Malkamantau Mountain

Malkamantau Mountain (also spelled Mulkamantau) lies in the Orenburg region, in the Tyulgan district, half a kilometer north of the village of Davletkulovo. It is a high ridge-like upland cut by the Yaman-Yushatyr river, rising to about 307.5-307.9 meters above sea level. The mountain holds the status of a regional nature monument covering 58.9 hectares, with a special protection regime in place.

Geology

The mountain's main value is a reference geological section exposed in the riverside cliff of the Yaman-Yushatyr. The cliff rises 20 to 30 meters and exposes banded, finely layered lake deposits of the Kazanian stage of the Upper Permian: red-colored mudstones, clays and siltstones interbedded with marls and sandstones. The exposed section is more than 150 meters thick, and the rock layers dip at an angle of 20-25 degrees to the northeast. Geologists consider it one of the reference sections of the Kazanian stage in the region. Next to Malkamantau rises a higher summit of the same upland, Mount Karaul, at 342.8 meters.

Legends

A local legend, recorded from the residents of Davletkulovo, is tied to the mountain. According to their accounts, the name comes from Mulkaman, the leader of a gang of Kazakhs who stole livestock on Bashkir lands. He died on this mountain, and it has carried his name ever since. For local residents the mountain still serves as a reminder of old Kazakh-Bashkir feuds.

The village of Davletkulovo

The village of Davletkulovo, next to which the mountain stands, was founded back in the 17th century. According to the 2002 census it had 383 residents, 93 percent of them Bashkirs; by 2010 the population had fallen to 282. The village lies about 7 kilometers northwest of the settlement of Tyulgan, the district's administrative center.

Getting there

The Kazanskiy tract named after Chapaev leads toward the mountain. The easiest way is to drive to the village of Davletkulovo and then continue about half a kilometer north to the cliff above the Yaman-Yushatyr river. The Tyulgan district lies in the southern part of the Orenburg region; the route from Orenburg runs toward Tyulgan.

Good to know

Malkamantau is a nature monument under a special protection regime, so some activities on its territory are restricted. It is worth checking the current rules before visiting, since the place remains primarily a geological site rather than an equipped tourist spot.