What kind of fish is found in the blue lake. Blue lake in Kabardino-Balkaria turned out to be deeper than it was thought

Blue Lakes truly called natural monument located in Cherek region of Kabardino-Balkaria... More precisely: 30 km south of the capital Kabardino-Balkaria, the city of Nalchik, in the valley of the Cherek-Balkarsky river. This is a relatively sparsely populated mountainous region, and the opportunities to enjoy the vibrant beauty of the natural landscapes are truly endless.
A large number of tourists who come to the resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters have the opportunity to get to Blue Lakes as part of organized bus tours. During the summer tourist season, buses from Pyatigorsk, Minvod, Kislovodsk, Nalchik and even from Stavropol, Rostov and Krasnodar travel to these unique places.
It is also quite easy to get here on your own: by bus from Nalchik (Nalchik - Upper Balkaria) to the rural settlement of Babugent. For those who like to travel in comfort, there are unlimited opportunities to use taxi services. If travelers travel by their own vehicles, then, having driven from Nalchik along the E117 / E50 / M29 highway, and turning onto the P291 highway, after 40 kilometers they reach the Babugent village and the Blue Lakes themselves.
Blue Lakes - the beauty and mystery of the mountainous region
This group of reservoirs with a poetic name is not just a beautiful landscape, it is a truly unique place. Five lakes, each with its own characteristics, amazing and beautiful. They are united by their territorial location and the fact that all reservoirs are of karst origin.
Karst lakes are cavities filled with groundwater. The water in them is absolutely transparent, mineralized and purified from various biological impurities. Sometimes it is even called "alive".
The northern slope of the Rocky Ridge is home to unique water bodies: Lower Lake, two Upper, Secret and Sukhoi lakes. The largest and most mysterious of them is the Lower Lake. It has many names (rotten lake; mother of Cherek; round water) and is one of the deepest karst reservoirs in the world. Interestingly, the depth of the Lower Blue Lake is still unknown. No one has yet been able to reach its bottom in any way. The total area of ​​the lake is relatively small - slightly more than two hectares. Opinions about the depth differ: 200 m, 225 m and even 386 m. Researchers suggest that at a depth of 2559 meters there is only a bend, not a bottom: if the data are confirmed, then this lake will be the deepest water source on the entire planet.
This reservoir, stunning in its immensity, is very reminiscent of a mine with sheer walls. In its wide part, the lake is sometimes very shallow (1 m), and sometimes very impressive depth (up to 40 m). The water temperature never changes - about + 9˚С. About 70 million liters of water flows out of this reservoir per day. If we take into account the fact that not a single, even the smallest, river flows into the lake, then one can imagine what power and power the underground sources feed it, because the water level here is always unchanged.
There are no fish at all in the lake. Why is there a fish! Due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the water, there are almost no living creatures in these waters. The water itself is blue and amazing, just perfect, purity and transparency. By the way, the color of the water in this reservoir is not just blue. It is constantly changing, shimmering in various shades of blue, light blue and greenish emerald. It depends on the time of day and the lighting conditions. The transparency of the water is such that you can see through it at a distance of 30 to 50 meters, regardless of weather conditions.
To admire the lake, you need to be very close to it, as dense tree thickets can hide it from sight. Oaks, hornbeams, alder grow around the lake. In the spring in a beautiful frame high mountains blooming bushes of Pontic azalea, wild rose, viburnum. There are a lot of flowering trees around the lake in the spring on a carpet of bright and fragrant herbs.
Blue Lake is a real sight of beauty, amazing... In addition, it is located in a very interesting place - the Cherek Gorge. Over the road leading to the lake, there are cliffs with tunnels about 800 meters long. Chereksky district is famous for the fact that there are five highest Caucasus mountains(over 5000 m) and the longest glacier in Europe. The valley of the lower Blue Lake consists of two large gorges: Balkarskoe and Bezengiyskoe.
Upper lakes popularly called Western and Eastern. They were also called Communicators: they are connected by a dam, and water from the East Lake flows to the West. These reservoirs are rich in fish.
It is no coincidence that the secret lake is called. You can walk very close to him and not even suspect about it. "Secret" Secret Lake the fact that it is located in a sinkhole of great depth. The banks of an almost perfectly round crater are overgrown with beech trees. In such a forest, a feeling of complete peace envelops, here you can spend hours admiring the smooth movements of the carp that live in its warm water. The cosiness and tranquility of this place does not destroy, and maybe even emphasizes a small cafe with a fireplace room, where it is wonderful to spend time in cool weather. And on a fine day, you can admire the mesmerizing view, sitting on his veranda.
Last but not least of the five Blue lakes - Dry or The Lost Lake. In fact, it is a karst sinkhole, the depth of which is about 180 m, as well as sheer walls. And it really was a body of water. The hole was completely filled with water. But the mountains shook and the lake disappeared. Rather, it sank to the bottom of the canyon.
In order to see the lake itself, you have to climb on foot along a rather steep mountain road. It is not easy, but if the difficulties are overcome, then the reward will not be long in coming: a fantastic landscape opens up in front of the travelers: almost vertically directed rocky walls abut the bottom, on which huge boulders are piled chaotically. Ferns with a height of more than two meters grow between the stones. And between the boulders a lake gleams under the sun's rays. You can go down to it only with the help of climbing equipment.

