The Chuya Highway is the main transport artery of the Altay Mountains, which connects industrial centers in the Novosibirsk region with central China. It starts in Novosibirsk and stretches to the border with Mongolia. The total length of the Chuya Highway is 942 kilometers.
In one of the ratings published by National Geography magazine, the Chuya Highway was included in the list of the most beautiful highways in the world. This road is very picturesque, but it is important to understand that not the whole road (942 km) is of interest to tourists, but only a small segment from the Seminsky Pass to the Kuray steppe, which runs in mountain valleys. Its length is 250 kilometers.
There are several interesting sights on this stretch of the Chuya Highway that you definitely need to visit:
1. Seminsky Pass (583 km)
2. Chike Taman Pass (659 km)
3. Katun Valley (680-713 km)
4. Confluence of Chuya and Katun (713 km)
5. Kolban-Tash Archaeological Complex (723 km)
6. Adar-Kaya Archaeological Complex (728 km)
7. Monument to drivers of the Chuya highway (745 km)
8. Geyser Lake (797 km)
9. Kuray steppe (824-848 km)
10. Chuya Valley (713-893 km)
1. Seminsky Pass (583 km)
The Seminsky Pass on the Chuya Highway is located 150 kilometers from Gorno-Altaysk. The height of the Seminsky pass is 1717 meters. Being at the top, tourists see only the flat part of the mountain saddle and the peaks of the Sarlyk mountains (2507 m) and Tiyakhty (1900 m). The whole area around is covered with cedar forests.
Some travel companies in their booklets mark the Seminsky Pass as an attraction. The pass is indeed included in the list of natural monuments of Altay. From a geographical point of view, it separates the mountainous regions of Altay from the plains, so the status of a natural monument is fully justified.
2. Chike Taman Pass (659 km)
The Chike Taman Pass is the second pass on the road to the Altay Mountains after the Seminsky Pass. Its height is only 1295 meters, however, if the climb on the Seminsky Pass is very gentle, then the road to the Chike Taman pass goes along a steep serpentine between cliffs.
At the top of the Chike Taman pass there is an observation deck, a small memorial dedicated to the builders of the Chuya Highway and many pavilions with souvenirs and cafes. Usually tourist groups make short stops at this pass. Unlike the Seminsky pass, Chike Taman can be considered as an attraction of the Altay Mountains, as there really are beautiful views of the mountain valleys and part of the old road of the 1930s.
3. Katun Valley (680-713 km)
The valley of the great Altay river Katun looks very picturesque. Altayans call this river "The Hostess of Altay". From the Altay language "Katun" is translated as "Hostess". In some places, the current of the Katun River is so rapid that thresholds of a high complexity category are formed.
The Katun River originates at the foot of Mount Belukha from the Gebler Glacier at an altitude of about 2000 meters. The height differences in most of its course are so significant that Katun has become one of the most famous locations in Russia for mountain rafting on rivers.
4. Confluence of Chuya and Katun (713 km)
The confluence of the Chuya and Katun Rivers is called by local people the Place of Power of Altay. The Chuya Highway runs for hundreds of kilometers in the valleys of these great rivers of Altay. The confluence of Chuya and Katun is a landmark of Altay, which all tourists should visit.
The segment of the Chuya Highway that runs along the Valley of the Katun River is quite short, only 30 kilometers. After that, the Chuya Highway stretches along the Chuya Valley for 210 kilometers till the village of Kosh-Agach. These 240 kilometers of the Chuya Highway are the most picturesque, here you can see the nature of various climatic zones.
5. Kalbak-Tash Archaeological Complex (723 km)
The Kalbak-Tash archaeological complex is one of the most important collections of rock petroglyphs not only in Altay, but all over the world. The earliest petroglyphs appeared here in the Neolithic era (6 thousand years BC). The latest petroglyphs of Kalbak-Tash are dated to the era of Turkic rule (7th century BC).
Petroglyphs Kalbak-Tash means "Flat Stone" in translation. Here tourists can see the largest collection of rock petroglyphs in Altay, which are located on a hill above the Chuya Highway. Some of the subjects of the Kalbak-Tash rock petroglyphs look so fantastic that they still cause discussions in scientific circles.
6. Adar-Kaya Archaeological Complex (728 km)
The ancient site of Adar-Kaya (Adar-Kan) is located on the 728 kilometer of the Chuya Highway near the village of Iodro. On the surface of the rock here, you can see hundreds of Neolithic petroglyphs and in front of the rock is the main artifact - the Chuya Deer Stone.
The word Adar-Kaya in translation from local dialects means "Ragged, steep rock". Some translate this name as "Shooting Rock". Petroglyphs on the rock mainly depict animals and hunting scenes, however, there is also an image of a snake.
7. Monument to drivers of the Chuya highway (745 km)
The monument to the drivers of the Chuya Highway is installed in a picturesque place of the Chuya river Valley near the village of White Bom (744 km). Here you can see a small section of the Chuya Highway of the 1930s, which connects Siberia with Mongolia.
The Chuya Highway from Novosibirsk to Tashanta (the border with Mongolia) began to be built in the 1930s, and officially, this name was fixed in 1961. Then the road had a dirt surface. In the first years, the road was dangerous for drivers. Many bridges and turns at the foot of the cliffs did not have reliable structures; as a result, accidents often happened here.
8. Geyser Lake (797 km)
Geyser Lake is one of the most interesting sights of the Altay Mountains. It is located near the Chuya Highway , 6 kilometers from the village of Aktash. Due to its transport accessibility, most tourists coming to Altay visit it.
Geyser Lake has other names – Silver, Blue. However, all tourists know it under the name "Geyser". It should be mentioned that there are no geysers in the Geyser Lake. About the same as the Blue Lake on the Aktru Glaciers is also not blue, but turquoise. The visual effect, which is similar to the activity of a geyser, is obtained as a result of pulsating water from sources. At the bottom of the lake there is one powerful spring and three small ones.
9. Kuray steppe (824-848 km)
The Kuray Steppe is a mountain basin sandwiched between two mountain ranges. From the south, the North-Chuya Mountain ridge rises above it (up to 4000 m), and from the north - the Kuray mountain range (up to 3400 m). In the center of the Kuray steppe is the village of the same name Kuray, through which the Chuya Highway passes.
The Kuray Steppe is an interesting natural phenomenon for the geological science. Scientists call the relief of the Kuray steppe "giant ripples of the current". We are talking about the relief that can be seen on the sand under the flowing water of the stream. Ripples are clearly visible on the sand. In the Kuray steppe there is the same ripple, but it has gigantic dimensions.
10. Chuya Valley (713-893 km)
The Chuya Valley is the main transport corridor of the Altay Mountains. Along this river, the famous Chuya Highway is laid, which connects Siberia with Mongolia and China. It is recognized as one of the most beautiful roads in Russia. There are a large number of attractions in this area, as well as different climatic zones.
The Chuya River originates on the border with Mongolia. Two rivers Yustyt and Kyzylshin flow out of the mountain spurs of Chikhachev range and merge to form the Chuya River. The length of the river from the source to the confluence with the Katun River is 320 kilometers. For more than 200 kilometers along the Chuya riverbed there is the famous Chuya Highway.
