Duet with nature: An Altai folklore singer never sings alone

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.

The mountainous areas of the Altai (3,134 kilometers from Moscow) are, together with Lake Baikal, Siberia’s most popular tourist areas.

Altai, as one of the few places in the world in which a unique type of oral folklore endures, is a place of storytelling.

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.

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.

The longest kaichi performance can last several days.