Near Solenoye lies Lake Bolshoye Yashaltinskoye, a large salt lake in Yashalta District of the Republic of Kalmykia. It is located between the villages of Berezovskoye and Solenoye. The lake also has extensive deposits of sulphide mud, described as having healing properties. The saline waters and this distinctive natural deposit give the landscape around Solenoye a tangible connection to nature.
Nature and protected areas in the Republic of Kalmykia
Looking beyond Solenoye to the Republic of Kalmykia, the Chyornye Zemli State Nature Reserve features a variety of landscapes: steppe, semi-desert and desert. The “Ozero Manych-Gudilo” section is also part of this protected area. It is a wetland of international importance and serves as a breeding and wintering ground for many rare waterbirds and waders. Open landscapes and an important bird habitat can therefore be found side by side here.
The nature reserve has five guided eco-trails and routes. Their names include “Tropoy saygaka”, “Ptitsy ozera Manych-Gudilo”, “Tyulpany Manycha”, “Mekletinskiye rozovyye ozera” and “Zverinaya tropa i lebedinoye ozero”. An ecological saiga route runs through the reserve and its buffer zone. It is 35 to 60 kilometres long and was developed for observing wild saiga antelopes. The names and lengths offer different starting points for choosing a theme, but they do not replace checking the current arrangements: seasonal conditions may vary, so check with the operator before planning.
Visitors may move around the nature reserve only under the supervision of reserve staff and a guide. This requirement should be factored into planning a visit. Check current arrangements directly with the reserve before committing to a route.
Visitor Centre and Culture
The nature reserve’s visitor centre features present-day and historical inhabitants of the Kalmyk steppe, including life-size models of steppe animals. The ethnographic section focuses on arrowheads and work and everyday tools dating from the Neolithic to the late nomadic period. Most of the exhibits were found in the nature reserve and federal protected areas. This makes it possible to explore natural history and traces of human life at the same destination.
The visitor centre also hosts travelling exhibitions: the “Zapovednaya Kalmykiya” photography exhibition and the interactive exhibition “Migratsionnyy put' krasnozoboy kazarki”. As these exhibitions travel, it is a good idea to check which ones are currently on display before visiting.
Another regional travel highlight is the annual Tulip Festival held in the Republic of Kalmykia. The programme includes Kalmyk dances in traditional costumes, concerts, workshops and performances by historical reenactment groups. Activities include archery, lasso throwing and camel riding, as well as tastings of local food. Individual events may vary from year to year, so it is worth checking the dates and current programme before travelling.
Two specific cultural attractions in Elista are worth noting: the Central Khurul “Zolotaya obitel' Buddy Shakyamuni” is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. The N. N. Palmov National Museum of the Republic of Kalmykia was founded on 25 March 1921. Together with the natural surroundings of Solenoye and the attractions of the nature reserve, these places offer a glimpse of the Republic of Kalmykia’s diverse character.
For a broader travel overview: Yashaltinskiy District.
