How high does the temperature reach in Kalmykia in winter? Nature, plants and animals of Kalmykia. Pros and cons of winter travel to Kalmykia

Republic of Kalmykia- subject Russian Federation, is part of the Southern Federal District.

Square— 74.7 thousand sq. km.
Length: from north to south - 448 km, from west to east - 423 km.

Population— 283.2 thousand people (2010 data)
Population density – 3.8 people. per 1 sq. km.

Capital- the city of Elista.

Geographical position.
The Republic of Kalmykia is located in the extreme southeast of the European part of Russia.

Borders:
in the south - with the Stavropol Territory;
in the southeast - with the Republic of Dagestan;
in the north - with the Volgograd region;
in the northeast - with the Astrakhan region;
in the west - with the Rostov region;
in the east it is washed by the Caspian Sea.

Climate.
The climate of Kalmykia is sharply continental - summers are hot and very dry, winters have little snow, sometimes with extreme cold. The continental climate increases significantly from west to east. Average January temperatures throughout the republic are negative: from?7 °C...-9 °C. Minimum temperature in January:?35 °C...?37 °C. The most low temperatures sometimes reach?35 °C and below in the northern regions.

The duration of sunshine is 2180-2250 hours (182-186 days) per year. The duration of the warm period is 240-275 days. Average July temperatures are +23.5 °C…+25.5 °C. The absolute maximum temperature in hot years reaches +40 °C…+44 °C. Dry winds are very frequent in summer. There are up to 120 such days a year.

The annual precipitation is 210-340 mm. The Republic of Kalmykia is the driest region of Russia.

Water resources.
Kalmykia is the driest region of the Russian Federation, where the problem of water supply to the population is acute. The republic does not have enough own sources water and is mainly provided with water from the basins of adjacent rivers: the Volga, Kuban, Kuma, Terek and the Chograi reservoir.

Vegetable world.
The region is located in zones of steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.

Animal world.
About 60 species of mammals live on the territory of the republic. About 130 species of birds nest on the water bodies of Kalmykia and more than 50 species are encountered during seasonal migrations. 20 species of reptiles and 3 species of amphibians. Within the republic, 23 species of birds listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation have been recorded. The saiga population ranges from 270 thousand to 400 thousand heads.

Minerals.
There are hydrocarbon reserves, the main explored and exploited ones are the Iki-Burulskoye and Ermolinskoye fields natural gas. The deposits belong to the Caspian oil and gas province.

Attractions.

Elista city.
Elista is attractive with its national flavor: numerous Buddhist temples and buildings, chess city, monuments. The most notable include: The Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni Temple. It is a majestic building where prayers, rituals and festive services are held. It is the largest in Europe.

Yashalta Salt Lake.
On Lake Yashalta there is the Salt Lake resort, which occupies one of the leading places in the system of treatment and preventive health resorts in Russia. Yashalta Lake is also attractive for tourists: Tulip Island is located nearby, where you can see a herd of wild horses.

.
The Black Lands Nature Reserve was established on June 11, 1990. Its area is 121.9 thousand hectares. It occupies two territories separated from each other. The main part of the reserve is located in Caspian lowland, between the lower reaches of the Kuma and Volga rivers, in the territory of the Yashkul and Chernozemelny districts of Kalmykia. The saiga population is being protected and restored in this area.

The second section of the Black Lands reserve is Lake Manych-Gudilo, where rare species of waterfowl and semi-aquatic birds nest and winter (mute swan, greylag goose, red-breasted goose, pink and Dalmatian pelicans, bustard, demoiselle crane and others).

Lake Manych-Gudilo
Lake Manych-Gudilo (Big Manych) — unique salt Lake, one of the territories of the Black Lands reserve. belongs to Kalmykia, Stavropol Territory and Rostov region. At night the lake hums, hence the name: Manych-Gudilo. The word “Manych” is Tatar and means “salty” or “bitter”. Reservoir area 350 sq. km. Lake Manych-Gudilo is the remnant ancient ocean Tethys, connecting the Azov, Black and Caspian Sea. They nest on its islands rare species birds listed in the Red Book of Russia: pink and Dalmatian pelicans, black-headed gull, spoonbill and others.

