Holy spring "Arzhan-Suu" - mountainous Altai. Chuisky tract and its attractions: from Maima to Kamlak Source Arzhan Suu Altai
The village of Maima (with the accent on the last syllable, by the way) is the largest village in the Altai Mountains, stretching along the Chuysky tract and the Katun River for several kilometers. The village was founded in 1810; currently more than 15 thousand residents live here.
Getting to it is very easy: moving along the Chuysky tract, you simply cannot pass by =) The distance from Biysk is about 90 kilometers. Just 6-7 kilometers away from the Chuysky tract is Gorno-Altaisk, which essentially makes Maima its suburb.
In Mayma there are several shops, gas stations, a branch of Sberbank, a cinema, a geological museum, and the Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (the first stone structure in the Altai Mountains). Unlike most local villages, in Mayma you can often find high-rise buildings.
If you haven’t refueled, for example, in Biysk, then here a good place to fill your car's gas tank. In Mayma there is the only gas station in the Altai Mountains, so beloved by our driver, Gazpromneft. You can also buy groceries here for the trip if for some reason you haven’t done so before.
Between the villages of Rybalka and Souzga, on the right side of the road you can see the old one, which is no longer in operation.
Cheremshansky waterfall
About 4 kilometers after the village of Souzga along the Chuysky tract there is the village of Cheremshanka (114 km from Biysk). Not far from it on the river of the same name there is a small waterfall.
The waterfall is not very popular among tourists because it is small (the height of the water fall is only 5 meters), there is not even a sign on the road, we had to drive back and forth a couple of times and finally ask the locals for directions. There is so little information about the waterfall that the story about the road to it will take us much more space than about the waterfall itself =)
If you are coming from the north, then before the bridge over the river you need to turn left and drive along the dirt road to the beginning of the forest. You will have to leave your car at the fork and walk the rest of the way (400-500 meters).
You walk along the path along the stream, admiring the surrounding landscapes, cross a small bridge, you see a spring and next to it a cross, on which there is an inscription that the spring is consecrated, and whoever litters will be overtaken by various sorrows =)
Walk a little further and the Cheremshansky waterfall will appear in front of you. Since this will be the first waterfall on your way, it is worth a visit, especially if you have children with you. As a first impression of the waterfalls of the Altai Mountains, Cheremshansky is quite suitable.
A little more along the Chuysky tract and you find yourself in the famous village
Source Arzhan-Suu
Leaving Manzherok and passing the bridge near the Biryuzovaya Katun, at the 478th kilometer of the road you will first see a small market, and at the end of it - the holy spring Arzhan-Suu. You can also get here from the Aisky tract via the already mentioned bridge.
The market sells traditional Altai souvenirs, honey, etc.
Market near Arzhan-Suu
Arzhan-Suu is perhaps the most popular spring in the Altai Mountains. Here, almost all travelers collect water for their journey; at the height of the season, the number of visitors to the source per day reaches a thousand people.
The water is indeed tasty, can be stored for a long time, and besides, it is also healthy, classified as hydrocarbonate-calcium-magnesium with a high content of silver, as well as copper and manganese, which in total has a beneficial effect on metabolism. It is no coincidence that one of the names of Arzhan-Suu is “Silver Spring”.
Arzhan-Suu is not just a popular source of water, it is a natural monument. And among the indigenous local residents, the spring is also considered sacred, as evidenced by numerous traditional ribbons.
Sacred spring Arzhan-Suu
Naturally, like most sacred places, Arzhan-Suu has its own legend. She talks about a hunter who chased a wounded deer for a long time, and then saw him plunge into the waters of a spring and rush off into the distance, as if nothing had happened. Surprised by this fact, the hunter threw dried grayling into the source and was surprised again, because the fish came to life and swam away. The same thing happened with the otter skin. So people realized that the source gives life to everything and began to consider it sacred.
