Tourist Tuva. Milk Lake - Sut-Khol. Unique places in the Sut-Khol district of the Republic of Tyva Sut Khol

One of the best places for tourist recreation in the Republic of Tyva can be called Lake Sut-Khol, located on the territory of the Sut-Kholsky kozhuun. This picturesque body of water is hidden from prying eyes in the spurs mountain range Western Sayan, at an altitude of 1.8 kilometers above sea level, surrounded by spreading spruce, larches and cedars. The beauty of these places is simply mesmerizing. Not far from the lake rises Mount Bora-Taiga, the top of which is crowned by a man-made wooden pyramid installed here by topographers. The surrounding forests abound in currants and lingonberries, which can be collected in whole baskets, and in open areas grow bergenia, wintergreens and other flowers, pleasing the eye with their diversity. In close proximity to Lake Sut-Khol there is a tourist base of the same name, which has been welcoming guests for more than 10 years. Here you can stay in a yurt camp, equipped with all the benefits of civilization, and taste Tuvan cuisine, which will be delivered directly to your yurt. Alternative options are three meals a day in the dining room, and cooking kebabs on the grill.

Peculiarities

Even Baikal can envy the purity of the water of Lake Sut-Khol, but, unfortunately, you cannot swim in it. The fact is that this body of water is considered among local residents sacred, and bathing in it is punishable by terrible curses. Whether to believe in these legends or not is a personal matter for everyone, but they clearly should not be neglected, at least out of respect for the traditions of the Tuvans. It is noteworthy that next to the lake there is mineral spring Ulug-Dorgun, whose water can be used not only for drinking, but also for bathing. However, its temperature barely reaches 5 degrees, and only real “walruses” can handle such a test. Recently, Sut-Khol began to be used for fish farming. Fry of grayling, ripus, peled and omul were brought here, which took root well in the new place and already managed to give birth. The main food source for these fish are small crustaceans that are found in the lake in huge quantities. On this moment Fishing on Sut-Khol is prohibited, and vacationers come here only for relaxation and recovery. Beautiful landscapes These places often become the backdrop for photographs, and the best angles can be caught on the southeastern coast, at the source of the Khol-Ozhu River, which forms a gorge with waterfalls and bizarre rocks.

Legends

One of the Tuvan legends says that the reservoir got its name thanks to an old witch who lived in these places in time immemorial. While preparing the next decoction, she splashed a vat of milk into the water, and the entire lake turned white. Since then, the cows grazing on its banks began to produce thick, fatty milk, similar to cream, and the reservoir itself began to be called “Sut-Khol” - “ Milk Lake"Another legend tells about a mythical creature - a bull, living in the depths of the lake and helping people in their misfortunes. Every time the bull comes to the surface, the lake begins to boil and foam, and a thunderstorm begins in the sky and a strong wind blows.

How to get there

Nearest locality to Lake Sut-Khol - the village of Sug-Aksy, to which from regional center You can get there along a good asphalt road. A country road leads from the village to the shores of the reservoir, which is often washed away by rain, and even an SUV cannot always drive along it. Along the way you will have to overcome a steep pass, which is only possible under favorable weather conditions.

Lake Sut-Khol is located in the Sut-Kholsky kozhuun of the Republic of Tyva in the spurs of the Western Sayan Mountains near the stormy Khemchik at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level.

The length of the lake from west to east is 7-8 kilometers, width - 2-2.5 kilometers.

On the shores of the lake there are spreading larches, slender spruces, and beautiful cedars. On the green moss there are pink flowers of round-leaved wintergreens, lingonberries, and bergenia. In the vicinity of Sut-Khol there is a round, forest-covered mountain, Bora-Taiga, whose rocky peak is crowned by a wooden pyramid built by topographers. From the south, the dome of Mount Kyzyl-Taiga rose above the lake, offering a magnificent view of the Khemchik Basin.

Sut-Khol is remembered by everyone who has ever seen it. The bizarre shape of the peninsula juts deep into the surface of the lake; wild rocks and white clouds are reflected in the water, like in a mirror.

