Brebeneskul is the highest-altitude lake in Ukraine, sitting at 1801 metres above sea level deep in the Chornohora range — and one look at its striking blue water explains why it is nicknamed the 'Blue Eye of the Carpathians'. If you are looking for raw, unspoiled mountain scenery, this glacial gem delivers it in full.

The lake rests at the bottom of a glacial cirque, hemmed in by steep shores of tumbled boulders and scree. The water is exceptionally clean, weakly mineralised and carries a vivid blue hue. There are no fish here — the lake is home instead to microscopic crustaceans and amphibians including the Carpathian newt. The lake sits in a hollow between the peaks of Brebeneskul (2035 m) and Gutyn Tomnatyk (2016 m), and locals say that on a single day here you can experience all four seasons at once. Water levels fluctuate noticeably with rainfall throughout the warmer months, and the lake has no permanent surface outflow — water seeps through the eastern ridge to feed the Brebeneskul River, a tributary of the Tysa.

• Rakhiv area (Zakarpattia Oblast) — trail along the Chornohora ridge, moderate to demanding, good fitness required.
• Route from Yaremche via Bystrets, Hadzyna and Shpytsi — a longer alternative for experienced hikers.

• The lake is within the Chornohora Nature Reserve, part of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve — nature protection rules apply.
• Camping and open fires on the southern shore are strongly discouraged due to ongoing litter and erosion problems.
• Mountain pine in the area has been illegally cut for campfires — please use no-trace principles.

First documented scientifically in 1964, the lake was actually smaller back then — its surface area and depth have measurably grown over the decades, making Brebeneskul a living record of Carpathian change.