, meetings
with which are highly probable.
- Climbing the rocky peak "Ark" (about 10 km. to the west of the
forest lodge).
The path to it runs through a covered part of
mountainous taiga, through amazing views of the “The
Hole” and the “Stocktish Pass”. From the outside, not
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visible to the human eye, they probably keep the treasures, the
secrets of ancient
peoples. Being nearby, it is impossible to pass without
climbing, therefore, we will try to
find traces of the presence of the ancient inhabitants of the
Turkic region on the rocky
areas of the white peak 1962 meters high above sea level.
Unusual views, strange
optical effects, not infrequently displayed in the photo in
those areas, will not leave you
without impression.
Day 4 Trekking
Breakfast. We continue the selected trekking route in the
vicinity of the Snow Leopard
lodge. Picnic.
Return to lodge. Dinner. Relaxation.
From the “Snow Leopard” lodge the individual trekking routes for
3-4 days are also
possible, which are to be agreed in advance.
Day 5. Discovery of Tuva.
Breakfast in a lodge. Transfer "Snow Leopard" lodge - Lake
Tore-Hol.
Departure in the direction of the pass Ak-Dovurak, the top of
which is the official border between Khakassia and Tuva. At the top
we will stop for a quick photo shoot and perform a symbolic
shaman’s ritual: we knit national ribbons (chaloma) to thank the
Khakassia’s spirits for hospitality and ask Tyva’s spirits for
protection on the way. We leave the taiga and move to the steppe
part of Tyva
After Ak-Dovurak passage we will visit the statue of the stone
warrior, “Kizhi-Kozhea” in Khakass language. The warrior, with a
vessel in his hands, is more than 1200 years old. At the Tuvan
steppes and surrounds, there are about 200 such sculptures,
originally used as objects of worship. The English explorer,
Douglas Carruthers, noted that these stone figures were identical
to “any colonel of the British Army, from the well combed, parted
moustache, to the real military bearing”.
Lunch (picnic).
On the way we will visit one of the largest and most famous
Buddhist monasteries of Tuva – “Ustuu-Khuree” in Chaadan
town, the cradle of Tuvinian spirituality and state. Here
the
basis of the national alphabet was created, the first coin of
the
Tuva People's Republic was minted, and the annual
international “Festival of live music and faith” with
fundraising
for the restoration of the monastery is held.
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The picturesque interior of the restored monastery pleases the
eye, and the peace
gained in its territory remains in the soul for a long time.
Arrival to the lake Tore-Khol (south of Tyva,
border with Mongolia). Tore-Hol is the only
freshwater reservoir among the many saline lakes
of Tyva with sandy dune banks and crystal clear
waters. In form it resembles a stirrup (in
translation from the Tuva "torus" - stirrup).
Accommodation in a tent camp.
The dinner cooked on fire.
Day 6. The lake Tore-Khol
The day is dedicated to relaxing on the lake. Swim in the cool,
clear water of Tore Khol
on a hot summer day is a great pleasure. Fishing and cooking
“ukha”, traditional
Russian fish soup on the fire.
Day 7. The climb to the mountain of shamans
Enjoying the rest on the lakeside. Excursion to the sacred
mountain of Tuvan shamans
"Kazhege". From a birds eye view, the mountain looks like a huge
ring. Inside the ring
flows a small stream, with stone altars with porcelain
figurines. It is a sacred mountain
on which, according to legend, the temple of the mystical White
City stood.
Return to the lake. Fishing. Dinner cooked on an open fire.
Day 8. Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva and the geographic center of
Asia
Breakfast. Transfer to Kyzyl.
Visit to the National Museum. You will see the famous
ancient "Scythian Gold". The intricate patterns and
craftsmanship of the golden ornaments made more than 10
centuries ago are an amazing site to be seen. The
discovery of "Scythian Gold" radically transformed the
understanding of history of
Scythian culture.
It remains unclear how the
ancient people, not having the
technology, were able to carry
out such painstaking work.
You will see the jewelry skill of the ancient artisans with
your
own eyes.