In this mountain are the Tavdinsky caves
Kamlak
The small (population of about 550 people) village of Kamlak is located approximately 160 km from Biysk and 70 km from Gorno-Altaisk at the confluence of the Kamlak River with Sema.
This is the first village in Gorny Altai after the Chuysky tract crossed to the left bank of the Katun along a new bridge in the Ust-Sema region. The village begins at the 504th km of the highway and stretches along it for about 3 kilometers.
The village has several camp sites, a small store, and even a stadium. There are many apiaries in the vicinity of the village, so you can buy good honey here.
Most often, Kamlak is used as a transit point for further movement along the Chuysky tract, but if you stay here longer, the convenient location will allow you to visit several attractions nearby, in particular, the Botanical Garden and the Bison Nursery.
Gorno-Altai Botanical Garden
The botanical garden is located near the Chuysky tract near the village of Kamlak. To get there you need to turn left at the entrance to the village at the corresponding sign.
The territory where the botanical garden is located (the "Chisty Meadow" tract) is a natural monument with all the ensuing consequences for visitors. They say that in the summer they even force or ask you to take off your shoes and walk barefoot on the grass =)
The garden was founded in 1994, today it has more than one and a half thousand species and forms of the most diverse, including rare, flora.
Plants are divided into groups according to the regions in which they grow (Altai Mountains, Siberia, North America, Far East).
There are also thematic exhibitions: rock garden, medicinal plants, etc.
In addition to plants, you can also see and do a lot of other things in the botanical garden: visit observation deck, located above Katun, walk along the eco-trail, look into the village, which can rightfully be considered a mini-museum.
The garden will be interesting not only for adults, but also for children, especially near such interesting places and exhibits =)
In addition to viewing the exhibition in the Botanical Garden, you can visit the herbal bar and buy seeds, herbal preparations, teas, and honey.
In 2003, a small recreation center "Katail" was opened on the territory of the botanical garden, offering accommodation in summer houses, meals, and excursions.
The cost of a ticket in 20016 for an adult is 200 rubles, for a child - 100 rubles. A walk without a guide costs 50 rubles, although the price list nearby also lists the price as 150 rubles. We were allowed in for 50, for whom the walk costs 150 remains unknown. The price list also states the option for 150 rubles. put up a tent per day.
Bison nursery
The bison nursery is located outside the village of Kamlak, 4 kilometers from it near the village of Cherga.
To get there, you need to turn right at the signpost at the 510th kilometer of the Chuysky tract and drive another two kilometers along the dirt road. First there will be a farm, followed by a nursery.
You will have to leave the car in front of the stream and climb a little more to the place where there is a house of the bison staff, who will give you a tour.
If you are lucky and the bison are nearby, you will walk a little before you see them. If you are unlucky, then tourists are taken to the bison by car, which takes a little longer.
Cost of the excursion in 2016 - 150 rub.
Important: Remember that if you rely on luck and arrive without an agreement, you may not find the nursery staff on site and the excursion will not work (you don’t know how long to wait for them). We came twice like this, once empty-handed, the second time we got it. So it’s better to call and agree in advance.
The bison nursery in Gorny Altai was organized in 1982, when 3 males and 8 females were brought here. This is one of three bison breeding grounds existing in Russia, and beyond the Urals it is the only nursery with purebred bison. Bison have taken root well in Altai; the current bison are already in their third generation, and the population size is 48 animals.
In summer, bison feed on their own in their natural environment (the territory of the nursery is 470 hectares); in winter, they go down to the fence every day, where they are fed with hay. Visitors are generally treated calmly as long as they are kept at a distance, although in winter you can even hand-feed bison through the netting.
Advice: When going on an excursion, take a camera with a good zoom or telephoto lens, as they won’t let you get too close to the bison.
- There is a “matriarchy” in the bison herd; the most “authoritative” female is in charge of all affairs.
- The bison calves once every two years, and feeds the baby with milk for more than one and a half years.
- The bison becomes an adult at 4.5 years.
