It will probably be trivial to write about Altai as "the edge of a thousand lakes." Moreover, there are much more of these reservoirs. And they are very different. There are fresh, salted and healing. There are those that formed even before the ice age. The mysterious Altai Territory attracts travelers with its mountains and valleys . Its lakes surprise 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.
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 whole Altai Territory. The lakes here are located mainly in the center of this lowland. The climate is dry, 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 salty, like the sea, or even bitter. The largest lake has the same name as the lowland - Kulundinskoe. It is also called the Altai Sea. Its depth is not more than three meters, so lovers of beach holidays really appreciate it . Moreover, there are a lot of convenient places with a fine sand around it. The deepest lake in this steppe is the Big Spring. And not far from Kulundinsky there is also a healing reservoir with healing mud. This is Kuchuk lake. It is said that the properties of its water are similar to the composition of the Dead Sea.
Light or Swan
But there are unique lakes that are not famous for either size or depth. Nevertheless, they attract tourists with their natural properties. Such 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 very shallow, not more than one and a half meters. But this is the second winter 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 the fierce cold. It is interesting that swans have been flying here for wintering 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 is visible in any place. Because of this, Swan Lake in the Altai Territory is also called Svetly. People can observe here the behavior of birds in the wild from a special observation deck with windows.
Mikhailovsky Lake, Altai Territory
This interesting pond is located fifteen kilometers from the nearby village. Therefore, it is often called Mikhailovsky. However, his other name, Raspberry, is more famous and popular. So he was nicknamed because his water is pinkish. Its color comes from a special kind of microscopic crustaceans that live there. The water here is so salty that you can lie on its surface and read the newspaper. But walk along the bottom with caution, and it is best to have special shoes. Many tiny shells with sharp edges can scratch your legs. But this does not frighten tourists who travel from all over the country to visit the crimson lake famous throughout the Altai Territory. Rest here is simply magnificent, especially since the landscapes along the coast are amazingly beautiful. Since the lake is quite large, nearby you can find sanatoriums, and private hotels, and campsites. And if you are a supporter of "wild" rest, then just put up a tent on the beach and stay alone with the pristine nature.
Bitter
The water of this lake in its composition resembles the mineral water "Essentuki-17". She is bitter and salty. Hence the name of the lake. People come here to be treated with mud. Their deposits are very many at the bottom. In the west, blue clay comes to the surface. Gorky Lake (Altai Territory) is surrounded by pine forests. There are many equipped beaches built here - with cabins, stairs, along which you can go down to the water, and so on. This area was recognized as a balneological resort in 1918. Swimming in the lake heals the nervous system and skin diseases. And here you can visit a forest farm with various interesting animals - yaks, ostriches, camels.
Lakes of Altai Mountains
But not only in the steppe you can find unique and interesting ponds. Locals believe that the mountains are stone poetry, singing the Altai Territory. The lakes here 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 looks 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 those where people bathe in the summer and relax. And there are almost inaccessible, with a chilling dead beauty, a depth of several tens of meters, and even with waterfalls.
Altai Territory, Lake Teletskoye
This huge body of water 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 directly like computer graphics depicting the Alps. And since more than seventy rivers flow into it, the water has very high transparency. Visibility in it is up to fifteen meters in depth, so Teletskoye is often compared with Lake Baikal. Yes, and the lake is surrounded by some natural wonders - caves and waterfalls, bays with semiprecious stones ... To the delight of tourists, numerous recreation centers and guest houses have been built here, which work in the winter. Among them can be called such as "Artybash" and "Golden Lake". On Teletskiy, it will be good for lovers of a contemplative, relaxing holiday, and extreme sports. Chalets offer excursions on ATVs, boats, bicycles, river rafting, diving. On the lake there is also a terrible legend about the "forest of the drowned." They say that everyone who died in it does not emerge, but sway in the depths of the waters in limbo. Despite this, romantics prefer to get to the stone Island of Love in order to perpetuate their feelings.
Aya Lake
Although, as already mentioned above, cold mountain rivers (including 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 is heated in the summer to thirty degrees Celsius. For the Altai Mountains, this is an exceptional phenomenon. An unusually picturesque lake is located in the intermountain valley. It is surrounded by pine forests and cliffs. Here, too, has its own "Island of Love" with a special gazebo. It can be reached not only by boat, but also by swimming. There is a good beach on the shore, there is a catamaran rental, a recreation area with pensions, bases, health centers. Hummingbirds, Empire of Tourism and Shambhala are the most popular places to stay.
Reviews about holidays in Altai
Travelers, lovers of nature, privacy or extreme pastime, love to come here, and often write about it on the forums or in social networks. They like the Altai Territory. They call the local lakes fabulous. In the steppe region, they are most attracted to saline reservoirs with healing mud and minerals that resemble the Dead Sea. Some compare the treatment in the Altai Lakes with Israel, where they also managed to visit. They write that their health can be improved in Russia, moreover, at a lower cost. As for the Altai mountains, only enthusiastic reviews are left about it. Amazing nature, interesting culture, fresh air leave the best impressions.