Tickets
Hotels
Tours
Insurance
Trains
RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Tambukan Lake or Tambukan Lake is a large salt lake known for its therapeutic sulfide-silt mud. They are actively used for therapeutic and cosmetic procedures in the resorts of the Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, with their addition, soap and cosmetics are made for sale. It is believed that their properties are in no way inferior to the world-famous Dead Sea, and even exported to neighboring regions and countries. In general, the Tambukan mud, along with mineral waters, is a kind of business card of the KMV resorts. In branded stores in resorts, you can buy the dirt itself in packages, and products from it.
But for tourists it will be interesting that you can visit the lake, swim, and if you want to do mud treatments yourself, which, however, is not recommended. The depth of the lake is small, so it is great for bathing children. Although, again, as experts say, it is impossible to swim for a long time, because it is saturated with active minerals.
There is a nature protection zone around the lake, it is difficult to drive up and approach, a barrier is installed at the entrance. The only open entrance is on the south side through the village of Etoko. From there, a dirt road leads to a small "beach", where a few vacationers are usually accommodated. Here you can have a picnic and swim.
Dirt in this place can be collected from the bottom, but for this you will have to look for where it still remains, for which you will have to remove a layer of silt to get to it. A real therapeutic mud of black color, clay to the touch. Also, local boys from the village offer to buy already extracted and dried mud for 100 rubles per package.
🕐 Working hours
around the clock.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
free.
🚶 How to get there
the lake is located 18 kilometers from Pyatigorsk on the border with the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (lake on the map). You can only get here by taxi or your own transport. To get to the only accessible place of the lake, it is necessary to turn off the main highway E50 / E117 to the village of Etoko, and there, at the first turn, turn left onto a dirt road. After 1 kilometer on a road that is not very good, but quite passable for any car, there will be a lake.
If you do not have your own car, then you can take any bus at the Pyatigorsk bus station in the direction of Nalchik or the Elbrus region, or the city bus No. 19 in the Upper Market, and get off at the turn to the village of Etoko, then walk one and a half kilometers.
We advise you to get acquainted with interesting places of Pyatigorsk with the help of excursions. You can buy excursions from distributors on the street, but it is more reliable to do it via the Internet on these verified sites with reviews:
- 📷 Search for excursions in Pyatigorsk on Tripster.ru
- 📷 Search for excursions in Pyatigorsk on Sputnik8.com
- 📷 Excursions in Pyatigorsk from the tour operator TEZ Tour