(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -142249-1", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-142249-1", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); ))(this , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");

I have been dreaming about a trip to Kalmykia for a long time. And after exactly three years ago our friends went, my desire to visit there became even stronger.

My husband promised that we would definitely go there. But, as you know, they wait three years for what was promised. 🙂

Lion at the entrance of the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni

In addition, there was another good reason- my husband’s brother, he definitely wanted to go on a trip to the Kalmyk steppes with us, but he was always carried somewhere, now, then in...

On the eve of the Year of the Horse, they sent me an exotic gift,. And soon we ourselves were tying prayer flags at Buddhist shrines...

Well, some purely pragmatic considerations also influenced: the roads of Kalmykia are deserted, in winter it is better to drive around with two cars.

Be that as it may, another dream of mine finally came true and we spent these New Year holidays in the European patrimony of Buddhism.

Sign at the entrance to the Republic of Kalmykia

In 5 days we traveled all over Kalmykia, from the border of the Rostov region almost to Volgograd region. We drove one and a half thousand kilometers, learned what the Kalmyk off-road is,

Crossing a frozen stream in the Kalmyk steppe

visited,

We barely found Syakusn-Sume in the fog...

Kalmyk wind power plant disappointed...

we went to a natural monument and a place sacred to all Kalmyks, Purdash-bagshi, which stands alone in a very picturesque place a few kilometers from the village of Khar-Buluk,

And, of course, we visited the sights of Elista more than once.

The Seven Days Pagoda is especially beautiful at night

But I won’t rush and will tell you everything in order...

What impressed you about Kalmykia?

First of all, the people left a deep impression. Kalmyks are very hospitable, smiling and friendly. Sometimes we didn’t even have time to ask questions, as they themselves introduced us to their culture, traditions, customs, explaining everything very clearly. I have never seen anything like this anywhere before.

Secondly, the deserted spaces of the Kalmyk steppe were shocked.

The endless steppes of Kalmykia

Here you can drive tens of kilometers without meeting a soul.

The roads of Kalmykia are deserted in winter...

Even near Elista itself settlements are quite far from each other. When we drove from Elista towards Volgograd, we came across the first working gas station 80 kilometers from the capital of the republic.

And, of course, I was amazed by the exotic atmosphere itself.

You know very well that you are in Russia, while there are very few people with Slavic appearance on the streets, and at the same time everyone speaks Russian (I heard the local speech only once, and then, to be honest, I’m not one hundred percent sure , that it was the Kalmyk language, I’m not familiar with it, and who knows, maybe they were Korean, Mongolian or Japanese tourists), and around there were khuruls, pagodas and stupas...

Altn Bosch, Golden Gate in Elista

That's the only thing worth coming here for.

Pros and cons of winter travel to Kalmykia

There is only one undeniable advantage of traveling for the New Year holidays: there are very few tourists in Kalmykia in winter. No one bumps elbows at local landmarks.

Prayer wheels at the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni

But, alas, we had a few more disadvantages.

on the way to City Chess

Firstly, during the New Year holidays in Elista, all museums were closed, with the exception of the Museum of Buddhism on the territory of the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni. We diligently, starting from January 3, called and stopped by the National Museum of Kalmykia.

Yes, we would be glad to welcome you!

But no one answered the phone, and the doors were closed.

...but the National Museum of Kalmykia was closed all the time...

As for the Chess Museum in City Chess, they immediately told us that it would definitely open no earlier than January 8th.

The Chess Museum was closed, but at least we saw the Chess Palace itself

Secondly, many cafes and hotels in new year holidays they are also resting. We solved the housing issue simply: we rented apartments.

