Issyk-Kul Lake – pearl of Kyrgyzstan

Cleanest lake
Issyk-Kul is the second largest (after the Caspian) salt lake in the world, the second most transparent lake in the world after Baikal and the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan. Its length is 182 km and width 57 km, depth over 600 meters.
Issyk-Kul is one of the 30 largest lakes in the world by area and in seventh place in the list of the deepest lakes. It is located in the north-eastern part of Kyrgyzstan at an altitude of 1608 m above sea level.
One of the largest mountain lakes in the world, Issyk-Kul Lake is rightly called the pearl of Central Asia.
Not frozen lake
The name Issyk-Kul in the Kyrgyz language means "hot lake", as the lake does not freeze in winter. The lake never freezes, despite the fact that it is surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks. The mild winters of the basin, the heat reserves in the huge thickness of the water, the salinity of the lake do not allow it to become covered with ice.
Issyk-Kul Lake is a unique place in its own way, which is famous for its warm sandy beaches, thermomineral radon springs, alpine meadows, coniferous forests of park type.
Best period in the lake
The sun on Issyk-Kul shines about 300 days a year. It shines brightly, but thanks to the sea breeze and mountain peaks, it is not stuffy and too hot there. The number of hours of sunshine is 2700 hours, which is more than on the Black Sea. For comparison, the number of hours of sunshine in Moscow is 1600 hours.
The swimming season in Issyk-Kul lasts from early June to mid-September.
A rare combination of sea and mountain climates attracts many vacationers and tourists. There are a lot of numbered rest houses and recreation and retreat centers. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of undeveloped places on the shore of the lake, new comfortable places are still constructing in Issyk-Kul.
Issyk-Kul is one of the favorite places not only for tourists of the CIS countries, but also other foreign countries.
Best shore of the lake
The most popular places for tourists in Issyk-Kul are the areas of the northern coast. The northern coast of the lake is famous for a large number of well-heated sandy beaches, that’s why the main tourist and resort zone is concentrated there.
Nevertheless, tourists also visit the south coast of the lake. They can enjoy there the beauty of the fabulous nature and the tempting traditions of the nomadic culture of Kyrgyzstan.
The southern coast of Issyk-Kul is completely different. It is characterized by steep, cliff-like shores alternating with low sandy and pebble beaches. This coast, unlike the northern one, is mostly covered by steppe vegetation. There are few populated areas as well as large hotels and resorts. Usually, true lovers of unique landscapes, clean, unspoiled natural attractions and a deserted coast visit this coast of the lake.
Recreation on the lake
People come to Issyk-Kul not only for having rest, but also for health improvement. There is no acclimatization period on the lake. There are all natural conditions for treatment: hot radon springs, healing mud, healing air, mild climate.
People care there to be cured of diseases of nervous system, musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, skin diseases, endocrine diseases, obesity and many other diseases.
The lake has no runoff, not a single river runs out of it. It accumulates in itself all those minerals that bring rivers and rains.
Flora and fauna
There are 21 species of fish in the lake belonging to 5 families. 14 species are endemic, and the remaining species were imported from other reservoirs. By the way, the famous Issyk-Kul trout was brought from Sevan Lake of Armenia.
The ice-free lake also serves as a transshipment base and wintering ground for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. In spring and autumn, they rest there to fly further. More than 50 thousand birds winter in Issyk-Kul. And among them are the red-nosed dive, coot, googol, crested black, red-headed dive, mallard, silver gull, cinder, sailor, swans and many others.
Legends about the lake
There are many legends associated with the lake. One of them says that near the northern shore there is a flooded Armenian monastery, where the relics of the Apostle Matthew are located.
There are also a number of other legends about flooded cities and treasures. Most of them are based on real facts. As underwater excavations have shown, in the coastal zone of the lake there are indeed a number of medieval cities flooded at a later time, including the capital of Usuns, Chigu.
Gorges around the lake
The lake is surrounded by many gorges - Dzhety-Oguz, Barskoon, Karakol, Ak-Suu, Ananyev, Semenov, Grigoryev. Each gorge is a unique place, almost untouched by people and remains in its original form. Recreational sanatoriums are opened for the recovery of people with various diseases in each of them.
The most famous gorge is Kyrchyn, where all three World Nomad Games were organized by Kyrgyzstan in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Famous lake
Issyk-Kul is gaining popularity among tourists, foreigners and citizens of Kyrgyzstan from other regions every day.
In addition, Kyrgyzstan conducts many events on the coast of the Issyk-Kul Lake.
In rating of analytical agencies, based on the analysis of tourists' attendance at resorts, Issyk-Kul enters top best and cheapest resorts in CIS for summer vacation.
Kabar News Agency