Mysterious Western Tuva

Price
From€1 499
Price
From€1 499
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1659
  • Duration: 7days/6 nights
  • Tour dates: Mid-June –Mid-August
  • Group size: -
  • Age limit: 18 years and up
  • This tour does not require any special physical training
Tour information

Bai-Taiga means in Tuvan “rich taiga” or “rich forest”. This region has, indeed, a rich flora and fauna, characteristic for Siberia. This tour is dedicated to this region also to make you discover craftsmen or artisans of Tuva. The whole generations of artisans that create beautiful pieces of art made of wood, stone and metal live here. This tour will help you discover some of the lakes of Tuva, along with the main elements of traditional Tuvan culture.

You will be living in Tuvan style yurts next to real nomads on this tour, experiencing their everyday lifestyle, traditional food making; hiking and enjoying the silence and beauty of the place. You will have interaction with local communities who will willingly share with you the secrets of their positivity and love of life.

Ancient petroglyphs and Burial mounds, sacred Mountains and stone statues – there is somuch things to discover on this adventure… 

Itinerary

Day

Itinerary

Meals

Accommodation

1

Kyzyl – Aldyn-Bulak

L+D

Yurt (twin)

2

 Aldyn-Bulak – Bai-Taiga

B+L+D

Hostel (twin)

3

 Bai-Taiga- Sai-Xonash

B+L+D

Yurt (twin)

4

Sai-Xonash

B+L+D

Yurt (twin)

5

Sai-Xonash – Kug tour camp

B+L+D

Yurt (Single)

6

Kug tour camp – Great Salbyk Burial mounds – Abakan

B+L+D

Hotel (twin)

7

Abakan  airport

B

n/a

 

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;

Detailed itinerary
The * means that the indicated service is for an extra fee.

Day 1.Aldyn-Bulak

Our guide will meet you at the airport of Kyzyl. You will visit the Tuvan National Museum the highlight of which is the exposition of golden items from the ancient Scythian burial site “Arzhaan – 2” (VII B.C.) discovered on the territory of Tuva in 2001. We will also visit a shamanic clinic where you can see real Tuvan shamans at their work. Lunch in restaurant of Kyzyl. After this we will take a walk through Kyzyl to see some of the town’s principal sights: The Centre of Asia sculpture complex, the Buddhist temple “Tsechenlig” (“compassion” in Tibetan). We will then go back into town to the Centre of Traditional Tuvan culture. Many elements, expressions and representations of Tuvan culture are concentrated in this center: Tuvan National Orchestra, throat singers’ groups, artisans and great masters of traditional Tuvan instruments. Drive to Aldyn-Bulak yurt complex. Dinner and accommodation in suite yurts. Special folk performance with the best Tuvan Khoomey singers and dancers will be organized for you during dinner. After dinner the most powerful Tuvan shaman will pray the spirits. He will make a huge fire and offer white food and drinks to the spirits, he will play his drum and burn sacred juniper during the ritual.

Day 2.Bai-Taiga

We will drive to Bai-Taiga region (330km). On the way we will stop by Xaiyrakan mountain (100km from Kyzyl) which is considered as one of the most sacred places of Tuva which was sanctified by Dalai-Lama the XIVth in 1992 and worshipped as well by shamans. As the saying goes, the Mountain will give healing and force to those who visit it with an open heart. After visiting the temple, we will drive to Bizhiktig-khaya Mountain with ancient petroglyphs discovered by the Russian archeologist A. Andrianov. The Mountain bears more than 300 petroglyphs which date back to the Bronze Age depicting scenes of hunting, as well as the image of Buddha which dates back to 1358. We will also see Kizhi-Kozhee statue, a monument to an unknown hero (second half of the Ist millennium B.C.). Lunch will be in café of Ak-Dovurak town. After lunch we’ll continue our way to Bai-Taiga, dinner and accommodation in a hostel.

Day 3.Sai-Xonash

After breakfast we will head for the nomadic yurt camp in the place called Ak, an extremely beautiful area surrounded with high mountains, forests and purest spring waters. You will be staying next to a nomadic family. Their camp is located in a beautiful place in the western Tuva. Tuvan nomadic families still keep their traditional lifestyle and original culture. Staying in the yurt camp allows to see, to experience and to learn the nomadic culture more in depth while roaming in authentic life. People living on this very isolated part of land breed animals such as sheep, cows, horses, goats and yaks. They still keep their culture and traditions. Following Tuvan hospitality tradition, you will be offered to taste tuvan cuisine; you will also have a chance to discover and experience one day of nomadic life. Accommodation in a yurt.

