Behind Our Name

Altai (Алтай Республика) : a beautiful mountainous region of Siberia, Russia, abounding in lakes, streams, and wildlife. Named also for the Altai mountain range, this region is home to the endangered snow leopard.

Pronounced “ahl-tye”, this region borders three other countries: Kazakstan, Mongolia, and China, making this region one of four corners of the world.

The name itself stems from two Mongolian words: al (gold) and tai (mountains). Thus giving the meaning “gold-bearing” or “the place where there is gold” .

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” (Leo Tolstoy)