Manzherok is where the Altai begins to feel like mountains. The village sits on the Katun River, which runs a startling turquoise, colored by glacial silt, through a valley of larch, birch and meadows with snowy peaks beyond. It is the first of a string of resort villages along the Chuysky Trakt, the old highway that runs from Biysk through the Altai Republic to the Mongolian border, and for many riders it is the first moment the road starts to climb in earnest.
The Chuysky Trakt, M52, has a reputation as one of the most beautiful roads in Russia, even in the world, a claim made by travel writers for decades. It follows an ancient caravan route that Russian engineers turned into a proper road in the 1920s and 1930s, and it passes through steppe, taiga and alpine country in the space of a few hundred kilometers. Here at Manzherok, the surroundings are gentle: a small lake, a ski slope with a chairlift that runs in summer for the view, and holiday camps tucked into the trees. Gorno-Altaysk, the republic's capital, is about eighteen kilometers away.
The ride beyond is where the character emerges. The road follows the Katun upstream through green gorges, with the river flashing below, and then climbs through the Seminsky Pass before descending toward Onguday. Surfaces are generally good, but trucks and tour buses make passing awkward, and cattle sometimes graze beside the road. Weather changes quickly in the mountains: bright sunshine can give way to sudden rain, and mountain mist can hide the peaks.
The village has shops, cafes and some fuel along the main road, but Gorno-Altaysk has the bigger stations and supermarkets, so fill the tank there before the climb. In summer, horse flies and gadflies are a nuisance, and in September the nights turn cold. The best months are June and early September, when the air is clear and the larches begin to turn gold. Altai honey, sold at roadside stalls, is a local specialty, and a jar makes a good souvenir. Always check the road conditions after heavy rain, as landslides and washouts can close sections.