Showing posts with label Regions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regions. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Top 10 Adventure Destinations in Russia

There are people with a spirit of adventure and taste for discovery who always dream of challenging the North Pole, the South Pole, Everest, etc. These people are true adventurists.

Regardless of your age or preference, breathtaking experiences and adventures await you all year round in Russia. From the volcanoes and geysers of Kamchatka, through the Siberian taiga to the mineral spas around the Black Sea coast. Russia has the longest rivers, biggest nature reserves, largest primeval forests, wildest areas, least visited wilderness, and the highest mountains in Europe lie in the Caucasus range with Mount Elbrus, overlooking the rest of Europe from a majestic peak of 29,029 ft. Rafting or skiing, hunting or fishing, jeep safari or snowcat skiing, heli-ski or paraplane, deer-sledge races and horse expeditions, diving or helicopter tours, Pole of Cold expedition or reindeer nomading in Kolyma, the adrenalin rush of mountain climbing or the wonders of nature - only you know what you are capable of. Cooking over an open fire, encounters with wildlife, traditional Russian sauna followed by a snow bath or a dip in an icy lake will give you memories for a lifetime. If you want trips that combine a range of activities from biking, hiking and rafting to sea kayaking, rock climbing and zip-lining, Russia is a place to go! Are you ready for your next challenge?

What will your next Russian adventure be? Here is the top 10 Adventure destinations in Russia.

1. Lake Baikal is the most famous of all nature wonders of Russia and often referred to as the pearl of Siberia. It is not only the deepest and oldest (25 million years) lake of the world, but also an excellent travel destination for those who want to spend their holiday in stunning surroundings of the Siberian wilderness. Lake Baikal offers hot springs, helicopter tours to remote wilderness areas, diving, off-road expeditions, hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, snowcat skiing, heli-skiing, rafting...(

2. Kamchatka was discovered by Russian Cossacks over 3 hundred years ago. However, even today Russians know very little about it, to say nothing about the rest of the world where most people have hardly heard of Kamchatka.This century the airplanes have made Kamchatka closer to Europe and America though not more available.
The Valley of Geysers is the only geyser field in Eurasia (apart from the Mutnovsky geyser field) and the second largest concentration of geysers in the world. This 6 km long basin with approximately ninety geysers and many hot springs is situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, predominantly on the left bank of the ever-deepening Geysernaya River, into which geothermal waters flow from a relatively young strato-volcano, Kikhpinych. It is part of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, which, in turn, is incorporated into the World Heritage Site "Volcanoes of Kamchatka". Kamchatka is probably the only place where the saying "Bears walk on the streets of Russia" is true...

3. Chukotka is the easternmost region of Russia and of the whole Eurasian landmass. It is washed by waters of two oceans - the Arctic and the Pacific. A half of the territory lies beyond the Polar Circle. Almost the whole area is occupied with tundra. Coasts are reach of scenic bays, full of sea birds and mammals. Aborigine peoples - the Chukchis, the Eskimos (the Siberian Yupik) and other small local nationalities are mostly engaged in reindeer breeding or in hunting for sea mammals. Chukotka is still a restricted region of Russia that has had limited contact with the rest of the world. Every tourist, a Russian or a foreigner, must have a special permission to enter Chukotka. Few visitors and extremely low density of local population help to preserve unique landscapes, flora and fauna of the region.

4. Yakutia or the Republic of Sakha occupies most of the North-Eastern Siberia. Yakutia is the land of countless rivers and lakes, hundreds of glaciers and ice crusts. More than 40% of the territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle. The Pole of Cold for the Northern Hemisphere is situated in Yakutia. The Polar Nights in winter begin on the territory which is above the Arctic Circle. Some nights are lit up by the Aurora Borealis, the natural phenomenon that can only be observed along the latitudes occupied by this territory. In summer time the Polar Days begin. A day can last up to 20 hours along the latitude of Yakutsk, while farther North, the Sun never drops below the horizon. Expedition to the Pole of Cold, Oymyakon, was ranked by journal "GEO" in December 2007 as one of 50 most exotic trips of the world. Winter Yakutia - a perfect land for the reindeer sledding trips, that will put you through the exotic life of real Siberian nomad.

