The republic of Khakassia is situated in Altai-Sayan Mountains. Lying on the territory of 62,000 sq. km, the republic surprises with the diversity of landscapes. Here you will see bare steppes, steppes with spots of forests, the taiga forest, mountain taiga, high mountain forest tundra, high mountain tundra, Alpine meadows, high mountain steppe, high mountain desert - and all just within a 4-hour drive.

Khakassia is a land of mountain rivers and lakes, more than 50 of its lakes are said to have healing effect. About 1,526 species of plants are found on the territory of Khakassia, 85 of them grow in Altai-Sayan Mountains, 28 species cannot be seen anywhere else, 204 species are used in Tibetan Medicine. The republic lies in the main migration way of Siberian birds which makes it a perfect place for bird watching. There are two Nature and five Game Reserves in Khakassia, among which are the Cave Park and the Ornithological reserve that attract visitors from all over Russia as well as from other countries. Khakassia has a sharply continental climate with an average winter temperature of -15 -18 C, and average summer temperature of + 20, +22 C.

The recorded history of Khakassia begins about 4-5 thousand years ago, which is even earlier than the world-famous Easter Island civilization. 63 of the historical monuments located in the republic are more than 7 thousand years old. The earliest settlements of ancient man appeared here more than 30,000 years ago.

The capital of Khakassia is the city of Abakan. Situated right in the middle of Russia, only 500 km from the geographical center of Asia, Abakan was known until 1931 as Ust-Abakanskoye village. Today the city has a population of 160,000 people and is a very important point on the Abakan-Taishet Railway - a branch of the famous Trans-Siberian Railway. This railway line with its numerous tunnels, bridges and viaducts is 647 km. long, it goes through the wilderness linking the remote corners of Southern Siberia with the big cities of its central part.

Abakan is an important archaeological center in Russia, it is listed among the cities with unique historical and cultural monuments. The centuries-old burial mounds, caves with ancient drawings of animals and men on the walls give you an idea of the age of this land.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to visit ancient Khakassia, one of the most attractive travel destinations in Russia. Explore the bountiful taiga forest, enjoy breathtaking mountain views, get acquainted with the unique culture of Khakass people.

PARK HOTEL (INTOURIST) * * *

Located in the center of Abakan, near a picturesque park. Built in 1973. Renovated in 1995. 5 km to the airport and 1 km to the railway station. 3 floors. 6 comfortable upgraded rooms: 1 junior suite, 5 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, telephone (international connection available through the front desk only), refrigerator. Room service. Restaurant for 60 seats. Bar. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Safety deposit box. Service Bureau. Souvenir kiosk. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. Security Service. English speaking staff. Room rates - from $90.

SIBIR HOTEL * *

Located in the center of Abakan, in a residential area. 2 km to the airport and 2.5 km to the railway station. Built in 1978. Renovated in 1998. 5 floors. 43 rooms. 17 rooms offered by Red Star Travel feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, telephone (international connection available through the front desk only), mini-bar. Room service. Restaurant for 70 seats. Coffee shop. Banquet room for 20 seats. Business center. Safety deposit box. Souvenir kiosk. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $75.

KHAKASSIA HOTEL * *

Located in the center of Abakan. Built in 1967. Renovated in 1997. 4 km to the airport and 1 km to the railway station. 5 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 64 rooms. 34 rooms offered by Red Star Travel feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, international direct-dial telephone, refrigerator. Room service. Restaurant for 70 seats. Bar. Coffee shop. Banquet room for 40 seats. Business Center. Safety deposit box. Hair salon. Gym. Solarium. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. Room rates - from $75.

DRUZHBA HOTEL * *

Located 2 km from downtown, near the Shopping Center and the Central Post Office. Built in 1985. Renovated in 1998. 3 km to the railway station and 3 km to the airport. 9 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 17 rooms offered by Red Star Travel feature private bathroom with shower, TV, telephone (international connection available through the front desk only). Restaurant for 200 seats. 2 bars for 25 and 20 seats. Conference Room. Currency Exchange. Safety deposit box. Beauty shop. Penny arcade. Travel Bureau. Laundry. Security Service. On-site parking. Room rates - from $75.

City Tour with a Visit to the Museum of Regional Studies, 2.5 hours

During this tour you will see the south and north parts of the city separated from each other by the railway tracks, the Museum of Regional Studies that chronicles the history of the region from ancient times to the 20th century.

The south part of the city consists of old 1-storey buildings surrounded by beautiful small gardens. Many of the houses were built in the 19th century, so were the constructions in the old harbour where ships docked during severe Siberian winters.

The north part is the newest in the city. Here you will see modern apartment and office buildings, stadium and hippodrome (horse racing arena), shops, theaters and the main square of the city. Most of the industries are also located in the north part of Abakan.

