Surely many of us have at least once in our lives heard about such an amazing place as Swan Lake (Altai Territory). Every year, not only locals from nearby cities and villages come here, but also guests from near and even far abroad. What attracts this territory to itself? What is so unusual and fascinating about her? Well, let’s try to figure it out, although, of course, in a nutshell you can’t exactly tell about a miracle called Swan Lake (Altai Territory).
Swan Lake (Altai Territory), the sights of which have recently actually become an object of close attention, is today a well-known reserve in the country. Its territory is protected by law, and hunting and fishing are strictly prohibited here almost year-round.
This article is aimed at introducing the reader to a place called Swan Lake (Altai Territory) as best as possible. How to get there? What to focus on first? What is the principle of organizing a trip? A detailed answer will be given to all these questions.
Section 1. General information about the lake
Swan Lake (Altai Territory), reviews of which cannot but interest any, even the most capricious tourist, is a small pond up to 1 km long, 400 m wide and 1 m average depth. Geographically, it belongs to the Koksha river basin.
On the banks and bottom of Swan there are many hot springs that feed the pond with warm water. Even in severe frosts, the temperature in the lake does not fall below +4 ° C. It should be noted that the water here is always clean and clear, which is why the lake once received its second name "Bright".
In summer, the water temperature rises to +15 ° C, and thanks to the numerous springs, the water body never blooms. Of course, only the bravest ones decide to swim here. But on a boat or catamaran, it is always a pleasure to ride on a transparent surface.
By the way, this is the only place in Russia where swans winter each year, which for the characteristic trumpet sound began to be called whoopers.
Section 2. Do you know what? ..
Arriving at Swan Lake - Altai Territory generally has a visit - you can not ignore some of the features of the inhabitants themselves. Let's try to highlight some of the most interesting facts. Few people know that, for example, a female cannot be distinguished from a male outwardly. Amazing right?
And due to its size, swans are considered the largest waterfowl on the planet. The weight of adult whoopers can be 15 kg, and the swan wingspan reaches 2 m.
Birds have short legs, but very developed and powerful flying muscles. Also note that swans are very caring parents. After birth, the whoopers are taking care of about two more years.
By the way, since ancient times in Russia, people considered swans to be birds of luck.
Section 3. Swan Lake (Altai Territory): how to get from Barnaul?
You can get to Gorny Altai only through Biysk, after passing which you need to follow to s. Soviet. Further, the driver should carefully monitor the directions of the sign and not forget that Swan Lake (Altai Territory) also has a second name - Svetlye, and that it is most often found in guidebooks.
The distance from Biysk is approximately 70 km.
On the way to the reservoir there is a parking lot, from which you will have to walk about 300 m further on foot. And this automatically means that the shoes and clothes of travelers should be appropriate. There are several piers and a viewing tower on the lake.
In general, you can come to this place at any time of the year and by any type of transport (car, bus, motorcycle or even bicycle), but tourists who have already been here still recommend visiting the reservoir by their own car and it is in the winter. They say that it is then that you can feel its special, incomparable atmosphere.
Section 4. Majestic birds and Swan Lake. Altai Territory Gives Miracles
For the first time, whoopers wintered on the lake in 1967. At first there were 15 individuals, but each year the number of wintering birds increased sharply, and in our time there are more than 450.
In 1973, the Swan Nature Reserve was formed here with an area of ​​more than 38 hectares. This contributed to the increase in the number of swans on the lake, as well as the appearance in this area, during the period of fishing, other species of birds and even animals.
Previously, local residents called it exclusively Bright, but after the wintering of majestic birds in it, the reservoir received a more poetic name - Swan Lake. Altai Territory, a vacation in which annually attracts a lot of vacationers, is generally famous for unusual or even amazing territories.
It should be noted that the population of whoopers living here is completely isolated from other swans. Young birds of strict beauty are gray in color, and adult swans are white and yellow beaks. Until the age of 4, all whoopers find a couple and never change their partner, which is why they are considered a symbol of fidelity.
