The Altai Mountains extend across four countries in a northwest-to-southeast direction. The entire mountain system is approximately 1,650 km long and 130–200 km wide.

But the scale alone does not explain what makes Altai so distinctive.

This is a place where Siberian taiga meets Central Asian steppe, where forests climb towards alpine meadows, and where high peaks, glaciers, rivers, lakes and open valleys create dramatically different landscapes within one interconnected mountain system.

Crossing a national border does not mean leaving Altai behind. The mountains, ecosystems and botanical habitats continue from one country into another.
In China, the Altay region combines high mountains and glaciers with forests, alpine meadows, rivers and lakes.

In Mongolia, the Altai becomes increasingly open and rugged, with vast valleys, high-altitude steppe and snow-covered peaks.
In Kazakhstan, the mountains form part of the eastern landscape of the country, with forests, lakes, mountain valleys and alpine environments.

And across Russia, the Altai continues through another extensive area of mountain forests, steppe, lakes and high-altitude landscapes.

Four countries — but one remarkable natural region.

One of the defining features of Altai is its extraordinary variety of landscapes and growing conditions.

For Siberian Green, Altai is not simply an inspiring landscape. It is also part of the geography behind our products.

We source botanical raw materials from different areas across the wider Altai region, selecting ingredients from this unique mountain territory that stretches through China, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. For us, the important thing is not a political border on the map, but the origin and quality of the botanical raw material itself.

Different parts of Altai offer different landscapes, climates and growing conditions. Forests, mountain valleys, steppe and alpine areas each support their own plant communities.

Among the botanicals traditionally associated with the wider Altai and Siberian natural environment are Rhodiola rosea, Leuzea (Maral Root), sea buckthorn, fireweed (Ivan Chai), nettle and many other herbs, roots and berries.

This connection to place is an important part of the Siberian Green philosophy. When we choose botanical ingredients, we are interested not only in the plant itself, but also in where it comes from. 

Nature does not follow borders. Looking at Altai as one natural region rather than four separate pieces helps explain why its geography is so fascinating.

Mountain ecosystems do not stop at checkpoints. A forest does not change because a line appears on a map. A mountain river may begin in one area and continue towards another. Plant habitats follow altitude, temperature, water and soil rather than national borders.

This is particularly important when thinking about botanical ingredients. The character of a plant is connected to its environment — the altitude at which it grows, the climate, the soil, the length of the growing season and many other natural factors.

That is why geographical origin matters to Siberian Green. Our approach to Altai is not about choosing one country over another. It is about looking at the mountain region as a whole and finding botanical raw materials in the areas where they naturally belong.

Few mountain systems bring together so many different landscapes.

In one part of Altai, you can find dense forests and river valleys. Elsewhere, the landscape opens into enormous stretches of steppe. Higher in the mountains, forests give way to alpine meadows, rocky slopes, glaciers and permanently snow-covered peaks.

Water is another defining element of Altai. Mountain rivers, clear lakes and glacial waters shape valleys and ecosystems throughout the region.

This combination of mountains, forests, steppe, alpine meadows, rivers, lakes and glaciers creates a mosaic of natural environments across thousands of kilometres.

It also helps explain why Altai has such a strong botanical identity.

For Siberian Green, however, Altai should never be reduced to a list of useful plants. It is first and foremost a living landscape.

Its botanical richness exists as part of much larger ecosystems — forests, mountain meadows, river valleys and high-altitude environments that have developed over thousands of years.

The people of Altai have also lived alongside these landscapes for generations, developing their own traditions and knowledge of local plants and natural resources.

This connection between place, plants and people is part of what makes Altai so distinctive.

And it is something we want to preserve in the way we tell the story of our ingredients.