Desert Lake Mustangs
and other beauties of the protected steppe salt lake Manych-Gudilo.
Good afternoon, my dear reader! Today I want to tell you about one interesting natural object in Russia — the salt lake Manych-Gudilo. Strictly speaking, this is not even Siberia at all. The lake is located in the steppes of Kalmykia, Stavropol Territory and Rostov Region. This is an interesting, but not the most famous place, even for the Russians themselves. That’s why I want to tell you a little bit about it. It seems to me. it can arouse the interest of people looking for unique experiences from unusual travel routes.
Since traditionally stories about tourist natural objects in my blog are collected under the tag “Siberia”, I will put this article there, but keep in mind that this is actually the south-western steppe part of Russia.
Lake Manych-Gudilo occupies the bottom of the Kumo-Manych depression. Its name is explained simply: “manych” in Tatar means “salty”, and “gudilo” — because it hums. And indeed, the water in it is twice as salty as in the Black Sea. And the winds, sometimes, howl in the gullies and ravines so loudly that they do not allow you to sleep at night.
This strange land, unlike anything else, was called by the geographers of ancient Greece “the edge of the Oikumene”, that is, the edge of the world developed by people. Beyond lay a world that had not been explored by humans. The border between these worlds passed along the mysterious river Styx, which was written about by Herodotus. On Ptolemy’s map, this river connected the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea. Modern scientists believe that once the Kumo-Manych depression was really a strait connecting the seas. But over time, the water became less, and only the lake remained. Only it happened long before the appearance of ancient civilizations.
As I have already said, Lake Manych-Gudilo is not a very well-known and popular tourist destination, even within the country. There is almost no tourist infrastructure here. Excursions and overnight stays are offered only in the offices of the nature reserves surrounding the lake, in the nearest major cities, enterprising photographers and travel agencies offer photo tours here. Well, there are tourists on private vehicles.
On Manych-Gudrilo, you can distinguish three main things that give the lake an individual uniqueness and attract tourists here. These are birds, wild mustangs, and blooming tulips. Well, you can also mention the occasional gathering of kitesurfing enthusiasts.
On the lake, rare birds, waterfowl and near-water birds nest and winter in huge numbers: swans, geese, geese, pink and curly pelicans, cranes, herons, bustards… Therefore, the territories around the lake first became a nature reserve, and since 1990 — an ornithological part of the reserve “Black Lands”. A large “Rostov State Natural Biosphere Reserve” is also founded here. So the main thing on Manych-Gudrilo is birds, and tulips and mustangs are already a nice bonus, although of course anyone likes it.
The steppe area of the reserve is located in the zone of steppes and semi-deserts, and here they are engaged in the conservation of the saiga population, the preservation of biological diversity and the gene pool of steppe and semi-desert natural complexes.
The ornithological section of the reserve was formed to create a resting area for waterfowl and near-water birds on Lake Manych-Gudilo and is a reference point on the migratory routes of birds of the Western Palearctic.
If you want to visit both sites, then be prepared for the fact that from the steppe to the ornithological more than 300 km, so in one day to visit both is extremely difficult if you do not have a helicopter.
The lake is an important nesting and migration center for many species of birds, including the white-fronted goose, red-throated goose, pipit, gray goose, pink pelican, curly pelican, spoonbill, gray heron, black — headed chuckle, silver gull, sea dove, shiloklyuvka, stilt, little white heron, loaf.” One of the main “chips” of the lake-colonies of pelicans that nest on the islands of the lake. It is the islands that are a protected area, where it is strictly forbidden to disturb birds.
You can put up a tent on the shores of the lake. After some time (if you do not conduct “violent activity”), the birds get used to it and you can watch the birds flying/swimming/passing by without any binoculars.
The colony of pink pelicans in the water area of Manych is the second largest in Europe. In 2020, there were 1107 pairs perched here.
To observe the pelicans, the accompanying staff of the reserve ferries tourists by boat to one of the islands, where there are two small special shelters that allow you to watch the birds without scaring them.