Ancient world of the Caucasus

If amazing natural phenomena are exactly what the trip was started for, then you can not limit yourself to inspecting the lost world of the Blue Lakes, but take a walk around their surroundings. At a quite reachable distance, just 54 kilometers from Nalchik, near the village of Khushtosyrt, there are Chegem waterfalls, amazing water garlands falling in a picturesque narrow well. This spectacle is worthy of the attention of travelers at any time of the year. In winter, it becomes almost unbelievable as the jets of water freeze, transforming the falls into a surreal landscape. Another unique phenomenon, located near the lakes, attracts tourists (and local residents) both in winter and summer. It is a hot spring with a water temperature of about 56 ° C. A specially equipped outdoor swimming pool provides the opportunity to take natural baths, enjoying an amazing sensation.
You can get to the waterfalls by a regular bus that goes to the Bulungu village (stop at the Chegem ferry), or you can take a taxi. Tourists who travel by own car, it is preferable to use the M-29 highway to Pyatigorsk.
The surroundings of the lakes attract not only with impressive landscapes, but also with historical monuments. Traveling around this land, you suddenly find yourself among the fortresses and towers of the Middle Ages. These are witnesses of the history of these places.
Walking along the road to the Lower Lake, you can come across a rocky cave with traces of an ancient parking lots V-X centuries AD.
Moving up the slopes of the gorge beyond the Blue Lakes, you see the Cherek tunnel and sections of the old road. Twenty kilometers further is the settlement of Upper Balkaria, which has more than 400 years of existence. It is easy to get to the ruined ancient village by the suspension bridge behind the village, where the foundations of houses and walls are preserved, which lead the traveler, like the ancient streets of mountain villages. An impregnable watch tower can be seen two kilometers from the village. This cannot be overcome without durable mountaineering equipment.
Legends poeticize the origin of the lakes. The most famous legend tells: the hero-forefather of all the peoples of the Caucasus killed a huge dragon, whose body, falling to the ground, created the Lower Blue Lake.
Another legend is beautifully lyrical: a girl cries over an abyss, grieving over the death of her beloved. Her tears are the water of the Blue Lakes.
The unattainable depth of karst reservoirs is a good basis for other fascinating stories associated with it. The oldest and most romantic one says that the entire cavalry army of Tamerlane with all its military weapons rests at the bottom. A similar, only more relevant story is associated with the flooding of German and Romanian military equipment of the times Civil war... These stories are, of course, unverifiable.
Scientists researchers also do not ignore the unique places. The first descriptions of these natural phenomena were made already in the middle of the 19th century.
Nowadays, divers have joined the study of the Blue Lakes. Jacques-Yves Cousteau, while conducting research, still could not accurately name the depth of the lake.
The clear waters and endless possibilities of the lakes here are simply meant for deep sea diving. Even cold water is not an obstacle for those who like to explore the secrets of karst reservoirs. This is even an advantage, since the constant temperature (+9.3 C) does not allow the lake to freeze, diving takes place at any time of the year. If such an extreme sport is to someone's liking, his chance is the Dive Center on the shores of the Lower Lake. The creation of the center is associated with a kind of record, one might even say - a feat. Roman Prokhorov made a 70-meter dive here in 1982. The enthusiast diver did not even have the appropriate equipment and miraculously survived.
Today, it houses the Underwater Research Center and Diving Club - a base for professional and amateur diving into the blue depths of unusual reservoirs. The center is comfortably equipped and experienced instructors supervise training and dives. They do more than just professional research. For amateurs, classes are held in "extreme groups". Group members dive 15-20 meters. The original design of the two-story building of the center (two-tier, with a lower tier, carved into the rock to provide access directly to the diving site) has all the successful work: a compressor and pressure chamber, rooms for training and equipment storage, comfortable locker rooms. The lower tier is fully equipped with warm floors.
In 2009, on the basis of the Center, an absolute record of diving in Russia was set - 185 meters.
For thrill-seekers, Blue Lakes is not only an extreme diving opportunity. There is a good chance to try yourself in such an unprecedented adventure as rafting - descent along mountain rivers on inflatable rafting boats.
If Lower lake Inhospitable enough for various kinds of living creatures, the Upper Lakes are very rich in fish. In the reservoirs are found carp, trout and carp, grass carp. Fans of fishing will be able to prove themselves for the joy and benefit of those around them.