Abakan Museum of Regional Studies. Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Monday. Here you will explore the natural and cultural heritage of Khakass people. Most of the museum's 50,000 exhibits are archaeological discoveries and ethnographical items. On display are unique Neolithic stone sculptures, original ceramic vessels dating to the early Bronze Age, burial masks produced at the turn of the Christian era, scriptures remarkable for their informative character and esthetic execution, rock carvings, a unique collection of stone images and rock paintings found in the Khakass-Minusinsk Valley. Exhibits are displayed both inside and outside the museum. A must-see is the totem whose eyes seem to be full of life and mysterious knowledge and are said to have a hypnotizing effect on everyone who looks in them.

Excursion to Salbyk Mound, 4 hours

In Minussinsk Valley, on the banks of the mighty Yenisey river archaeologists have found evidence of civilizations of different time periods. Burial mounds that you will see in the valley appeared thousands of years ago and they are no less a mystery than the Egyptian Pyramids. For more than 300 years archaeologists have been studying the burial grounds: stone tombs of all shapes and sizes, remains of people and utensils.

The Salbyk Burial Steppe lies not far from Abakan. Numerous small and big burial mounds present a majestic and yet gloomy view. The most spectacular site is the Big Salbyk - the largest burial mound in South Siberia created in the 3rd century BC. The mound is surrounded by huge pieces of rock about 6 meters high and weighing 20-60 tons each. There is no other place like this where you can feel how old human race is.

Tour of Minusinsk, 3 hours 

This small town is located 20 km from Abakan, on the border of Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk region. Minusinsk is one of the oldest towns in Siberia, it appeared in 1739 and got the status of a city in 1823. The discovery of a rich deposit of gold in 1840-s led to an increase in the number of settlers and the development of the area. Till 1917 the town was also a place of exile for prisoners of all kinds. Today Minusinsk has a population of 80,000 people. It is a nice Siberian town with broad streets, traditional log houses decorated with beautiful carvings. You will have a walking tour of the Old Town, a visit to the Spassky Cathedral and the Martyanov Museum of Regional Studies.

The Martyanov Museum of Regional Studies. Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Monday. Founded in 1877 by a Minusinsk druggist Nikolay Martyanov, the museum soon became known in Russia and around the world as the "Siberian Miracle" or the "Gem of Siberia". Already at that time it had the largest archaeological collection in Russia, and today, with its 140,000 exhibits, the museum is one of the best of its kind in the country. The archaeological collection contains more than 30,000 items among which are some rare bronze articles, the ethnographical collection chronicles the history of indigenuos peoples of Southern Siberia and Asia. There are also displays on flora and fauna of the region and a library with 100,000 books in it.

Spassky Cathedral. Built in the beginning of the 19th century in Siberian Baroque style the Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches in Siberia. It is located in the Old Town, near the Museum of Regional Studies. During Stalin's purges in the 1930's the cathedral was closed, the bells and icons were taken away, but in 1943 the implements were returned to the church and it was reopened to the public. However the bells were placed back on the cathedral's bell tower only in 1989 and today the beautiful chimes can be heard from anywhere in town.

Tour of Sayano-Shushenskaya H.P.S., 8 hours

This tour will take you to the Sayano-Shishenskaya Hydroelectric Power Station, the largest in the country and one of the biggest hydroelectric power projects in the world. You will pass by ancient stone statues made by some unknown artists of the past, peaceful valleys, the young town of Sayanogorsk and the old village of Maina.

The road from the village to the dam location was won over from the river by making a marble-filled embankment. Yes, it is made of marble, since there is no other material in these parts. The mountains are of marble and the bed of the Yenisei itself is of marble whose reserves in the region are enough to last out 2,500 years of intensive quarrying.

Excursion to the H.P.S. is followed by a picnic in taiga, on the bank of the Yenisei river. You will enjoy the majestic quiet of the primordial taiga forest surrounding you not unlike a boundless green sea, while the aroma of fish soup from grayling, a rare and exceptionally delicious fish, cooked on a campfire reflected by the mirror-like surface of the reservoir will make your mouth water.

Excursion to the Village of Shushenskoye, 8 hours

Shushenskoye is located 80 km from Abakan, in Krasnoyarsk region. In the Soviet time every school kid knew the name of this village - it was the Memorial Museum "Lenin's Exile to Siberia". Today its main attraction is the Open-Air Ethnographical Museum "Siberian Village of the 19th century". 29 homesteads with houses and courtyard buildings take you back in history, to the times when exiled revolutionaries served their sentence here. You will see the village grocery/hardware store, pub, the local courthouse and jail, explore naturally beautiful surroundings - the Sand and the Crane Hills, pine forest, Perovo lake, the cabin in which Lenin used to rest during his walks in the forest. Enjoy a delicious lunch of Siberian cuisine in a local restaurant.