In Kyzyl, it is worth visiting anyone who considers himself
a
real traveler, because it is here that the geographical
center
of Asia is located.
After visiting the museum, we will go there, on the
embankment of the Yenisei River, where the monument
"Center of Asia" is located.
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Its author, Dashi Namdakov, is known not only in Russia but also
abroad. One of his
sculptures, The Keeper (She-Guardian), is installed in Hyde Park
in London.
In 2013, for a series of works on Scythian motifs, he was
awarded the title “Artist of the
Year” at the international sculpture competition “Pietrasanta
and Versilia” in Italy. This
series includes the bronze sculptural ensemble "Tsar's Hunt".
You will also see it on
the quay of Kyzyl.
Stop at the Central market to taste national Tuvan delicacies.
You can try unsalted cheese “bashtak”, dry cottage cheese “kurut”
and even vodka “araka” made of milk.
Transfer to Ergaki natural park. Accommodation in the forest
lodge “Snezhnaya” (“snowy” in Russia)
Day 9
After breakfast at the forest lodge we go on a trekking route
through the natural park
Ergaki. Picturesque mountain-taiga landscapes, granite peaks,
river rapids, surrounded
by emerald lakes, peaceful valleys created by glaciers millions
of years ago.
Depending on fit of tourists, routes can be from
minimum to maximum categories of difficulty.
An approximate route might look like following: go
along the path to the Raduzhnoe (“Rainbow”) Lake.
Rest, photographing. Further we pass to the
Sleeping Sayan and the Artists' Pass. From the
Artists Pass we descend to the “Karaovoe” lake and
move to the famous “Hanging Stone”, “clinging” to
the rock in its fall.
Next to this huge stone in the Ergaki nature park you feel the
power of nature. It seems
that this huge colossus is about to falter and fly down to
Raduzhnoe Lake. But no, no
matter how much the tourists tried to move the stone, it firmly
holds on to the surface of
the rock at the very edge. According to a well-known legend, if
a hanging stone falls, the
Sleeping Sayan will wake up — the bogatyr-rock.
In the evening you will find a hearty dinner and a banya.
At the request of tourists, the route can be extended by
2 - 3 days (agreed in advance).
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Day 10
Transfer Ergaki - Krasnoyarsk. The end of the tour
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Within the tour, the following additional stops are possible (to
be
agreed in advance):
- The village of Old Believers, the upper part of
the Kaa-Khem river (Tyva republic). Old-believers
are Orthodox Christians, who disagreed with
church reform in 17th century and since then have
been living in exile, preserving their culture and
religion.
Acquaintance with history, customs and way of life
of the Old Believers. You will learn what the Sunday "sobor"
means, how the Old
Believers find brides and how many scarves a married woman
wears, as well as other
interesting facts.
Walk on the bank of the river Sizim at dawn and on the mountain
of Love at sunset. You
will be able to participate in a master class on felting boots
(to be agreed in advance).
A Russian bath with fragrant taiga “venik” (special brooms used
for massage) and a
homemade dinner with a tasting of the old-believers “kvass”
(very low alcoholic drink)
are waiting for you. Fishing is also possible (if the weather
permits).
- The ecological settlement of Petropavlovka
(excursion on settlement of artisans)
The creative approach of the villagers is felt in a
wide range of arts and crafts presented here.
Guests can choose a master class to try:
• basket weaving
• blacksmithing (in 40 minutes you under guidance
of experienced master can forge a real ax!)
• making musical instruments
• weaving
It is possible to stay in guest houses.
Trekking tour “The places of Power and Legends of
Siberia”Additional information:PROGRAM OF THE TOUR:Day 2. Khakassia
and the paths of shamansDay 3. Relax among the cedar taiga-
Climbing to the peak “White Mountain” (about
Day 4 TrekkingDay 5. Discovery of Tuva.Day 6. The lake
Tore-KholDay 7. The climb to the mountain of shamansDay 8. Kyzyl,
the capital of Tuva and the geographic center of AsiaDay 9Day 10-
The ecological settlement of Petropavlovka
