Ethno tour «Great Sayan Ring»

We highly recommend you to arrive to Krasnoyarsk the day before, to have chance to take rest after long flights and to start excursions relaxed.

Check-in at the hotel after 12:00.

4-hours walking excursion in the city center.

This excursion is a possibility to walk along the most beautiful places of Krasnoyarsk, breathe a fresh Yenisei air and enjoy overflow of this great and powerful river. Mira Square, Theater Square, fountains and other sights are waiting for you!

You will visit Surikov’s house-museum – wooden house of the beginning of the 19th century, keeping all the features of that period (furniture, design, utensils, service buildings). At the end of 19th century a young boy Vasia Surikov left this house to win world-wide glory of one of the most prolific painter of that period.

Accommodation in a hotel

Electricity available

Good mobile signal

Shower available

Arrival to Krasnoyarsk.

Group transfer from the airport (05:00-07:30) and from the railway station (06:00–08:00) to the center located hotel Krasnoyarsk (check-in possible between 00:00–10:00).

Short rest.

10:30 meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby.

Krasnoyarsk city tour incl. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa chapel, shown in the 10-ruble banknote. You will pass the historical city center with its monuments of XVIII–XIX centuries, the former mansions of Siberian merchants and patrons, you will see the monument to Krasnoyarsk founder Andrey Dubensky, the Theatre Square, etc.

We are going to visit the Ethnographical Museum which is considered to be among the best historical and ethnographical museums in Siberia. It will provide an excellent prelude to your travel and your first impression of the Great Sayan Ring tour.

During your visit to Krasnoyarsk you absolutely have to visit the national park «Stolby». It is its lungs, its soul. This is the place to get unforgettable impressions from the city! A tireless hiking among bizarre rocks is definitely worth it! Rocks Grandfather, Feathers, Lion's Gate etc. are widely known all over the world. After hiking you will be a guest at a taiga hut of your ranger.

Accommodation in the Krasnoyarsk hotel 3*.

Breakfast in the hotel, lunch and dinner in a restaurant.

80 km by bus.

Accommodation in a hotel

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Departure from Krasnoyarsk by a comfortable tourist bus.

The road goes along the river Yenisei. Mixed forest gradually gives place to fields and boundless steppes.

During the day several stops and excursions: observation place Tsar-Fish with the view on the Yenisei, Krasnoyarsk dam, border between Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Khakassia Republic, Abakan city, Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station.

You will overnight in the guesthouses of the museum Shushenskoye, it still keeps the traditions of the Siberian village of the late 19th century, with its streets and houses, it will help you to feel the atmosphere of country life. Guesthouses were reconstituted with preservation of cultural styles of Angara river area and south of Krasnoyarsk Territory. The realities of peasant life are combined with modern comfort living. Stopping for a rest in the new village, becoming masters of estates, enjoying traditional peasant cuisine, learning the basics of craft, taking part in the games and entertainments, ceremonies and celebrations, guests can feel the real Siberian farmers.

Before dinner a visit to Russian banya is highly recommended (for extra charge)!

Accommodation in guesthouses of Shushenskoye village.

Breakfast in the hotel, lunch in a restaurant in Abakan city, dinner in guesthouses.

620 km by bus.

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Accommodation in guesthouses

The day begins with excursion to the ethnographical museum Shushenskoye that will bring you to the real Siberian village of XIX–XX centuries. The history of the museum is inextricably linked with the name of Vladimir Lenin, who lived in Shushenskoye in exile 1897–1900. There are numerous monuments of architecture on the 7 hectares: farmhouses, commercial shop, jail, tavern, about 200 wooden buildings. A lot of people go here attracted by ancient Siberian traditions, which are fully preserved in this place. A visit to a real tavern will bring everybody another surprise, you can see handicrafts and go to the shop of a merchant.

After a lunch the group continues its way towards Tuva across the West Sayan mountains. You will see the host of this territory – Sleeping Sayan warrior if you look attentively at the contours of the mountain. The legend says that one day the Khakassian warrior Sayan fell asleep here. He can be seen now lying on the back with folded arms.

