Lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan): reviews of tourists and photos

The purpose of our small study will be Lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan). Rest in these places is still not sufficiently explored by tourists from far abroad, but very much mastered by Russians, Kazakhs and, naturally, by the Kirghiz. To begin with, we give a few figures: this water area is the world's largest high-mountain salt lake. In terms of magnitude, it is second only to the Caspian Sea, and according to the transparency of water - only Baikal. Issyk-Kul rests at an altitude of 1609 meters. In length, it is 180 kilometers wide and 70 kilometers wide. The dimensions are sufficient to be visible from space. Astronauts claim that from there the lake looks like a blue human eye. And one more feature: even in the harshest winters the water in Issyk-Kul does not freeze. Therefore, the Kyrgyz name for this miracle of nature is translated as a "hot lake". The average depth of this reservoir is 300 meters, and the maximum depth is 668 meters. The water salinity is 5.9 pro mil.

Where Issyk-Kul Lake Is Located?

The lake surface of Issyk-Kul extends in a very picturesque place. Tourists claim that they did not even expect such unearthly beauty. Mirror surface among the snowfields and glaciers, surrounded by mountain peaks, changes its color from gently azure to dark blue depending on the lighting. The Russian traveler Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, the first Europeans who visited Issyk-Kul, wrote that it eclipses Lake Geneva with its beauty. The same association with the Alps arose also in the researcher of Central Asia, Przhevalsky. He wrote about Issyk-Kul that local beauties are similar to Switzerland, but much better. For a long time, none of the Europeans (except the two travelers mentioned) came to these places. The road was too long and complicated. After all, there is the largest lake in Central Asia in the heart of the Tien Shan, between the ridges of Terskey Ala-Toi and Kungei Ala-Too.

How to get to Issyk-Kul

To get to the intermountain hollow, you need to overcome the famous and inaccessible Boom gorge. The road from Bishkek is not close. If you study old reviews, it seems that the main hardship and problem of travelers is the road. However, the reward for the transferred difficulties will be a wonderful view of the Issyk-Kul lake, a photo of which the exhausted tourists immediately make. But now most of the problems are in the past. In the intermontane valley, two airports operate at once. If you fly from abroad, you can accept the international hub of Tamchi. In 2003, it was converted from a military air base to the needs of civil aviation. On the northern shore of the lake there is a resort town of Cholpon-Ata. Near it there is also an airport, but it only accepts domestic flights.

Climatic characteristics

Lake Issyk-Kul rests in a deep intermountain valley, so around it formed its own microclimate, which meteorologists call the subtropical moderately-marine. This means that the winters are mild, and the summer is not at all sultry. Reviews of tourists claim that there is no need for acclimatization. The coldest months of the year are January and February. Air at this time is cooled to a temperature of -5 to +5 degrees. Spring begins at the end of March, and summer starts in mid-May. Until the end of September, mild warm weather is maintained with a minimum amount of precipitation. In the hottest month of July - the mountain air warms up to 16-17 °, although there are also indicators of 32-33 °. Tourists do not complain about the vagaries of the weather, after all, according to meteorologists, in the valley it is sunny about 300 days a year. Even in the heat of the lake, it is not stuffy - the altitude zonality is affected. The water warms up to + 18-20 ° in summer, which is quite suitable for bathing.

When to come

Thanks to such climatic characteristics, the Issyk-Kul lake, which is self-reported, is ready to receive guests all year round. However, the peak season is still for two months - July and August. "Pearl of Kyrgyzstan" (as the inhabitants of the country call their lake) attracts winter tourists. Near the city of Karakol is the ski resort of the same name. For winter holidays, tourists are advised to choose only the resorts of the northern coast, since the south is oriented to beach people. For trekking it's best to come in the fall - it's dry, warm and windless. However, it should be borne in mind that the fine days are replaced by very cold nights, so you need to take care of the proper equipment. With regard to summer holidays, it is necessary to know that the lion's share of tourist centers, sanatoriums and hotels is concentrated in the area of the northern shore. And the southern extremity is chosen by lovers of romance, campfires and tents.