Traveling in comfort

How organized a tourist route on the Blue Lakes, completely depends on the possibilities and desires of the travelers themselves. If there is not much time, but impressions beckon, then the "weekend tour" will be optimal. Such excursions are regularly organized by recreation centers, boarding houses and travel companies. The tour includes: accommodation in a comfortable hotel, travel, insurance and an interesting story of the guide or guide.
If tourists have a lot of time, are in the mood for relaxation and a longer acquaintance with the enchantingly beautiful bodies of water, there are numerous hotels and tourist bases located in the vicinity of the Blue Lakes and in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria.
Tourist base "Blue Lakes" - a wonderful opportunity for a comfortable stay not only for mountain tourism and diving enthusiasts. It is good to have a rest here with the whole family. The base has modern, comfortable rooms. Specialist guides conduct multidirectional excursion programs... On the territory of the camp site there is a conveniently equipped bathhouse with a swimming pool. The buildings are heated, which makes it possible to relax at any time of the year.
Hotel "Blue Lake" offers its guests opportunities for a comfortable stay, as well as excellent dishes of national cuisine, a cafe, a bar.

Hotels in Nalchik

Hotel "Grand Caucasus" , located in a clean sanatorium and park area of ​​the city of Nalchik, provides for tired travelers the comfort of spacious rooms, gyms, massage rooms and much more. The hotel conducts excursions to the most amazing and beautiful places of Kabardino-Balkaria.
The Rossiya Hotel was built in the center of Nalchik. Not far from it there is a musical and drama theater, many cinemas, a huge shopping center and many other equally important objects.
Hotel "CINDICA" it is a convenient opportunity not only for relaxation, but also for taking care of your health. V hotel includes: the congress center, which is the venue for events that are significant for the entire region, and the health and wellness building, where you can undergo a variety of health and medical procedures.
Hotel "Crown" located in the most picturesque resort part of Nalchik. It can be equally comfortable for an active traveler and a large family. The territorial location of "Crown" helps to quickly get to the hotel from the airport or railway station. In 5 minutes you can easily walk to the famous park "Dolinsk" - a very large city park in Europe, where you can spend your free time. Moreover, the hotel "Crown" offers all its guests interesting excursion programs that remain in the memory of tourists for a long time.
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The highest peak in Europe, the main ridge of the Kavakaz, mysterious gorges, transparency of the waters of mountain rivers, flower plains, snowy peaks - all these are the most beautiful places in Kabardino-Balkaria. Traveling to this fascinating land is a rich choice of attractions, interesting excursion tours... Photos and videos taken in these places will leave in the memory of this breathtaking trip for a long time.

