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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
The Chirkeyskoye reservoir, or as it is also called – the Chirkeyskoye Sea, was formed as a result of the construction of the Chirkeyskoye hydroelectric power station. Behind the hydroelectric dam, you can observe a huge pond with turquoise water – this is the reservoir. It has an unusual color due to mineral deposits. The reservoir covers an area of 42.4 km2 and contains 2.78 km3 of water reserves. It is considered the largest source of fresh water in the North Caucasus.
At the bottom of the reservoir used to be the village of Druzhba, which was originally built for hydraulic builders, and later flooded with the commissioning of the station. All residents moved to the settlement Dubki.
The reservoir attracts guests of Dagestan with beautiful views, there are not equipped beaches on its rocky and sandy shores, and water activities are also offered here. You can ride a high–speed carriage or rent a jet ski, but the most popular entertainment for tourists is a boat ride along the reservoir and Sulak Canyon.
In fact, the proposals for boat trips along the reservoir with a visit to the Sulak Canyon are not entirely honest. The fact is that the canyon is actually located between the Chirkeyskaya and Miatlinskaya HPP, and the best views of it are from the Dubka or Zubutli villages. And although the walk proposed by the reservoir is picturesque, but in fact it runs along the Sulak River, and has nothing to do with the Sulak Canyon.
🕐 Working hours
Around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge. Boating is about 1000 rubles / person or 8000 for the whole boat, you can bargain.
🚶 How to get there to Chirkeyskaya HPP
The Chirkey reservoir is located 80 kilometers from the center of Makhachkala (Chirkey reservoir on the map). You can get here only by your own transport, as well as some excursions to the Sulak Canyon pass by the reservoir and make a sightseeing stop.
Independently from Makhachkala can be reached by car by two roads: by a short one through the village of Chirkey and past the reservoir, or by a longer one through the Sulak Canyon and Dubki. Both roads are normal, asphalt everywhere. And ideally, within one day you can drive in a circle along the route: through the village of Chirkey > Chirkey reservoir > Chirkey HPP and observation > observation in the village of Dubki on the Sulak canon > Sulak Canyon > The sand dune of Sary-Kum. The whole way will take a full light day, you need to leave early in the morning, and you will have to travel 200 kilometers along the route. But you can immediately see all the main sights in the immediate vicinity of Makhachkala.
There are several points of departure of pleasure boats and beaches here. If you drive your car, you will see clusters of different water equipment on the shore and equipped platforms. Everyone's price tags are different, but you can bargain if it seems to you that they called too high a price. And on the shores of the reservoir there are several convenient points for spending the night in a tent.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Dagestan with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: