Bashkir State Nature Reserve

Bashkirsky Reserve is a specially protected natural area located in the picturesque forested mountain spurs of the Southern Urals. The reserved lands are spread over an area of 49,609 hectares and are intended for the protection of biological diversity and scientific research of mountain-forest flora and fauna. The Bashkir Reserve is considered to be one of the oldest in Russia. It was established in 1930 and during this time has accumulated rich experience in nature protection and valuable information about the development of flora and fauna of the Southern Urals.

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Highlights

The natural boundaries of the protected area are the western spurs of the Uraltau mountain range, the valleys of the Uzyan and Kaga rivers, and the Kraka range. Within the Bashkir Reserve there are about 700 species of flora, 200 species of birds, 51 species of mammals and 27 species of fish. In the forests of the reserve one can find 14 rare species of the orchid family and the wild Bashkir bee.

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Special trails are laid out for excursions in the Bashkir Reserve. Travelers who come here can admire untouched natural landscapes, watch the migration of a large population of elk, as well as imported to the territory of the Southern Urals red deer. If you are not lucky enough to meet these beautiful animals in their natural habitat, you can always see marals at the demonstration and experimental site. During the visit to the Bashkir Nature Reserve it is interesting to visit the mountain slopes when rare species of plants – carnation needle-leaved and alpine aster – begin to bloom. This is the period when mountain-steppe spaces turn into bright carpets.

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In addition to traveling along ecological trails, tourists have the opportunity to visit the Museum of Nature, taste dishes of the national Bashkir cuisine and take part in folklore festivals and mini-sabantuys. But hunting and fishing on the territory of the Bashkir Nature Reserve is prohibited.

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History of the Bashkir Reserve

The exceptional beauty of Bashkir nature and unique landscapes of the Southern Urals were described in the 70s of the XIX century by famous travelers-naturalists I. I. Lepekhin and P. I. Rychkov. In those times, local residents hunted, raised bees and fished, and no economic activities that would destroy nature were carried out.

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Later, the first large-scale industries appeared in Beloretsk, Kaga and Avzyan, the population of the region grew, and the situation changed. The forests thinned sharply, and the lands quickly became impoverished due to increasing grazing. By the beginning of the last century the foothills of the Southern Urals were facing a real threat of natural devastation.

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The boundaries of the future protected area were determined in the course of a scientific expedition conducted in the late 1920s. The scientists were led by Dr. S. I. Rudenko, a doctor of sciences. The official status of the Bashkir Reserve was granted on July 31, 1930.

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After 21 years, the protected status was removed from the territory, organized here forestry and began merciless cutting of native forests. However, in 1958 the reserve was restored again.

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Specially valuable objects

There is an unusual geological object “Krakinsky allochthon” located on the territory of the Bashkir Reserve. It is unique and was formed when a tectonic plate shift occurred in place of the Ural mountains.

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In addition to natural monuments, the reserve has places that Bashkirs consider holy and make regular pilgrimages to them. These are the sacred mountain “Olo tau” and the mountain of the batyr “Beyesh tauy.”

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Museum of Nature

To learn more about the rare species and animals of the Bashkir Reserve, it is worth visiting the Museum of Nature, the expositions of which are located in a separate one-story house on the territory of the estate. The museum halls exhibit collections of minerals collected in the mountains of the Southern Urals, herbariums of local plants, antlers of deer and elk, as well as stuffed animals and birds protected by the reserve’s staff.

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Ecological trails of the Bashkir Nature Reserve

Tourists can get acquainted with the protected area by traveling along ecological trails. There are several such trails in the Bashkir Nature Reserve, and the shortest of them is about 500 meters long.

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The route “Bashkhart” starts at the entrance to the protected area, near the road “Beshake-Sargaya”, goes through the western border of the reserve – the mountain pass Bashkhart and finishes near the visit center “Bashkhardsky sharyazh”. The same length ecological trail “Serpentine” starts from the road “Apshak-Sargaya-4th km” and familiarizes tourists with old mines, mine wells and old mined pits.

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The longer route “Arady” (2.7 km) runs from the village of Sargaya through the old forest to the gravel pit. From there, the eco-trail leads to Mt Arady and descends through dense thickets of juniper trees to the Aiyuly mountain gully. The further way the guests of the Bashkir Reserve pass through the plantations of Tien Shan spruce and finally come to the road “Apshak-Sargaya”.

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Information for tourists

Despite the protected status, everyone can visit the territory of the Bashkir Reserve, but for this purpose it is necessary to issue a permit. This can be done in the administration, at the checkpoint “Bashart”, as well as in the office of the Khamitovsky district forestry. Registration of documents does not take much time and takes place on the day of application.

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In the Bashkir Reserve is interesting to stay for a few days. For the accommodation of travelers created cozy rooms in a log house – rural eco-station. Many tourists also stay in a tent camp in the village of Sargaya. It is allowed to live in the reserve with their own provisions. In this case, food is cooked in the field kitchen and on the fire. In addition, there is always an opportunity to order food at the reserve’s office.

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How to get there

To get to the protected area, you first need to come to the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan – Ufa. You can get here from other Russian cities by airplane or train. Then from the Southern bus station of Ufa you need to take a bus to the town of Beloretsk (257 km). It should be noted that from Moscow to Beloretsk can be reached by Magnitogorsk train.

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From Beloretsk there are shuttle buses to the village of Starosubkhangulovo, which is located in the Burzyansky district of the republic. You need to get off at the stop “Sargaya – Bashkir Reserve”. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the estate from Starosubkhangulovo.

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The villages Magadeevo, Khamitovo and Kaga are the closest to the borders of the Bashkir Reserve.

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