In this region, you can admire the mysterious Baksan and Chegem gorges, enjoy the power and beauty of the Dzhily-Su tract, marvel at the scale of the towers in the village of Kunnyum and visit many other equally interesting places.

Mountain Elbrus

This is the real pride of the local region, capricious, rebellious and so majestic - the queen among the mountain peaks of the Caucasus. Its name is translated as "eternal mountain", some call it "the mountain of happiness."

The height of Elbrus is more than 5000 meters above sea level, they tried to climb to its top for many years, and only at the beginning of 1829, a group of climbers led by the military leader G.A.Emmanuel climbed to the very peak. The mountain is shrouded in snow, above a large number of glaciers that do not melt even in summer.

A large number of climbers come to this place every day, dreaming of conquering the top. For those who do not want to climb the peak on their own, a cable car has been built.

Mount Cheget

One of the highest mountains in the Caucasus, its height is about 3700 meters. From the mountain you can admire the view of the highest peak in Europe - Elbrus. Another feature of Mount Cheget is the second line cable car, which runs through an area where snow lies throughout the year.

There are 3 sections of the cable car in total. The first one is one of the most popular among tourists, its height is 1500-1600 meters. The second one starts from a height of 2700 meters. The third starts at an altitude of 3100 meters, but the subscription does not apply to it and you can get there only for a fee. The best period for skiing on Cheget is from late November to mid-May, at other times of the year there is a danger of avalanches.

Chegem waterfalls

The real pearl of the Chegem gorge is the Chegem waterfalls. Streams of water fall from a height of 55 meters, breaking off the cliff and flowing out of numerous crevices. A powerful stream of water falls down, and a rainbow appears in a cloud of flying droplets. If you look closely at the rocks, you can see unusual images, all this has been done by water over the years.

Chegem waterfalls are very beautiful and spectacular not only in summer, but also in winter: a large number of icicles hang from above, ice blocks of impressive size rise from below, covering the entire rock.

Waterfall Maiden's Braids

The most powerful waterfall in Kabardino-Balkaria, Devichye Kosa, is located on the Baranyi Lby rocks near the southern slopes of Terskol peak. It got its name not by accident - the streams of water flowing down the small gutters are very reminiscent of the hair of a mountain girl.

Here the water flows in a stormy stream from the melting Gara-Bashi glacier, the height of the Devichye Kos is 25 meters, the width at the lowest part is about 14-15 meters. Close up, the waterfall seems huge and very noisy.

In this place, in 1967, one of the scenes of the movie "Vertical" was filmed with Vladimir Vysotsky in the title role.

Gedmishh waterfalls

In the Zolsk region of Kabardino-Balkaria, 11 kilometers from the village of Khabaz, there is a beautiful cascade of Gedmishkh waterfalls.

Waterfalls fall from a cliff more than 55 meters high; it seems that rocks and trees hang over your head with a huge umbrella, along the edges of which water flows. The waterfall is especially beautiful in clear weather, it is filled with sunbeams and reflections of colorful greenery, and many rainbows appear in the spray cloud.

The peculiarity of Gedmishkh is that the water in this place is clean and suitable for drinking, since its sources are the purest springs. Scientists are still studying them, trying to identify the healing properties of this water.

Blue Lakes (Chirik-Kel)

The lakes are a network of 5 karst reservoirs, one of which is considered the second deepest karst source in the world and is an aquiferous karst mine with steep walls. On the surface, the length of the Blue Lake reaches 230 meters, the width is 125 meters, while its depth is not known for sure. The maximum depth of the mine is 258 meters; in the extended upper part, the water depth varies from 0 to 35 meters.

Blue pond - mysterious place, keeping many secrets. One of the main questions is where the lake is replenished from, located 800 meters above sea level. Neither streams nor rivers flow into it, but a river with a daily volume of more than 70,000 cubic meters of water flows out. Scientists suggest that underground springs are located in this place.

