Lake Tambukan, Protected lake in Stavropol Krai and Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia.

Lake Tambukan is a protected water body in Stavropol Krai and Kabardino-Balkaria with mineral-rich water and therapeutic mud deposits on its bed. The shallow lake covers roughly two square kilometers and reaches only a few meters deep at its deepest points.

The water was already known to historical rulers, with military leader Timur visiting in 1395 and a local conflict occurring near its shores in the early 1700s. The area held strategic importance in conflicts between different powers in the Caucasus region.

The name comes from Turkic words connected to regional history, showing how deeply this water connects to local memory and identity. People in the area carry this historical tie in everyday speech.

The bitter-salty water and therapeutic mud have been used for medical treatments since the late 1800s in nearby health facilities, especially in Yessentuki. Visitors should know that the water is very salty and the mud is typically applied at specialized locations.

The lake bed contains a substantial layer of therapeutic silt that supplies mud treatments across the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region. This mud source remains unknown to many visitors, even though it is the foundation for the famous spa treatments.