Altai souvenirs & insider tips

Altai handmade souvenirs

At souvenir shops in Barnaul, Gorno-Altaysk and also at the Vysotnik tourist center you can purchase traditional Altai handmade souvenirs of different kinds of wood, stone, ceramics,  textile, claws, paws, canines of animals, wool, fur, felt: dolls, amulets, talismans, jugs, covers and rugs, shaman’s tamburines, drums and other authentic musical instruments (for example, topshur -2-stringed lute traditional for tribes of West Mongolia, Altais and Tuvans; komus – local Jew’s harp, instrument emitting a buzzing sound), traditional local clothes.

Ecologic food products

Branded Altai souvenirs are ecologic food products such as cedar nuts and cedar oil, honey and mead, products made of antlers. Very popular are products containing Altai mountain herbs such as herbal tea and different balms infused with herbs.

Altai cheese

We recommend you to taste local cheese. In Soviet period cheese made in the Altai was known at all parts of the USSR. The most popular local cheese varieties were the Soviet and the Dutch (you have a chance to compare popular Soviet brand with original Dutch cheese). Your guide will suggest you the best places where you can purchase original, natural and qualitative local products.

Tours to Altai

Please note first of all the Altai is a region of active and eco-tourism because the main tourist attraction of this region is its fantastic virgin nature. That’s why if you decide to visit Altai we recommend you to book one of active tours presented at our web site. All tours offered are package tours, so you will not be worried how to get to tourist center in the mountain part of Altai where your tour will be arranged, where and what to eat and drink. Schedule of tours offered is fixed accordingly to season most suitable for these tours. Mainly the best season for active tours in Altai is summer period (approximately July-September). Arranging your tour on alternative dates is possible, but needs additional reconfirmation.