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. The lake’s name originates from the Mongol language: “Altyn-Nor”. Long ago local nomads used the lake’s mineral-rich mud for skin and respiratory treatments. For centuries, Lake Elton was a favorite location for Russian rulers and nobles. One can still see remnants of Empress Yekaterina II’s “bath” there.