Lake Donguz Orun-Kel

It is surrounded by two peaks - Nakra-tau and Donguz-orun-towers, the height of which is 4228 meters and 4450 meters, respectively. Orun-Kel is located at an altitude of just over 3000 meters. In translation, Donguz Orun-Kel means "next to the pig pen."

A feature of Lake Donguz is its unusually beautiful color, which it received thanks to glaciers: along with melting water, minerals from mountain deposits enter the reservoir, which colored amazing lake in 3 colors.

The lake is flowing, from one side the Donguzorun river and the Medvezhy stream flow into it, and the Donguz-Orun Baksan river flows out.

Lake Syltran-kel

It is considered one of the most delightful alpine lakes in the Caucasus region. It is located at an altitude of about 3000 meters between the mountain peaks Mukal and Syltran, its area is more than 9 hectares. It is located in a deep pit of a rock-talus circus. Translated from Turkic, the name Syltran-kel sounds like "beautiful lake".

This place has a kind of harsh charm thanks to the rocky shores of Syltran-kel, the proximity of snow-capped peaks, bright plants in rocky crevices and remnants of icebergs floating in the pond in summer.

Valley of the Narzan

The famous Narzan valley is located not far from the village of Baydevo. This is the only convenient and accessible source of narzan for tourists. The glade has an area of ​​about 3 square kilometers and is equipped for the convenience of visitors.

In a clearing surrounded by a pine grove, several mineral springs of Narzan gush out from under the ground, painting everything around in a bright orange color - the water here is rich in calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Since ancient times, narzan has been famous as water of extraordinary healing power. According to legends, the water from this source strengthened the strength of the soldiers, healed mortal wounds and raised the hopelessly sick to their feet. The healing liquid should be drunk only from the source, since when the narzan is drawn into the container, a "rusty" sediment appears after a short time.

Baksan gorge

The most famous gorge in the Central Caucasus. The Baksan Gorge takes its origin near two ridges (Pasture and Skalisty), in an area with rare forests that lead to the foot of Elbrus.

The ridges stretch through the villages of Zhanhoteko and Lakshuty. On one side of the gorge, one can see yellowish limestone steep walls, on the other - a cliff to the Baksan River.

The Baksan gorge is wide enough, it begins to narrow only behind the village. Outside the town of Tyrnauz, the gorge is covered with a picturesque pine forest, which stretches to the Azau glade, located at an altitude of 2300 meters. At this point, the gorge road ends at the village of Terskol and the route to Elbrus and other Caucasian mountains begins.

Cherek gorge

A very picturesque place, which has become very popular among tourists. The gorge contains the Blue Lakes and ancient historical monuments Balkar people. According to legends, it is the original place of settlement of the local people - the Balkars.

The main attractions of the gorge are the Kurnoyat castle, the Andemirkan mound, the Zylgi fortress, City of dead, Amirkhan Tower, Hot lake, small waterfalls. A turbulent river Cherek flows along the bottom of the canyon. The most interesting section is the place where the old road to Upper Balkaria.

The walls of the Cherek Gorge are almost vertical, their height reaches 500 meters. They are vertical and converge at some points up to a distance of 30 meters. The majestic canyon of the gorge, the Tesnina, is so deep that sunlight rarely gets here.

Chegem gorge

The gorge of the Chegem River, which divides the Kabardino-Balkarian mountain zone into northern and southern parts. Rocks rise above the waters of the winding and deep river, as if artificially decorated with greenery of trees and bushes. Noisy falls from the rocks, beautiful waterfalls... All this creates a unique flavor of the Chegem gorge.

The narrowest part of the gorge is the Chegem gorge, in which the main part of the waterfalls is concentrated. Up the gorge there is a 17th century watchtower, and next to the bridge lies a "stone of shame", according to legends, criminals were tied to it.

Walking along the Dzhilgi-su river, you can see the destroyed ancient Greek sanctuaries, carved into the rocks. Also in this beautiful place there are lakes with crystal clean water and mineral springs.