Closer to the evening the group comes to Tuva. It’s amazing but as soon as the bus crosses the border between Krasnoyarsk region and comes to Tuva even the scenery changes. It seems like you are coming to another planet and another age. There are almost no signs of civilization on the most part of Tuva territory, steppes and sharp mountains are over the hundreds of kilometers.

The group makes a stop 22 km from Kyzyl city, on the bank of the Biy-Khem river (in Tuvan – Big Yenisei), in the yurt camp. Accommodation in the real thick felt yurts built by Tuvans specially for the tourists.

To make the guests’ life as clear as the milk, to let spirits of heaven and earth help to the successful resolution of all deals, to make the travel trouble free, we invite you to Tuvan tea ceremony. During the ceremony you will hear a story about cooking national Tuvan tea with milk and salt, you will learn about the history of tea in Tuva, about tea legends and parables. You’ll feel the taste of the rich culture, feel the wonderful land of steppes and open spaces of Tuva.

Accommodation at the yurt camp Biy-Khem.

Breakfast in guesthouses, lunch, dinner at the yurt camp.

350 km by bus.

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Accommodation in guesthouses

The place of this day is Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva. This city is situated in the place where Biy-Khem (the Big Yenisei) and Kaa-Khem (the Small Yenisei) unite their waters and give a life to the great river Yenisei.

Visit the Geographical Center of Asia. Walking along the Yenisei quay.

Visit Drum of wishes and Buddhist temple where you will have a chance to hear a sermon of the lama. Buddhism in Tuva exists in harmony with shaman beliefs. So, after the Buddhist temple we will go to a Shaman community where you can pay and ask about your health and future, get information about shamanism secrets (for extra charge).

Excursion about the Scythian gold in the National museum of Tuva. Treasures, found in the burial mound Arzhaan-2, became a sensation in the archaeological world!

Visit a workroom of local craftsmen. Free time in Kyzyl, visit a market.

Trip to a healing mineral spring.

Dinner with traditional dishes of Tuvan cuisine including meat and dairy products will be cooked specially for the guests on returning back to the yurt camp.

After dinner – the performance with the traditional throat singing – khoomei. The throat singing – a fantastical capability of the Tuva people (and some other Siberian nationalities) to emit simultaneously two or three sounds of different tone and to sustain the same sound for 25–30 seconds without taking a breath. If you close your eyes it is hard to believe that the sounds are emitted by a person and not by a musical instrument.

In the evening you will see a bewitching show: shamans' kamlaniye (for extra charge). Kamlaniye is a magical communication between shamans and spirits. During this ritual the shamans dance around fire, sing and beat a drum. Kamlaniye will leave a long-lasting impression, nobody remains indifferent after this ritual. There the shamans will tell you about their traditions, rituals and abilities. After that you will get an opportunity to ask them about your future, your health and experience the ritual of purification (individual appointment, for extra charge).

Accommodation at the yurt camp Biy-Khem.

Breakfast at the yurt camp, lunch in a restaurant, dinner at the yurt camp.

70 km by bus.

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Accommodation in guesthouses

Nowadays the tourists can follow exactly the same path that ancient nomads followed crossing Tuva from the east to the west and reach Khakassia.

Before lunch there is a stop near a breathtaking mountain Khairykan – one of the most respected places in Tuva. In 1992 it was chosen by the 14th Dalai Lama to be an energetically powerful place. Once a year local shamans come here to get energy, strengthen and purify their spirits.

Picnic is organized right on the grass.

On the way tourists will see the center of Buddhist culture, a ruined temple Ustuu-Khuree. The temple was the crowning of Buddhist construction in Tuva. And it was unique not only in Tuva, but also in like the former Soviet Union. In 1930, after the adoption of a special resolution Ustuu-Khuree was closed, and in 1937 – destroyed. In 1999, the Russian government, recognizing the historic and architectural value of the unique temple Ustuu-Khuree, decided to restore it. In 2012 it was re-opened.

Khakassia begins after the Sayan pass, at a height of 2214 meters. The mountains here are covered with fabulous cedar taiga.

The tourists will spend the next two days in the taiga camp Snow Leopard built on the bank of the river Stoktysh. You can enjoy walking on colourful moss here, breathe pure mountain air.

Accommodation in the camp Snow Leopard.

Breakfast at the yurt camp, lunch picnic, dinner at the camp.

