The perfect balance of a man's soul and nature in 7 photos.
Scroll down to see more
ALEXANDR LESHENOK
The Altai Mountains form the tallest mountain range in southern Siberia and are separated by deep river valleys and vast intermountain hollows. The Altai stretches into Central Asia and crosses four state borders: Russian, Mongolian, Chinese and Kazakh.
ALEXANDR LESHENOK
The mountainous areas of the Altai (3,134 kilometers from Moscow) are, together with Lake Baikal, Siberia’s most popular tourist areas.
Anton Agarkov
Altai, as one of the few places in the world in which a unique type of oral folklore endures, is a place of storytelling.
Anton Agarkov
Storytellers, known in Altai as kaichi, perform their work through throat singing, with accompanying music on the tapshure, a two-stringed musical instrument.
Anton Agarkov
In the Altai there is a legend. If a storyteller carves out a musical instrument from lightning-struck cedar, then it will have a soul of its own. However, to find such a tree in the thick taiga forest, one needs to have a special relationship with the spirits.
Anton Agarkov
Kaichi sing both folk songs and heroic epics -- known as kai. Do not miss the chance to listen to kaichi, as they are very impressive.
Anton Agarkov
The longest kaichi performance can last several days.
