The village of Kosh-Agach is located in the southeast.Altai Territory and is the administrative center of the same name district. There is a rather severe climate in this area, so there are not so many tourists here. The Kosh-Agach district is of particular interest to historians, archeologists and nature lovers. For Buddha worshipers, this region is considered a sacred place of power.
Kosh-Agach District Description
The area located near the village of Kosh-Agach,has a diverse and interesting landscape. The main part of the region is a semi-desert, stretching among snow-covered peaks, whose height is about 2000 meters above sea level. The diversity of natural resources of the Altai Territory is impressive. Here you can see the steppe zone, tundra, as well as coniferous forests, which are located near the river Jazzator. In forests, trees such as cedar, larch and spruce are most common.
Зимний период здесь очень долгий, холода могут stay up to 7 months, and this is not at all surprising, because the region’s most severe climate is precisely in the Kosh-Agach area. The Altai Republic is one of the coldest regions of Siberia, there are places where permafrost is preserved. The temperature difference is very noticeable; during the day, the thermometer's indicators can vary significantly.
Description of the village
The history of the settlement has more than 200 years.Kosh-Agach was founded by Russian merchants in 1801. This place was a shopping center in the south of Gorny Altai. Until the end of the 1880s, Mongolia belonged to the Chinese empire and was a trading partner of the Kosh-Agach merchants.
The village is located on high ground,The altitude is approximately 2000 meters above sea level. Here the Chuya River flows, on the banks of which Kosh-Agach stands. From the main administrative center of the Altai Territory - Barnaul - the village is 438 km away, but the distance to the border of Mongolia is no more than 50 km. The main population of this region is Altai and Kazakhs. There are practically no Russians in the village.
Название села имеет казахское происхождение, оно translated as "a pair of trees." Surprisingly, the village itself is located in the desert area of the Chuya steppe and there are no trees in the district at all. Flocks of feathered predators soar in the sky. In the village almost no precipitation falls, and the weather is mostly sunny.
In 2003, an earthquake occurred in these places, and the village itself was in the epicenter of the elements. During the natural cataclysm, some houses were destroyed.
The region is located in the border zone, therefore, in order to visit the Ukok Plateau, you need to obtain permission from the border service, the office of which is located in the village.
The village has a number of social facilities:market, shops, recreation centers, gas stations, cafes and hotels. Before the beginning of the 90s, Kosh-Agach had its own small airfield, to which planes arrived from Barnaul. In 2003, the construction of a whole microdistrict of cottages began in the village. In 2014, a solar power station was launched in this area - the first in the country.
Ukok Plateau and other attractions of the area
Despite the fact that in the village of touristinfrastructure is not developed, these places attract many groups of foreign and Russian travelers. Of particular interest is the unique nature and plateau Ukok. In Kosh-Agach district there really is something to see:
- Chuya River with numerous rapids.
- Shawlensky lakes.
- Aktru - pristine glaciers.
- Blue Lake.
Also, tourists can visit one of the two museums that are located in neighboring villages: Kokorya and Jean-Aul.
The most important and significant attractionof these places is the Ukok Plateau, which belongs to UNESCO World Heritage. The plateau is located on a hill among the mountain ranges, at an altitude of 2000-2500 meters above sea level. Several dozen rivers cross it. Getting here is extremely difficult. Mountain passes are difficult to access, and you can use them for several months. But those tourists who show perseverance will get unforgettable impressions. They will open:
- untouched nature;
- clean lakes;
- a variety of red book animals and birds;
- evidence of habitat in these places of ancient civilization (rock painting).
На плато было найдено множество исторических artifacts and architectural monuments. Burial ground Ak-Alaha-3 is the most famous object. Here, in the early 90s, the mummy of the Altai princess, whose age is more than 2500 years old, was discovered.
Where to spend the night in Kosh-Agach?
If you are determined to visit this uniquecorner of nature, it will be useful for you to find out where you can stay for the night. Although the village of Kosh-Agach is of small size, there is a decent hotel “Rasul”, which can simultaneously accommodate 30 people. Near the hotel are car service establishments: tire service, car wash and gas station.
The hotel has rooms:
- Junior Suite - 3;
- four-seater - 2;
- double - 8;
- six places - 1.
You can park your car near the hotel.absolutely free. In the general lobby of the place there is a TV. On the floor there are a bathroom and a shower. In a specially equipped kitchen, visitors can cook their own food. The hotel has a sauna, it is possible to use the iron. As an entertainment - billiards.