Where to stay

Like the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus or the Crimea, Issyk-Kul Lake is covered by a network of resorts. Among them stands Cholpon-Ata - a kind of Yalta of the local Riviera. There are boarding houses, sanatoriums, rest homes. Reviews of tourists recommend that still choose to stay private sector, or even better - small mini-hotels. Lately they have appeared a lot. They have only 4-10 rooms, the atmosphere in them is the most hospitable, family, sometimes you can agree with the owners about home food. Especially a lot of this service in the village of Tamchi. Most tourists who come here to radon baths, prefer to stay in private mini-hotels.

Active tourism on the Issyk-Kul lake

Statistics say that about one million people spend this year in these parts. Tourists themselves say that the lion's share of these people are Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and citizens of the Russian Federation. Holidaymakers from the far abroad have only 35 thousand people, but their number from year to year is growing, thanks to the developing infrastructure and service. Yes, it still leaves much to be desired, and comparison with Switzerland concerns only the beauties of nature, but not service. However, here you can relax well, and most importantly, improve your health. Moreover, the prices here are much lower than the Swiss. Trekking lovers are waiting for marked routes along the Kungei Ala-Tau and Teskey Ala-Too. Tourists leave positive memories of hikes in the valleys of Semenovka and Grigorievka to the north, and also Barskoon to the south. And how beautiful the mountains are, ringing the place where the Issyk-Kul Lake has spread its expanses! The reviews are also strongly recommended to visit the city of Karakol. In addition to the picturesque valley, there is a museum and the grave of Przhevalsky.

Lake Issyk-Kul: rest on the beach

The most popular resorts - Tamchi, Chon-Sary-Oy, Sary-Oy, Bosteri, Cholpon-Ata - are located on the north coast. They like to relax in the youth, which will find here a lot of entertainment, including water. Fans of "chamber recreation" prefer resorts in the south - Tamga and Kaji-Sai. More than half of the six hundred-kilometer beach zone consists of lined or bulk banks with fine or medium pebbles. Very rare boulders, rocks and stones. But there are 120 kilometers of natural beaches, sandy. Reviews mention paid services. An umbrella with a lounger is worth a hundred soms a day. Yes, and the entrance to the beach, if you rest "savage," may not be free. The tourists' comments reveal a little trick: in Cholpon-Ata (next to the Rukh-Ordo city park) there is a free sandy beach, and even with mud.

Wellness in Issyk-Kul

The drainless lake has not only a valuable sulphate-chloride-sodium composition of water, but also deposits of therapeutic mud. Just 200 meters from Issyk-Kul, there is an analog of the Israeli ultra-salty "sea" - Dead Lake. At local resorts, they effectively treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems, skin and endocrine diseases, musculoskeletal disorders. Since the times of the Soviet Union, many health resorts have glorified Lake Issyk-Kul. Sanatoriums in which mud, galvanotherapy and rhodonas baths are practiced are mainly located on the northern shore. This is the "Dordoi Ak-Zhol" in Koshkol, "Sunny" and "Vityaz" in Chok-Tala, the boarding house "Altyn-Kum" in Chon-Sary-Oy. In the village of Sary-Oy there are children's health centers and camps.

Fishing

About 80 rivers and streams flow into the Issyk-Kul lake, but none of them carry water from this inland water area. As a result, all minerals and salts accumulate in the depth. Water is unsuitable for drinking human and animals, but it is surprisingly clear and transparent. On clear days the sharp eye can see from the side of the boat the ruins of an ancient civilization at rest. According to the research of the archaeological expedition, which worked here in 2006, it existed two and a half thousand years ago. The purity of water and its mineralization created excellent conditions for certain species of fish. It is found here with dozens of endemic varieties: Chebak, Marinka, Osman and others. In the past, you could eat a very tasty fish chebachok. But recently in the lake such voracious predators as rainbow, Sevan and Amudarya trout acclimatized. Therefore chebachok is quite a rare prey now.