These grassy highlands, shared between Russia and Kazakhstan, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site titled the Golden Mountains of Altai. Not only are they a precious ecological preserve, but they are the site of incredibly important archaeological discoveries related to Scythian culture, such as the beguiling "Ice Maiden" found in a permafrost tomb.
But while the larger Russian side of the plateau has been extensively excavated, the Kazakh side is largely unknown and untouched. It’s not much, but this sliver of land is the easternmost reach of Kazakhstan’s borders. Visiting the Ukok Plateau can be done only with the permission of the border guards in Arshaty.
