Arakul Rocks – a wonder of Chelyabinsk Region
Arakul is a popular place for tourists who like hiking and spending weekends camping by the lake. Arakul is located in Chelyabinsk Region, about 140km South-West of Yekaterinburg.
Arakul also called as Arakulsky Shikhan is a 2km long mountain range that looks like the Chinese Great Wall only made by Nature. Its height is 60 meters from the surface. You can meet groups of professional mointain climbers but one can climb Arakul easily from the western side of it (opposit to the lake)
Archeologists found traces of ancient people here. Some still believe that round holes at the top of the range were places of secrifice.
From above you can spot 11 lakes. The nearest one is also called Arakul. Like many other lakes of Chelyabinsk Region Arakul is clean and full of fish.
Getting there:
by car - from Chelyabinsk highway turn to Kasli, then go in the direction of Vishenevogorsk and finally follow a sign to Arakul village. The village is located on the bank of the lake. The mountain range is seen from the lake.
by a local train - in the direction of Chelyabinsk you will need a train station Silach. Then 6km of walking to the rocks and 8km to the lake. The train goes only twice a day.
by bus - it's possible to get to Vishenvogorsk by local buses. Then walk 8 km to the lake.
Photos by Eugeniy Kochetkov