Lake Turgoyak
Lake Turgoyak is a wonderful natural monument, one of the most picturesque bodies of water in the Southern Urals. Turgoyak is located near the city of Miass, in a lake valley surrounded by forested mountains, which is called the Ural Switzerland. Unparalleled landscapes and the purest water of Turgoyak attract travelers from all corners of Russia to the lake’s coast. Here they are waiting for comfortable hotels and tourist centers, beaches with water attractions and exciting fishing, as well as the opportunity to engage in extreme sports at any time of the year.
- Highlights
- History of Lake Turgoyak
- Geography and climate
Beaches - Entertainment at Lake Turgoyak
- Where to stay
- How to get there
Highlights
Turgoyak, fed mainly by underground springs, is among the cleanest lakes in the country. It is often compared to Lake Baikal, and both have the status of the most valuable bodies of water on the planet. The bluish-greenish lake surface is amazingly transparent. At different times of the year, visibility in the water of Turgoyak ranges from 10 to 17.5 meters.
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Most of the shoreline of the lake, stretching for 27 km, has been turned into a recreational zone. Here tourists are received by prestigious club hotels and budget tourist centers, cottages and guest houses. Many of them have their own beaches. Near the village of Turgoyak is a well-equipped public beach, where you can relax for free.
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In mid-June, the swimming season begins on the lake, water entertainment centers open. Vacationers can go diving, wakeboarding, yachting. Along the coast of Turgoyak there are fascinating routes for bicycle tourists, lovers of traveling on horseback. In winter skiing, snowmobiling, quad biking, ice-hole bathing are popular here. Fishing on Lake Turgoyak is available all year round.
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History of Lake Turgoyak
On the coast of Turgoyak people inhabited in prehistoric times. The most significant archaeological monuments were discovered on the Vera Peninsula. The oldest find is a Neanderthal site, and the most famous is megalithic structures made of massive granite boulders dating back to the 4th millennium BC.
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Geography and climate
Lake Turgoyak is within the boundaries of Miassky Urban District, located in the west of Chelyabinsk Oblast. The water body, which is of tectonic origin, is nestled in a basin between two ridges in the foothills of the Southern Urals, the Ilmensky and Uraltau ranges. To the southeast of the lake stretches the conservation lands of the Ilmensky State Reserve.
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The water mirror of Turgoyak occupies an area of 26.4 km². In addition to groundwater, the lake is fed by 6 rivers, forest streams, springs. Only one river – Istok – flows out of it, carrying its waters into the Miass River. The lake shores are covered with coniferous forest. In some places the shore slopes are high, steep, sharply steepened into the reservoir.
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One of the features of Turgoyak is a significant fluctuation in water level. The drops are uneven. So, in 2020 the reservoir shallowed by half a meter, and in 1981 this figure was 2.5 meters. Environmentalists argue that unauthorized water abstraction is to blame, but the exact causes of this phenomenon have not been established to date.
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Depending on the water level, the number of islands in Lake Turgoyak changes, their number can vary from 10 to 12. For example, the Vera peninsula makes a single whole with the mainland only in low water. When the 140-meter isthmus connecting them is flooded, this part of the land turns into an island.
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Turgoyak belongs to the number of deep-water lakes. The studied maximum depth is 36.5 meters and the average depth is 19.1 meters. For this reason, it freezes later than most other lakes in the region. Ice reliably binds the water surface only in December, when stable frosty weather is established. Until then, the lake successfully resists the winter cold, allowing only a thin layer of ice crust to form. It is safe to go ice fishing when the water is frozen at 7-8 cm, and mass rides on the reservoir are organized when the ice thickness reaches 25 centimeters.
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Winter shackles begin to weaken in April, thawed ice breaks through, and it becomes dangerous to go out on it. In the third decade of May, the lake is usually completely cleared of ice and gradually warms up. The first vacationers wishing to swim and cheer up appear on the shore of Turgoyak in the middle of June. At this time the water in the lake warms up, on average, to +15 … +17 ° C, and throughout the summer its temperature usually does not exceed +20 ° C.