From the inhabitants of the few settlements of the Kumo-Manych depression, you can learn a lot of stories about the wreckage of ships found with supposedly untold treasures. And if the prospects of treasure hunters in these places are rather doubtful, then a simple tourist who decides to see something unique should definitely come here. And best of all in April-May, when the lifeless steppe blooms.
Wild tulips and poppies can be found in other regions, but nowhere do they form such a riot of colors: all shades of red and yellow against a background of still juicy greenery, slightly muted by a haze of grasshoppers.
For many years, the flowering of tulips in Kalmykia has been elevated to the category of a cult. Festivals are held, guests come together. But the time for the festivals must be timed, and the time of flowering of tulips near cities is fleeting. Their flowering occurs somewhere in the middle of April, but it is impossible to guess the exact dates. Everything starts instantly, lasts for a week, and ends just as quickly.
And if there is no time, then there is only one way out — to go by car to Lake Manych-Gudilo and swim to Tulip Island. Only 100 km south of Elista, but these kilometers decide everything. Already approaching the cordon, turning off the asphalt into the steppe and you realize that all of it is blooming! Low, sturdy, bright red tulips appear from nowhere, and the closer we get to the shore of the lake, the more they become.
On the shore of the lake there are yurts of a temporary cordon. The flowering of the steppe in the protected areas is protected annually. The staff of the reserve themselves on boats take those who want to admire the flowers on the island. It would seem, what a difference, the steppe blooms the same everywhere. But for a tulip, the normal color is red, any other color is a deviation. Flowers on the island were completely isolated for thousands of years, as a result of which mutations began, and now there are only tulips here! Red, yellow, white, lilac, burgundy, with borders, with streaks… They grow through last year’s weeds and dry grass. They’re everywhere. They are like a hymn to life, which does not depend on what part of the world flowers grow in, in the mastered by people or not mastered. The main thing is not to interfere with them.
Donskoy Vodny Island is the third in the world and the only one in Russia where a herd of wild horses lives. This is a specially protected area, which can be accessed either by employees of the local nature reserve, or, and only for a limited time, by tourists accompanied by a guide and inspectors who monitor the safety of not so much guests as the local flora and fauna. The island is unique, it is a completely virgin steppe with its inhabitants who are not afraid of man.
It is interesting that the island is artificial in origin and appeared in 1948. The reason for its appearance was the flooding of the adjacent territory during the construction of the reservoir. According to eyewitnesses, the water arrived so quickly that local shepherds did not have time to take the animals from the pasture in time, and they remained on the island. In all likelihood, they were representatives of the Don breed, which is widespread in this region. By the time it was possible to take them out, the horses had already gone wild and did not want to leave Vodny Island.
A few years after the formation of the island, the water of Lake Manych-Gudilo turned from weakly mineralized to salty, which became unsuitable for drinking. At that time, the island was used for grazing sheep and collective farm horses, so an artesian well was drilled on it to supply the animals with drinking water. But in the late 80-ies on the island stopped grazing animals, the well eventually clogged. Feral horses became the rightful owners of the Water. There was a rainwater reservoir on the island, which was enough for the horses to quench their thirst.
A few years after the formation of the island, the water of Lake Manych-Gudilo turned from weakly mineralized to salty, which became unsuitable for drinking. At that time, the island was used for grazing sheep and collective farm horses, so an artesian well was drilled on it to supply the animals with drinking water. But in the late 80-ies on the island stopped grazing animals, the well eventually clogged. The feral horses became the rightful owners of Vodny Island. There was a rainwater reservoir on the island, which was enough for the horses to quench their thirst.
Around the same period, scientists, primarily geneticists, became interested in wild Don horses. It turned out that in a population of animals consisting of about 80 individuals and being in complete isolation for about 30 years, there are absolutely no signs of degeneration. All individuals looked healthy and without any external defects. In the mid-1990s, Vodny Island became part of the Rostov Reserve, and the horses began a completely different life.
The territory of the reserve was protected from poachers, so the number of Don mustangs began to increase rapidly. The growth of the population has created a new problem-the lack of drinking water, so the island was piped.
