Lake Sut-Khol is located in the Sut-Khol kozhuun of the Tyva Republic in the spurs of the Western Sayan 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 larch trees, slender spruces, and handsome cedars. On the green moss, there are pink flowers of round-leaved pears, lingonberries, and badan. In the vicinity of Sut-Khol there is a rounded, forested mountain Bora-Taiga, the rocky top of which is crowned with a wooden pyramid built by topographers. From the south, the dome of the Kyzyl-Taiga mountain rose above the lake, from where a magnificent view of the Khemchik depression opens.
Sut-Khol is remembered by everyone who has seen it at least once. The bizarre shape of the peninsula juts deep into the surface of the lake, wild rocks and white clouds are reflected in the water, as in a mirror.
Small rivers flow into the lake from the west. Their banks serve as the usual camp site for shepherds. In the southeast, from Sut-Khol along a picturesque gorge surrounded by yellowish rocks with trails of stone scree, the Khol-Ozhu river rushes out, forming in places small waterfalls. Bushes of red and black currants hang over the river, irises, bells, lilies bloom, 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 spring 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, the tents of the tourists are located near the arzhaan, who not only drink the water of the spring, but also take a shower.
The lake is very rich in plankton. It contains many amphipod crustaceans that omul feed on. Ichthyologists launched fry of Baikal omul, Mongolian grayling, peled, ripus, vendace into Sut-Khol. Scientists believe that Sut-Khol is an ideal place for breeding these fish.
The lake has very clean air and absolute silence. Since ancient times, Sut-Khol has been considered sacred, its name of the lake in translation means "milk lake", and Tuvan milk symbolizes purity. To this day, no one can swim in the sacred lake. It is believed that if someone breaks the peace of the lake, clouds will instantly come and hail will begin. Perhaps that is why the purity of 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. On the lake, no one really breaks the peace, this is a sacred place.
Sut-Khol is also the birthplace of the most famous storytellers and the most powerful Tuvan fighters, which is also attributed to the influence of the sacred lake.
There is a legend among the people. In ancient times, an old witch woman settled by the lake. She cooked medicinal decoctions from Sut-Khol herbs, chanted spells, sent a thunderstorm to the taiga. Once a witch 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 on the Sut-Khol pastures, cows give a lot of milk, thick as cream. Not for nothing, Sut-Khol is translated into Russian and means - Milk Lake.
Scientific adviser, Ph.D.
The Republic of Tuva has a fairly large number of inimitable, unique places on its territory, which are rich not only in natural resources, but also in historical monuments. One of these places is Sut-Kholskiy kozhuun (district). It was officially created only in 1983, before that the territory of the Sut-Khol district was part of the Dzun-Khemchik district. The total area of the district covers an area of 669125 hectares. It has 7 sumons: Aldan-Maadyr, Ak-Dash, Bora-Taiga, Sug-Aksy, Kara-Chyraa, Kyzyl-Taiga and Ishkin. The regional center is the village of Sug-Aksy, which is located in the middle part of the Sut-Khol district. The region itself is located in the northwestern part of the Tuva Republic. It borders in the south with Dzun-Khemchiksky, in the west with Barun-Khemchiksky, in the east with Chaa-Khol kozhuuns of the Tyva Republic, in the north with Khakassia.
On the territory of the Sut-Khol kozhuun there is a beautiful mountain lake Sut-Khol, which is located next to the Kyzyl-Taiga mountain (the height of the mountain is 2400 meters above sea level). The area of the lake is 1400 hectares, length - 8 km, width - 3.5 km, depth - 35 m, the lake is located 1814 m above sea level, the lake is inhabited by Mongolian grayling, peled, omul, vendace. Kozhuun got its name precisely in honor of the lake - Sut-Kholsky.
