All roads to the Altai Mountains go through the city of Biysk, so the description will be from this city. The route looks like this:

The distance from Biysk is approximately 169 km.

GPS coordinates: 51.566932, 85.89646

In Biysk, after the bridge over the Biya, we drive straight, without turning anywhere. Beyond Biysk the historical part of the Chuysky tract will begin. The road is excellent asphalt, and right after Biysk there is a 4-lane road. True, it won’t take long, after 20 km it will become an ordinary two-lane one, but still of excellent quality.

About 150 km after Biysk there will be a fork in front of the village of Ust-Sema. The M-52 highway goes right to Tashanta. We need to go straight towards Chemal, through the village of Ust-Sema.

16 km after Ust-Sema we pass the large Tursib base. Behind it, after a couple of kilometers there will be a right turn through a new one. After the bridge we turn right and drive through the entire village. Beyond the village we drive through the Askat Valley as far as your car allows. If you have a very low city car, then it is better to leave it in the village of Askat.

From the village of Askat to the Blue Lakes is 5 km. At the beginning we walk along the Askat valley between two hills, the road will lead to Katun. After walking a little along the river, the path again goes left into the thicket of the forest. Having passed it, the trail will go out again to the Katun directly to Blue Lakes. The descent to them will be quite steep.

Blue Lakes a popular attraction, there is a well-trodden path leading to them, it is impossible to get lost. You can take children of any age with you, but evaluate your strength, you have to walk about 10 km.

Spring is a time of renewal and revival of Life itself. The sun is already shining differently, the birds are not just singing, they are proclaiming. The plants were enveloped in a special spring gray haze. Everything suggests that Spring is very close. All this excites and calls us people too. Out of town! And by the way, there was a 3-day holiday on March 8th! To Gorny Altai! To the Blue Lakes of Katun!

In the spring, there are not many places in the accessibility zone that can be reached - water is already squelching under the snow. One of such places in the Altai Mountains is the Blue Lakes of Katun.

The road to the Blue Lakes lies through the village of Askat and the Askat Valley - a natural monument Gorny Altai.
Askat is a village of craftsmen, and we need to talk about it separately.

We pass Askat and marvel at the river - a small stream in the summer that turned half of the village into a huge ice skating rink in winter.

The Askat valley lies between the mountains, as if in the palms of God - surprisingly quiet, sunny and calm.

You feel protected, as if you are in the Temple.
The journey on foot takes about 2 hours, sometimes the road comes out to the bank of the Katun, still encased in ice.
Although the ice off the coast has already been cut by deep cracks,

and in the middle of the river, the water bursting from under the ice shines, shimmering with turquoise.

Then the forest begins.
There is no more snow under the trees, last year's grass
and green moss.
Amazing Altai horses, which, like deer, can get food from under the snow.
Very steep descent to the river,
further along the Katun channel to the Blue Lakes.

The place is very beautiful, the lakes are fed by underground springs and all year round do not freeze, water temperature in winter is about +9 degrees. The amazing turquoise color acquires a special depth and intensifies against the background of white snow.

This place is called Blue Eyes of Katun. According to legend, Katun looks at the world only in autumn and winter, Khan Altai decided so in order to protect his daughter’s eyes from the bright summer sun. In spring and summer, the water in the river, firstly, rises, and secondly, it becomes muddy and the lakes are practically invisible.

It was believed that the water of the Blue Lakes helped against eye diseases.

Very a nice place, unique monument nature. We washed ourselves, sat on the shore, admired the amazingly beautiful turquoise eyes of the river - a beauty...

But the question remains. No, we were not disturbed by people, and there were a lot of them - somewhere in Thailand in such a place there would have been even more of them. But was it necessary to build a bathhouse on the shores of the Blue Lakes? Do you need to go there to grill kebabs or cook soup? What do we want when we jump into the holy cup of the lake? Health?

Once stopping at a spring to get water, we met local residents - a family of Altai people - they drank, washed themselves (it was more like ablution, not washing), washed the children, got some water... All with great respect, which simply could not be ignored notice...

Blue Lakes are located in picturesque place Mountain Altai, on the left bank of the Katun River. The reservoirs received this name due to the color of the water; on a sunny day they look especially charming - the water in them acquires an azure and emerald hue.