5. Altai is second to none in the beauty of its landscapes, and in diversity of its attractions. Deep in the heart of the Siberian wilderness, covered by impassable taiga forests and high mountain peaks, Altai is one of the top attractions of the Russian wilderness, and an incredible place for outdoor adventures from rafting, hiking and mountain climbing to fishing, horse-riding and many others. A flowery fragrance of Alpine meadows; grasses along the icy mountain streams;the famous Altai honey;the nomadic stone idols and Rerich's trails; the settlements of the "old believers", the Siberian shamans. Discover the high mountain glaciers, where during the summer snowfall is higher than in winter, deserted steppe, dense Siberian taiga, meet pastured camels on the valley floor and gather a basket of ripe cedar-cones amidst the lofty forests during your horseback riding tour across the Altai mountains.

6. Caucasus is an alpine country in the southernmost edge of the European part of Russia. The main mountain chain - the Greater Caucasus Range represents a natural border between Europe and Asia. Europe's highest summit - Mount Elbrus (18,510 ft) lies just north of the main range, several kilometers into Europe. Southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range come down to the Black Sea. Caucasus is the land of breathtaking beauty and purity. Its snow peaks, pine forests, icy streams and glaciers attract thousands of climbers, mountain-skiers, adventurers and nature lovers from all over the world.

7. Karelia is a strikingly beautiful land of "midnight sun", the land of white nights. Forests, lakes and rivers of Karelia give a perfect opportunity for development of different types of tourism: hunting, fishing, safari, rafting, e.t.c.Karelia offers various tours, during which you will pass historical monuments, deserted villages, self-made fords and fortifications of World War II.

8. The Urals marks the northern part of the border between Asian and European sections of the Eurasian continent. (Away from the "hustle and bustle" of cities and everyday cares - Away! If you like the scent of campfires and morning mists, forests and mountains and are physically healthy - one of our "classical mountain trekking" tours is for you! On our classical trekking tours we visit the most beautiful and attractive places in the Urals. Mountain lakes and meadows, scenic rocks, coniferous and mixed taiga, rocky rivers and streams, night bonfire - it is impossible to forget! The Urals is also famous for its archeological findings in Arkaim. Archeologists assume that it is the place where horse was tamed for the first time, the first battle two-wheel wagon was invented, the first metallurgic furnace was found, one of the most ancient civilizations appeared.

9. Sayany is a large mountainous country with the highest mountain ranges of Eastern Siberia. It consists of two large parts - the Eastern Sayan and the Western Sayan. Virgin Southern taiga with lush vegetation, wonderful scenery with mountain rivers, waterfalls and lakes attract and stagger tourists. It mostly presents an endless steppe almost without footprints of modern civilization, which grants space scenery with sharp crests of remote mountains. Tuva is full of archeological memorials of different centuries. Tourists can also deep into local ethnography: lifestyle of Russian old-believers, shaman ceremonies, throat singing, opportunity to live in a real Tuvan yurt and to imagine yourself an ancient nomad.

10. Primorye is the far south-eastern edge of Russia, washed with waters of the warm Japan Sea. Particular geographical position at the border of Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean grants unique nature and climate to this region. The most part of the territory is occupied by the Sikhote-Alin mountains, covered with virgin taiga. This is a great natural arboretum, which contains one the richest and most unusual temperate forests of the world. In this mixed zone between taiga and subtropics southern species such as Amur tiger and Himalayan bear cohabit with northern species such as brown bear and lynx. The sea coast attracts with beautiful exotic sceneries of bays and uninhabited isles, very reach of underwater life.

