Altay Mars is a very popular attraction in the Altay Mountains. The slope of the mountain in the Kyzyl Chin valley contains a large number of compounds of various metals, so it is colored in different colors. Shades of red and yellow predominate here, but there are other colors. These shades can change at different times of the day with different lighting conditions.
According to geologists, the formation of the relief and soil composition of Altay Mars occurred hundreds of millions of years ago, when these places were the bottom of the prehistoric ocean. A concentration of metals occurred on a small area of soil, which is amazing.
The red color of the soil was formed under the influence of iron oxide. There is nothing surprising about this color. Red mountains and soil are found in many places. However, in Altay Mars there are impurities of other metals that give the soil other colors: chrome - yellow, manganese - lilac and pink, etc. Compounds of titanium, tin, niobium and dozens of other rare metals have been found here.
The red color of the rock on Altay Mars differs from what can be seen on the Red Gate in the Ulagan district, where the red color of the rocks is given by the mercury compound (cinnabar). The mine where cinnabar was mined worked in the Ulagan district of Altay until 2004. There are no mercury compounds in Altay Mars.
There are two locations in the surrounding mountains, which are called Mars-1 and Mars-2. The main point where all tourists are taken is Mars-1. Here the slope of the mountain is most brightly colored in red and yellow. Shades of blue and pink predominate on the slope of Mars-2 Mountain. From Mars-1 to Mars-2, you need to walk 3 kilometers along the gorge.
Altay Mars is located in the Kyzyl-Chin valley. The village of Chagan-Uzun is located near the Chuya Highway. Here you need to turn off the highway into the valley and drive only 7.5 kilometers. It will not be possible to get directly to Altay Mars by an ordinary car, since in the middle of the way you need to cross the Taldudyurgun riverbed. It is not deep, but it is not passable for ordinary cars.
Off-road cars may well drive through this river, and those who drive an ordinary car will have to turn to local residents on the UAZ vehicle. There are many people offering transportation services, both in the village itself and at the river crossing, where people understand that they cannot continue to drive their car. The distance from the river crossing to Altay Mars is 4 kilometers.
