Altai Mars: Mountains that change color during the day (PHOTOS)

The Kyzyl-Chin tract (Kosh-Agach district), about nine kilometers from the village of Chagan-Uzun is an unusual place in the Altai Mountains, where you can feel like you are on another planet! Signposts leading to it are marked with the inscription ‘Mars’. 

In the valley, you can spot completely different colors. This is explained by the high content of certain metals in the rock. Manganese makes the mountains lilac, iron – red, chromium – yellow. There are also deposits of pyrite, chalcedony, impurities of titanium and tin. 

And these radiant colors look different depending on the light. The most beautiful views have been observed in the morning.

The mountains are all very different in shape and different from each other. There are deep ravines, pillars, as well as gentle slopes. 

A river runs nearby, which is fed by the waters of mountain glaciers. And since it flows (melts) into it only in the sunlight, at night, this “river” practically stands still. In general, everywhere you look, the landscapes are quite breathtaking.

Millions of years ago, an ancient sea was located there and you can still find shells and dried up seaweed during a walk on "Mars"! 

The first mountain can be reached by off-road vehicle, while the rest of these beauties can be reached on foot. There aren’t many visitors in these places and most are guests of local tourist bases.