Altai Mountains

Altai Republic, Russia

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The Altai Mountains in Russia's Altai Republic form a rugged, snow-capped range spanning over 92,000 square kilometers in southern Siberia near borders with Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, renowned as a UNESCO World Heritage site for their pristine biodiversity and dramatic landscapes.

Dominated by Mount Belukha at 4,506 meters—the highest peak in Siberia, the region features jagged granite ridges, deep glacier-fed valleys like those of the Katun and Chuya rivers, ancient pine forests, alpine meadows, and unique phenomena such as the Ukok Plateau's permafrost and "seas of fog," supporting rare species including snow leopards and argali sheep.

Inhabited by indigenous Altai people with Turkic roots, it attracts adventurers for hiking, rafting, and shamanistic cultural tours amid ongoing seismic activity from its young geological formation.