Lake Arakhley

Lake Arakhley is the largest lake of the Ivano-Arakhleysky lake system, in the southern part of the Vitim Plateau in Zabaykalsky Krai, about 40 km west of Chita. The villages of Arakhley and Preobrazhenka, with their recreation bases, line its shores.

Nature

The lake occupies a tectonic depression between the Osinovy and Yablonovy ranges. Its surface area is 58.5 square kilometers, with a water volume of 0.61 cubic kilometers, a maximum depth of 19.5 meters and a shoreline length of 29 kilometers. The water is fresh and flows through: the Domka and Gryaznukha rivers feed the lake, and in high-water years the Kholoy stream drains out of it. Arakhley belongs to the basin of the Khilok River, a right tributary of the Selenga. In recent years the invasive Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis), also known as "water plague," has been found in the lake.

Recreation and fishing

Recreation bases line the shores, including one belonging to Transbaikal State University and the "Kvarts" base. The lake is a popular fishing spot for residents of Chita and the surrounding districts. Cultural events are also held here, such as the inclusive festival "Sails of the Spirit." On the shore, a Buddhist shrine, a bodnitsa, has been restored according to traditional canons: its roof has eight facets symbolizing the eight kingdoms of the water world.

Legends

A story is told about the ghost of a girl in a red dress: according to vacationers, her silhouette appeared in a photograph taken at one of the resorts after 2014, and the legend has spread around the area since then. By the roadside past the village of Arakhley, on the way to the resorts, stands a small memorial made of metal rods, put up in memory of two young people killed in a car accident.

How to get there

Lake Arakhley lies 40 km west of Chita. The road to the shore passes through the villages of Arakhley and Preobrazhenka, where guesthouses and access points to the water are located.