Altai
See more Mountains. See best of West Siberian in Russia.
‘Golden Mountains of Altai’'The Altai mountains in southern Siberia form the major mountain range in the western Siberia biogeographic region and provide the source of its greatest rivers – the Ob and the Irtysh. Three separate areas are inscribed: Altaisky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Lake Teletskoye; Katunsky Zapovednik and a buffer zone around Mount Belukha; and the Ukok Quiet Zone on the Ukok plateau. The total area covers 1,611,457 ha. The region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation. The site is also an important habitat for endangered animal species such as the snow leopard.'
Copyright © UNESCO/World Heritage Centre. All rights reserved. 4 / 5 Review by press. ‘August 2008 Solar Eclipse’The Altai region is a perfect location from which to view the 2008 total solar eclipse in August. Remote as it is there will be little distraction from the view. It is expected to be busy during this period and although there is much space there are limited facilities so it would be helpful to book your travel quickly.
3 / 5
Review by member ‘Altai Mountains: The navel of the world’"This is the umbilical cord”, said Erkyemen, pointing to a curved line of stones laid out on the arid slope. He walked on until we came to a pile of larger stones, a burial mound. “When a child is born the cord is cut. When we die we reconnect to the belly button. So the shamans built this trail of stones to tie the dead to the navel of the world, the centre of everything." In the Russian and Mongolian Altai, meat and no veg becomes the diet for Chris Moss on a back-to-basics tour. 4 / 5 Review by press. Have you been here? Why not add your own review. |
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