- Bison live 15-20 years
- At a local nursery, the female's record is 5 calves in her lifetime.
- The female weighs 700-900 kg, the weight of the male can reach 1500 kg.
- The body length of the bison reaches 3.5 meters, height - up to 2 meters.
- Despite such dimensions and heavy weight, bison are capable of picking up speed up to 40-45 km/h, and it is better not to stand in their way at this moment =)
The Arzhan-Suu mineral spring (translated from the regional Altai dialect as “holy water”) is a natural monument (since 1978) and one of the most famous and visited springs in the Altai Mountains. The water in it has long been considered healing.
In Altai you can also hear other names for the source - “Driver’s Key” and “Golden Key”.
The source is located on the right bank of the Katun River, at a distance of 5-6 km from the southern outskirts of the village of Manzherok. The area belongs to the Iolgo mid-mountain ridge; there is a deep fault in this area. Water comes to the surface from rock cracks in several places and flows towards the tract, forming a single stream. Below, the source is decorated and equipped for local residents and tourists.
Among residents of coastal villages, Arzhan-Suu is known as a holy spring. Since the place is popular among tourists, cafes and souvenir shops with amulets, beads, hand-made national clothes, shoes, musical instruments and discs with throat singing, herbal preparations, tea, balms and other products have been operating next to it for several years. This place is often visited by newlyweds on their wedding day. In the Arzhan-Suu cafe, water from a source is used when preparing dishes, and the building looks like medieval castle. This establishment is famous from Vasily Shukshin’s film “There Lives Such a Guy.”
Water composition
Recently, the ecological condition of water has been deteriorating - vehicles constantly stop very close to the source, polluting the environment with harmful exhausts.
Legend
Altaians believe in the extraordinary power of this place and respect the mineral spring with healing water. According to the legend of the indigenous inhabitants of the Altai Mountains, the spring has life-giving power. A long time ago, a hunter, while tracking his prey, saw a deer. Sneaking up, he wounded the deer, but it managed to escape. The hunter rushed after the bleeding animal and saw that the deer was entering the stream. In the water, the animal’s wounds began to heal, the deer came out of the water completely healthy and ran away in the other direction. The hunter was amazed at the miracle, threw a dried fish into the water - and it swam, tried to throw an otter skin - and it came to life in the unusual water. Then he went to the people and told them that water has the power to give life and health to everything. People called this miracle “holy water.”
Rituals
A ritual performed by the Altai people is dedicated to the healing spring: first of all, it is necessary to free yourself from all negative thoughts. To cleanse not only the soul, but also the body, it is even recommended to fast. Cleanliness should also be observed near the source - behave quietly, speak quietly.
“Shaman trees” grow near the spring, on which, according to the ancient custom of the Altai people, it is customary to tie light ribbons - dyalama. The origins of this ritual go back to ancient times. Tying ribbons meant turning to the spirits of the source with peaceful intentions. Next, food for the spirits was placed on the altar; usually these were figurines made of dried cheese. Only after these procedures could one ask for healing and long life.
It is believed that Arzhan-Suu fulfills good wishes; you just need to think about your cherished desires while standing next to him. Locals They ask tourists to pay attention to the fact that the ritual is of a religious and philosophical nature, so there is no need to thoughtlessly tie anything else to the tree: handkerchiefs, bags, etc. The tape should be light colors (white, blue, yellow), clean, 20 cm long and 5 cm wide.
How to get to the Arzhan-Suu spring
You can get to Arzhan-Suu by car along the Chuysky tract (route R-256), the landmark is the 478th kilometer. Pass the village of Manzherok, go straight when the bridge to the Turquoise Katun tourist complex is on the right, do not turn away. The street market will also begin here, near the last canopy with souvenirs and there will be a source. In the midst summer season There will be many tourists around the spring, so it is impossible to pass by it.
There are often excursions to the place - as a rule, these are general Bus tours in Altai. The spring is also visited during excursions to the “Turquoise Katun” - a special economic zone where there is an artificial lake, recreation centers, an amusement park, and a ski resort.