Discover Russia and find more information about other places and adventure tours in Russia at http://www.discoverrus.com/activities-adventuretours.htm

Friday, August 7, 2009

Sochi, The City of 2014 Olympic Games, Video

Those who come to Sochi at least once, return more and more to this pearl of Russian South. Unique resort atmosphere of carefree, relaxing and fun is awesome.
There is everything here to enjoy the superb modern holiday - clean, warm water, the Caucasus mountains and an unforgettable landscape:

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Kazan Video

KAZAN is the capital of Republic of Tatarstan in Russian Federation. This ancient and beautiful city is a popular travel destination.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Cossack Dances and Songs Video

Cossacks were members of multinational militaristic communities living in Ukraine and southern Russia.
In the 18th century the Russian Empire's expansionist ambitions relied on ensuring the loyalty of Cossacks, which caused tension with their traditional independent lifestyle. This resulted in rebellions led by Stenka Razin, Kondraty Bulavin and Yemelyan Pugachev. In extreme cases whole Hosts could be dissolved, as was the fate of the Zaporozhian Sich in 1775. By the end of the 18th century, Cossacks were transformed into a special social estate, they served as border guards on national and internal ethnic borders (as was in the case in the Caucasus War) and regularly supplied men to conflicts such as the numerous Russo-Turkish Wars. In return they enjoyed vast social autonomy. This caused them to form a stereotypical portrayal of 19th century Russian Empire abroad and her government domestically (http://en.wikipedia.org/).

Watch the Cossack Dances and Songs Videos, enjoy those vivid and bright performances:








Thursday, July 23, 2009

Siberian Impressions Video

Siberian Impressions, Part I. Documentary Stanisław Kalisz, Marek Antonowicz, Dariusz Jakubiak.



Lake Baikal, Siberian Impressions Part II. Documentary Stanislaw Kalisz, Marek Antonowicz, Adam Draber.



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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Black Sea Resort Gelendzhik

Gelendzhik is a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the Gelendzhik Bay of the Black Sea, between Novorossiysk (31 km to the northwest) and Tuapse (93 km to the southeast).

A Video Journey, Karelya, Russia

A Video Journey in the summer of 2007 through some villages in Russia,Karelya. Film maker NiklasGranberg











Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Video of A Small Village in Russia

A small, remote village on a trip to Russia




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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Trans Siberian Railway Video

The Trans-Siberian Railway or Trans-Siberian Railroad (Транссибирская магистраль, Транссиб in Russian, or Transsibirskaya magistral', Transsib) is a network of railways connecting Moscow and European Russia with the Russian Far East provinces, Mongolia, China and the Sea of Japan.



Friday, April 24, 2009

The River Oka Video

The views of Russian nature in the River Oka area, last spring. Nice music accopanies this video:

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Russian Orthodox Chursh Singers

Russian Orthodox Chursh Singers on Kizhi Island (Republic of Karelia, Russia)

Friday, June 15, 2007

Altay Mountains


Western Siberia, south, Altai mountains (3.5 hours from Moscow by plane, 48 hours by train).Nearest cities: Gorno-Altaysk, Barnaul (300km), Novosibirsk (600km).Activities: trekking, rafting, hiking, climbing, horseriding Tours at Altay Mountains - a list of recommended trips - click here

The name "Altay" (or "Altai") comes from Mongolian "Altan", which means "golden". Altay mountains are truly one of the nature's most marvelous gems, amazing by its diversity and beauty.


The Altay ecoregion covers vast 845,000 square kilometer area at the junction of four countries: Russia (largest part), Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. Novosibirsk, the city through which the Trans-Siberian route goes, is about 600 km far, which is very not far for Siberian scales. Altay is a land where myths and legends are incarnated into reality. It's one of those rare corners on the Earth where Nature decided to show everything it was capable of.


Broad and boundless views of steppes, luxuriant varieties of taiga thickets, modest charm of deserts, severe splendor of snowy peaks, laconic beauty of tundra - the diversity of landscapes here is so rich, it is as if you are turning over pages of a geographical atlas!Highlights.Three major factors make Altay mountains a recreational domain of great value: amazing natural diversity (various landscapes, climates, abundance of wildlife); thin population, historically nomadic (Mongolian and Kazakh ethnos), who have a very natural way of life; and remoteness from any industries (the region lives only for tourism and agriculture). All this has ensured that


Altay region stayed untouched by industrial development and is still a very natural place. Besides, such diversity makes it possible to involve in almost any possible activity: from rafting to trekking, from speleo to skiing.Stretching for nearly 2000 km from north-west to south-east, Altai mountains form a natural border between the arid steppes of Mongolia and the rich taiga of Southern Siberia.

