A selection of sacred and mystical sights of Altai - places of power. Legends of places and how to get to them.
Altai is an ancient land famous for its stunning beauty. Some of his places - places of power - have a special mystical effect on a person: there he feels a surge of emotions, changes his perception of the world around him, some may even have extrasensory abilities. In such places, shamans perform their rituals.
Mount Belukha
This unique mountain is considered a powerful place of power in Altai. It is equidistant from the world's oceans and is a kind of energy center of the planet. Its height is 4506 m. It is believed that an invisible energy bridge runs between Everest and Mount Belukha. Shamans claim that Belukha is the entrance to Shambhala, the land of happiness. The country exists in another dimension, and only a select few can get into it. According to another legend, at the foot of Belukha someday a city will be built, from which a new era of civilization will begin its countdown.
Jarlu Valley
Not far from Belukha is the Yarlu valley. Its second name is the Valley of Edelweiss; these flowers of extraordinary beauty grow here. And the mountains around the valley are sometimes called Blue by tourists. They delight the eye with shades of blue, purple and blue, become especially bright after rain, and acquire a slightly pinkish tint at sunset. The ridge at the top of the Jarlu is called the Mother of the World for its resemblance to the profile of a woman.
The Yarlu Valley is considered a sacred and mystical place in Altai, it has become a pilgrimage destination for esotericists and mediums, here they meditate and get energized. At one time the Russian traveler and philosopher Nicholas Roerich strove to these places, here he founded his camp.
In the center of the valley stands a smooth white stone called the Stone of Wisdom. According to local residents, this block, which has sunk into the ground by almost 70 m, is constantly growing above the ground, adding several centimeters annually. After lying on a stone, you can recharge its energy. Later, enthusiasts erected a city around the stone - a low wall of stones.
Travelers mainly visit the Jarlu Valley together with a tourist group. Usually the base camp is located at the foot of the Belukha, and tourists make radial hikes to nearby places. You can get to the valley over the bridge over the Akkem River or cross the lake by boat from the weather station.
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Akkem lake
At the foot of Belukha is the Akkem Lake. Its milky water is never warm, even in summer the temperature is not more than +5 ° C. There are no fish in the lake, and the locals themselves call its water "dead". Staying on the shore of the lake has a positive effect on human health, many tourists camp here and live for several days.
You can visit Mount Belukha and Lake Akkem as part of a tourist group, most routes start from the village of Tungur. You can get to Tungur by car or bus from Gorno-Altaysk.
Mountain Spirit Lake
Another mystical place in Altai is the Lake of Spirits, which is located in the Kara-Oyuk valley at an altitude of 2.5 thousand meters. The mysterious lake is shrouded in legends. According to one of them, this lake, inhabited by the souls of evil people, was found by the young hero Taryn. He wanted to defeat the spirits and gain unprecedented strength, but he himself died tragically. Since then, the indigenous people do not risk climbing to these places, where there are no living creatures, and on the left bank, where souls gather, no grass grows.
Tourists visit the lake as part of a group. It is believed that you need to climb to the lake only in a good mood, because it is too close to Belukha and the entrance to the spirit world. Otherwise, it's not worth the risk.
Ukok plateau
The most famous place of power in Gorny Altai. Locals regard the plateau as a sacred threshold of the firmament. In order not to disturb the spirits, it is allowed to speak here only in a whisper. Until now, Ukok remains a poorly explored and inaccessible place for most. There were cases when in the middle of summer snow began to fall on the Teply Klyuch pass, actually blocking the only possible path to the plateau.
In 1993, during the excavation of the Ak-Alakha-3 mound, a mummy of a young woman was found buried in a larch block. The mummy was taken by helicopter to Novosibirsk. Now it is kept in the museum of archeology and ethnography of SORAN and is known in the world as the Altai princess. According to some reports, her age coincides with the age of Princess Kadyn, who is considered by the locals to be the progenitor of all that exists.
Ten years later, a strong earthquake occurred in Altai, the epicenter of which was the excavation site. Then - several floods in a row. Locals believe that in this way the "princess" takes revenge on people for disturbing her.
You can visit the plateau as part of a tourist group.
Kucherlinskoe lake
The Kucherlinsky lakes include three high-mountain reservoirs: Verkhnee, Nizhnee and Bolshoye. However, the most popular is the Big Kucherlinskoye Lake (from the Altai "kuchurlu" - salt marsh). It is a basin of glacial origin, one of the largest in the world, and its waters are milky-turquoise. According to the beliefs of local residents, the water in the lake is "alive", and the spirit of the owner of the lake Kol-Eesi dwells here, which frightens people with a bull's roar. There is a hill between the lake and the Kedrovaya glade - this is another place of power in Altai, sacred and mystical, where the mind is purified.
The place is available for visiting at any time of the year, there is a tourist center "Kucherla", and a house for spending the night for tourists has been built on the Iezekeryu meadow. Usually they climb to the lake as part of a horse or walking group from Tungur along the Kucherla River, the path is about 46 km and takes 2 days. A horse trail with a length of 34 km runs from the village of Kucherla. It can also be reached by helicopter in 20 minutes.
Circle Kamlak
According to one version, this glade is the holy place of Altai, where all local shamans gathered and performed mass rituals. The glade is located in the village of the same name in the Shebalinsky district, 70 kilometers from Gorno-Altaysk. You can get there by bus or car, moving along the Chuisky tract.
Warning
The main rule of visiting places of power in Altai is to come here only with pure thoughts and soul. It is believed that angry and aggressive people should not go - the negative forces that fill their nature will be turned against them, and they will be punished for disrespectful and unrestrained behavior.
