Lake Teletskoye

About this place

Lake Teletskoye is the largest lake in the Altai Mountains and the Altai Republic, Russia; the Altai people call it Altyn Köl, «Golden Lake». It lies at 434 metres, about 121 km southeast of Gorno-Altaysk in a straight line. The lake is 78 km long, 5 km wide and up to 325 metres deep, holding at least 40 cubic kilometres of fresh water, and its water is very clear. About 70 rivers and 150 seasonal streams flow into it, the largest being the Chulyshman, and it drains through a single outlet, the Biya, which meets the Katun to form the Ob, one of Siberia's largest rivers. The lake is part of the Altai Nature Reserve, included in the «Golden Mountains of Altai» World Heritage Site. The long lake stretches between mountains dark with cedar and pine forest, higher peaks to the south, its calm surface mirroring the hills, and at dawn the sky and water turn pink and violet. Visitors stay in the village of Artybash at its northern end, take boats to the waterfalls and bays along its shores, and hike forest trails. Summer is the best time, and the journey there is long. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.