An amazing place is in the vicinity of Abakan. Surrounded by hills overgrown with relict forest, lies a beautiful lake, once considered sacred. People had to sacrifice him, and animals - roe deer, elk - found protection here. This lake is called Balankul. Khakassia is rich in beautiful natural reservoirs, but Balankul ("Elk Lake" in Khakassian) is almost the most popular. One of the reasons for this is its convenient location, which makes it easy and quick to get here from the surrounding cities and towns. The second and main reason is the unique nature around the lake and the purity of its waters.
Location, how to get there
If you count in a straight line, then about 80 km, and if on the road, then Lake Balankul (Khakassia) is located 100 km from the city of Abakan. How to get to it and on what? Unfortunately, public transport does not go there. Therefore, you can get to the lake only by car. Those who come to Abakan from distant places and want to visit this natural site can take a taxi. The route from the capital of Khakassia is as follows: you need to follow the highway to the city of Askiz (A161). According to the sign for the 63rd km, turn right towards Ust-Kamysht, pass it and follow to the village of Pulankol. It used to be called the lake. Here, the asphalt smoothly turns into a gravel road. From this village remains to drive somewhere else 25 km, focusing on signs.
Road condition
Those who go to Lake Balankul (Khakassia) should be patient. The landscapes on the A161 highway are waiting for them a little tiring because of their uniformity. Around the steppe and fields. Hills are visible only on the horizon. The only thing you can hold your eyes on is Lake Khankul with herons that have chosen it and ancient menhirs that sometimes come in its way. But the drivers in this section are good, as the road is always smooth, with asphalt under the wheels. A completely different picture opens up after a turn. The closer to the village of Pulankol, the more beautiful it is around, because now the path lies along the pre-taiga zone. Here, larch, birch and pine displaced the steppe, and hills and mountain hills were within reach. The surrounding landscapes delight the eye and soul. But the drivers in this area are hard, especially on the dirt road. Even in good weather it’s hard to go along it, and it’s completely impossible to go into a mud, which must be taken into account when going to Lake Balankul (Khakassia). The last section you need to go through the forest to climb. The mirror of the reservoir opens unexpectedly. It seems that the lake formed as if in the crater of a frozen volcano.
Geographical description of the lake
From a height, one can clearly see what interesting shape Lake Balankul (Khakassia) has. Photos taken at close range demonstrate the soul-stirring beauty of its shores, the expanse of water frozen under the blue sky. And from above it can be seen that the reservoir consists of two sections — an almost oval large part and a narrow one, elongated to the southeast. The maximum length of the reservoir at the most extreme points is about a kilometer. The width in the first part is 625 meters, and in the second - 76. At the same time, the depth can reach 6 meters, and off the coast and in the beach area it can be reduced to 1.5 meters. But Lake Balankul (Khakassia) within its borders is very unstable. Once every 12 years, it leaves the coast and significantly increases its mirror. The reason for this is flood and spring tides. Thanks to them, the volume of water in the lake increases from 1 to 120 million cubic meters.
The banks of the Balankul are mostly gentle, there are sandy, and grassy. From the western side, a coniferous-deciduous forest approaches directly to the water. There are equipped beaches on the eastern shore, and the northern one is composed of sedimentary rocks. On this site there are quite powerful springs. The lake is located on a hill of almost 840 meters. The spurs of the Small and Sakhsarsky Pistags formed a ring around this reservoir, torn only in the southern side. There lies a valley along which the Fir Stream and the small source of the Small Syr river flow. Not far from the pond we are considering there is a cave, which is also interesting to visit.
The fauna in the lake area is unusually rich, because almost immediately after it the taiga begins. Here you can see many birds, roe deer, foxes, squirrels, and sometimes even bears.
Rest on Lake Balankul (Khakassia) as a savage
The geographic features of the shores of the lake make it possible to have a wonderful vacation with savages, which most tourists do. There are excellent conditions for setting up a camp, for making a campfire, making barbecue, swimming and walking in the woods. There are also plenty of places to park the car. People who choose such a vacation should take food with them, as the nearest store is located in the village of Pulankol, and drinking water. Although the water in the lake itself is weakly mineralized (level 0.4 g / liter), it is fresh and, according to the latest data, so clean that it is suitable for household needs without additional purification. The most interesting activity on the lake is fishing. In the waters of Balankul there are lines, pike, carp, perches. Fishing is possible at any time of the year.
Civilized rest
On the shores of Lake Balankul there is a wonderful camp site called Elk Lake. In the shade of larch and pine, 5 wooden cottages with a total capacity of 36 people harmoniously look. The rooms here are without amenities (toilet and shower on site), but with excellent furniture, a refrigerator, dishes. One of the five houses with amenities. There is a cafe, a bathhouse, a barbecue, a rental point for fishing tackle, boats and mountain bikes at the base. There is also a small equestrian club offering horseback riding.
Lake Balankul (Khakassia) has been known for many years as a local children's resort. Here and now there are two children's camps: “Balankul”, in which young athletes of Khakassia mainly rest and train, and “Eaglet”.
Reviews
Many people call the pearl of the region Lake Balankul (Khakassia). Reviews note that rest here pleases complete unity with nature, so far this reservoir is located from civilization. Pluses of the object:
- the ideal beauty of nature;
- cleanliness of terrain, water, air;
- good conditions for relaxing in a tent, and at the camp site.
Disadvantages:
- poor access to the lake;
- undeveloped infrastructure.