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In July, the warmest month, the sun sometimes warms up the water near the shores of Turgoyak and up to +23 °С. Such comfortable conditions for swimming are formed in abnormally hot days, when the air temperature reaches +30 ° C, and sometimes even higher.
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Tourists who believe that the cool Turgoyak is not the best place for water procedures, can go to the adjacent lake Inyshko (translated from the Bashkir language – “small”). The water bodies are separated by a narrow 200-meter isthmus. Inyshko is characterized by shallow depth, and the water here is much warmer. The lake is interesting because it has two bottoms: a lower bed of roots and an upper bed of peat. The space between them is filled with a deep layer of water. They say that at the very bottom rests a huge barrel of gold, which either hidden, or accidentally lost Emelian Pugachev when retreating under the onslaught of detachments of the tsar’s riflemen.
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Curiously, swimming in Lake Inyshko, you can meet jellyfish – representatives of the species that live in freshwater in distant South Africa. It is believed that jellyfish larvae have migrated to these parts by attaching themselves to yachts or divers’ equipment. They are not dangerous to humans.
.Beaches
Most of the lake shore is “occupied” by campgrounds. The only public beach with free access to the water is located near the village of Turgoyak. It extends for 700 meters and is divided into two parts. The first location can boast a good beach infrastructure, and the second is not equipped. In the civilized zone you can sit in deck chairs, however, they are not enough for all comers. Most vacationers sunbathe on their own beach beds, inflatable mattresses. This does not cause discomfort, as the cleanliness of the sandy surface is monitored here.
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On the public beach you can ride a “banana”, water bike, snorkeling with an air cushion, rent equipment for diving. Not far from the shore organized sports ground with volleyball net, there are cafes, snack bars, kebab shops, as well as kiosks selling juices, soft drinks, ice cream.
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The beach near the village of Turgoyak is mostly sandy, but there are small pebbles somewhere. Such comfortable conditions on the coast of the lake are not found everywhere. In many places the shore is stony, the entrance to the water is uncomfortable because of the large boulders and sharp stones at the bottom, so it is better to bring beach shoes. Diving should also be done with caution, especially on the sparsely populated wild beaches: there is no telling what surprises may lurk underwater in poorly known places.
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The most comfortable place of rest on Lake Turgoyak is called “Golden Beach”, belonging to the hotel of the same name. It is located near the public beach. You can also rest comfortably near the water at the tourist centers “Silver Sands”, “Trout”, “Crystal”. Entrance for outsiders, as a rule, is paid. The cost depends on what services will be used by guests. Cars are offered to leave in the parking lot; parking will cost at least 150 rubles. Complex lunches, dinners in cafes or restaurants located on the territory of recreation centers, hotels, sanatoriums cost from 400-500 rubles per person. Almost everywhere are equipped with barbecue areas where you can have a picnic.
.Entertainment on Lake Turgoyak
Most campgrounds provide their guests with ample opportunities for active sports at any time of the year. In summer, tourists are organized hiking and bicycle tours along the shores of Lake Turgoyak, as well as horseback riding and water tours. In prestigious complexes there are diving schools, boats and quad bikes for rent. In winter, snowmobile riding, swimming in ice-holes are offered.
.In the club-hotel “Golden Beach” for guests organize sightseeing tours on a yacht, wakeboarding. There is also its own nightclub, extreme park, tennis court (for an hour of play you need to pay 400 rubles). On the territory there is a school of traveler Fyodor Konyukhov, where interesting events and master classes are arranged for children. In addition, kids can enjoy a game room with trampolines and labyrinths (1 hour – 300 rubles, day pass – 1500 rubles).
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Those who wish can pay 300 rubles to a cab driver or private carrier to comfortably get from Miass to any accessible point on the lake shore.
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