In Tuva there is a national wrestling "Khuresh". At the traditional festival of livestock breeders (Naadym), wrestling competitions are held annually. All the great fighters in the national wrestling "Khuresh" are from Sut-Khol, and this is considered by the locals to be the influence of the sacred lake Sut-Khol. The purity of the water in the lake is comparable only to Lake Baikal. Since ancient times, the lake. Sut-Khol is considered sacred, it is not without reason that all Tuvan tales and legends begin with the words: "A long time ago, when Lake Sut-Khol was a small puddle, and Mount Sumber-Uula (the mountain on which the lake is currently located) was a hummock ...". In the area of the lake, shamanistic rituals are performed annually, during which the owner of the lake is coaxed to help in obtaining a good harvest, prosperity and protect the local population from diseases, jute (poverty, hunger and death of livestock).
Wild animals live on the territory of the kozhuun: maral, roe deer, wild boar, musk deer, hare, etc. Birds: black grouse, capercaillie, partridge, duck, goose, snowcock, eagle, kite, etc. The rivers Khemchik, Sep, Ak, Alash are rich in various species fish.
Ulug-Ovaa is a unique monument of cultural and historical heritage. Ovaa is a traditional place of worship of Tuvans to various spirits of nature, where a mound of stones with sticking dry branches is formed, on which ribbons are tied as a sign of worship. Ulug-Ovaa is located on the border between Khakassia and Tuva. It is assembled from special stones on which letters and horoscopes drawn up by lamas are engraved in two languages (Tibetan and Tuvan). Ulug-Ovaa has been a place of worship for local residents since ancient times. Today it is more often abandoned. And earlier the road to Tuva passed by him because of the Sayan mountains.
In Tuva, the holy spring is called arzhaan. On the territory of Sut-Khol there is arzhaan Shaarash (Dorgun) - a radon source, which is located in the territory of the village of Kyzyl-Taiga. The water temperature in Arzhaan is + 4.2 degrees. It treats diseases of the endocrine, musculoskeletal, and respiratory systems. People come here for treatment not only from Tuva, but also from other regions of Russia.
In the village of Aldan-Maadyr there is a monument dedicated to the uprising of 60 heroes. The author and manufacturer of the monument is Saryglar Ortun Ertineevich. In the area of the village in 1883 - 1885, an uprising of 60 heroes took place - this is the largest uprising of the Arats against the Manchu oppression and local feudal lords. The monument was erected in 1993, made in the form of a huge quiver for arrows, 68 names of the rebels are lined with metal. The monument is a landmark of the village.
Mount Kizhi-Unmes is located near the village of Ishkin. Translated Kizhi-Unmes means a mountain that cannot be climbed by a person. Kizhi-Unmes is the highest point of the Ishkinsky Khor-Taiga, 2650 meters above sea level. According to the observations of local residents, it is on this mountain that the weather is born. Local residents believe that if clouds gather over the top of the mountain and a blizzard begins, wait for bad weather. It is always windy at the top, so you can climb there only in clear weather. Before the ascent, it is considered mandatory to perform the rite of worship of the mountain. It is noticed that if a person climbs a mountain, then after that it rains or snows for several days, it is believed that the mountain is angry. In 1953, a plane with an expedition of geologists crashed here. The plane crashed into the mountain because of the fog. One of the passengers of the plane survived and crawled through the taiga for several days to the shepherd's parking lot, where he received help. In the light of this event and various signs of the local population, a special attitude is formed towards Mount Kizhi-Unmes.
In the picturesque place of Nizhny Ishkin there is a stone stele Dash Kozhee, about 2.5 meters long. As a local resident of the village of Ishkin Koshkar-ool Ondar says: “The oldest inhabitants of these places said that once upon a time there lived two brothers - Borbak-Sat and Churek-Sat. During the war with neighboring tribes, they died. In place of their yurts, the wives of these fighters erected a stone statue of Dash Kozhee. " However, Koshkar-ool Ondar claims that the stele was originally twice as high. Apparently she could not stand the weight of time and broke off. Although this fact, as well as the names of those for whom, according to the stories of the old-timer, it was erected, speaks of the comparative youth of the monument. Stone sculptures of Scythian times look different. There are several burial mounds not far from the stele, each with a diameter of 15 - 20 meters. They are not looted, as they are in a hard-to-reach place.
