Our trip to the Kucherla lake

Usually foreigners travel to the Shavlinskoe lake or the Akkem lake. But I want to tell you about the Kucherla. Rather big and clean lake with marvelous turquoise water. It`s not far from Belukha (the most popular mountain in Altai), in front of the Akkem (on the other side of the chain of mountains).

Our trip was started from the village named Tungur. During the first day we had passed about 7 km and reached to our first camping place. Next day we had stepped about 15 km along the Kucherla river and made our second camping place for night. Only on the third day we approached the Kucherla lake.

Some words about this place

The Kucherla lake is situated in the south-west of Gorny Altai. In the same area that Belukha and the lake Akkem is. And you are able to make one trip during which you can see some nature sightings. But it will take you about 15 days and you will have stepped about 150 km up and down the mountains. 

Kucherla is a beautiful blue lake with cold clean water. For our luck we had found that the lake was full of fish – grayling.

The fourth day of our hiking was the day of rest. We had made camping bath and caught some fish. It was a beautiful sunny day. Next day our group had to cross Kurumnik – a hard part of mountain trail with big stones.

Then we reached the springhead of the Kucherla river and made there a camp. From this place started our way to the Darashkol lake. It is the most wonderful lake in Gorny Altai. But I can`t tell you about it. Only show the photos. Our group was divided in 2 parts. Three guys had gone to the Darashkol lake. Nastya, Sergey and I stayed in a camp. Because girls were afraid of cold water which travelers had to ford.