(Source: http://travel.ecoizba.ru)

The Teletskoye Lake has several beautiful and honorable names, in addition to the main one. This water reservoir is called the younger brother of the Baikal Lake, because the purity of the water and its depth are close to the sea lake.

The residents of Altai call it Altyn-Kol, “Golden Lake”. The name of Teletskoye was given to the lake about four years ago, when the first Russian explorers of this area named it in honor of one of the tribes of the Altai - Teleuts (or Teleses), who lived on these shores.

The water in the Teletskoye Lake is so clear that when fishermen free the ice from snow in winter, you can clearly see the bottom through the cold thickness. The only river that flows out from the Teletskoye Lake is Biya, and it is also known for its crystal transparency.

The Altai people call the mountain gorges through which the rivers flow to the Teletskoye Lake “Ayukech-dog”, that means “a bear will not pass”. Probably, the animal will really fail to pass – the place is very narrow. One of these rivers - Chulyshman – is exceptionally beautiful. It is fenced by high mountains; and there are unique natural objects – “stone mushrooms” - at about one-mile distance from the place where the river of Chulcha adjoins Chulyshman. These are rock formations with the upper parts (“caps”) composed of softer rock than their “legs”. Unfortunately, geologists predict that the life of the stone sculptures will not be very long.

Important information

Mobile connection at the Teletskoye Lake is rather unstable. MTS or Beeline have more or less stable connection, Megafon only works in Artybash (in the north of the lake).

Local peculiarities

The large cruise ship “Pioneer of Altai” has recently been operating on the Teletskoye Lake. This ship of a “sea lake” class had carried passengers since 1968 until the regular passenger transportation in these places stopped after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“Pioneer of Altai” survived in a miraculous way and did not go to scrap, it was bought and restored for new use. Moreover, local residents and children from poor families are carried through the lake for free. You can rent a boat or a ship at any tourist centre, the majority of them being located in Artybash, book a boat trip through the Teletskoye Lake and its surroundings. Excursions are also organized by the administration of the Altai Reserve (in order to visit the protected area, you need to get a license).

The Reserve recommends such receiving organization as “Kedrogor” ITC - a commercial organization working since 2006. One of the main tasks of “Kedrogor” is to create a comfortable information environment for the guests of Turochaksky District and the Teletskoye Lake. The spots that are the richest in fish are located in the lower reaches of the river. In addition to fishermen, Chulyshman with its shallows and rapids is popular among fans of water sports, especially extreme varieties.