Small streams flow into the lake from the west. Their banks serve as a common stopping place for shepherds. In the southeast, the Khol-Ozhu River rapidly flows from Sut-Khol through a picturesque gorge surrounded by yellowish rocks with trails of scree, forming small waterfalls in places. Red and black currant bushes hang over the river, irises, bells, lilies bloom, and wild gooseberries are found in the crevices of the rocks.

Not far from Sut-Khol the arzhaan Ulug-Dorgun beats. The water temperature in the source is +4.2 degrees. The trees near it, according to the old Tuvan custom, are hung with offerings to the spirit of the mountains. In the summer, near the arzhaan there are tents of vacationers who not only drink the spring water, but also take a shower.

The lake is very rich in plankton. It contains a lot of amphipods, which omuls feed on. Ichthyologists released juveniles of Baikal omul, Mongolian grayling, peled, ripus, and vendace into Sut-Khol. Scientists believe that Sut-Khol is perfect place for breeding these fish.

The lake has very clean air and absolute silence. Since ancient times, Sut-Khol has been considered sacred; its lake name means “milk lake”, and milk symbolizes purity among the Tuvans. To this day in sacred lake no one is allowed to swim. It is believed that if anyone disturbs the peace of the lake, clouds will immediately roll in and hail will begin. Perhaps this is why the purity of the lake water is comparable only to Lake Baikal, because no one dares not only to pollute the water, but also to leave garbage on its shores. No one really disturbs the peace on the lake, this is... sacred place.

And Sut-Khol is the birthplace of the most famous storytellers and the strongest Tuvan wrestlers, which is also attributed to the influence of the sacred lake.

There is a legend among the people. In ancient times, an old witch settled by the lake. She brewed healing decoctions from Sut-Khol herbs, repeated spells, and sent thunderstorms across the taiga. One day a sorceress threw a large vat of milk into the waters of Sut-Khol. In the morning, people did not recognize the lake: it became snow-white, as if filled with milk. Since then, people began to notice that cows on Sut-Khol pastures produce a lot of milk, thick as cream. It’s not for nothing that Sut-Khol translated into Russian means Lake of Milk.

Sacred Sut-Khol
About unique lake Amir Dulush, an employee of the Department of Culture of the Sut-Khol region, told about Sut-Khol and the Sut-Khol tourist base.
“Sut-Khol is a fresh alpine lake. The height of the lake above sea level is 1814 meters. Since ancient times, Sut-Khol has been considered sacred, and the name of the lake means “milk lake”, and milk among the Tuvans symbolizes purity. The lake is considered sacred to this day; no one is allowed to swim there; if anyone disturbs the peace of the lake, clouds will immediately roll in and hail will begin. Maybe that’s why the purity of its waters is comparable only to Lake Baikal. And Sut-Khol is the birthplace of the most famous storytellers and the strongest fighters, and this is also considered the influence of the sacred lake.
No one really disturbs the peace on the lake; it is a sacred place. The guides tell all our tourists the legend of a sacred bull that came out of the lake to share its blood with people and save them from terrible diseases. The lake has very clean air and absolute silence. Therefore, we want to combine on the basis leisure with meditation.
Our project “Tourist base “Sut-Khol” has been working for more than 10 years. But for now only in summer time. Tourists live in a tent-yurt town. We can offer vacationers any cuisine, national or European. We can deliver food to the yurt, we can cook it outdoors, we also have a dining room. Of course, we wanted the camp site to operate year-round. To do this, it is necessary to build good winter houses, organize ski trips, and amateur ice fishing. The lake is inhabited by Mongolian grayling, peled, omul, and vendace.
We have developed several horse and walking routes on historical and sacred places. Sut-Khol is the territory of 60 heroes; in 2013 we will celebrate the 130th anniversary of this uprising. Tourists will be interested to see the unique monument of cultural and historical heritage of Ulug Ovaa. This is a sign of the border between Khakassia and Tuva. Ovaa is assembled from special stones on which letters and horoscopes are engraved in two languages. And of course, you cannot pass by the Arzhaans, who are located on Mount Kyzyl-Taiga. All three sources are radon. For example, the water in Arzhaan Shaarash (Dorgun) is + 4.2 degrees, and is very healing, treats diseases of the endocrine, musculoskeletal and respiratory systems. You can get to the lake in two ways, one of them is on foot, passing through the Shaarash spring. And another route can be covered by car through the village of Bora-Taiga, the road to the lake is mountain taiga and very beautiful.
In the summer, there are shepherds’ camps around Lake Sut-Khol, so the development of rural tourism seems to us the most promising direction: many people want to relax away from noisy cities, in the silence pristine nature. The shepherd's camp combines scientific, cultural and ethnic tourism; this type of recreation is considered one of the accessible ones and does not require large expenses. In addition, rural tourism is an active holiday: tourists are invited to become participants in the traditional life of the Arat family, get acquainted with the life of shepherds and national cuisine.
Tourists from big cities will be very interested in immersing themselves in a completely different culture, milking goats and cows, learning how to tan hides, and sewing national clothes. Men will be taught how to lasso horses and be taught national games. That is, you can keep people busy so that they definitely won’t get bored. And the holiday itself is like this picturesque place worth a lot.
Today, the main problem of tourism development in the area is the lack of investment resources and infrastructure. It would be nice to build cable car, in this case it will be possible to get from the regional center to the foot of the mountain in half an hour. Ideally, the construction of a roadway would allow any tourist to reach the lake by personal transport. But on the other hand, tourists who come to Sut-Khol expect to see a unique place. And the uniqueness of Sut-Khol, first of all, lies in its pristine perfection and untouched nature. It’s like being in a fairy tale, so vacationers honor our lake and follow all the rules. Many tourists come to us not for the first time, for example, participants of the Ustuu-Khuree festival, and simply enjoy such an amazing vacation. And horseback riding is exotic for many.”

