Lonely Planet Russia: Western Siberia

Discover Russia. Includes FREE planning and background information. Stretching from the Urals to the mining towns of Novokuznetsk and Kemerovo via the mountains and rivers of Altai, Western Siberia encapsulates Russia-s great cultural, natural and ethnic diversity. Crossing the Urals has always been as much a mental step as a physical one, and on the journey one sees the influence and reach of Moscow noticeably begin to wane. The stunning underbelly of the region, the beautiful Altai Mountains, are home to lush forests and eternally snow-capped peaks, as well as centuries-old standing stone idols and long winding passes through magnificently desolate landscapes.