Lake Teletskoye

Teletskoye fills a tectonic trough deepened by ice, running seventy-eight kilometres with a bend near its middle, only a few kilometres wide, and reaching 325 metres deep - the deepest lake in the Altai and among the deepest in Russia after Baikal. Ridges rise directly from the water on both sides, so most of the shore has no road and is reached only by boat. The Chulyshman enters at the southern end and the Biya flows out at the north. Waterfalls drop straight into the lake from the eastern shore, the Korbu being the best known, reached by boat with a landing platform. The entire eastern shore lies inside the Altaisky nature reserve, part of the Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO site, which is why access there is permitted only at specific points. The lake is cold, holds thermal stratification, and generates sudden strong winds down its length.

Highlights

• The trough - seventy-eight kilometres long, 325 metres deep between steep ridges.
• The Korbu falls - water dropping into the lake on the reserve shore, reached by boat.
• The roadless shores - most of the lake accessible only by water.
• The reserve - the eastern side inside the Altaisky UNESCO protected area.

When to go

June to September for boats; the lake rarely freezes fully. Two days to a week. Boats south to the Chulyshman take most of a day.

What to expect

Sudden strong winds make the lake dangerous and boats are cancelled or turn back - this is a serious body of water. The water is cold year-round. Reserve shores can be landed on only at set points with permits. Accommodation clusters at Artybash and books out in August.

Nearby

The Chulyshman valley and Uchar are at the southern end; Gorno-Altaysk is west.

Key facts