440 km by bus.

No electricity

No connection

Accommodation in guesthouses

The first day in taiga will amaze you by silence, not usual in big cities. In the morning the group will go to the bridge of love.

The pendant bridge is over mount river, which flows across taiga forest overcoming many rapids. There is a local tradition according to which a lover if he wants to prove his love has to carry in one's arms his beloved lady over this bridge.

In July and August you can gather gifts of the forest – berries and mushrooms which you don't even need to look for – they are just under your feet. You will also have a chance to eat cedar nuts. A Siberian cedar is a unique tree. Those cedars which you will be surrounded by are the witnesses of several centuries, fed hundreds of generations who lived in taiga.

Taiga air makes you healthier, but the real cure for all illnesses is a Russian banya. A steaming Russian banya with brooms made of coniferous twigs, birch and oak twigs. Those who are courageous enough can jump into the cold river right after steaming.

Accommodation in the camp Snow Leopard.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the camp.

4 km on foot.

No electricity

No connection

Accommodation in guesthouses

After breakfast – big farewell to Snow Leopard and taiga.

On the route the group makes a stop at a Khakassian village where there is a monument Khurtuyakh Tas, where native women bring gifts if they wish to have a baby.

By afternoon the group arrives to the Kyug valley (in Khakassian «kyug» means «delight»). Two great mountains chains stand near each other here. There is the yurt camp Kyug situated not far from the nature reserve Kazanovka. Free time for walking around.

Accommodation again in yurts, this time it will be wooden Khakassian yurts also built specially for tourists.

Visit to an ethnographical village Khakassian aal, where the tourists have a chance to get personally acquainted with everyday life of Khakassian people from the late XIX– early XX centuries.

After dinner – a performance of the Khakassian national folklore group.

Khakassian speech sounds here, Khakassian food is not exotic, all rituals are natural without striving for theatricality. In the silence of the Khakassian valley you can really calm and relax and the scent of the beautiful irises will give you new energy.

Accommodation at the yurt camp Kyug.

Breakfast at the taiga camp, lunch and dinner at the yurt camp.

242 km by bus.

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Accommodation in guesthouses

The history of Khakassia is very reach and has plenty of memorable dates.

The excursion to the National museum of Khakassia Kazanovka will let you know more about the inheritance of ancient civilizations. This museum is situated under the open sky and includes mountains, canyons, caves, mixed forest, rare plants. There are more than 2000 archaeological monuments on the territory of the nature reserve. Every year archaeologists open 30-40 new monuments. The main purpose of this museum is to preserve natural and historical landscapes, reconstruction and development of local people's life, gathering, searching, forming and protection of the funds.

In Kazanovka the tourists will have a chance to see rock paintings which are 3000-5000 years old. Archaeologists make copies of these paintings on paper for further studying and you can take these copies with you as souvenirs.

After lunch group departs to Abakan.

Upon arrival short Abakan city tour and then you will be able to see the exposition of stone monuments in the National museum of Khakassia. Local people believe that some of these stones still have great power.

Accommodation in the hotel Asia 4*.

Breakfast, lunch at the camp and dinner at the hotel.

160 km by bus.

Accommodation in a hotel

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

Visit the Valley of Kings. There are 30 burial mounds in this valley that date back to III-IV century B.C. The largest hill is Great Salbyk burial mound. The hill's circumference is 500 m, its height is more than 11 meters. The total weight of vertical stones is approximately 60 tons. Many think that this is a place where shamans enrich their power.

The group will have picnic in the open air. After that – a long way back to Krasnoyarsk.

Don't try to understand everything that you have seen during this journey. Understanding will come to you later. The most important thing is a powerful emotional impulse that you will get. It will last for a long time, until you visit Siberia again.

Accommodation in the Krasnoyarsk hotel 3*.

Breakfast at the yurt camp, lunch picnic, dinner in a restaurant.

450 km by bus.

Accommodation in a hotel

Electricity available

Bad mobile signal

Shower available

The tour ends in Krasnoyarsk.

Group transfer to the airport at 04:00 / to the railway station at 10:00.

Breakfast buffet in the hotel or packed to the airport.

Till 50 km by bus.

Good mobile signal