When it comes to talking about domestic lakes, almost everyone immediately thinks of Baikal. Or they begin to discuss the Caspian: is it a sea or a lake? And in Russia, by the way, there are many other, no less wonderful freshwater bodies that are just waiting for you to stop by and visit them. Especially now, when it’s already five minutes to summer.
We have selected five of the most interesting and unusual options for a wide variety of holidays on the lakes.
Spoiler: There will be no Baikal.
Seliger
We know, we know, this lake is known to everyone and is very often present in all thematic collections. But it’s simply impossible to resist and not recommend once again dropping everything and giving up on Seliger! At least for a week. This is not even one, but a whole system of lakes of glacial origin, located in the Novgorod and Tver regions.
Seliger is one of the cleanest reservoirs in our country (Teletskoye Lake and Lake Baikal are also on the list). Thanks to the special composition of the water, its shores are never overgrown with silt, so here you can easily see fish swimming in the depths or see what pebbles lie at the bottom. And it’s quite comfortable to go in barefoot.
Already in June, the water temperature here is suitable for swimming – about 17°C. For the convenience of vacationers, there are specially equipped beaches (as well as wild ones), recreation centers and various entertainments. For example, riding on catamarans, boats and yachts, the opportunity to rent a bicycle or go on a walk.
How to get there:
From Moscow – by bus to Ostashkov station (about 7 hours on the road, tickets cost from 1,400 rubles*) or by train (from 700 rubles*) with a transfer to an electric train in the city of Bologoe. You can also use a personal or rented car (from 3,000 rubles per day*).
Where to stay:
Tourists often choose the small and cozy Wish Hotel Seliger (from 5,200 rubles*) or atmospheric and comfortable park-hotel “Vselug” (from 6,300 rubles*). But you can also spend the night in a tent!
Dzhulukul, Altai
This name is even pleasant to pronounce. Try this: Ju-lu-kul. It’s like rolling a little candy on your tongue.
But this body of water is remarkable, of course, not only from an orthoepic point of view. Located in the Altai Mountains, in the basin of the Shapshalsky ridge, it is located at a high altitude – 2200 meters above sea level. The Chulyshman River originates from here, this place is sacred to the indigenous people.
In general, there are many lakes in the Altai mountains, about 250. Dzhulukul is the second largest after Teletskoye: its length is 11 km, and the maximum depth is 7 meters. The lake is located on the territory of the reserve, so a unique relict landscape from the Ice Age has been preserved there!
Large-scale bird colonies gather here (the highest mountain colony of cormorants and gulls), yellow poppies grow and thickets of dwarf birches spread. But the most important thing is that in summer there are quite comfortable conditions for swimming, the water warms up to 18-26 ℃. True, there is one thing: getting here is not easy. For this reason, Julukul will appeal to lovers of eco-tourism, secluded routes and absolute unity with nature.
How to get there:
By plane to Gorno-Altaisk (from 7,000 rubles*), then along the Chuysky tract by bus or by car to the village of Kosh-Agach. Here you will need a guide with an SUV who will accompany you to the lake (120 km). The safest way is to look for a guide through the staff of the reserve, which provides such services to tourists.
Where to stay:
The nearest settlements are about 100 km away. You can stay, for example, in the village of Kosh-Agach in the glamping “Forest and Sea” or spend the night in your own tent. Please note that long-term camping is prohibited on site.
Manych-Gudilo, Kalmykia
The lake with an unusual name is the smallest in Russia. In some places its depth is only 60 centimeters. But the length is a completely different matter: 53 kilometers! Most of the lake is located in Kalmykia, the rest are distributed in the territories of the Rostov region and Stavropol Territory.
Manych-Gudilo is extremely popular among tourists: it has unique landscapes, healing mud and the healing properties of highly mineralized water (it is salty here, by the way). There is plenty of entertainment here in summer. You can swim, kite surf and even paraglide. The lake also has its own islands. The largest are Water (a herd of wild horses lives on it) and Bird, where swans, herons and seagulls nest.
Fish is not found in the salt water of Manych-Gudilo, but the Manych River flows through the lake, which is of great interest to fishermen.
How to get there:
By plane to Stavropol it takes about 2.5 hours (from 4,500 rubles*) from Moscow, then about three hours by bus to the village of Kievka (a ticket costs about 750 rubles*), You can rent a car (from 4,000 rubles* per day). From there it is 13.5 km to the lake by taxi or rented car.
Where to stay:
For example, at the Champagne design hotel in the center of Stavropol (from 2,500 rubles *) or the cozy hotel “Melissa” (from 3,000 rubles*).
Vishtynetskoe lake, Kaliningrad region
It will still be about Baikal. Just not the one you were thinking about, but the “Baikal of Europe” located in the Kaliningrad region. Lake Vishtynets, located on the Russian-Lithuanian border, received this unofficial name. It is very clean, incredibly picturesque, deep (in some places – up to 54 meters), and also ancient. According to researchers, the lake was formed about 20,000 years ago and, it turns out, is much older than even the Baltic Sea! There are specially equipped places for swimming. The entrance is gentle and comfortable. You can swim, sunbathe and fish.
We recommend visiting the nearby museums or taking a walk through the famous Rominten Forest. Here you can easily meet roe deer, wild boars and moose. It is considered special luck to spot a lynx.
How to get there:
By plane to Kaliningrad (from 3,200 rubles* with departure from Moscow), and from there – by taxi or rented car (from 2,700 rubles* per day).
Where to stay:
Possible in Kaliningrad. From here it is 170 km to the lake (a little over two hours by highway). For example, at the Golden Bay hotel (from 3,000 rubles*) or at one of the recreation centers directly by the lake. Permission to enter the territory of the State Budgetary Institution KO “Natural Park “Vishtynetsky”” must be obtained in advance.
White Lake, Vologda Region
White Lake is located in the west of the region, between Lake Onega and the Rybinsk Reservoir, and ranks seventh in the list of the largest lakes in Europe. This is a suitable option for fishermen and lovers of surprises. Why? On average, the depth of White Lake is 6 meters, but there are holes in it that reach 112 meters. There are also more than 30 species of fish here!
Those who choose this particular place for relaxation will be able to see why the lake is called White. The fact is that during sunset the sky becomes very dark, and the illusion arises that the water is emitting phosphorescent white light. This is due to the fine white clay located at the bottom, but this does not make the sight any less beautiful.
During the day it’s also interesting here. The water temperature on the hottest day can be around +21°C, but most often it is a little cooler. True, this does not seem to bother vacationers at all. There are usually quite a lot of tourists here in June.
Most of the shore is covered with forests, which makes approaching the water much more difficult. But there are beach areas, for example, in the area of the ancient city of Belozersk. Which, by the way, also has something to look at.
If you are traveling with children, be sure to check out the fabulous park “Goldfish Possession”, located on the eastern shore of the lake in the village of Lipin Bor. There are many attractions, playgrounds and all sorts of interesting things. We also recommend taking a look at Charlama Falls. You can get there by taxi or rented car.
How to get there:
By plane to Cherepovets (from 4,600 rubles*), and from there it’s about two hours by taxi or bus to Belozersk (450 rubles*). You can also travel from Moscow by train to Vologda (from 770 rubles*), and from there – to White Lake also by bus or taxi.
Where to stay:
In the convenient and comfortable Legenda apart-hotel in Belozersk (from 2,500 rubles) or in one of the recreation centers located on the shore.
*Prices valid at time of publication.
