Mount Satyrtau

Satyrtau (Satyr-tau) is an outlier hill and a complex natural monument in the Alsheyevsky District of the Republic of Bashkortostan, near the village of Kipchak-Askarovo, above the valley of the Dema River. The mountain lies about 120 km southwest of Ufa and 3.7 km south of the neighbouring Susaktau; both can be seen from afar, rising above the fields.

Name and description

The Bashkir name means "tent mountain": its flat-topped rocky summit resembles a tent. The mountain is 266–269 m above sea level and rises about 150 m above the Dema valley.

Satyrtau is built of Upper Permian rocks of the Kazanian stage: siltstone, sandstone, mudstone, marl, limestone and conglomerate. The slopes are treeless and covered with the grasses of rocky sandy steppe.

Natural monument

Satyrtau was declared a complex natural monument in 2005; the protected area covers 8 hectares. Its slopes support species listed in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bashkortostan:

• Astragalus helmii;
• Stipa pulcherrima (the most beautiful feather grass);
• Linaria debilis;
• Medicago cancellata;
• Oxytropis hippolyti.

Picking plants within the natural monument is not allowed, and it is better to keep to the existing paths.

History and legends

The surroundings of the mountain are known for archaeological finds, including traces of the Sarmatians, nomadic tribes who lived in the steppes of the southern Urals in the Early Iron Age. The heritage of the Min Bashkirs is preserved here. The village of Saryshevo also lies near the mountain.

It is said that a wish made on the summit of Satyrtau will come true, which is why the mountain is called "wish-granting". According to local stories, Satyrtau and the neighbouring hills are also known as the "Maiden's Breasts".

Getting there

From Ufa it is about 120 km: along the highway through Chishmy and Davlekanovo, then through Rayevka towards Kipchak-Askarovo. The 80N-053 road passes near the village. The mountain is clearly visible from the road from a distance.

Good to know

Satyrtau is usually visited together with the neighbouring Susaktau: the two are 3.7 km apart, and both summits can be seen from the Dema valley. There are no trees on the slopes and no shade, so in summer it is worth taking water and a hat for the climb.