Today, about 300 Don mustangs live on Vodny Island. There is a strict order in the population, organized according to the rules of the equine world. The adult stallions manage schools of several mares and their foals, while the young stallions stay away. Here the horses feel great.
No more than ten people a day can visit this natural oasis, and not at any time of the year, but only from April to June and from September to October. These are the rules, the purpose of which is not to harm the owners of the island.
To become a member of the tour, you need the right clothes and luck. The fact is that you can go a long way, but if the island met you with bad weather — strong wind, rain or scorching sun, an exciting trip will not take place. The wind will not allow you to cross the lake by ferry, the rain will not allow you to move around the island, the sun will turn your stay in the wild into a hot hell. Therefore, the staff of the reserve call this piece of land a place of happy people. In their opinion, only the lucky ones get here.
For safety reasons, children are not allowed on the island. There are a lot of snakes and ticks here, so rubber boots are mandatory for tourists, as well as closed clothing and a headdress.
In addition, you can not make noise and come close to the herd, the minimum distance to it is ten meters. Male wild mustangs can guard their family jealously.
Tourists may be lucky, and they will witness an unforgettable spectacle-a horse fight, when adult stallions fight among themselves over a mare. It’s a fierce battle. The rivals beat each other with their front hooves to lacerations, which, thank God, are treated with the salt water of the lake.
Here are some tips if you are thinking about visiting this interesting place:
No walking tours are available in April and May! Because saigas calve, and pelicans nest. But the staff of the reserve “Black Lands” offers two car tours, strictly on their own transport.
According to the reviews of tourists, the visit center of the Rostov nature Reserve offers more comfortable accommodation and more democratic conditions for excursions, including traveling on your own transport with an escort, which is of course more convenient for a tourist photographer.
The best transport for traveling around the reserve is “loaf”. Yes, it shakes a little, there is no air conditioning, but it will pass where everything else will get stuck.
The Soviet car of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, which has a very good cross-country ability. Popularly known as “loaf” for the similarity of the body shape with a loaf of bread. On the conveyor of the automobile plant, it has been produced for several decades.
The staff of the reserve conducts field trips on these cars.
Just in case, I will once again remind you of the most basic rules:
On the territory of the reserve (as, indeed, everywhere) you can not litter. All the garbage, including candy wrappers and cigarette butts, we take with us to the garbage collector.
In the reserve, you can not pick flowers, dig up plants, break branches.
The most terrible disaster in the steppes is a fire. Therefore, when visiting the reserve, try not to smoke. But if you can’t give up this habit, then do not throw cigarette butts on the ground. And of course, no bonfires! By the way, a glass bottle thrown in the sun can work as a lighter.
In protected areas, you can not make noise — it is worth remembering that you are visiting and there are your own rules.
We leave our favorite dog / cat / hamster at home, visiting protected areas with pets is prohibited.
How to get
The area of Lake Manych-Gudilo is a real wilderness. The distance from Stavropol airport is 330 km. You can also arrange a trip from Rostov-on-Don (320 km) or Elista (190 km). But the last one is hard to get to. The best route is from Stavropol. Until the early 2000s, it was possible to get to the lake from here by train, which went to Elista, but today the car is almost an alternative option. The R-216 highway, though two-lane, but with a good surface and in more or less decent condition. In addition, in each of the four regional centers that you will pass: Grachevka, Svetlograd, Ipatov and Divny, you can have a snack in a roadside cafe and refuel.
What to take with you
Despite the fact that Manych-Gudilo is surrounded by several settlements (in the east — the villages of Divnoye and Priyutnoye, in the west-Yashalta and Proletarsk), there is a fairly decent distance between them: the length of the lake after all reaches 200 kilometers. Therefore, you should take almost everything: water (drinking and household), food, batteries for gadgets. Not superfluous will be a couple of cans of gasoline, as well as repellents. It is also worth taking care of cash, as ATMs are rare and do not always work, and terminals for non-cash payment may not be available either in stores or at the organizers of excursions.
In conclusion, a small photobonus with the inhabitants of the reserve, often caught by tourists in the sight of the camera lens.