Adyr-Su gorge

A picturesque place located on the territory national park"Elbrus". At the beginning of the gorge, you can admire the mesmerizing waterfall formed by the stormy waters of the Adyr-Su River. There are many mountain peaks (Dzhailik, Sullukol, Tyutyu-bashi, Kayarta, Sakashil, Killar and others) with routes of various difficulty categories.

The reserve regime is observed in Adyr-Su, there are few casual visitors and tourists. Tours live in these places, bears live on berry fields and in thickets of undergrowth. Among the talus and rocky walls live mountain turkeys - ulars. However, rarely anyone can see this bird, but often in the silence of the mountains you can hear its melodious singing.

The lows of the gorge are covered with forests, but with height they thin out, give way to alpine meadows, and behind them - snowy peaks, impregnable rocks, glaciers.

Jil-Su tract

This is a place where you can admire waterfalls, mountain ranges, turbulent rivers with crystal clear waters, alpine meadows and mineral springs.

The mineral springs of the tract were formed in layers of solidified volcanic magma and are located at the summit of 2350 kilometers above sea level. Scientists have found that contained in mineral water substances can treat many diseases, including cancer.

Also in this area there is a large river Malka, along which there are pastures. In the Jil-Su tract, you can admire the Sultan waterfall, the height of the fall of the water of which is more than 35 meters.

National Park "Elbrus"

The territory of the national park is located in the Central Caucasus and includes part of the Lateral and Main Caucasian ridges. Within the Elbrus region, several forms of relief are distinguished: medium-altitude mountainous, alpine-glacial, lacustrine-hollow and lava flows.

The beautiful nature of the park attracts many tourists here. Here you can enjoy the view majestic mountain Elbrus, picturesque gorges North Caucasus, snow-capped mountain peaks.

Also, on the territory of the park, you can visit many wonderful places, for example, the Narzan Glade, the upper reaches of the Malka River, the Dzhil-Su tract, and numerous lakes. One of the most interesting is Syltran-Kel, located at the source of the Syltran river.

The rivers of the national park are famous for their extraordinary beauty of waterfalls. These are Sultan, Maiden's braids and others. Monuments of archeology, history and ethnography are represented in this place by the remains of household and residential buildings, burials.

Archaeological and tourist complex "Upper Balkaria"

The final point of the popular excursion route across Aushiger and the Blue Lakes. The complex is located in the village of Verkhnyaya Balkaria, in the southeast of the Cherek region.

The territory of the archaeological and tourist complex is rich in various sights. Here you can admire the objects cultural heritage indigenous people of the late Middle Ages: sentinels and battle towers, feudal residences, underground and terrestrial mausoleums - crypts-tombs, fortifications Malkar-kala, Zylgy-kala, Bolat-kala, Karcha-kala, Kurnayat-bashi castle, ruins of ancient Balkarian villages.

The secret of the Blue Lake in Kabardino-Balkaria - one of the deepest in Europe - remained unsolved.

There are 8 million karst lakes in the world. The blue lake is the deepest. There is no exact data on the depth of the lake, and unmanned underwater vehicles were able to descend only to a depth of 365 meters. Scientists understand how it formed and what's down there.

The last time the Blue Lake was explored was in the 20s of the last century. It is known that its level can change several times a day. For what reason, scientists still do not know.

The blue lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria are located in the Cherek Gorge. There are 5 lakes in total. All of them have a karst nature of formation.

Lower Blue Lake is the most interesting and unique. It is located at 809 meters above sea level. It has total area the water surface is just over two hectares, and its depth is 386 meters. But there are suggestions that the depth of the lake is much deeper, because no one has yet reached its bottom. In terms of its depth, this lake ranks third in Russia after Teletskoye in Altai and Baikal. The uniqueness of the lake also lies in the fact that not a single river flows into it, and about 70 million liters of water flows out per day.

