In the mountains of the Altai Republic

From Biisk we took a bus tour up the route of the Katun river, into a country so mountainous and beautiful that I am amazed that it is not more popular with Western tourists. Right enough, the facilities are primitive, but who goes on holiday to live like you do at home? The people are friendly and helpful, and there is the usual freedom in Russia to go where ever you like (outside security zones) and do more or less whatever you like, without some control-freak from SNH or the RSPB telling you that you are invading the "habitat" of some species or other which they want to keep for themselves.

The Altai Republic is slightly larger than Scotland and has a population of 200,000. It also has, in its only significant town, Gorno-Altaisk, one of the most impressive museums of local history and the natural environment I have ever seen (funded by Gazprom).