We lived in this house, near the monument to Kalmyk shepherds “Master of the Steppe”, on the very outskirts of Elista

And from our window you can see City Chess Square... :)

Here's a taste national food We managed to get to the Kalmyk Kitchen cafe only on January 6 and 7, already at the end of our trip.

Thirdly, it is very windy here in winter. And even with a slight frost of -2 degrees in the steppe, you freeze so much that it doesn’t seem a little at all.

The horses of the wind in Syakusn-Syum were ringing with ice in the wind...

I will tell you about Kalmyk cuisine separately, it deserves it. As, indeed, everything else.

But, to be honest, despite all the disadvantages of winter travel, we were pleased with the trip to this hospitable and exotic republic.

Triumphal Arch on Lenin Square in Elista

And we will definitely return here. When it will be warm…

Have you been to Kalmykia? How was it?

© Galina Shefer, “Roads of the World” website, 2014. Copying text and photos is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Kalmykia is a land of endless deserts and steppes, a region with ancient culture and history, unique fauna and flora. Its area is about 77 thousand square kilometers, which is even more than countries such as Switzerland and Belgium. On the territory of Kalmykia there is a large number of amazing beautiful places and sights that can be captured in photos and videos. Unique natural monuments, protected places, cities of the Golden Horde, Great Silk Road, the heritage of the Khazars - all this attracts many tourists to the republic.

Kalmyk steppe

The endless wide steppes are the heritage and main attraction of Kalmykia. The fields are especially beautiful at the end of April, when thousands of tulips bloom on the sun-scorched steppe.

Every year an environmental festival is held here, the purpose of which is to preserve natural wealth and attracting new travelers. In addition to admiring the flowering fields, guests can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Kalmyk traditions: ride camels and horses, try National dishes, archery, practice national wrestling.

Vodny Island

One of the main attractions of Lake Manych-Gudilo, located in the Black Lands Nature Reserve, is Vodny Island. This is a hilly area of ​​land with a sharp cliff on one side and gentle banks on the other. It is constantly windy in this area, the water in the lake rises with huge waves, some reaching a height of 12-13 meters.

Only steppe plants grow on the island - wormwood, thyme, fescue. It is also home to a population of wild mustangs. There are many legends surrounding their appearance, but in fact this is the result of a calculation error during the construction of a water canal between the Kuban and Egorlyk rivers. When the canal was built and the water was released, the latter flowed into the surrounding area and flooded the pastures, leaving only a few islands on which the horses remained trapped.

Lake Tsagan-Khag

Salty drying up reservoir in the Priyutnensky region of Kalmykia in the territory nature reserve"Rostovsky" on its fourth island site. Tsagan-Khag is a small body of water formed from an ancient strait that connected the Caspian and Black Sea on the site of the current Kuma-Manych depression.

From the Kalmyk language the name Tsaga-Khag is translated as “white silt”, this is due to the fact that the lake is located on a saline area. During dry periods, Tsagan-Khag dries out completely, leaving a salt crust on the surface, and in the spring it fills up thanks to melt water, flowing down from the slopes of the Ergeninskaya Upland.

Lake Tsaryk

One of the salty reservoirs of the Yashaltinsky district of the Republic of Kalmykia is located near the village of Solenoye. Its area is up to 18.5 square kilometers.

Tsaryk is part of the Manych group of lakes and is of relict origin. This means that it appeared as a result of the formation of cumulative forms such as spits and spits, which is of natural value to scientists. As a rule, by the end of summer the lake partially or completely dries up, and then returns to its original appearance.

Lake Naked Liman

Located in Kalmykia, west of the village of Priyutnoye, in the central part of the Kuma-Manych depression. The lake is part of the system of Burukshun estuaries, natural reservoirs that are located on the territory of Kalmykia and Stavropol. And it is the largest of them - its length is about 9 kilometers, width - 1 kilometer.

The bare estuary is of relict origin: it is the remnant of a large strait that once connected the Caspian and Black Seas. Currently, the reservoir becomes shallow in the summer, its banks are covered with steppe grasses, and in autumn time the basin is filled with water again.

