Day 1: Moscow

Arrive in Moscow. Transfer to the hotel. Leisure evening to relax and explore.

Day 2: Moscow - Barnaul

Sightseeing tour of Moscow, visit the Red and Manezh Squares, Alexander's Garden, the Kremlin. A visit to the Paleonthological Museum is possible (houses the largest collection of Asian dinosaurs in the world). Lunch at a cafe in the center of Moscow. Transfer to the airport for the night flight to Barnaul (4-hrs flight, 4 hrs time difference).

Days 3: Barnaul

Arrive in Barnaul. Transfer to your hotel. Sightseeing tour of the typical Siberian city of the XIX century, walk along the Ob' River. Visit the local Museum of Nature History. Lunch at the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel

Days 4: Barnaul - Altaisky Nature Reserve

After breakfast, we drive from Barnaul south via Biysk to the city of Gornoaltaysk (the capital of the Altay Republic), in the foothills of the mountains. Then, we travel across the northern part of the Altay mountains to the village of Artybash situated on the shore of the Teletskoe Lake. We pass through the Siberian forest-steppe and hilly forests, cross several rivers, including the beautiful Biya River, see typical Siberian countryside with Russian and Altaian villages. Dinner at a cafe, overnight in wooden cottages on the shore of the Teletskoe Lake.

Days 5: Birds of the Siberian taiga

After breakfast, we hike up to the hills covered with typical Siberian taiga (mixed spruce-abies-Siberian pine forest with admixture of birch and larch) to observe forest birds: the tits, leaf warblers, flycatchers, Black-throated Thrush (Turdus atrogularis), Siberian Blue Robin (Luscinia cyane), Siberian Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) and others (about 50-60 species in total). Lunch en route, dinner at a cafe, overnight in the wooden cottages.

Days 6: Teletskoe Lake

We board a small ship for travel across the entire Teletskoe Lake to its southern part (6 hrs with short stops near picturesque waterfalls). Enjoy beautiful views of mountainous shores, forests, and waterfalls. Watch waterfowl and coastal birds, including Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica), Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander (Mergus serrator and M. merganser). Overnight in the tented camp.

Days 7-8: Central Asian mountain steppes

During the next two days, we drive south along the valley of the river Chulyshman to the famous Chuisky highway leading to Mongolia (about 300 km in total). By Chuysky highway, we follow the border of the Republics of Altay and Tuva. Steppe landscapes with groves along the Chulyshman River, hilly country with mountain passes, steppe lakes. Birdwatching during hiking excursions, from the car and during stops on our way. We will encounter about 100 species of birds per day, including 10-15 Central Asian endemics. We will surely observe Demoisell Crane (Anthropoides virgo), Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), Rock Pigeon (Columba rupestris), Godlewski's Bunting (Emberiza godlewskii), Pleshanka's Wheatear (Oenanthe pleshanka), Asian pipits, larks and Black-throated Trush (Turdus atrogularis). Picnic lunch, overnight in tented camps near the steppe lakes.

Days 9: From Altay steppes to Mongolian-type deserts and elevated plateau

During the entire day, we drive south-east along the Chuysky highway, to the border with Tuva and Mongolia. We will meet Kazakh people, see their traditional yurts, observe yaks and camels. The bird composition is similar as per days 7-8, but also Isabelline Whitear (Oenanthe isabellina), Bar-headed Goose (Anser indica), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi), Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius), Steppe Eagle (Aquila rapax nipalensis), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), White-rumped Swift (Apus pacificus), the pipits, leaf warblers (Phylloscopus fuscatus, Ph. inornatus, Ph. griseolus), Brown Accentor (Prunella fulvescens), Pere David's Snow-Finch (Montifringilla davidana). Lunch in yurt, dinner and overnight in the tented camp near the mountain lake (2000 m above the sea level).

Days 10: Eastern Altay - Tuva uplands

After early morning birdwatching and breakfast, we drive over the open uplands to the lake Dzhulukul area in the southern part of the Altaisky Nature Reserve. Beautiful mountainous panorama with mountain steppe-tundra and hundreds of small lakes abounding in shorebirds: various Tringa sandpipers and snipes breeding at 2000 m above the sea level, migrating and vagrant curlews and godwits. The raptors: eagles, buzzards, falcons; the highland colony of cormorant and Larus cachinans on the Dzhulukul Lake. Many passerine birds in the larch groves and highland bushes. Lunch en route, overnight in tents near the lake

Days 11: Eastern Altay -Tuva upland

After breakfast, long excursion around the Dzhulukul Lake. Open upland landscape with tundra-steppe, stony patches, swamps and forest groves. Up to 150 bird species per day. Besides species met earlier, we will encounter such mountain birds as Twite (Acanthis flavirostris), accentors (Prunella himalaiana, P. fulvescens, atrogularis), buntings (Emberiza cioides, E. cia, E. aureola, E. pallasi), rock finches (genus Leucosticte) and raptors: Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius), Steppe Eagle (Aquila rapax nipalensis), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Lammergeyer (Gypaetus barbatus), Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug). Lunch en route, overnight in tents (1800 m above the sea level).

Days 12: Eastern Altay -Tuva uplands

After breakfast, we drive from the Dzhulukul Lake to the watershed between the rivers Chulyshman and Bogoyash to see swampy upland steppe with hundreds of small lakes and forest groves. Up to 150-180 bird species per day! Besides species that we would have seen earlier, we are very likely to see up to 9 species of leaf warblers (Phylloscopus) and redstarts (Phoenicurus erythronotus and Ph. erythrogaster). In the uplands, we have a chance to observe a rare mammal, argali sheep (Ovis ammon ammon). We return to the Dzhulukul Lake, overnight at the tented camp.

Days 13: Chuyskiy tract

We drive to Kosh-Agach village. Yurts, camels, yaks, Mongolian-type villages and landscapes. Lunch in a yurt, dinner and overnight in Kosh-Agach village.

Day 14: Across Mountain Altay to the Aya hotel

An all-day drive north-west across the Altai mountains, over passages with good panoramas. By evening, we arrive to the comfortable Aya Hotel at the bank of the River Katun'. Dinner at the restaurant, leisure time, overnight at the hotel.

Day 15:

We drive to Barnaul. Leisure time, dinner at the restaurant, overnight at the hotel.

Day 16: Departure

Transfer for the airport for the homeward bound flight.