Altai Republic, Russia

The Altai Republic is the least populated republic in Russia. The indigenous Turkic Altay people form 35% of its population, and many consider the land to be sacred. It’s easy to see why with its lofty alpine peaks, endless rows of forested valleys, and mountain lakes. Many beauty spots are also sites with a historical or mythological story behind it. Such as Mount Belukha being the supposed location of Shambhala and the discovery of the 5th century BC Siberian Ice Maiden on the Ukok Plateau, which is one of the most significant 20th-century archaeological discoveries in Russia. These Russian Altai photos cover a six-week trip to the area, including a trek to the base of Belukha.

If you want to see historical Russian Altai Mountains photos, check out Sergei Borisov’s 1907-1911 collection. Additional photos are available on the Library of Congress’ website. Borisov was born into a slave family, which was legal in Russia until 1861. After he was freed, he moved to Barnaul, developed his interest in photography and eventually opened a photographic studio. He funded his Altai photography project through his studio work and over the years made 1500+ images during his four-year-long trip in the area.

Aside from Belukha and the Ukok Plateau, other places of interest include Teletskoye Lake, which is the Altai Mountain’s largest lake and is located in the Altaisky Nature Reserve. It’s fed by 70+ rivers. Its name originates from the Teleuty people, who were an Altai tribe living by the lake, but they called it Altyn-Khol (Gold Lake). Along with being an excellent spot for fishing, there’s also plenty of trekking and kayaking on offer. For something more challenging, you could also try paddling the Katun River, which cuts through the republic. Nearly 700 km long, it’s a tough trip and notorious for its big rapids, whirlpools and fast-flowing waters.

A red cross country cargo train travelling through the Altai Mountains.
A green Soviet-era truck crossing an old suspension bridge formed out of wooden planks.
The top of a Russian Orthodox church framed through an old wooden window frame.
A young Russian man with a weathered face and kind smile in front of a red cargo train carriage.
A crystal clear alpine lake, blue skies, white clouds and rocky ridges in the distance.
Black and white photo of a serious looking train conductor stood beside her train carriage.
Wide view of green alpine valley beneath puffy white clouds and bright blue sky.
Four horses carrying equipment are led by one man through rocky terrain.
Wide view of a river valley leading out of Mount Belukha.
A man and woman, one with a colorful shirt and another with a bandana, posing for a photo.
A straight asphalt road cuts through green Russian pastureland.
Close-up look at a steep and treacherous ice and snow-covered mountain.
Black and white photo of a snow-covered mountain ridgeline with faint half moon in sky.
The snow-covered and steep alpine face of Mount Belukha.
Black and white photo of an old woman at a train station in Russia looking tired and laden with bags.
An forest covered hillside overlooks higher snow-covered mountains enshrouded in cloud.
A green and forested flat mountain top with a little sunshine, near to Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
A wide, heavily vegetated alpine valley with a large lake at the end.
A young woman wearing denim poses while resting on the edge of a car ferry.
Russian woman in Yeniseysk wearing brightly-coloured traditional clothing and one swinging a whip.
A vast plateau of yellow flowers overlooks rocky hills bathed in late afternoon sunshine.
A white Russian and Mongolian woman pose for a photo in front of a train.
A train conductor stood next to a train carriage and passengers, looking at her paperwork.
Green pastures and shadows cast by small hills with rocky mountains in the background.
Altai Mountains covered in snow.
A group of walkers ascend over grassy hills and beneath blue skies.
A hiker from Kazakhstan poses with hiking poles and a big backpack.
An old trading house made of horizontal logs in Yeniseysk.
A Tatar man and woman wearing traditional hates.
Two groups of horseback riders carrying equipment through rocky alpine terrain.
Black and white photo of Belukha's white snow covered mountain face surrounded by dark and ominous clouds.
An Altai man rides on a horse, towing a chain of pack horses behind him through a pine forest.
A historian in Yenisei sits in a museum, explaining the artefact he's holding.
An orthodox Russian priest crouches over a pail of water to wash himself.
Two hikers descending down a big hill and into a deep valley.
The alpine bowl and glacier beneath Belukha's pyramid-like face.
Black and white photo of an orthodox priest performing a ceremony inside of a church.
Large groups of passengers stretch their legs on a train platform somewhere in Siberia.
A large, ice-covered face leading up to a high, pointy summit.
Alpine mountains at sunset with peaks far in the distance.
A forested ridgeline in the foreground and snowy alpine Altai peaks in the background.
A wide view of an alpine valley shot from a rocky outcrop in the Altai.
Turquoise coloured Altai Mountain alpine lakes and snow-capped peaks.
Close-up of a large serac-covered mountain face.
An old man stands in front of an ornate orthodox Christian shrine.
A traditional wooden Russian orthodox church with multiple spires and crosses.
A section of the Yenisei River near Krasnoyarsk.
A glacial blue alpine lake with forest either side.
A girl with white and black polka dot sweater releases butterflies from her hands.
A group of hikers walk into a lush and green alpine meadow beneath Mount Belukha.
Three boys in the distance play next to an abandoned red hulled fishing vessel that's aground.
An Soviet-era truck drives over a rusty bridge suspended over the Biya Rivers in the Altai Republic.
A far shot of a large group of hikers ascending up a hill into the mountains.
A wide view of a large, green valley descending into a quiet alpine basin.
Black and white photo of a Siberian family on board a river ferry in the Yenisei.
Side-view of green truck crossing over a wooden bridge.
Wide view of a hiker ascending a hill out of a remote alpine valley.
Wild-looking alpine peaks in the Altai Mountains.
Wide view of Mount Belukha and its surrounding peaks.
A black rock mountain face partly covered in snow.
A speedboat driver stood beside his boat wearing a red lifejacket and green camouflage clothing.
A white cat sits on a green fence outside of a log cabin with blue window frames.
Wide angle view of a crystal clear alpine lake with white, wispy cirrus clouds in the sky.
Portrait of an older Trans-Siberian train passenger with grey hair and cheeky smile.
A collection of peaks in the Altai Mountains, partly covered in snow.
Two Russians and one Mongolian sit on a bunk beds on the Trans-Siberian Express train.
A Russian hiker with moustache poses for camera wearing a grey hoody top.
A man in a white track suit stands in front of the world's largest collection of hand planes.
A Russian man smiling with short hair and a red t-shirt.
Altai horsemen riding on horseback ascending up a mountainside.
Looking down from atop a mountain into a small village nestled in a wooded valley.
An Altai horseman wearing khaki clothing rides past the camera as his horse chews leaves.
Black and white portrait of a Russian man stood beside Trans-Siberian Railway wearing a white t-shirt.
Black and white photo of clouds casting shadows on Mt. Belukha's main valley.
A shirtless mountain guide wearing sandals walks across a narrow footbridge spanning a glacial river.
Close-up portrait of Russian man with short brown hair.
A truck crosses a wooden bridge over a small, fast flowing river leading to a village.
A chain of horses carrying equipment descends down a steep snow slope.
A hiker walking through alpine mountains in the summer.
A wide angle view of a few houses next to a big lake and mountain valley near Belukha.

My photography has been published in the following outlets:

Russia Beyond the Headlines logo.
Men's Running black text logo.
The New York Times logo.
Alpinist Magazine's logo.
ExplorersWeb online adventure news outlet logo.
Love Nature's logo with multiple colours and textures.
Russian Life logo in blue text.
Sidetracked Magazine logo in black and white.
Ripcord Adventure Journal logo in red, black and white.
Trek & Mountain Magazine's logo.
Geographical Magazine logo in white text with black background.
Action Asia Magazine logo.