Small Yashalta Lake

One of 2 large salty reservoirs (Small and Large Yashalta), which are located near the village of Yashalta. Small Lake covers an area of ​​12.5 square kilometers, the length of the reservoir reaches 5 kilometers, width - 3 kilometers.

Maloye Yashaltinskoe differs from other lakes of the Manych group in its unique composition of water and bottom sediments, which have a pronounced therapeutic effect. Researchers confirmed medicinal properties lake sediments. Experts recommend spending no more than 30-60 minutes in water, this time is enough to alleviate the condition of some diseases and feel a surge of strength.

Lake Deed-Khulsun

90 kilometers east of the city of Elista there is a beautiful lake with interesting name Deed-Khulsun. Translated from the Kalmyk language it means “upper reeds”. Indeed, about 40% of the lake’s surface is occupied by marine reeds, reeds and cattails - plants that are often called reeds.

Until 1976, on the site of a reservoir about 4 kilometers wide and 14 kilometers long, there was a tract that filled with water during floods and almost completely dried up during dry times. After the launch of the irrigation and watering system, water began to flow into the tract, and as a result it turned into a large reservoir.

Deed Khulsun is included in the list of wetlands that are of international importance as habitat for a large number of species of waterfowl.

Reserve Black Lands

It is located in the semi-desert zone on part of the Caspian Lowland, which is located in the southeast of Kalmykia between the lower reaches of the Volga River and the Ergeninskaya Upland. The Black Lands got their name due to the lack of snow cover in winter and the abundance of black wormwood with dark branches. The territory is interesting because there are 2 different environments Habitats: wetlands around the lake and Kalmyk steppes.

The symbol of the Black Lands is the saiga antelope. In addition, there are many reptiles here - lizards, boas, snakes, vipers. Mammals include corsacs, hares, hedgehogs, jerboas and saigas.

In these places there is the salt lake Manych-Gudilo, the Manych River and hot springs, the water temperature of which reaches 110-120 degrees Celsius.

The nature here is incredibly beautiful: desert steppes of wormwood, feather grass and chamomile. Camel thorns are also found, and in the area of ​​Lake Manych-Gudilo there are steppes with Lessing's feather grass. However, the most important decoration of the Black Lands are considered to be Schrenk's tulips, which grow on an island that can be reached by boat.

Khanata Nature Reserve

A natural reserve of regional significance was founded in 1963. It is located within the Caspian and Sarpinskaya lowlands. The main purpose of creating the Khanata reserve is the protection of shorebirds and waterfowl.

The only population of gray cranes nesting in Kalmykia permanently lives here. The migration routes of aquatic and waterfowl to the Caspian Sea pass through the string of Sarpinsky lakes. The northern parts of Khanata are inhabited by streptetas, gray partridge, cranes, demoiselle cranes and other bird species.

Sarpinsky reserve

State nature reserve"Sarpinsky", which has zoological status, was created in 1987. It is located on the territory of the Yustinsky, Yashkulsky, Ketchenerovsky districts of Kalmykia, on a vast plain called the Sarpinskaya Lowland. Its area is 196,000 hectares.

The fauna of the reserve is quite poor, mammals are represented by a group of rodents (small jerboa, ground squirrel, woolly jerboa, tarbagan, earth hare); Among the insectivores, the eared hedgehog is common; Among the predators are fox, wolf, steppe polecat, corsac fox.

The purpose of creating the Sarpinsky reserve is the restoration, conservation, reproduction of rare, valuable and endangered species of animals, medicinal and endangered plants. The objects of protection are the endemic Eurasian steppes - the steppe eagle, saiga, demoiselle crane, buzzard, bustard and some plant communities.

Mekletinsky reserve

In the eastern part of the Caspian lowland on the territory of the Chernozemelsky region of Kalmykia, a natural reserve called “Mekletinsky” was created in 1988. The main goal of its foundation is to preserve the unique population of saiga and those animals that were listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The main objects of protection are: saiga, steppe eagle, demoiselle crane, long-legged eagle, common eagle, etc.