Panorama of the source from the Chuysky tract:
Video of the source and souvenir market nearby:
8 km from the village of Manzherok, a transparent spring gushes out of rock cracks - the Arzhan-Suu spring. This is one of the most popular and mystical places Altai. It's difficult to drive past. There are always a lot of cars and buses on the highway. Every guest of Altai strives to visit the famous spring.
Translated from Altai “arzhan-suu” means “silver water”. Indeed, the water here has a high content of silver ions, and there is even more divalent iron in it than in the famous Essentuki. An ancient Altai legend tells about the healing properties of the Arzhan-Suu spring.
In ancient times, there were many deer - mountain deer - in these places. These were very beautiful animals with powerful branched horns and smooth fur. One day a hunter spent a long time chasing a beautiful large deer with amazingly beautiful horns. He even managed to wound the animal, but the deer gathered all his strength and tried to escape from the hunter along the mountain paths. The hunter really wanted to take possession of the beautiful deer antlers. They ran for a long time along the rocks and gorges, the deer became completely weak, and then he headed to the Arzhan-suu spring. He reached a steep cliff and ran into the water. While the hunter carefully went down to the source, the wounds on the animal’s body healed, and with renewed vigor he took off running and in a few moments disappeared into the thickets so that no trace could be found.
The hunter was surprised at such a miraculous healing. He found dried grayling in his knapsack, which he took with him to eat while hunting. He threw the fish into the water. A second later, the fish moved its fins and swam away alive and unharmed. Then the hunter took the tanned otter skin from his shoulder and also threw it into the water. Not even a moment passed before the otter came to life and swam away after the grayling.
Since then, the miraculous water of the Arzhan-Suu spring has been known far beyond Altai. Well, if you make a wish near the spring, it will definitely come true. It just has to be kind and most intimate.
Today, next to the Arzhan-Suu spring, there is the largest souvenir market in Altai. Here everyone will find something for themselves that will remind them of the distant and beautiful Altai.
The source is distinguished by the presence of divalent iron. Its content is 4 ml/l, i.e. more than in the sources of Essentuki and Borjomi. The spring water also contains large amounts of silver, copper, and manganese. The Arzhan-Suu spring is a natural monument of the Altai Republic. There is a legend that a deer, wounded by a hunter, rushed into the waters of the Arzhan-Suu spring, and instantly the wounds healed, and the hunter, chasing the deer, threw dried grayling into the waters of the spring - it came to life. The hunter threw the otter skin, the otter came to life and began to chase the grayling. Then the hunter realized that Ar-zhan-Suu gives life and strength to everyone.
At 479 km, a boat crossing has been organized to the left bank of the Katun in the area of the Taldin caves.
At 481 km – village. Lime. Industrial lime burning is carried out in the village.
At km 482 there is a sign “Crossing. Caves." On the left bank of the Katun there are the famous Taldin caves.
