Batabat Lake

Batabat lies at around two thousand metres on the Shahbuz plateau in Nakhchivan, in open alpine meadow used for summer grazing. Its distinguishing feature is a floating island of matted peat and vegetation that moves around the lake with the wind, which is unusual enough to have made the lake locally famous. The surrounding country is high grassland with grazing herds, an astrophysical observatory on a nearby ridge, and long views across the plateau. Snow closes the whole area for a good part of the year.

What you actually see

• The floating island - a raft of peat and vegetation that drifts across the lake with the wind.
• The alpine meadow - high grassland used for summer grazing, in flower in June and July.
• The plateau - open high country at around two thousand metres, with long views.
• The observatory - the Batabat astrophysical station on a ridge nearby.

When to go

June to September is the season; snow closes the plateau roads from late autumn into spring. July has the meadows at their best. Weather at this altitude changes quickly in any month.

Honest expectations

The floating island moves and is not always where photographs show it, and in still weather it does not move at all. There are no facilities at the lake. The road up is long and the plateau is exposed.

Nearby

Shahbuz is on the road down, and Nakhchivan city is about an hour south.