Both climatic zones create the landscapes of striking diversity, ranging from the Mongolia-like steppes (at the area of Kosh-Agach village, south east) to those of the Swiss Alps (along Chuysky Trakt). During the Soviet times, Altay was a mecca for adventure tourism, especially rafting. Altai mountains have a lot of rivers, Katun, Biya, and Chuya being the longest of them. There are also myriads of smaller mountain rivers that are fed by Altay's glaciers. Along all these rivers there's a lot of places for recreation and fishing.


You can easily put a tent anywhere you want.Altay's Nature. The wildlife vary from big mammals (bear, lynx, glutton, Siberian stag, even reindeer and snow leopard above the tree line) to small birds (230 species) and fishes (20 species - umber, loach, white fish among them). Many species and plants are really unique.Camel and yak are a good Mongolian touch to the picture of the Russian Altai. Another, and very pleasing touch is no mosquitoes and such-like making life miserable in Northern Siberia. Cedar is a very common tree in the rich mountain forests as well as pine, birch, spruce, fir, larch.


Berries and mushrooms are abundant in the season.There are four main plants that grow in Altay mountains and that are widely used by local people. On the photo below, from right to left are:Cedar (Kedr) is a pine-like tree, its pines contain a lot of little nuts. You can cook the whole pine in fire or boil it and then take out the nuts, they are very tasty and nutricious. Badan is a plant that usually grows on heights starting from 1000 m and its dry (brown) leaves are used to make tea. Kuril tea is another nice plant to make tea with and has many positive effects also. Cannabis selvia is also quite widely spread.Altay Weather.The weather and climate at Altay is as diverse as its nature.


Generally, the summer starts in May-June and finishes in September. During that time it's quite warm during the daytime (about 20 - 25 celcius) and cool in the night (about 5-10 celcius), so it's better to have a sleeping bag with you, if you are
traveling on your own. During June and July there may be quite a few rains, but the August and September are the sunniest months (more than 60% of the time there's no rain at all). In the Summer the snow is left only on the heights of 2600 meters and higher. The winds in the valleys are not very strong. So, to sum everything up, the best months for traveling at Altay in Summer are July, August, and first half of September: warm, sunny in the day, no mosquitoes.


The winter in Altay starts in October-November. That's when it starts snowing and the mountains are covering by snow from top to bottom. The best months for traveling in winter are November and December. During that time, there's mostly good weather and not very cold. The coldest months are January and February. The average temperature goes down to minus 15-20 celcius.


The coldest place at Altay is Chuyskaya steppe, which is along the way to Mongolia. After that, in February and March the weather is quite good again. There are a lot of activities possible, like skiing, auto tours, animal watching, and even swimming in frozen lakes. And, of course, the main activity: alpinism.The snow usually starts to disappear in the first half of May, so it is a beatiful Spring time in Altay at this period.Ethnography and Inhabitants. For innumerable centuries being the cross-roads of human migration, the Altai has a long and rich history. A lot of archaeological finds prove that.


Those of the Ulalite paleolithic site (in the town of Gorno-Altaisk) are 900-800 thousand years old. So, man's ancestors lived in the Altai long before the pithecanthrope of Java. The number of younger sites (mainly in caves) comes to dozens. So, going from cave to burial mound, from graffito to graffito you will get the stereoscopic picture of man developing from the Stone to Bronze and Iron Ages.


The modern population is a mixture of indigenous Altais and Russian settlers, some of the latter still leading in their villages the life of Old Believers, with strict rules and very much isolated from civilization. There are few remote villages in Altai where you can see wool being spun on a hand and hear traditional Altai throat singing (a very interesting and strange technique).Best Places to Go: Katun river starts its way near the highest point of Altai mountains (4620 m) and goes down through pristine alpine scenery, with a number of remote Altai villages along the way to Ob' river, that crosses the west Siberia from North to South and brings its waters to Karskoe more, in the ocean.