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Today I will tell you about the 2017 ascents to the peaks of Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola (4082 m) and Russian Shater (4117 m), which are located in the Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola massif, in the south of Ukok in Altai. I have been going to these peaks almost every year since 2009. Our plans usually include the peak Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola (the name of which we sometimes shorten to Tabyn for simplicity) with a height of 4082 m, but under good weather conditions and time to spare, we usually have time to climb the second peak Russian Shater with a height of 4117 m , which is located a kilometer from the first. This year, a group of nine people initially gathered for this ascent, but at the last moment four of the nine refused, and in the end a group of only five remained. All five of different cities, we didn’t know each other before, everyone has different physical training and experience, and different motivation. Nevertheless, we all climbed both peaks, which I consider a completely successful result. The ascent begins from the camp at an altitude of 3000 m, where we arrive on foot from Dzhazator, accompanied by a horse caravan that carries our things. This journey takes five days, and it is very important, since during this time everyone “gets” in physical shape, gets acclimatized and turns into a team. The ascent usually begins at 6 am. For the first 30-40 minutes we walk along the stone moraine, then we put on our crampons, form a group and go out onto the glacier. When we walked along the flat part of the glacier, the wind brought cloud caps onto the Russian Shater and Tabyn. As we ascended to the crack zone, the caps became denser and the wind at the top intensified, occasionally blowing up the gaps. At some point we discussed whether it was worth aborting the climb and trying again the next day in the hope of better weather . In general, the scenario of 2016 was repeated, when we climbed the Russian Tent, stood there for several minutes under a hurricane wind in dense clouds and went down. A small difference was that the wind still sometimes blew the clouds over the Russian Tent and the top opened for 30-40 seconds. I proposed to postpone this decision until an altitude of 3600 m, until a stop on the rocks, after which the most difficult section begins - a long climb up the slope with a fairly large slope, where it is impossible to fully rest. We passed the glacier and the crack zone relatively quickly, and this gave us hope that we would also overcome the last section. While we were sitting on the rocks and drinking tea, it became completely clear that it was worth going only to the Russian Tent, since there were gaps in the clouds above it, and the top of Tabyn was tightly covered in clouds all the time. Here at a rest stop, one of the participants in the ascent, Olga, offered to stay and wait for our return from the ascent, but I found some necessary words for her, and she went with us. Usually on the last long climb we walk at a pace of 50 steps, rest for a minute and restore our breathing. And with increasing altitude, these rests become longer. This year there was almost no snow and the trail in this section was easy for me, and everyone, including Olga, walked quite well. The last section before reaching the rocks is relatively steep, but from them to the top there are already several tens of meters left. When we reached these stones, I was surprised to see human figures on the top; I thought that these were most likely Mongolian climbers, since there were no climbers on our side. This turned out to be partly true. Yes, they came from the Mongolian side, but they were our compatriots from Novosibirsk. They made a traverse from the Potanin glacier. Today they started from the top of the Cities of Heroes 3911 m, after the Russian Tent they planned to go to Tabyn and go down to their camp on the Potanin glacier. They were also surprised to see us, and also to the fact that we were traveling light and came out today from the green. We spent some time at the top together. A strong wind was blowing, there were almost no gaps in the clouds, and plans to climb Tabyn also seemed very illusory. The Novosibirsk residents went down to the col between the Russian Tent and Tabyn, and we stayed on the top for some more time, wanting to wait for a clearing and look down from the top. And we waited for this breakthrough. Moreover, this was not a short-term clearing, but a global one - the clouds rose, first the whole of Ukok became visible, then Malchin Peak, and then Tabyn. Novosibirsk residents went to it, as it became clear that the weather was changing in better side. All these changes happened in just 10-15 minutes. The wind had died down significantly, the sun was shining and I didn’t want to leave the summit, I waited for the shots of the ascending sequence on Tabyn and waited. There was still plenty of time, and we also decided to go to Tabyn. Passing the saddle, Olga once again timidly tried to stay there and wait for us, but I again found something to tell her, and she continued climbing. Now I don’t even remember what I used to lure her in :). From the saddle to the top it is only 80 m in height. It was simply a pleasure to walk them along the steps, which were filled with Novosibirsk residents. When we arrived at the top of Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola, the clouds rose even higher and Kiytyn (4374 m) was already completely open - highest point Mongolia and the entire Tabyn-Bogdo-Ola massif. After enjoying these views and taking pictures of the summit, we went down; the weather began to deteriorate again. The most dangerous section of the entire descent was the section descending to the rocks at 3600 m, since there was almost no snow here, and the slope was quite good. We passed it quite quickly and without incident, and the further descent also passed without incident. We were already at the camp at about six in the evening, so the entire ascent took about twelve hours. I would like to say a big thank you for everything to all the participants in this ascent, as well as to the Spirits of the mountains, who gave us the opportunity to stand on these two peaks and let us go in peace.