Sut-Khol district located in the northwestern part of the republic. He borders in the south with Dzun-Khemchiksky, in the west with Barun-Khemchiksky, in the east with Chaa-Kholsky kozhuuns of the Republic of Tyva, in the north with the Republic of Khakassia.

District center- the village of Sug-Aksy - located in the middle part of the Sut-Kholsky district (kozhuun). Population Kozhuun - 7933 people (2016)

A peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the Sut-Kholsky district (kozhuun) is its remoteness from central regions and the capital of the republic. The distance from the district (kozhuun) center to the capital of the Republic of Tyva - Kyzyl is 286 km, and to the nearest railway stations- respectively: 323 km (Abaza) and 730 km (Abakan). The main means of communication connecting kozhuun with other kozhuuns of the republic is motor transport.

In the central part of Kozhuun there is the Khemchik depression; in the north of Kozhuun there are high mountains. Most of Kozhuuna (51.0%) is occupied by forests in which cedar, poplar, larch, birch, bird cherry, aspen, as well as sea buckthorn, currants, blueberries and others grow. In terms of area occupied by sea buckthorn, the fruits of which contain a large number of vitamin C, kozhuun occupies one of the leading places in the republic.
The Khemchik River flows from west to east with tributaries Alash, Ak, Ustuu-Ishkin, Aldyy-Ishkin, Shele, Terektig, Shom-Shum.

On the territory of Kozhuun at an altitude of 1814 meters above sea level there is a mountain freshwater lake“Sut-Khol”, in which peled, omul, and Mongolian grayling are bred.
The main direction of kozhuun is agricultural.

Climate sharply continental. The lowest temperature observed in winter is 50°C, the average temperature in January is 30 degrees below zero. The winter period lasts about 180 days. The basin-like nature of the area's relief, with the general predominance of the anticyclonic regime in winter, contributes to the accumulation of cold air in the basin and its additional cooling.

Hot and dry summer begins at the end of May and lasts 85 days. average temperature July +20 degrees, maximum +38 degrees. There are no frosts observed during the summer. Spring frosts usually end at the end of the second ten days of May, but in some years they are observed at the beginning of June. Autumn frosts begin in the third ten days of September, and in some years at the end of August. The duration of the warm period (temperature above +10 degrees) is about 125 days. Generally, climatic conditions This area is harsh.

On the territory of the region (Kozhuun), from explored mineral deposits, lime burning in the village is involved in economic turnover. Aldan-Maadyr, and the brick clay deposit in the village. Ak-Dash is planned to gain momentum in the coming years.