The main type of vegetation on the territory of the reserve is wormwood-turfgrass steppes. They are dominated by 2 types of communities: subshrubs (chamomile, wormwood, ephedra) and xerophytic grasses (wheatgrass, fescue, feather grass, tonkonog). Near the drying up salt lakes (the largest is Koltan-Nur) there are shrubs such as tamarix, juzkuzgan and others.

Natural monument “Lonely Poplar” in Khar-Buluk

Among the steppe near the village of Khar-Buluk grows an amazing natural monument of republican significance - “Lonely Poplar”. The height of this majestic tree is 37 meters, and the girth of the trunk at the level of a person’s waist is 5 meters.

According to legend, the tree was planted by the Buddhist monk Purdash-bagshi on the very high point local upland in 1846. The poplar is very revered in Kalmykia; Buddhists consider it sacred tree and conduct prayers and rituals near him. People also come here to pray, ask for protection, tie colored rags to its branches and make a wish.

Natural Park of the Republic of Kalmykia

In 1995, the most beautiful natural Park Kalmykia. It is located in the Yustinsky district, on small area Volga-Akhtubinskaya within the republic. The park territory stretches for 8 kilometers along the left bank of the Volga River opposite the village of Tsagan-Aman. Thanks to him geographical location The park is a real forest oasis in the middle of an arid semi-desert.

This area contains a variety of biotopes: poplar and willow forests, swamps and lakes, floodplain meadows, areas of sand and erik. Among the animals Natural Park There are representatives of the order of carnivores - fox, wolf, raccoon dog, American mink. The wild boars are protected. Rodents and brown hares also live here in large numbers.

Also, the territory of the park is a place of nesting, habitat and rest during migration for waterfowl (whooper swan, mute swan, gray mallard), steppe birds (golden eagle, black kite, harrier, etc.) and water birds (red heron, white heron, gray). The lakes are home to 57 species of fish and 6 species of reptiles.

Yashkul khurul

The Yashkul khurul was first opened in December 1993; subsequently the building was restored and acquired a beautiful modern look. Elements of Buddhist architecture used during the restoration gave the khurul oriental elegance and flavor. The aesthetic completion of the monastery’s design was an openwork fence with an unusual gate.

The interior of the Yashkul khurul is also striking in its beauty. Here you can admire ancient Buddhist thangka icons made on fabric, see the priceless gifts of American Kalmyks to the Yashkul residents. full meeting works of Lama Tsongha-wa in Tibetan and Ganjur (a collection of Buddhist texts). Also in pride of place inside the building is the throne of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from the 14th century and a statue of Buddha.

The climate is normal for seasonal travel. The weather in Elista varies from month to month, because... it is very far from the equator. Cool average annual temperature environment during the day +14.5°C, and at night +7.1°C. This is a city in Russia. Below is information about the climate and weather in Elista in winter and summer.

The best months to travel

High season in Elista in September, April, May with excellent weather +15.5°C...+27.2°C. IN this period the city receives the least amount of rain, approximately 2 days per month, with 23.5 to 30.0 mm of precipitation falling. The number of clear days is from 17 to 23 days. The monthly climate and temperature in Elista are calculated based on recent years.

Air temperature in Elista by month

The warmest weather in Elista by month and in Russia in general is in June, July, August up to 32.8°C. At the same time, the lowest ambient temperatures are observed in January, February, December down to -7°C. For lovers of night walks, the readings range from -10.8°C to 23.6°C.

Number of rainy days and precipitation

The rainiest periods are December, April, May when bad weather 4 days, up to 34.5 mm of precipitation falls. For those who do not like humidity, we recommend January, February, June during this period, the average monthly rainfall is only 0 days and the monthly precipitation rate is 16.4mm.