Tourists come here to enjoy the nature of the area - mountains and forests, breathe fresh air and feel the energy of the place. Some even bathe in cool, invigorating water, considering such procedures beneficial to health.

The lakes are also called the Eyes of the Katun; this powerful river, merging with the Biya, forms the Ob. There is a legend associated with this name. According to her, Khan Altai wanted to protect the eyes of his daughter Katun from the bright sun, so they could look at the world only in autumn and winter. Indeed, the lakes can only be seen at this time, when the water level in the Katun decreases.

Features of the lakes

It is believed that the Blue Lakes appeared approximately 25 thousand years ago. As a result of tectonic shifts, the natural dam was destroyed, and the waters located in Altai mountains ah of the Kurai Sea rushed down, throwing blocks into the valley. This is how depressions were formed, which later turned into lakes. The main feature of the Blue Lakes is that they can only be seen during certain periods - from the end of August until about April. In spring and summer, after the snow and ice melt, they merge with the waters of the Katun, but by autumn the river dries up a little, and the reservoirs appear in all their glory.

The water in them is so clear that the bottom is clearly visible. There are a total of 3 lakes here, but depending on the fullness of the Katun, not all can be seen. The depth in the lakes can reach 17 meters. It is recommended to visit reservoirs in clear sunny weather, under such conditions you can see all the beauty of the shades of the water and the sky reflected in the water surface.

Blue lakes of Altai in winter

The water in the lakes does not freeze even in winter; this is possible thanks to the underground springs that feed them. At this time of year, the area has its own charm - the turquoise color of the water surrounded by snow-capped mountains creates an indescribable effect. Some travelers do not miss the opportunity to swim in cool ponds, the waters of which are considered healing. Moreover, you can warm up in the bathhouse located on the shore.

Attractions

Travelers often do not limit themselves to just visiting the Blue Lakes, because there are other lakes nearby worthy of attention places.

The private museum of natural history "Paleopark" is located in the village of Elekmonar. Several exhibitions have been created on a vast territory that will be of interest to both adults and children. A collection of minerals is presented here; in a dark room an amazing sight awaits - under the influence of ultraviolet light, minerals flare up bright colors. In the “Paleopark” you can also see the skeletons of a mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, and velociraptor.

For the youngest visitors, there are play pavilions; for example, there is a sandbox in which young archaeologists can excavate bones and skeletons of long-extinct animals. There are reconstructions in the museum archaeological sites Altai - mounds, open burials, rock paintings. There are also exhibitions dedicated to the life and culture of the Scythians and Papuans of New Guinea.

Near the lakes there is another museum - the estate of G.I. Choros-Gurkin, who stood at the origins visual arts Mountain Altai. People come here to see reproductions of the artist’s works, the restored estate and learn about the difficult fate of its owner. The museum also hosts exhibitions of paintings by contemporary artists.

How to get there

Many travelers come to the lakes on their own, but there are also those who prefer to visit the area on a guided tour. This option simultaneously solves the transfer problem and makes the trip more eventful, because often agencies combine visiting this attraction with visits to other interesting places.

About 7 km from the reservoirs is the village of Askat, which can be reached by bus. Then you can walk to the lake or negotiate with local residents for a taxi service.

If you are staying at one of the nearby tourist centers, then in the fall you can be taken to the place by motor boat, along the way, a ride along the Katun. In winter, many people reach the lakes on ice, but this can be dangerous; you need to make sure that the ice is thick and strong enough.

By car you can get to the Blue Lakes through the village of Askat; the road from Biysk usually raises no complaints. But after the village the situation changes; you can only drive here in a high-performance vehicle. If the car has a low landing, then it makes sense to leave it in the village and get to the place on foot. Moreover, there is a lot to admire along the way - the beauty of the area is impressive.

Blue lakes of Katun: video

On the left bank of the Katun River.

These watery lakes appeared about 25 thousand years ago. Until this time, the Kurai Sea was located on the territory of the Altai Mountains, occupying an area measuring 170 by 100 kilometers. As a result of the movement of the earth's crust, the natural dam was destroyed and huge volumes of water, flowing into the valley, carried with them stones, which, encountering more solid formations - dike granites, rotated with water in one place, knocking out deep holes in them, which later became watery lakes.

