Lake Elton


Lake Elton is a salt lake in Volgograd Oblast, Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan. It has an area of 152 km² and is about 0.1 m deep. Its surface is 18 m below sea level.
It is the largest mineral lake in Europe and one of the most mineralized in the world.

Transportation

A bus ride can be taken from Volgograd and also by train from Saratov and Astrakhan can lead travelers to the area.

History

was excavated from Elton beginning in the early eighteenth century. Before 1865 the government was the excavator; from 1865–1882 the lake was heavily used by private businesses.

A spa resort has been located near the lake since 1910 and a sanatorium since 1945. Sulfide silt mud and brine from Elton are claimed to have anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, analgesic, relaxing and revitalizing properties.

Elton Ultra Trail Run

The Elton Ultra Trail is one of Russia's toughest races. There are two distances of 38 km and 100 miles. It was first organised in 2014.