Rest comfort rating

The rating of climate and weather in Elista is calculated by month taking into account average air temperature, amount of rain and other indicators. Over the year in Elista, the score ranges from 2.5 in February to 5.0 in September, out of five possible.

Climate summary

Number of sunny days

Largest quantity sunny days noted in September, August, July when there are 28 clear days. During these months Nice weather in Elista for walks and excursions. The least sun is in January, February, December when the minimum number of clear days is: 2.

Most of Kalmykia is located on the Caspian lowland below the level of the World Ocean. Basic natural areas There is steppe, desert and semi-desert here.

There are very few forests in the republic, but there are enough water bodies. The most large lake- Manych-Gudilo, which is state reserve. There are also Sarpinsky and Sostinsky lakes, the Yashalta salt lake.

The Volga and Manych flow through the territory of Kalmykia. The biggest water resource- Caspian Sea. The republic does not have flashy and lush landscapes, but there is a discreet charm of steppe landscapes, the charm of which is revealed gradually.

Flora of Kalmykia

The vegetation of Kalmykia exists in harsh conditions: saline soils and sharp continental climate determine the unique composition of the flora. There are many endemics here - plants that grow only here. There are more than 800 plant species in the republic, belonging to 80 families. Of these, about 300 species have economic importance and occupy pasture lands, and 100 species are medicinal plants. Anthropogenic factors lead to degradation flora Kalmykia: many species are degenerating, disappearing, becoming completely unviable; 16 species are listed in the Red Book.

To save ecosystems in Kalmykia, the Black Lands reserve was created, which includes Lake Manych-Gudilo. Scientists are trying to preserve plants, many of which play a soil-protective role, for example: astragalus, kochia, grate, teresken, juzgun and others.

The steppes are dominated by cereal plants - feather grass and fescue. Various types of drought-resistant wormwood and camel thorn are common in deserts and semi-deserts. In April, tulips begin to bloom in the Kalmyk steppes. There are several types of them here. The spectacle is unforgettable; many come specially to see the huge flower carpets. They bloom especially beautifully on the shores of Lake Manych. The republic annually hosts a tulip festival.

Fauna of Kalmykia

The republic's fauna includes 60 species of mammals, most of which are rodents. These are gophers, brown hares, hedgehogs, and jerboas. A unique animal is listed in the Red Book, carnivorous mammal of the weasel family - dressing. There are also predators - wolves, foxes, corsacs, ferrets, raccoon dogs.

wild steppe antelope Saiga is the pride of Kalmykia. But it is on the verge of extinction due to poaching and high demand for horns. Human development of semi-desert zones has led to the displacement of saigas into an unfavorable habitat - deserts, where their numbers are steadily declining. There are also a lot of wild boars in the republic.

The Kalmyk Bactrian camel is one of the main values ​​of Kalmykia. It provides milk, wool and meat. Bred in breeding farms.

More than 150 species of birds live here: larks, herons, gulls, swans, geese, many species of ducks and ducks. The Red Book includes the pink and Dalmatian pelican, the long-legged and imperial eagles, the white-tailed eagle and many others.

In Kalmykia, seasonal hunting of predatory and fur-bearing animals, as well as flying and waterfowl is allowed.

Commercial fish species are found in the rivers and lakes of the republic, as well as in the Caspian Sea. These are sturgeon, pike, pike perch, catfish, carp, bream, rudd, crucian carp, perch, herring, roach.

Climate in Kalmykia

The climate in the republic is harsh, sharply continental. This means very dry and hot summers with an average July temperature of 25.5 degrees. Warm weather lasts up to 275 days a year. Feature summer period are strong hot winds. Locals They use the energy of dry winds: there are quite a few windmills in the republic. There are even solid investment projects on the use of wind energy resources.

Winter in Kalmykia is cold and snowy, average temperature January is 7 - 12 degrees. In general, winter is unstable, alternating thaws and snowstorms create ice and icing of pastures.

Spring and autumn are more comfortable times, when the steppes bloom, hunting for animals and birds begins, and fishing comes to life.