Probably, it will be trivial to write about Altai as a "land of a thousand lakes". Moreover, there are many more of these reservoirs. And they are very different. There are fresh, s alty and healing. There are some that formed before the Ice Age. The mysterious Altai Territory attracts travelers with its mountains and valleys. Its lakes amaze scientists with relic flora and fauna and amaze tourists with the beauty of landscapes. The local nature is compared with the Alps and Tibet. Of course, in this short article we will not be able to characterize all the natural reservoirs of these places, but we will try to describe the most interesting and popular ones.
Steppe lakes of Altai
The most attractive of them are located on the territory of the so-called Kulunda lowland. These are the sunniest places in the entire Altai Territory. The lakes here are located mainly in the center of this lowland. Climateit is dry here, winters are cold but not very snowy, and summers are hot. Because of these features, most lakes have a concentrated mineral content in their water. Therefore, they taste s alty, like the sea, or even bitter. The largest lake has the same name as the lowland - Kulunda. It is also called the Altai Sea. Its depth is not more than three meters, so beach lovers appreciate it very much. Moreover, there are a lot of comfortable places with fine sand around it. The deepest lake in this steppe is Big Yarovoye. And not far from Kulundinsky there is also a healing reservoir with therapeutic mud. This is Kuchuk Lake. It is said that the properties of its water are similar to those of the Dead Sea.
Light or Swan
But there are unique lakes that are not famous for their size or depth. Nevertheless, they attract tourists with their natural properties. This is Swan Lake in the Altai Territory. It is located in the Soviet district. The lake is very small - only a kilometer in length. And quite shallow, no more than one and a half meters. But this is the second wintering reserve for whooper swans in Russia. Thousands of warm and hot springs beat around the lake, and thanks to this, the lake does not freeze even in severe cold. It is interesting that swans have been coming here for the winter since recent times - since 1967. Due to the fact that the lake is fed by springs, the water in it is so clean and transparent that the bottom can be seen anywhere in it. It is because of this that Swan Lake in the Altai Territory is also called Svetly Lake. People can watch herewatch the behavior of birds in the wild from a special viewing platform with windows.
Mikhailovskoe Lake, Altai Territory
This interesting reservoir is located fifteen kilometers from the nearby village. Therefore, it is often called Mikhailovsky. However, his other name, Raspberry, is more famous and popular. It is called so because its water is pinkish. Its color comes from a special kind of microscopic crustaceans that live there. The water here is so s alty that you can lie on its surface and read a newspaper. But here you should walk along the bottom with caution, and it is best to have special shoes. Many tiny shells with sharp edges can scratch the legs. But this does not frighten tourists who travel from all over the country to visit Raspberry Lake, famous throughout the Altai Territory. Rest here is simply magnificent, especially since the landscapes along the banks are amazingly beautiful. Since the lake is quite large, not far from it you can find sanatoriums, private hotels, and campsites. And if you are a supporter of "wild" recreation, then just put up a tent on the shore and stay alone with the pristine nature.
Bitter
The composition of the water of this lake resembles the Essentuki-17 mineral water. She is bitter and s alty. Hence the name of the lake. People come here to be treated with mud. There are a lot of their deposits at the bottom. In the west of it, blue clay comes to the surface. Lake Gorkoe (Altai Territory) is surrounded by pine forests. Heremany equipped beaches have been built - with cabins, stairs that can be used to go down to the water, and so on. This area was recognized as a balneological resort in 1918. Bathing in the lake treats the nervous system and skin diseases. And here you can also visit a forest farm with various interesting animals - yaks, ostriches, camels.
Lakes of the Altai Mountains
But not only in the steppe you can find unique and interesting reservoirs. Local residents believe that the mountains are stone poetry that glorified the Altai Territory. The local lakes are also special, surrounded by legends. Some of them lie at the height of alpine meadows. In summer, they are an incredible sight - as if the eye of the mountains is looking at you from placers of yellow, red, blue, purple flowers. Mostly these lakes are of glacial origin, and most of them are cold. But there are also places where people swim and relax in the summer. And there are also practically inaccessible ones, with chilling dead beauty, several tens of meters deep, and even with waterfalls.
Altai Territory, Lake Teletskoye
This huge reservoir was formed as a result of a tectonic fault. It is surrounded by picturesque mountain peaks, whose height is about two and a half thousand meters. Therefore, some photos of this lake look just like computer graphics depicting the Alps. And since more than seventy rivers flow into it, the water has a very high transparency. Visibility in it is up to fifteen meters deep, which is why Teletskoye is often compared with Baikal. Yesand the lake is surrounded by some natural wonders - caves and waterfalls, bays with semi-precious stones … To the delight of tourists, numerous recreation centers and guest houses have been built here, which also work in winter. Among them are such as "Artybash" and "Golden Lake". On Teletskoye it will be good for lovers of a contemplative, relaxing holiday, and extreme people. The camp sites offer excursions on ATVs, boats, bicycles, rafting on the rivers, diving. There is also a terrible legend about the "forest of the drowned" on the lake. They say that all those who died in it do not emerge, but sway in the depths of the waters in limbo. Despite this, romantics prefer to get to the stone "Island of Love" to perpetuate their feelings.
Lake Aya
Although, as mentioned above, cold mountain rivers (including the Katun) flood the Altai Territory, the lakes here are warm, one might even say hot. One of them is Lake Aya. The water in it in summer heats up to thirty degrees Celsius. For the Altai Mountains, this is an exceptional phenomenon. An unusually picturesque lake is located in an intermountain valley. It is surrounded by pine forests and rocks. It also has its own "Island of Love" with a special gazebo. You can get there not only by boat, but also by swimming. On the shore there is a good beach, there is a rental of catamarans, a recreation area with boarding houses, bases, he alth resorts. Hummingbird, Empire of Tourism and Shambhala are the most popular places to stay.
Reviews about holidays in Altai
Travelers, lovers of nature, solitude orextreme pastime, they like to come here, and they often write about it on forums or in social networks. They like the Altai Territory. They call the lakes here fabulous. In the steppe region, they are most attracted to s alty reservoirs with healing mud and minerals, reminiscent of the Dead Sea. Some compare treatment on the Altai lakes with Israel, where they also managed to visit. They write that their he alth can be improved in Russia, moreover, at a lower cost. As for the Altai Mountains, only rave reviews are left about it. Amazing nature, interesting culture, fresh air leave the best impressions.
