From Dead Lake to Mountain Devil's Finger: Glimpse of Mysterious Russian Region of Altai

Lake Teletskoye is one of the deepest lakes in Russia, with a maximum depth of 325 metres. About 70 rivers and 150 temporary streams and channels flow into the lake, with the largest of them, the Chulyshman River, providing more than half of the lake's water.

Belukha Mountain, located in the Katun Mountains, is the highest peak of the Altai mountain range in Russia and the biggest of the system of the South Siberian Mountains. According to one legend, it was named after a mysterious creature, the so-called the White Ear giant. Hunters tried to catch it, but it did not give up and died. And the giant's snow-white ear, which they hoped to sell as a rarity then melted. The giant itself was so heavy that they could not lift him and it turned into the mountain.

The Ukok Plateau is located on the southern outskirts of the Altai Republic, at an altitude of 2,200-2,500 metres above sea level. The plateau is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Golden Mountains of Altai as an important environmental treasure.

The Siberian Ice Maiden, also called the Princess of Ukok, the Altai Princess, Devochka, and Ochy-bala is a mummy of a girl from the 5th century BC, found in 1993 in a kurgan of the Pazyryk culture in the Republic of Altai, Russia.

The Argut River is one of the largest tributaries of the Katun. The Argut River Valley is one of the few places in the Altai inhabited by the snow leopard (Irbis).

Shaman Rock (Cape Burkhan) is a rock near the source of the Angara River, a natural monument in the Pribaikalsky National Park and also a sacred place in shamanism. In ancient times, local people believed the rock possessed miraculous powers.

The Karakol Valley in the Ongudai Region is considered a sacred place. There are about 5,000 archaeological sites in the valley that date back to the Bronze Age and the Turkic period.

The Tavdin (Tavdinsky) caves are an array of about 30 caves of karst origin. The length of the rock caves is about 5 kilometres. There are still many mysteries associated with these caves. Not far from the Tavdin caves there is the so-called Arch of Desire. To make your dream come true, you need to touch it and walk around the pillar inside it three times, without taking your hand off it.

The Devil's Finger (or Devil's Claw) mountain that is located in the Iset River Valley is one of the most spectacular and frequently visited natural attractions in the Altai. The mountain is considered a place of power, people come to it to "recharge their batteries" and even recover from infertility.

Lake Cheybek-Kohl is located in the upper reaches of the Chibit River, at an elevation of 1,816 metres. The lake is a natural phenomenon as it was formed by the damming of the river.

The Seminsky Pereval (Seminsky Pass) is a pass in the Altai Republic and has an elevation of 1,681 metres that is situated southeast of the Seminsky Pass.

The Snake (Zmeinaya) Mountain is located in the village of Artybash of the Altai Republic.

The Chuya River is a river in the Altai Republic, a direct tributary of the Katun River famous for its picturesque landscapes.