Chulyshman Valley

The Chulyshman river flows from the highland lake Dzhulukul at the height of 2200 m and flows into Teletskoye lake, giving it 70% of river’s own water.

Chulyshman valley, through which this rough and clean river with many dangerous rapids meanders, is almost deserted. Settlements and several campsites are located in the lowland of Chulyshman, but the only thing you would occasionally see going up stream are the hunting houses.

Chulyshman valley, through which this rough and clean river with many dangerous rapids meanders, is almost deserted

The valley stretches for 130 kilometers in the East of the Altai Mountains. You can get to the canyon either from Teletskoye lake or through the Katu-Jaryk pass built in 1989.

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Today the pass is the only road that leads to the valley. Driving there is an adventure of a kind itself. The path along the serpentine is 3.5 kilometers long and lies over the cliff. The road is so steep that minibuses that carry tourist groups sometimes have to drive empty, while travelers have nothing left but to overcome the pass on foot.

There are many interesting places on both sides of the river in the valley. Altaians make good money on tourists, driving them back and forth.

Text and photo: Dmitriy Strakhov