Sut-Kholskiy kozhuun is one of the most beautiful areas of the Republic of Tuva, in the kozhuun there are not only unique natural places, but also historical monuments, around many of them legends and legends have been composed since ancient times. The residents of kozhuun themselves are proud to live in Sut-Khol. It is necessary to preserve the historical heritage, cultural monuments, and traditions of the area.
Bibliographic list
1. Tuva. Guidebook "LE PETI FUTE" - Moscow: Avangard. - 2001 .-- S. 148-149.
2. Aldan-Maadyr. In memory of ancestors. - Kyzyl: 1997 .-- S. 12.
3. Biche-ool V.L., Shaktarzhik dugayinda chugalar. - Kyzyl: 2C. 139
Sacred Sut-KholAmir Dulush, an employee of the Department of Culture of the Sut-Khol region, spoke about the unique lake Sut-Khol and the tourist base "Sut-Khol".
“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 in translation means "milk lake", and Tuvan milk symbolizes purity. The lake is considered sacred to this day, no one is allowed to swim there, if someone breaks the peace of the lake, then the clouds come in instantly, hail begins. Perhaps that is why the purity of the waters in it is comparable only to Lake Baikal. Sut-Khol is also the birthplace of the most famous storytellers and the most powerful fighters, and this is also considered to be the influence of the sacred lake.
On the lake, no one really breaks the peace, this is a sacred place. The guides tell all our tourists the legend about the sacred bull that came out of the lake to share his blood with people and save them from terrible diseases. The lake has very clean air and absolute silence. Therefore, we want to combine active rest with meditation at the base.
Our project "Tourist base" Sut-Khol "has been operating for more than 10 years. But so far only in the summer. Tourists live in a tent-yurt town. We can offer vacationers any cuisine, national, European. We can deliver food to a yurt, we can cook it outdoors, we also have a canteen. Of course, we wanted the camp site to work all year round. For 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, vendace.
We have developed several horse and hiking trails in 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 look at the unique monument of cultural and historical heritage Ulug Ovaa. This is a sign of the border between Khakassia and Tuva. Ovaa is made of special stones, on which letters and horoscopes are engraved in two languages. And of course, one cannot pass by the arzhaans, which are located on the Kyzyl-Taiga mountain. All three sources are radon. For example, the water in arzhaan Shaarash (Dorgun) + 4.2 degrees, and is very healing, heals from diseases of the endocrine, musculoskeletal and respiratory systems. You can get to the lake in two ways, one of them - on foot, passes just through the Shaarash spring. And another route can be overcome by car through the village of Bora-Taiga, the road to the lake is mountain-taiga and very beautiful.
In summer, shepherds' camps are located around Lake Sut-Khol, so the development of rural tourism seems to us the most promising direction: many seek to relax away from noisy cities, among the silence of pristine nature. The shepherd's camp combines scientific, cultural and ethnic tourism; this type of recreation is considered one of the available, does not require large expenses. In addition, rural tourism is an active vacation: tourists are invited to become participants in the traditional life of the Arat family, to get acquainted with the life of the shepherds, with the national cuisine.
Tourists from big cities will find it very interesting to plunge into a completely different culture, milk goats, cows, learn how to make skins, and sew national clothes. Men will be taught to lasso horses, teach national games. That is, people can be so busy that they will definitely not be bored. And the rest itself in such a picturesque place is worth a lot.
Today, the main problem of tourism development in the region is the lack of investment resources and infrastructure. It would be nice to build a 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 roadbed would allow any tourist to get to 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 is, first of all, in its pristine perfection, untouched nature. It's like getting into 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 just enjoy such an amazing vacation. And horseback riding is exotic for many ”.
