Turgoyak. The mysterious island of Faith.

Lake Turgoyak is a pearl of the Chelyabinsk region, the 2nd pure lake of Russia, a recognized natural monument. The water surface area of Lake Turgoyak is 26.4 km2. The maximum depth is 36.5 m, the average is 19.1 m. The water of the lake has a unique transparency - you can see the inhabitants of the lake, living at a depth of 17.5 meters! Surrounded by majestic mountains covered with centuries-old pine forest, Lake Turgoyak has always attracted tourists and aroused the interest of scientists. According to archaeologists, ancient settlements may have appeared here about 100 thousand years ago. To this day, archaeological excavations are conducted on the territory of the lake. The island of St. Faith, located near the western shore of Lake Turgoyak, can be called the “open-air museum”. About the healing properties of the nature of Lake Turgoyak are legends. After spending even a few hours on its shore, people begin to feel better - fatigue and apathy recede, every cell of the body seems to be filled with vital energy.

The island of Vera on Lake Turgoyak has always been famous for its legends. It was said that at the beginning of the last century, the hermit Vera lived here in a stone dugout, and even earlier, Pugachev’s associate was hiding here, and in honor of his island was called Pinaevsky for a long time. Traditions have survived about the Old Believers and monks who lived in stone cells on the island.
But reality has surpassed all legends. Archaeologists have found that both Old Believers and Pugachevites only used the ancient buildings of the island. People came and sailed to the island to worship their gods for tens of thousands of years. Evidence of this is the numerous religious buildings located on this small island (6.5 hectares) and occupy more than 40% of its territory. The island is clearly divided into two parts, and each of the parts is distinguished by climate, vegetation (birch and aspens grow in the northeast, mainly pine trees in the southwest) and archaeological sites. The greatest concentration of antiquities is observed in the southwest. Here and the site of the Neanderthals (about 100 thousand years ago), and the remains of the hermitage of the Old Believers (cells, ruins of the chapel), and ancient quarries, and menhirs (vertically placed stones). But the most striking monuments of the island are its megaliths - large religious buildings made of massive stones. The largest megalith of the island has a length of about 18 meters, and the weight of the largest floor slab is about 17 tons. Very interesting are large stones resembling stone images of animals. For the past five years, archaeologists have been conducting research on the island, but it turned out that scientists are waiting for discoveries at the bottom of Lake Turgoyak. Scientists believe that the archaeological monuments of the island of Vera are an important component of the historical and cultural heritage of mankind and have value on a par with Stonehenge in England. Archaeological excavations on the island of Vera have been carried out every summer since 2004. Every season archaeologists make new discoveries. Due to the large influx of tourists to the island of Vera, archaeologists sounded the alarm. Currently, the issue of opening an archaeological reserve and an open-air museum on the island of Vera is being resolved. In this case, the visit to the island representing the historical heritage will be monitored. The island of Vera is located near the western shore of the lake. With a low water level in the lake, the island turns into a peninsula, connecting with the shore by an isthmus.

The price includes:

- Experienced tour guide.

- Transfer by comfortable bus (Chelyabinsk-Lake Turgoyak-Chelyabinsk)

- A ferry to Vera Island and back.

- Sightseeing tour of the island of Vera.

A professional photographer for all participants!

-forest lunch (optional)