Chuysky Trakt Best Stopovers Between Mongolia and Gorno-Altaysk

We are planning yet another overland Eurasia trip next summer and plan on going from Olgi, Mongolia to Novosibirsk overland. There is a train from Biiysk on the back end to lovely Novosibirsk, my favorite city (we have been to Biisk) and the remote overland crossing to Tashanta and Koch-Agach, Russia, at the front end going from Mongolia to Russia. I believe there is transport from Koch Agach, but where are good places to stop on the way to break the 10 hours or so to Gorno-Altaysk? Is Onguday a good place to stop? How about hotels?

I speak some Russian and have been to Russia many times, but not this route.

There is a plenty of places to stay overnight between Tashanta and Gorno Altaisk - hotels in Kosh Agach (next from Tashanta), Aktash (2 hrs drive from Kosh Agach), numerous guest houses in virtually every village (Ongudai incl.) and in between (Beliy Bom, Chui Oozy etc). After Katun bridge at Ust Sema there is huge touristic area with up to 6* resorts.
But I think it is bad idea for US passport holders to travel in Russia now.

Regards - Igor

Many thanks for your very informative post. It is so hard to get information about Altai and other places in Russia in the English language. So it looks like we do not need to take the 10 hour bus ride from Kosh Agach to Gorno-Altaysk but can break it into 1 or 2 night stopovers in between. I think there will be marshrutka or taxi chances on this route.

I think I know what you mean about American passport holders, Igor. With all that is happening lately I imagine many Russians would be angry at the US, and they have some reasons to be. But in so many visits to the old USSR between 1978 and 2012, hostilities from Russians, or Soviets, have been very rare (sober guy on Trans-Siberian near Omsk in 1978, drunk guy on BAM neat Bratsk in 2012). People were hostile on the airport bus in Komsomolsk na Amur in 2012, but mostly Russians are nice or indifferent to foreign tourists. Siberians are nicer than other Russians, if I had to make a judgment.

I believe you are living near Omsk, which is a nice town. I have been thee for 30 minutes twice, in 1978 and 2010, and scampered around to see as much as I could.
We plan on flying from Novosibirsk to Prague or taking the train, probably the plane because we have done the rail before and the plane is cheap. Would still love to take taxi, bus and marshurutka from Tashanta to Biisk, then the overnight train to Novosibirsk. Maybe the obzhy, or ordinary berths on the Biisk train, what do you think?

Hello!
We've made the whole M52 travel with my family, and there are many places to stop between Kosh Agach and Biisk.
I don't know if you are able to read Russian (I suppose you are), but in Ongudai you can check this: http://www.turistka.ru/altai/info.php?ob=824
and other guest houses listed in the website.
Ongudai and the surroundings is really a very nice region.
As to the safety of travel, being a Russian, I don't think people are hostile to separate representatives of the US, but can be angry with the whole country in general. Anyway, I don't think you can experience any difficulties. At least I didn't notice any in the course of interpreting and tourguiding job I do.

Thanks Olga, the website you provided is really good. I can read some of the Russian and for the rest, that is why God invented Google Translate! I will dig through this website, making notes.
Tom in Chicago

Olga, the point of view strongly depends on the source of income )))

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.