One of the most successful places for tourist recreation in the Republic of Tuva is the Sut-Khol lake, located on the territory of the Sut-Khol kozhuun. This picturesque reservoir is hidden from prying eyes in the spurs of the Western Sayan mountain range, at an altitude of 1.8 kilometers above sea level, surrounded by spreading firs, 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 with a man-made wooden pyramid, installed here by topographers. The surrounding forests abound with currants and lingonberries, which can be collected in whole baskets, and in open areas there are berry, wintergreens and other flowers that delight the eye with their variegation. In the immediate vicinity of Lake Sut-Khol there is a tourist base of the same name, which has been receiving 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 to you directly to the yurt. Alternative options are three meals a day in the dining room, and barbecue 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 reservoir is considered sacred among local residents, and ablutions in it are punishable by terrible curses. Believe in these legends or not is a private matter for everyone, but it is clearly not worth neglecting them, if only out of respect for the traditions of Tuvans. It is noteworthy that next to the lake there is the Ulug-Dorgun mineral spring, the water of which is allowed to be used not only for drinking, but also for bathing. However, its temperature barely reaches 5 degrees, and such a test can only be done by real "walruses". Recently, Sut-Khol began to be used for fish farming. Fry of grayling, ripus, peled and omul were brought here, which have taken root well in a new place and have already managed to give birth to offspring. Small crustaceans, which are found in huge quantities in the lake, have become the main food source for these fish. At the moment, fishing on Sut-Khol is prohibited, and vacationers come here only for recreation and health improvement. The most beautiful landscapes of these places often become the backdrop for photographs, and the most successful angles can be caught on the southeast coast, at the source of the Hol-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. During the preparation of the next broth, she threw a vat of milk into the water, and the whole lake turned white. Since then, the cows grazing on its banks began to give thick, fat milk, similar to cream, and the reservoir itself began to be called "Sut-Khol" - "Milk Lake". Another legend tells of a mythical creature - a bull that lives in the depths of the lake and helps 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 squall wind blows.
How to get there
The nearest settlement to the Sut-Khol lake is the village of Sug-Aksy, which can be reached from the regional center by a good asphalt highway. A country road leads to the shores of the reservoir from the village, which is often washed away by rains, and even an SUV cannot always drive along it. On the way, you will have to overcome a steep pass, which is possible only under favorable weather conditions.
Sut-Khol district situated 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 the Chaa-Khol kozhuuns of the Tyva Republic, in the north with the Republic of Khakassia.
District center- the village of Sug-Aksy - located in the middle part of the Sut-Khol district (kozhuun). Population kozhuun - 7933 people (2016)
A feature of the economic and geographical position of the Sut-Khol district (kozhuun) is its remoteness from the central regions and the capital of the republic. The distance from the district (kozhuunny) 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 the kozhuun with other kozhuuns of the republic is motor transport.
In the central part of the kozhuun there is the Khemchik depression, in the north of the kozhuun there are high mountains. Most of the kozhuun (51.0%) is occupied by forests with cedar, poplar, larch, birch, bird cherry, aspen, as well as sea buckthorn, currant, blueberry and others. In terms of the area occupied by sea buckthorn, the fruits of which contain a large amount of vitamin "C", kozhuun occupies one of the leading places in the republic.
From west to east flows the river "Khemchik" 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", where peled, omul, Mongolian grayling are bred.
The main direction of kozhuun is agricultural.
Climate sharply continental. The lowest observed temperature in winter is 50 ° С, the average January temperature is 30 degrees below zero. The winter period lasts about 180 days. The hollow nature of the region'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.
The hot and dry summer comes at the end of May and lasts 85 days. The average temperature in July is +20 degrees, the maximum is +38 degrees. No frosts are observed during the summer. Spring frosts usually end at the end of the second decade of May, but in some years they are also observed at the beginning of June. Autumn frosts begin in the third decade of September, in some years at the end of August. The duration of the warm (temperature above +10 degrees) period is about 125 days. In general, the climatic conditions of the area are harsh.
On the territory of the region (kozhuun) from the explored deposits of minerals, lime burning is involved in the economic turnover in the village. Aldan-Maadyr, and a deposit of brick clays in the village. Ak-Dash is planned to turn over in the coming years.
