Republic of Altai

[Mad Academic]

Hi All,

Mad Academic here.
I have just spent a few days in the Republic of Altai in south central Russia.
In fact, the R of A joins Mongolia, so we're talking pretty remote here.
Yesterday I crossed a wobbly bridge over the river Katyn ("Katoon") and hiked a couple of km's into the forest to see a waterfall.
Near the waterfall was a rough cafe and a few stuffed animals where you were supposed to pay 1$ to have your photo taken with them. There was no-one around so I just took a photo anyway. I'll try to attach it here.
There was a rather life-sized model of a "Bigfoot"/"Yeti" there.
I asked several local people what they knew about it but (as usual), no-one knew anything.

Today I was in the R of A main museum. Quite a modern and beautiful place. I showed the photo to the curator of animal exhibits and she said "We don't have anything about that animal here". Then she scurried off.
Later, she approached me in another hall and said she had spoken to "an old guy" who said he had seen such animals in a certain region (she showed me where) back in the '90's. But he didn't tell anyone about it (until now, obviously.)

Having seen first-hand the (tick-ridden) thick forest and steep hills here, I would believe anything could still exist there.

Hopefully off to Tokyo Sunday and in Cairns Monday!

Cheers,

MA

[Yowie bait]

Nice one Mad Academic!

[Shazzoir]

Greetings, MA

Fantastic post - super intriguing as not many of us would probably ever get to such a far-flung region with Yeren/Yeti history! Love the photo too, what a blinder! Please tell us more of your travels and enquiry results - there is supposed to be a hairy man in Japan, also! Good luck and happy travels.

Shazz

[ChrisV]

i had to take a good look at the pic and read the description to remind myself that was a display -
But its very interesting because essentially thats what it would look like.

Sounds like an interesting place....
Probably a real pain to get too - 5 flights to get there I imagine.

[gregvalentine]

i had to take a good look at the pic and read the description to remind myself that was a display -
But its very interesting because essentially thats what it would look like.

Sounds like an interesting place....
Probably a real pain to get too - 5 flights to get there I imagine.

The Republic of Aldi is much closer, and they have twice-weekly specials.

[Mad Academic]

i had to take a good look at the pic and read the description to remind myself that was a display -
But its very interesting because essentially thats what it would look like.

Sounds like an interesting place....
Probably a real pain to get too - 5 flights to get there I imagine.

I flew from Krasnodar (where I live part time)...but even then it's a 4 hour flight to Novosibirsk, then a 2 day drive.
And that's still in a fairly popular, easy-to-get-to place. You can go a loooong way past that on the road to Mongolia.
I might try to do that next time.
Right now I'm back in Novosibirsk waiting for a flight to Vladivostok (6hrs!), then another flight to Tokyo (2 hrs), then an overnight flight to Cairns (7 hrs), then a 3 day rest. Then a flight to Brisbane and later one to Adelaide. That's the long way home...6 flights.

The "Yeti" also has a bit of a history near Krasnodar, because that's close to the Caucasus region. The odd report still comes in but the locals are as crazy as the proverbial rat in a tin shithouse, and don't want to cooperate with any "outsider". So I don't bother.
Easier to organise a trip to the Otways!

[Searcher]

Thanks MA for sharing your fascinating travel experiences.

Seems you are a genuine 'frequent flyer'!

Safe trip home.