Brebeneskul is the highest mountain lake in Ukraine (located at an altitude of 1801 meters above sea level). It is located in the Rakhiv district of the Zakarpattia region – this is on the southwestern slope of the Chornohora ridge, in a basin between the mountains Brebeneskul (2035 meters) and Gutin Tomnatyk (2016 meters) on the territory of the Chornohora protected massif (belongs to the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve). By the way, “Brebeneskul” in translation from Romanian means “periwinkle”.
This lake is not only very beautiful, but also unique in its nature. It was recently registered as a hydrological natural monument of local importance (under the name Lake Berbenyaskul). The reservoir lies at the bottom of a glacial cirque (a cup-shaped depression). The source of its water is precipitation and groundwater. The shape of the reservoir resembles an eye; and the water in it is blue, which becomes especially saturated in bright sunlight. Due to such unique features, the lake received the popular name – “Blue Eye of the Carpathians”.
Let us give another interesting fact. Currently, the dimensions of Lake Brebenyaskul are as follows: width – 67, length – 147, and the greatest depth is 3.2 meters. And in the scientific description of this reservoir, made in 1964, the dimensions are indicated that are noticeably smaller than the modern ones (width – 44, length – 134. greatest depth – 2.8 meters). That is, it turns out that the size of the lake is gradually increasing quite significantly!
There are no fish in the lake, but it is home to small crustaceans and amphibians, in particular, the Carpathian newt, the mountain newt, the agile frog (listed in the Red Book of Ukraine). So you won’t be able to fish here. And only a few tourists will dare to swim here, because the water temperature in this reservoir does not exceed 15 degrees even in the hottest weather. But what beauty it is all around! There is no other place in the world that is so unique in its beauty! It is not for nothing that thousands of tourists strive to visit Lake Brebeneskul!
Its popularity is also facilitated by the fact that there are many tourist routes nearby. If you go on a hike to Brebeneskul, you can also visit the peaks of Mount Hoverla, Petros or Pip Ivan, wander through the meadows to your heart’s content and enjoy the diversity of Carpathian nature. Just be sure to take a raincoat and warm clothes with you on the hike. Keep in mind that the weather here is very changeable and unpredictable!
Beautiful calm sunny weather can change in a matter of minutes to a strong wind with pouring rain or wet snow. But bad weather can also end just as suddenly: thunderclouds will suddenly rush away, the bright sun will shine, the wind will stop and a real idyll will reign! It is impossible to describe such a weather metamorphosis in words – you have to see it with your own eyes!
The hike to Lake Brebeneskul can be combined with a visit to Lake Nesamovyte. The distance from our hotel “Chillax” is about 40 kilometers. The optimal route: go through the village of Vorokhta to the tourist base “Zaroslyak”, from there walk about 6 kilometers along the yellow marker to Lake Nesamovite. Then you need to follow the route with the red marker, which leads to the mountains Rebra and Brebeneskul.
Believe me, the stunning beauty of Lake Brebeneskul and the surrounding Carpathian nature are worth the effort and time it takes to get there!
Where is located
Zakarpattia region, Rakhiv district, Chornohora mountain massif
