Altai Reserve
The Altai Nature Reserve is located on the territory of Russia, with a total area of about 8,900 km2 in the central-eastern part of the Altai Territory, including the entire water area of Lake Teletskoye. The protected area was established in 1932 in order to preserve the untouched nature of the taiga, tundra, mountains of Southern Siberia and rescue animals on the verge of extinction. Altai Nature Reserve ranks first among Russian nature reserves in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna.
There are high mountain ranges on the border, the highest mountain is Bogoyash. There are many springs with the purest cold water in these places.
Of the total area of the protected area, about 2,500 km2 are forests, 130 km2 are reservoirs. Forests differ quite sharply from each other, from the predominance of fir in the north to cedar in the south, and then changing to deciduous trees. Pine forests predominate in the valley of lakes and rivers.
There are about 1,190 lakes here. The main ones are considered to be the largest lake Julukul, towering 2,200 meters above the sea point, and Lake Teletskoye, which is called the "little Baikal of Western Siberia." The Teletskiy reservoir is the most picturesque, which contains fresh, clean water. You can admire the scenic beauty by taking a ride on the ship, which is equipped with glazed decks and all necessary safety equipment.
There are many rivers on the territory of the Altai Nature Reserve, of which more than a dozen have waterfalls from 6 to 60 m high.
The most beautiful and largest is the cascading waterfall Uchar, or "Impregnable", on the Chulcha River. The second name is quite true, since it is not so easy to get to it. But all the difficulties of the long road are overlaid by the breathtaking spectacle of the indescribable beauty of the unbridled water element. The height of the water drop is 160 meters. The waterfall is considered the youngest creation of the nature of the Altai Mountains, as it was formed less than two hundred years ago. The cascades of the waterfall, where one drain smoothly flows into another, create a unique roar that penetrates through, leaving other sounds inaudible.
A variety of vegetation is represented in forests, high-altitude tundra, meadows, swamps and steppes. The fauna of the reserve includes more than 300 species of birds, 70 species of mammals, and 16 species of fish. Specially protected rare species are listed in the Red Book.
The protected area is part of the World Heritage sites "Golden Mountains of Altai" and the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