Tserik-Kel - this is what the locals call this lake, which in translation means like a rotten lake. About the origin of this lake among local population there is a legend. Once upon a time on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria lived the fearless hero Bataraz, who defeated the evil dragon in a duel. And when the dragon collapsed, a hole formed in the mountains, which was filled with water. The dragon still lies at the bottom of this lake and sheds tears, thereby filling the lake with water and an unpleasant smell.

Directly from the water's edge, sheer walls are visible going into the depths, and from what he sees, one gets the impression that this is a huge well. Depending on the time of day and weather, the shades of the water are constantly changing and have different colors. The water temperature in the lake in winter and summer is the same +9.3, so the lake never freezes.

Upper Blue Lakes are 2 lakes, East and West. Also these lakes are called Communicating. A dam has been built between them, and the water from the East Lake flows into the West. The East Lake is larger and deeper than the West. Fish are found in these lakes.

Secret Lake is located near the Upper Blue Lakes. And it is so named because it is located in a deep karst funnel, overgrown with a dense beech forest.

The dry lake, or it is also called the lost lake, was formed in a large karst depression with sheer walls reaching depths of up to 180 meters. Previously, this sinkhole was completely filled with water, but as a result of the shuddering of the mountains, the lake disappeared and remained only at the bottom of the canyon.

Possessing a number of unique features and unusual properties, and beautiful legends about their origin will forever remain in the memory of those who are lucky enough to visit these places personally.

Each lake in Kabardino-Balkaria has a story to tell, since none of them is like the others.

Blue lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria

The most famous outside the republic are the Blue Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria (clarification takes place, since this topographic term is very popular on the territory of the Russian Federation). This is a group of five beautiful karst lakes with incredibly clear water, which stand out among the other lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria by a number of unique features.

For researchers, some of the distinctive features of these aquatic formations still remain a mystery. For example, from what underground sources are they filled? And why the Blue Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria do not freeze even in winter, maintaining a stable water temperature of 9 ° C?

There are five such lakes in total: two Upper, Lower, Secret and Dry. They are located in the Cherek Gorge with varying degrees of accessibility, but you can visit everything if you wish. To learn about the characteristic features of the Blue Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria, a short description will help.

Another name for the Upper Blue Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria is Western and Eastern. Also, due to the peculiarities of the structure, they were dubbed communicating: in the presence of a uniting dam, the waters of the East Lake feed the West. Also, the Upper Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria, unlike others, are rich in fish.

The largest, well-known and mysterious, as well as the deepest lake in Kabardino-Balkaria is Nizhnee, it is also Tserik-Kel (called "rotten lake" because of the saturation of its waters with hydrogen sulfide). Despite repeated attempts by scientists to find out the depth of the Lower Blue Lake in Kabardino-Balkaria, this mystery is still not solved and there are only assumptions reaching up to 385 meters. Even the famous Jacques Yves Cousteau plunged into the waters of Lake Tserik-Kel of Kabardino-Balkaria, but he did not manage to find out the truth either. This gave reason to call Tserik-Kel "a lake without a bottom" in Kabardino-Balkaria.

The secret lake has a self-explanatory name, since it is not easy to find and see it. The lake is located in a sinkhole hidden by beeches, so only especially attentive tourists will be able to admire its waters.

Finally, the Dry Lake, almost completely "escaped" once from a karst sinkhole, which it used to fill. This was due to seismic activity, often in the regions where mountain lakes Kabardino-Balkaria. This lake is considered the most difficult to access, because without climbing equipment you cannot get close to it.

Those wishing to visit the Blue Lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria will have an easy and short road from Nalchik, as well as a well-established tourist sector right on the shores of spectacular reservoirs. In particular, the Blue Lake Hotel with the soul of Kabardino-Balkaria offers its services of national hospitality.

Shadhurei

Named for the nearest settlement, the Upper and Lower Shadhurei lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria are known as places with special energy and amazing beauty. original name the meaning of "round pool" has a meaning, which fully corresponds to the truth: along with Tserek-Kel, Upper Shadhurei is the second deepest lake in Kabardino-Balkaria, the exact depth of which is also unknown, however, according to the assumptions of local residents, it reaches more than three hundred meters.

