The famous Issyk Kul Lake

Lake Issyk-Kul is a trademark of Kyrgyzstan. It is located at an altitude of 1609 meters above sea level, in the northern Tien Shan, between the mountain ranges of Kyungey-Ala-Too and Terskey Ala-Too. Issyk-Kul is an inland lake, into which about 80 rivers flow, and it is the largest and deepest lake in Kyrgyzstan.

The water has a faint brackish taste and has a unique chemical composition, which has a healing effect on skin diseases. Despite the fact that the lake is surrounded on all sides by mountains with icy peaks, the water never freezes, hence the name “hot lake.

Most of the tourist sites are located on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul, the southern shore is visited because of the unique salt lake, similar to the famous Dead Sea in Israel, and the village Kadzhi-Sai, which has several guest houses for tourists. The water in the southern part of the lake is cleaner, which is associated with a smaller number of tourist facilities. In addition, of particular interest is the resort of Jeti-Oguz (Seven Bulls), where the thermal hot springs and mud baths are located.

In the northeast of Issyk-Kul there is a ski resort Karakol, which is visited by skiers from Russia, other CIS countries and foreign countries. The base operates year-round and is open for everyone.

There are many cultural-historical and archeological sites around Issyk-Kul, which are the subject of study of historical and ethnographic expeditions. For history lovers it makes sense to visit the San-Tash Pass, the appearance of which is associated with the name of the conqueror Tamerlane. There is a legend that the remains of the Apostle Matthew were buried on the shore of the lake in a submerged Armenian monastery.

The towns around Issyk-Kul are Balykchy, Cholpon-Ata, and Karakol (all located on the northern shore).