Tourists’ antics anger Altai residents
The act of a blogger from Novosibirsk, Vasilina Kataeva, sparked a wave of discussion — she traveled across Altai and tied a white wet wipe to a tree instead of kyira (ritual ribbon offering) used as an offering to the spirits of nature and place. According to Vasilina, many tourists had done the same before her — the whole tree was wrapped with wipes — but it was her actions that were condemned and subjected to public shaming. Tourists have also made other rash moves while vacationing in Altai that were disrespectful or even dangerous. Here are the most high-profile ones.
Tourist cannonballed into a lake
In May 2025, a tourist swam in a geyser lake in Aktash (Republic of Altai). The man stripped down to his underwear and then took a running jump into the lake. Tourists on the shore expressed displeasure and noted that swimming is prohibited here. The video of the incident spread across the internet, and commenters condemned the man’s behavior. A scandal erupted.
Inappropriate humor
In June 2024, an even louder story unfolded: a Novosibirsk resident urinated from the sacred Katu-Yaryk Pass in Altai and posted the video online. His girlfriends, who stayed off camera, laughed. The act of the «peeing boy» triggered a major scandal — in the end, Alexey Shum publicly apologized. In footage posted online, the man says he realized his mistake, drew conclusions, deleted the video, and called his sense of humor inappropriate. The police in the Republic of Altai reported that his actions bore signs of «petty hooliganism» (Article 20.1 of the Administrative Offenses Code, KoAP).
Name on a rock
The same summer of 2024, Novosibirsk blogger Yana Kashina left an inscription on a rock in the Republic of Altai, angering locals. The young woman wrote her surname. Yana was asked to erase the inscription, but she did not. The act angered residents, and news of the desecration of nature spread through city social media groups. Afterward, Yana Kashina apologized in public and said she did not know that drawing on rocks was forbidden, arguing that the rock had already been covered in markings.
Inflatable mattress
In 2020, a scandal erupted over a mattress — it was launched into a unique geyser lake for a commercial shoot. A local guide blamed people from Novosibirsk for the filming and complained to the prosecutor’s office.
«An advertising agency was filming a bedding commercial. They inflated a mattress and loaded bedding onto it. They shoved it into the lake. I happened to be walking there with my tourists. We approach and see this mattress. Total shock», — guide Irina Dmitriyeva told an NGS correspondent.
The press service of the MVD — Ministry of Internal Affairs — for the Republic of Altai confirmed to an NGS correspondent that police were aware of the scandal. The lake is not a designated natural monument.
The fate of Altai worries not only locals — the mountains have been swept by a «gold rush» fueled by affluent tourists. NGS spoke with village residents near the largest hotel complex east of the Urals.