When swans arrive for the winter with the onset of cold weather, the locals know that it is pointless to hope for warmth: the sun will begin to warm only in the spring, after the swans fly north.
Section 5. What else can you see in this area?
In addition to swans, about 2 thousand ducks winter in the lake. Among them are many mallards, waders, gogol, teal, gull birds, blacks, pintail, gray geese , etc.
Although Swan Lake (Altai Territory), whose photo is likely to decorate any family archive, has become a natural monument, it is still open to the public. And, by the way, is one of the objects in the tourist route along the small ring of Altai.
If on your next vacation you are planning to visit Swan Lake (Altai Territory), how to get there, any local resident will be able to tell you, and some even volunteer to personally lead you to your destination.
However, according to experienced travelers, it is still better to go there in the cold season. In winter, you can see a magnificent sight: the blue expanse of water is framed by snow-white shores with trees covered with hoarfrost, and steam swirls from the lake, among which you can see proud birds.
From viewing platforms on the shore you can enjoy the behavior and graceful beauty of whoopers.
Section 6. Choosing the right time for a trip
So, the goal of our trip is Light, or Swan Lake (Altai Territory). How to get to this object, we have already figured out, now let's talk about the right season to visit.
The best time to visit Swan Lake is, of course, winter, although in summer you can also spend time here with pleasure, admire the picturesque nature and enjoy the fresh air.
But in December of each year, white flocks of proud birds fly onto the ice-free lake and leave this area only in March to fly to the polar regions for nesting. The next year, swans arrive already with their offspring.
These graceful snow-white birds, bringing happiness, gave the lake an extraordinary fairytale beauty, a special atmosphere of tenderness and romance, an aura of innocence and poetry, the energy of love and fidelity.
Section 7. Valuable Tips for Tourists
Tourists who want to visit the Lebedinsky Wildlife Sanctuary should pay attention to the fact that the optimal time for observing swans is the morning before 9:00 or the pre-sunset period. Why? The thing is that by noon most birds fly away. On frosty, windless days, there is a high risk of severe fog, due to which they will not be visible at all.
For some time, swans always keep a certain distance, so there is no need to rush to approach them immediately upon arrival. It’s better to wait until they swim closer themselves.
It will be nice to visit the lake on warm days in late November - early January, when birds fly a lot and generally lead an active lifestyle.
A spyglass or binoculars, warm clothes and hot tea in a thermos are very useful for traveling.
Section 8. Organization of work of the Swan reserve
The swan reserve was created to maintain the ecological balance and preserve the region’s natural complex, preserve the natural habitats of various species of birds and reproduce animals. It consists of forest, meadow, wetlands, almost 100 km of the Katun River and 70 islands.
The welfare of the Swan Reserve is taken care of by the Altaipriroda KGBU. On the shore of the lake to reduce the anxiety of birds built a modern observation deck and equipped with several piers. Also in the near future it is planned to build an ecological trail and a modern pavilion on the territory of the reserve to monitor the behavior of swans.
To maintain birds in winter, KGBU Altaypriroda feeds them with concentrated feed. There is also regular cleaning of the road to the lake and the observation deck from snow and precipitation.
Since 2013, the Swan Wildlife Sanctuary began to take care of OAO Gazprom, which, of course, could not but have a positive effect on the lives of its inhabitants. Considerable cash is now regularly allocated to maintain this territory.
Section 9. Traveler Reviews
Every year, tourists from all over the world come to admire the splendor of Swan Lake. On the positive side, they note a huge number of beautiful pigeons and wild ducks in the reserve, an observation tower on the shore and wooden piers above the water, from which a picturesque panorama opens. There is also a unique opportunity to observe the life of wonderful birds. Visitors were delighted at how close the proud proud beauties swam to the people, giving them the opportunity to feed themselves bread literally from their hands.
Of course, there are also such tourists who did not like the trip. They are outraged by the large number of visitors to the reserve, which are sometimes three times more than the swans themselves. Also, those who visited here did not like the shore of the lake, overgrown with bushes, from which almost nothing is visible, long lines to the pier, narrow flooring, high humidity of the terrain and indecent behavior of tipsy tourists.