Tambukan

The lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria are organically complemented by the Tambukan - a real treasury of aesthetic and health-improving pleasure, characterized by impressive size and venerable age. The abundance of therapeutic mud, which is actively used in local medicine, owes its origin to the vital activity of many microorganisms.

Bylymskoe lake

Lake Bylym of Kabardino-Balkaria differs from the overwhelming majority in its artificial origin. Formed as a result of the construction of the dam, for a certain time it served as a repository for waste from the mining complex. By now, the enterprise has ceased its activities, but the waters of the lake are still full of such harmful elements as tungsten and molybdenum. However, this factor does not diminish the dizzying beauty of the reservoir, which attracts entire tourist groups to its shores.

The location of the lakes of Kabardino-Balkaria in places where there are practically no permanent settlements, contributed to their preservation in their original form and made a truly vivid impression in the life of every tourist. Definitely these pristine waters full of unsolved mysteries are worth admiring.

In the valley of the Cherek-Balkarsky river, 6 km upstream from the confluence of the Cherek-Balkarsky and Cherek-Bezengiysky rivers into the Cherek river, 43.227778 , 43.55 43 ° 13'40 ″ s. NS. 43 ° 33'00 "in. etc. /  43.227778 ° N NS. 43.55 ° E etc.(G) (O)... The composition of the lakes includes the Lower Blue Lake (Tserik-Kol, Cherek-Kol) and the Upper Blue Lakes (including Sukhoye and Secret). Jacques Yves Cousteau, during the research, he could not reliably determine the depth of the lake (approximately from 2 m to 2.5 m)

The lower blue lake has a greenish-blue color and a constant water temperature of 9.3 ° C. Flowing. Located at an altitude of 809 m above sea level. The area of ​​the lake is 0.0216 km² (235 X 130 m). Depth - 368 m. There are tourist centers on the coast. The current from the lake is constant and not subject to seasonal fluctuations. It is about 70 million liters. water per day. The water is crystal clear, transparent, the walls of the lake can be seen to a depth of 22 m. Its color is variable. In clear weather, gently blue, and in other weather conditions changes to azure (due to the content of hydrogen sulfide). The water surface of the lake is calm, it seems, it froze, froze in its mysterious, enigmatic beauty. Legend has it that the lake was formed when a dragon fell to the ground, killed by a folk hero, the forefather of the modern inhabitants of the North Caucasus.

To the east of Lake Tserik-kel is Lake Kel-Ketchkhen. The lake basin is a deep karst mine with sheer walls 177 m deep. At the bottom of the well there is a reservoir with an area of ​​2500 square meters and a depth of 5 m. Translated from the Balkar Kel - Ketchkhen means "the lake has flowed under the bridge." According to legend, there used to be a real lake with clean water in the dry sinkhole. Once the mountains shuddered and Lake Kel - Ketchhen disappeared, flowed under the bridge.

North of Kehl - Ketchhen in a huge karst depression is the Upper Blue Lake. Compared to Tserikkel and Kehl - Ketchhen, this is a shallow lake (18 m.). The basin of the lake resembles a bowl: the shores are low, gentle, the greatest depth is in the center. The source of food for the Upper Blue Lake is mainly atmospheric precipitation, therefore its level is subject to fluctuations.

The upper blue lakes are up to 17 m deep. All 4 lakes are communicating. In the lakes, except for the Lower, there are grass carp, carp, trout. In the Lower Lake, only one representative of the fauna is found - the gammarus crustacean.

On maps

see also

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See what "Blue Lakes (Kabardino-Balkaria)" is in other dictionaries:

Kabardino Balkar Republic within the Russian Federation. The name of the republic is formed by Russian. the names of the two most numerous peoples living in it: the Kabardians (self-name Adyge), in the XI XIII centuries. inhabited the steppe and ... ... Geographical encyclopedia

Coordinates: 43 ° 35 ′ s. NS. 43 ° 24 ′ E d. / 43.583333 ° N NS. 43.4 ° E etc ... Wikipedia