Currently, the Blue Lakes are two or three (depending on the water level in the Katun) small, but quite deep lakes, depth up to 17 meters. Their total area is 400 square meters.

Blue lakes are accessible only in the autumn and winter seasons, when part of the Katun riverbed dries up. In spring and summer, during the melting of snow and ice in the mountains, there is a lot of water in the Katun, and in the place of the Blue Lakes at this time a muddy, rapid stream of the river rumbles, and in the fall, every day the water of the Katun becomes quieter, clearer and by September it acquires deep turquoise color. The water level drops and amazing Blue Lakes appear. Clouds, rocks and pine trees are reflected in the mirror-smooth surface, and colored pebbles are visible through the transparent thickness of water at a depth of several meters at the bottom!

In winter, the Blue Lakes show their amazing properties. When frosts freeze even the rebellious beauty Katun in ice, the quiet Blue Lakes do not freeze! Even in 20-degree frost, the water temperature in them remains about 9 degrees Celsius.

At the bottom of the lakes, unusually powerful springs gush out and in winter the water level in the lakes is higher than in Katun. The lakes have an amazing turquoise color of water, through which the rocky bottom is clearly visible. The water is crystal clear, it seems that you can easily reach the bottom with your hand.

According to an ancient Altai legend, the Blue Lakes are called the eyes of Katun, the daughter of the Altai Khan. In order to protect his daughter’s eyes from the bright summer sun, Khan Altai decided that her eyes would look at the world only in autumn and winter.

It is better to visit the Blue Lakes on a sunny day to see how stunningly blue they are. Excursions to the Blue Lakes begin around the end of August and end at the end of March - beginning of April.

The lakes are especially crowded at Christmas and Epiphany. In general, pilgrimage to the Blue Lakes has a long history. Since the mid-19th century, Christian missionaries considered these lakes holy for their unusual properties and performed the baptismal ritual in this “font” at Epiphany. Currently, these traditions have been resumed. The water is blessed and every year at baptism the Blue Lakes receive a large number of people who want to plunge into their crystal clean water bright blue color. On Epiphany night, local residents prepare firewood and light a hot fire. A table, benches and a camp sauna are placed in the clearing. On the island that separates Katun from the lakes, there is a fairly large frame bathhouse with a capacity of about 10 people. It is drowned on weekends and always on Epiphany. From the bathhouse there is a staircase going down straight to the lake. After immersing yourself three times in the purest spring water of the lake, warming up in the bathhouse is a great pleasure!

You can get to the lakes on your own: drive through the village of Askat downstream of the Katun, further along the field and then along the road between the mountains and the forest. Before descending to the lakes there will be a small poster on a pine tree. To the first big lake you can go down the path that goes sharply down.

In winter, you can walk on the ice to the left bank of the Katun, but it is not recommended to do this before January, because... The river does not freeze for a long time and the ice is not thick enough. They pass when the ice becomes at least 80 centimeters thick. Sometimes it was easy to see the thickness of the cracks - up to a meter. But it would be safer to use the services of guides from local residents or tour guides of tourist centers, located in this area. The guides will organize transportation for you, give you a tour, and tell you Interesting Facts about it unusual place. You will get the optimal combination of price, quality and time spent. In addition to visiting the lakes, excursion program may include a visit to a deer breeding farm, a bison nursery and other attractions of the Altai Mountains.

Over time, the interest of amateurs winter holiday access to lakes has increased significantly - in addition to swimming, for example, such a service as diving has appeared - scuba diving. This pleasure is available to everyone and is quite inexpensive (diving from two hundred rubles per hour). All necessary equipment and ammunition are provided here. To the blue Having experienced the magical attraction of the beauty, freshness and heavenly purity of the Blue Lakes, people return to the “Eyes of Katun” again and again. And every time they discover something new and surprising.

Excursions to the Blue Lakes...

“Eyes of Katun”, or Blue Lakes are unique phenomenon nature. People call these reservoirs a miracle. Where are Altai located? They were located near the village of Uznezya in the Chemal region. The name “uznezya” is translated from Altai as “spirit of water”. And indeed, everything in these places, surrounded mountain ranges with evergreen pine forests, permeated with the spirit of magical water. In such places, extraordinary legends are always born.