Day 4.Sai-Xonash

For breakfast master class of making byshtak – Tuvan fresh cheese, which is called by all tourists who ever tried it “mozzarella”. The guide will introduce you the rich variety of Tuvan traditional dairy products. Tuvan are very wise people, they create many different meals just from milk. After breakfast there is an ample opportunity to go for a walk in the forest for a photo session or climb one of the mountains. We will then come back to our camp to have lunch.
After lunch we will be off for an excursion to the old burial places (kurgans) which are situated on the territory of the Bayan-Kol valley or visit one of the nomadic families living in the valley.
For dinner we will have Tuvan traditional food with a previous Tuvan traditional way of sheep cooking (upon your demands; extra fee for a sheep, 5000 rubles to share). After dinner you will be demonstrated the process of making araka – Tuvan traditional alcohol drink made from fermented milk. Full board, accommodation in yurts.

Day 5.Kug tour camp

Early breakfast and departure to Khakassia, enjoying breathtaking views of the mountainous landscapes. You will also see one of the most amazing and picturesque burial mounds of Khakassia which date bronze and early iron ages. You will be given lunch boxes. For lunch we will have a picnic in the nature. Dinner and accommodation in Kug yurt complex.

Day 6.Great Salbyk Burial mounds - Abakan

After breakfast we will drive to the excursion to the Great Salbyk Burial Mounds. The Great Salbyk Barrow is the best known of the megalithic monuments in Siberia. A barrow height is more than 20 m and originally it was pyramid-shaped On the basis of the new analyses, the Great Salbyk barrow is dated to the 7th century B.C. The Great Salbyk barrow is the best known of the megalithic monuments in Siberia. The barrow is situated 65 km northward of the town of Abakan in Khakasia There are more than 50 big and middle-sized barrows, as well as many small ones. Lunch will be in the complex of Salbyk burial Mounds. From there we will drive to Abakan and visit National Museum of Khakassia. Dinner and accommodation in hotel.

Day 7.Abakan airport

Breakfast and departure from the airport of Abakan.

Price

Price: 

2 PAX – 1999 Euros per person. 

4 PAX – 1899 Euros per person

6+1 PAX – 1799 Euros per person

10+1 PAX – 1699 Euros per person

14+1 PAX – 1499 Euros per person

 

 

Included:

Accommodation in Tuva during the tour;

Transfer in Tuva during the tour;

1 shamanic ritual;

1 folk performance;

Museum entrance fees;

Full board (principal meals during the tour). Please note that the breakfast of the day 1 as well as the dinner of the last day are not included. Kindly inform in advance regarding your meal preferences (vegetarians, allergies, etc.);

1 liter of bottled mineral water per person per day;

Excursions mentioned in the tour;

Service of the guide-interpreter and a driver according to the program of the tour.

Excluded:

Airplane/train tickets and travel insurance;

Visa procedures and costs (consultation could be provided);

Drinks and water during the tour except the ones mentioned in the program;

Personal expenses and tips;

Individual throat-singing workshops;

Horse rental.

Additional information

Prices for additional services:

1 hour of throat singing workshop – 40 USD per a person

Horse rental – 20 USD per person (3 hours’ excursion)

Situation: Central Asia and Southern Siberia

Time zone: GMT +7 (summer)

Currency: Russian ruble

Climate and clothing: continental climate (summer max: +30 to +40ºC, winter max: -25ºC to -45ºC). Please note that the mountain temperature is usually lower than in the rest of Tuva (this concerns tours that include Sai-Xonash yurt camp). Therefore, it is advised to take two different types of clothes and shoes: for hot summer days as well as for rainy and cold days. Please note that we cannot be responsible for bad weather conditions.

What else you could need: mosquito repellents, basic pharmacy and medications if you are taking any, umbrella. People with special conditions: Please advise us in advance if you have any special condition such as, for example, diabetes, blood tension, and so on.

Electricity: 220V, 50 HZ

Tour map