Pearl of Kazakhstan - Lake Shalkar

Kazakhstan attracts tourists with southern soft climate, picturesque antiquities, amazing national cuisine, indescribably beautiful nature. One of the tourist centers of Kazakhstan is Lake Shalkar - a large salt water body, which has every right to be called the steppe sea. Located a hundred kilometers from Uralsk, this pond is a favorite place for recreation in the Urals. The waters of Shalkar are salty, very clean, and old-timers consider them also curative.

History and modernity of the lake

The word "Shalkar" (or "Chalkar", as the locals say) from the Turkic language translates as "a lake sparkling like snow." Many experts are sure that Lake Shalkar is the remnant of the Khvalyn Sea, which thousands of years ago retreated from this land to the present-day Caspian.

Geography

There are almost no trees on the shores of the lake. But unpretentious thorns on the nature inhospitable salty soil. It is very difficult to call these places picturesque. However, a small sea, suddenly appeared in the middle of the steppe, still attracts the eye and attracts tourists. And on the sea this lake is really very similar. And it's not just the salinity of water, but also its size - the opposite shore of the lake is not visible. Strengthen resemblance to the sea and strong salty winds that rage in these parts in the evenings. The bottom of the lake is lined with fine light sand, but do not dig it - black mud is hidden under the sand . Many people consider them medicinal. But such procedures may not like everyone.

Lake Shalkar: where to stay for the night

The wild nature of steppe Kazakhstan attracts only the most courageous. There are no restaurants, cafes or hotels on Lake Shalkar. You can come here with a tent or a trailer, or you can rent a yurt. True, pleasure is not cheap - for a day you will have to pay 25-30 dollars. You can rent a house in a nearby village. The price for a yurt, comparable to the cost of a good number in a Turkish hotel, does not scare away everyone. Camping from afar is similar to the Kazakh aul - almost all yurts are always occupied. Therefore, those who decide to visit Lake Shalkar and live not in a tent, but in a real yurt, will have to agree on resettlement in advance.

Tourist business in Kazakh

Local residents try to attract tourists by offering them some services: drinking water, lamb meat, fried on a spit, the famous fat cheek ... Kazakh boys offer tourists to ride on local steppe horses. It is worth a pleasure quite a bit - only 100 tenge per circle. Another simple entertainment from the local - fishing on the lake. For a moderate fee, local men can ride on a boat or lend it. By the way, for traveling along the highway to the lake, you will have to pay 300 tenge. Despite the available collection, the state of the road is sad. And in many other respects the absence of the hand of a strong owner is noticeable. Lake Shalkar, whose reviews are very positive, could become "Kazakh Ibiza", but the tourist infrastructure there is not fully developed. Even those who came there with money and the purpose of spending it, most likely, will take the lion's share of savings home. There simply is not money to spend money on. The construction of hotels, restaurants, canteens, disco halls, entertainment complexes, shops - all this could make Lake Shankar (Kazakhstan) one of the tourist centers and a truly paradise. A positive role in infrastructure development would be played by repairing access roads to the lake. It turns out that nature has not regretted the efforts for this place, but people are not in a hurry to make efforts to equip the territory and develop tourism in the region.

Uralsk

The vast majority of tourists who visit Lake Shalkar (Kazakhstan), and visit the city of Uralsk, located nearby. It is a beautiful young city with many new buildings, parks, shops. In Uralsk, there are hospitable and friendly people, always welcoming visitors.

Many tourists want to live in Uralsk for a day or two to get a better acquainted with its architecture. And someone spends time here - after all, through Uralsk, the easiest way to get to Shalkar Lake and the time between transport can be spent here with benefit and pleasure.

Road to the lake

From Uralsk you can get to the lake by car or by bus. Develop a great speed will not work - in part the road is cut with bumps, bumps, small pits. But it's worth noting - about half of the route has already been repaired, and the rest of the road continues repair work. Landscape outside the windows of cars is difficult to call picturesque, but where else can you admire the sun-drenched steppes, if not in Kazakhstan? Water and food is best reserved in the city, because on the way to the lake it is unlikely to meet a shopping tent. To go to the lake for a short time - an hour after the departure you can already feel the smell of salt water and steppe grasses.