Tales

According to one legend, Khan Altai gave his daughter Katun eyes of extraordinary beauty so that she could see all the uniqueness of the picturesque landscapes. The river rushes through this area. But in order to protect themselves from the burning summer sun, the “eyes” look at the world only in winter and autumn. So you can see the Blue Lakes of Altai only from late August to early April, and in spring and summer they are covered with muddy waters

Features of the lakes

Why are these lakes so famous? First of all, its extraordinary turquoise color, crystal purity and transparency. The bottom is clearly visible in them. Local residents say that the water in the lakes cures eye diseases, charges a person with extraordinary energy and strengthens the immune system, this is helped by the healing air and colossal energy of Altai.

Blue lakes of Altai: recreation

Blue Lakes is a place quite popular among tourists. Some come here for romance and unforgettable impressions. Others are for health, both physical and spiritual. It is not for nothing that Christian missionaries declared these bodies of water holy places. What is unique is that from the 19th century to religious holiday Baptism of the Lord rituals are performed here using natural fonts. Nowadays, more and more people are coming to these places to take a dip in the crystal clear water. The number of people wishing to visit the Blue Lakes of Altai and spend time here is constantly growing.

What is the best time to visit these blessed places? Some people like autumn, some like winter, but the main thing is that the day is sunny and clear. This will give you the opportunity to enjoy the stunning color of the lakes and their amazing transparency.

A bathhouse was built on the island that separates the reservoirs from the Katun River. Directly from it there is a staircase leading directly to the lakes. Just imagine how pleasant it will be after a hot bath to plunge into the purest ice water. This not only strengthens the body, but also fills it with vital forces, which are so necessary for every person.

Characteristics of lakes

The blue lakes of Altai are unique in their kind. Their number is not precise. Depending on the weather conditions and there may be two or three seasons. As a rule, this depends on the Katun River, or more precisely, on the water level in its bed. In spring and summer, mountain glaciers melt. The water in the river is rapidly rising, which leads to the complete absorption of the lakes. And in their place rush the muddy, seething waters of the Katun. By the end of August, the river flow becomes calmer. The water gradually recedes, revealing lakes, the mirror surface of which reflects the sky. If you look closely at the surface, you can see white fluffy clouds floating by. The water in the lakes is so clear that you can see the colorful pebbles at the bottom. These reservoirs are water driven. They feed from powerful underground sources. The water in them does not freeze even in thirty-degree frosts, and its temperature remains at 8 o C. They are small in size, but there are places where the depth reaches 17 meters. Water from one lake flows into another, and then into the river itself.

Blue lakes of Altai - how to get there?

You can get to the Blue Lakes of Altai by car by leaving Biysk (Belokurikha, Gorno-Altaisk), moving to the village of Askat along the Chuysky tract. You can also take the bus. This type of transport is very well established here. The distance from Biysk to reservoirs is about 170 km. The road quality is excellent. In order to get to the lakes, you will need to completely cross the village in the direction downstream of the river. After this you will need to leave the car and walk along the path. If the car is low-slung, it is recommended to park it in the village. Askate to continue his journey on foot, enjoying picturesque landscapes. Rest assured you will have a lot of fun on this walk.

In winter, around mid-January, the Blue Lakes, located on the left bank of the Katun, can be reached on the ice of the river. But we must remember that this water flow belongs to the mountain type. And from this it follows that the river is quite stormy and therefore difficult to freeze. The ice remains thin for a long time, making the crossing unsafe. For the route to be possible, the ice thickness must be at least 80 cm.

Askat village

For those travelers who prefer to walk around the village, it will be interesting to know some facts. Name of this settlement translated from Altai as “stone placers”. The village is located in unique place- in the Askat Valley. If you believe local residents, then the local territory has great energy, which gives it underground lake and the Katun River. The village has a special microclimate: no winds, warm and mild winters. Apple trees, cherries, pears and even grapes grow. The village of Askat was founded by Old Believers in 1866.

They say that the Blue Lakes of Altai, having given people a powerful energy charge, do not let them go for a long time, forcing them to return here again and again. The amazing thing is that every time “Eyes of Katun” opens up something new and unforgettable for a person.