Salt Lake Baskunchak
Baskunchak Salt Lake is one of the many amazing natural phenomena that can be found in Russia. It is located in the Astrakhan region, near the Volga River and the Caspian Sea. Baskunchak is the saltiest lake in Russia. It has a unique significance for us – it is here that 80% of all salt in the country is extracted. Now it belongs to the Bogdinsko-Baskunchak reserve, so travelers often combine a visit to the lake and the park.
Video: Baskunchak Salt Lake
Contents- History of Lake Baskunchak
- Bogdinsko-Baskunchak Reserve
Therapeutic vacation at the lake - Tips for tourists
- How to get there
History of Lake Baskunchak
The etymology of the lake’s name is not yet precisely clear. Scientists have two main hypotheses: either the word goes back to the Turkic expression “bash kuncha”, which means “dog’s head”, or to the word “sunny”, “glorious”. The second hypothesis is supported by the fact that Lake Baskunchak is located in close proximity to the Big Bogdo Mountain, which was traditionally considered sacred.
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Baskunchak has managed to “visit” in a variety of states: it belonged to the territory of the Golden Horde, the Astrakhan Khanate, the Russian Empire and the USSR. Now it is part of Russia and is located in the Astrakhan region.
.One of the earliest written mentions of the lake dates back to 1627. About Lake Baskunchak was written in the “Book of the Big Drawing” – a detailed description of the map of Russia and adjacent territories, made by order of the tsarist authorities. The book says the following about the lake: “here they break salt as pure as ice”. So salt mining at the lake has been going on for centuries.
For some time Baskunchak was a lake famous among racers: from 1960 to 1963 a 20 km long track was organized here, where competitions were held to set speed records. But the track had to be closed due to deteriorating hydrogeological conditions, and now there are no races here. However, during the three years of the track’s existence, Soviet racers were able to set 19 world records!
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Bogdinsko-Baskunchak Reserve
The reserve protects semi-desert ecosystems that have developed around the mountain and lake. Rare animals and birds can be found here: saiga antelope, pintail, red-crowned crane, steppe eagle. In Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky Reserve live 30 species of birds, 22 of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia, and 9 – in the IUCN Red Book. And some species live only in the territory of the reserve! For example, the squeaky gecko (yes, it is so called) in Russia lives only on the Big Bogdo mountain.
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Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky Reserve is one of the youngest in Russia. It was founded in 1997. However, before that it was a nature reserve for another 4 years. Now the reserve still exists, but its territory as if girdles the reserve. It turned out that the center of the spacious reserve was transferred to the protected status, and the ring of the surrounding territory remained a nature reserve.
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Now Lake Baskunchak is not only a salt mine, but also a point of attraction for tourists. Unfortunately, there is still no adequate tourist infrastructure here. Visitors have to use the services of locals, who do not always earn their money in good faith. Nevertheless, most tourists agree: even if the service here is not at the highest level, the lake itself is worthy of admiration.
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Therapeutic vacation at the lake
Lake Baskunchak is famous for its therapeutic clays, which are deposited on the coast. Coming here, tourists often arrange mud baths. It is believed that clay improves blood circulation, can alleviate symptoms of arthritis, improve skin condition, tighten it.
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But much more useful and interesting are lake brines – these are highly concentrated solutions of salts. You can bathe in them, as in a very salty bath. Rapa is much more salty than sea water; in Lake Baskunchak the salinity reaches a value of 300 ppm! For comparison, the average salinity of the sea is 35-40 ppm. And the salinity of the saltiest lake in the world (Lake Don Juan in Antarctica) is 402 ppm.
.In addition to the usual salt in the composition of rapa there are other trace elements, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium. Such a “cocktail” has a beneficial effect on the skin and the general condition of the body, so people have been coming to the coast of Baskunchak for centuries to be treated. If you do not have the opportunity to fly to the Dead Sea for treatment, do not be discouraged – clay and Baskunchak rapes have similar properties!
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Travel Tips
The optimal time to visit is from May through October. Then the lake is full of water, and you can swim in it. And the temperature becomes suitable for swimming and mud baths.
There are no comfortable hotels near Baskunchak. The only option for hotel settlement is accommodation at the preventorium, but there is quite a high price tag. If you want to be accommodated with amenities, but are not ready to overpay, you will have to rent a room or a house from the locals.
.Prophylactorium paid, but all programs can be passed without medical examination and doctor’s appointment. The cost of wraps, visits to the halokamera and other procedures is quite democratic. You will lose a lot if you come to Baskunchak and do not use the services of the preventorium!
.Walking around Bogdinsko-Baskunchak reserve, look carefully under your feet. Many local animals are lizards and reptiles, which hide perfectly against the background of the desert landscape. Without noticing, you may accidentally step on them. This threatens not only remorse, but also a fine.
. Be sure to try local products! You can buy them at the market; you can get the freshest fruit, milk and cheese on Thursdays from 7:00 to 10:00..
Around Lake Baskunchak, locals provide many paid services: from showers to rides in “uaziks”. Whether you need these services – decide for yourself, but clean drinking water is better to take with you from home, because near the lake it is sold at a very high price. Clean water will be needed not only for drinking, but also to rinse your eyes and skin after bathing in the rapids.
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How to get there
If you want to get to Lake Baskunchak by public transportation, you need to move out of the city of Akhtubinsk by bus or marshrutka. Suitable flights are quite a lot. On all vehicles there is an indication that they depart to Lake Baskunchak, so it will be quite difficult to confuse the bus. The road will take about 2 hours.
.From Volgograd you can go to the lake on a shuttle bus, the ticket for which must be ordered in advance. The road will take about 4 hours. By the way, from Volgograd often leave tourist groups, which you can join, so as not to worry about the route and excursions.
. From Moscow, you can get to the nearest village of Verkhny Baskunchak directly by train. From there, a shuttle bus or cab will take you to the lake and the reserve..
By your own car you will need to drive to Akhtubinsk, and then turn off on the highway “Akhtubinsk – Nizhny Baskunchak”. In a straight line you will reach the villages near the reserve, and then you can drive to the lake according to the signs. There are two spacious free parking lots south of Nizhny Baskunchak. But during the peak season they are often fully occupied, so try to leave early enough to get a free spot. Be careful – some unscrupulous locals will trick commuters and pass off free parking as paid parking. Look carefully at the signs – if it does not say that parking is paid, then safely refuse “additional services.”
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Keep in mind that there is no road from the village to Lake Baskunchak. You can try to drive if you have a good, reliable off-road vehicle, but it is still better to walk the remaining distance.
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