Rakhmanov Springs

Rakhmanov Springs lie at around 1,760 metres in the Kazakh Altai beside a lake in the forest, a group of thermal springs whose radon-bearing water has been used since the eighteenth century, when a hunter named Rakhmanov is said to have found them. A sanatorium built in the Soviet period still operates, offering courses of baths, and it is the only accommodation in the area. The setting is larch and cedar forest, the lake and the mountains, with a track climbing to a viewpoint that gives the standard Kazakh view of Belukha. The road in from Berel is rough and long, and the area lies within the border zone, so permits are checked.

What you actually see

• The thermal baths - the radon springs and the sanatorium bathhouse.
• The lake - the water beside the springs in the forest.
• The Belukha viewpoint - the climb to the view of the massif.
• Altai forest - the larch and cedar surrounding the site.

When to go

June to September; the road is closed by snow for much of the year and the sanatorium reduces operations in winter. July and August are warmest. Booking is necessary since there is no alternative accommodation.

Honest expectations

The border zone permit is compulsory and takes weeks to arrange. The road from Berel is rough and takes hours. The sanatorium is Soviet-era in style and standard, with treatment programmes rather than hotel service. Belukha is often hidden in cloud.

Nearby

Belukha rises above; Berel and its kurgans are down the valley.