Teletskoye Lake (Teletskoye Lake)

Teletskoy lake, Also known as Altyn-Kul – The largest of Lake Mountain Altai, one of the largest in the territory of the our Federation. Located in the territory of the Altai Republic, about 156 kilometers southeast of the city of Gorno-Altaisk.

His extension – About 77.7 km, average width from 2 to 3 km (maximum up to 5 km), and the area is almost 223 km². The average depth is 175 meters, and the maximum – 325 meters (25th place in the world). In this case, the transparency of water – up to 15 meters.

The current name Teletskoy was assigned to the Lake our pioneers, because on his shores the Turkic Altai Tribe Tribe. The indigenous altages call the lake, as in the older – Altyn-Kul, which means «Golden Lake».

According to the legend, in the hungry year, a poor altars found a huge gold nugget in the mountains. Deciding to exchange it for food and clothing for his family, went on the villages.

However, his tribesmen are also starved, and the gold turned out to be no one needed. Desperate, the Altars climbed onto the high mountain next to the deep lake, with the curses threw a nugget into the water, and then rushed into the lake himself.

Tourism on Teletsk Lake

So far, despite its worldwide fame, Teletsk Lake remains rather poorly mastered tourists, since only its northern part is relatively available, which is near the village of Artybash.

And to the southern part of the reservoir can only be reached by boats or on the ship, except for a very difficult road through the passage of Katu Yaryk, affordable only to powerful front-wheel drive cars.

In such a hard to accessibility, you can find positive moments – A significant part of the coast of Teletsk Lake and the surrounding mountains did not feel the influence of human civilization and dwells in a primitive-virgin state, like thousands of years ago.

The village of Artybash, located on the shore of the lake, where the road ends (she, by the way, asphalted), in the summer months is the main tourist center on Teletsk Lake. It is here that there are tour bazes, and it is from here excursions and many active routes on the region begins.

The main attractions that are invariably using popular with holidaymakers on the coast of Teletsk Lake are considered to be a stone bay, a waterfall. Cut, waterfall KISTE, Cascade of waterfalls on the third river.

The borders of the Altai State Reserve, the largest scientific center engaged in the study of the unique nature of the lake and the entire adjacent mountain region.

Teletsk lake, deep and filled with mountain water, remains cold throughout the year. In it «Upper», Northern zone Even hot summer days, water is only occasionally heated to a temperature above 10°C, because of which in the lake is actually impossible to swim.

And despite this, Teletsk Lake every season, as if a magnet, attracts hundreds and thousands of tourists with their mysterious, unique and majestic beauty.

How to get to Teletsk Lake

In the nearest to the Lake of Lake, Gorno-Altaisk operates the airport in which aircraft from Moscow, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk arrive. From Moscow without transfers for 4.5 hours, you can fly only with Siberia (S7).

Trains in Gorno-Altaisk do not go, construction of the railway is still only in remote plans.

From Gorno-Altaisk to the village of Artybash on the shore of Teletsk Lake, you can drive by bus, minibus, by car or in transport of some local travel agencies or recreation center located on the lake, if you have a transfer or tour in advance.