Nomad in the Altai

By ferry we cross the lake and continue our journey through the empty lands north of Lake Zaisan. On the way to the miraculous landscapes of Kiyn-Kerish (Flaming Rocks), where water and wind have created a colorful and absurd Mars-like landscapes. Here water is absent and sheer heat reigns.
On we go, to the northern banks of Lake Zaisan, to Cape Barhot and Cape Baklany, where 100-200 meter wide and 3 - 3,5 kilometers long sand tongues stretch into the lake. On the beaches live big groups of pelicans and cormorants.
We spend the night in tents along at the lake side - a lake 1,800km2 large and on average 8 meters deep. (Guests are invited to try their luck an fish in the lake). 

We stay another day at Lake Markakol and have a choice to hike, ride a horse, fish or just relax.
It's the most beautiful mountain lake of east Kazakhstan, situated at an altitude of 1,447 meters and 455 km2 in size. The (in Russia) well-known traveller, naturalist, hunter, expert and Altai-explorer N.I. Yablonsky wrote about the lake in 1907: "A more pictoresque place, a more beautiful mountain lake I have not seen anywhere, and I've travelled everywhere... During my visits to the southern Altai I visited the lake in spring, in summer and in late autumn, and every time I admired her, never saturated of admiring, and every time I didn't want to leave her".

During these three days you can untertake several activities from our base in Uryl. These activities vary from various active outings to cultural excursions. This is a list of things to do and visit in and around Uryl:

1) Kokkol waterfalls
These 60 m high falls are the highest in all of Kazakhstan

2) Kokkol mine
Close to the waterfalls one finds the deserted mine village of Kokkol. Between 1938 and 1954 quartz and wolfram were being mined here.
Both the waterfalls and the deserted village are situated on the trekking way from Uryl to Mount Belukha.

3) Maral Farm
The farming of maral (a big red deer) for economic motives was already in the 18th century introduced from Russia into the Altai. The main goal is collecting the young maral's antlers, that contain precious amounts of pantokrin, a medicin for numerous diseases in both Russia and Asia. The antlers are cut from the deer and grow back every year. These kind of farms, with thousands of marals, exist only in Canada, New Zealand and in the Altai.

4) The Berel excavations
In 1998 French and Kazakh archeologists made a spectacular discovery in the valley of the river Berel. They found a.o. the entirely intact body of a Scythian Prince in one of the 36 burial mounds that are scattered around in this area, dating back from the 3rd-4th centuries B.C. The Prince has left but the site is still open.

5) Horseriding
In and around Uryl you can ride a horse with a guide, who will bring you to the loveliest places to enjoy a pic nic.

6) Rafting
On the river Buchtarme you can raft - under guidance.

7) Hiking and collecting mushrooms
From Uryl you can make hikes in the surrounding mountains or in the village itself. You may, together with a guide, look for mushrooms that will be prepared for evening dinner.

8) Visiting a village of 'old-believers'
In the ancient village of Korobiha, far and away in the Altai mountains, live so-called old-believers, a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church that refused to accept reforms in 1666-1667 and seperated from the main Church.

9) Drinking koumiss in a yurt
In summer one finds many a yurt along the road where Kazakhs offer fermented horsemilk (koumiss in Kazakh) for sale, a very typical and healthy drink. You may visit a yurt and acquaint yourself with its people and koumiss.

10) Trekking to Mount Belukha (note; minimum of five days required, so the program will be extended with at least two days)
A tough hike to Mount Belukha, the highest mountain of the Altai Mountains at 4,506 meter, partly situated in Russia and much revered.