Katun river is very good for rafting as it offers many exciting routes and magnificient views at Altai mountains. Altyn-Kyol (in Russian means "Golden Lake") is the native Altai name for Lake Teletskoye. This lake is considered to be a smaller replica of Baikal lake, however, we would not recommend you to go there, because it is quite unaccessable and there are rumours that it is polluted by the remains of Soviet space ships that were launched in 80s from Baikonur space (in Kazakhstan).


Aktru glacier is a beautiful and the most accessible of Altay's glaciers. It is located about 500 km along Chuyski trakt, which leads to Mongolia. You can arrive to Aktru alpinist base and make short 1-day walks to glaciers. The walks are not hard and picturesque, so perhaps Aktru is one of the best place to visit in Altay if you have more than 3 days. Aktru is also loved by snowboarders who ride there even in Summer months. It is a remote area and very pristine and clean. The best place to rest from civilization and enjoy the nature.Beluha mountain is considered to be a sacred place.


Local people believe that Belovodie (the region around Beluha) is where the new civilization will start. However strange it may sound, but historical researches prove that many civilizations started their way from this region. It is hard to access Beluha by car, the nearest village is Tungur, where there's a good alpinist base, and Beluha is within 3 days walk (or 2 days horseriding) from there.The Cordon of Chelush is a lonely place on the shore of the amazing highland lake, not far from the mouth of a mountain river. It is only possible to get there by water or by helicopter.


The picturesque landscapes of the cordon may give a great pleasure to the real connoisseurs of Natural beauties and wonders. The Biya is the only river flowing out of Lake Teletskoye. A rafting journey down the Biya is considered a classic route of water tourism. The mixture of impetuous rapids and calm, extensive sections of the river allow enjoying the beauty of the surrounding landscapes and at the same time receive a sufficient dose of adrenalin. Around 100-150 years ago there was a great mountain avalanche, but it couldn't stop the impetous Chulcha river and from a great height it falls down by cascades, forcing its way to the Chulyshman River – Uchar Waterfall (in Russian means "Unapproachable").


The Uchar Waterfall was discovered only about 20 years ago, so not many people have had a chance to see it yet. Tours at Altay Mountains - a list of recommended trips - click here Nearest Towns and How to Get There. Altai montains is a quite remote region. The closest big (more than 50,000 inhabitants) city is Gorno-Altaisk, located just at the beginning of Altai mountains, on Katun river. Slightly further is Biysk. Many tourists go to one of these two cities, and it is a big mistake. Gorno-Altaysk and Biysk are completely run-down Soviet style cities with quite depressive mood. Besides,
it's almost impossible to find a good guide from there.We recommend you to go to Barnaul, which is 300 km far from Altay. It is a beautiful nice provincial town, which surprises with availability of good-quality accommodation ($3/night for western-style shared room!), original restaurants, and friendly people.


Also, most Altay tour operators base in Barnaul, so it's a practical place to start your trip.Novosibirsk (around 600 km far), which is located on Trans-Siberian railway, can also be a good starting point.The most convenient way to get to Altay is to take a plane from Moscow to Barnaul (from $230 return, 4 hours flight) and then take a bus or personal mini-bus to Gorno-Altaisk. The cheapest way to get to Altai area is to take a train from Moscow to Novosibirsk (from $70 one way), then take a train to Biysk (through Barnaul - about 370 km and $5 one way), then take a car or a bus (cheap) to Gorno-Altaisk (just at the beginning of Altai mountains) and further - take local buses to Altai mountains along Chuisky Trakt (the auto-road that goes through Altay to Mongolia).


Activities & Traveling around Altay. Most outdoor activities can be practised in Altai: caving, climbing, mountaineering, trekking, hunting, rafting, paragliding, horse riding. Rafting has made Altai known not only in Russia and the Chuya Rafting Rally is an international event.

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