At all times, water was calming, and therefore lakes were considered symbols of peace and silence. If you want not just to relax, but to reboot with quality, take a closer look at our selection: we have selected five very beautiful and unusual Russian lakes that are definitely worth a visit.
Kezenoi-Am
Kezenoy-Am (variants of the name – Eizenam, Kazenoy-Am, Kezenoyam) – the largest lake in the North Caucasus is located on the southern slope of the Andean ridge. The impression of the place depends on the weather: when it’s sunny, the water is an amazing turquoise-green color. In cloudy weather – which, by the way, happens here very rarely – the valley is particularly gloomy. But on any day Kezenoy-Ama is surprisingly calm and quiet. There are almost no winds here due to the surrounding mountains, and the surface of the water sparkles like a mirror.
Today Lake Kezenoy-Am is a natural heritage site of the region and is protected by the state. Thanks to this, it was possible to preserve the local flora and fauna here.
Travelers come here not only to admire the natural beauty, but also to improve their health: mountain air heals the body, swimming in the purest invigorating water gives energy, and peace and quiet helps relieve stress.
How to get there: by plane to Grozny, and upon arrival take a car, from the airport to the lake 108 km.
Where to stay:
Near Grozny airport: Arena City Hotel (from 4000 rubles per night)
Grozny: The Local Hotels Grozny (from 6500 rubles per night)
Lotus Lake
A real miracle of nature in the Volgograd region: in August lotuses bloom here, which seem to come from nowhere in this part of Russia. The flowers were first noticed in 2007, and no one really knows where they came from. According to one version, a local resident gave lotuses to his beloved wife, and they quickly grew over a small pond.
Today, thanks to the care of local residents, the lake is a real miniature oasis among the steppes. In addition to lotuses, reeds, ferns and sedges grow here, dragonflies fly and frogs croak. There are no fish, however, and you won’t be able to swim either. But that’s not why they come here: tourists are attracted by the beauty and uniqueness of the place.
If you want to admire the lotuses in bloom, plan your trip for August or early September. The spectacle is worth seeing: large pink flowers rise high out of the water and turn to follow the sun. In Russia, such beauty can be seen in the Far East, in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Caspian Sea.
How to get there: by plane to Volgograd, then by car. From the airport to the lake it is only 37 km.
Where to stay:
Volzhsky: “Akhtuba” (from 1200 rubles per day)
Volgograd: “Old Stalingrad” (from 3580 rubles per day)
Volgograd: Hampton by Hilton Volgograd (from 6000 rubles per day) day)
Elton
The largest salt lake in Europe is located in the middle of the Volga steppe. The name comes from the Kazakh “Altyn-nur”, which means “golden lake”. It is called this because of the unusual color of the water: it is golden-pink. Elton is beautiful at any time of the year, but we recommend coming in May, when the bright water contrasts with the green steppe, and the salt crystals lying on the banks sparkle in the almost summer sun.
By the way, there is more salt and minerals here than in the Dead Sea – and this is an excellent reason to improve your health. On the shores of the lake there are several sanatorium complexes where the nervous and musculoskeletal systems are treated. Silt mineral mud is considered medicinal (its properties are not inferior to the mud of the Dead Sea) and brine – a salty sediment formed after water evaporates in the sun.
But, of course, you can come here not for treatment: just relax, take a walk, breathe the salty air and recharge your batteries.
How to get there: the most convenient and profitable way is to fly to Volgograd, and then take a car and drive 206 km to the lake.
Where to stay:
Akhtubinsk: “Julia” (from 2200 rubles per day)
Hotel “Volgograd” (from 3980 rubles per day)
Lake Ladoga
We advise everyone who is tired of the noise, bustle and abundance of news to get into the car and go on a road trip to the Ladoga Skerries Nature Reserve. Silence, peace, fishing, hiking through the forests and contemplating the smooth surface of the water will help you come to your senses and relax.
In the summer there is great fishing, a lot of mushrooms and berries, but we recommend planning a trip at the end of April to catch real spring. At this time, ice drift begins on Ladoga, the lake is freed from ice, streams are bubbling, willows are blooming and returning birds are singing.
And in April you can meet Ladoga ringed seals. There are no more than three thousand of them left in nature, and they usually live in inaccessible corners of the reserve. But in the spring, during the mating season, seals actively explore the shores, and guests of small hotels have repeatedly boasted that they were able to photograph these cute animals.
How to get there: to St. Petersburg by plane or train (see what is more profitable for you), and then transfer to a rented car. From the city to the lake 58 km.
Where to stay:
Priozersk: “Point on the map” (from 6,200 rubles per day)
Vsevolzhsk: “Willingston Residence”, a house with five bedrooms (from 16,000 per day)
Toksovo: “Hunter’s House” (from 2200 rubles per day)
Baikal
A lake that needs no introduction. In winter people come here to ride snowmobiles on the legendary ice of amazing blue color, and in summer they come here to swim, fish, pick berries and see numerous sights (Olkhon alone is worth it!). And at any time of the year the holiday will be unforgettable.
And many also consider Baikal a place of power. People come not only to Olkhon to relax and calm their minds; they are also attracted by Cape Khoboy, where the first Baikal shaman was born, and Mount Zhima. Also visit the slightly less famous island of Ogoy, where there is a Buddhist stupa. They say that if you walk around it eight times and make a wish, it will come true.
How to get there: by plane to Irkutsk, then by car (about 65 km).
Where to stay:
“Mayak” (from 4200 rubles per day)
“Anastasia” (from 4500 rubles per day)
“Nikola” (from 3800 rubles per day )
