Lake Sary-Chelek
Geographical Information: An astonishingly beautiful corner of nature in southern Kyrgyzstan at an altitude of 1940 meters above sea level. The lake is located in the area of relict walnut-fruit forests and is part of the natural complex of biosphere resorts.
It is known that this stunning body of water is part of the natural complex of the unique Sary-Chelek State Biosphere Reserve, which was established in 1959. It now covers about 30,000 hectares. The protected area is a unique geobotanical museum.
The steep shores of the lake are framed by Tien Shan fir, the famous Semenov spruce, Persian rowan, walnuts, Nedzvetsky apple trees, and many other species of vegetation listed in the Red Book. The relict forests are also full of "red" representatives. More than 30 species of mammals and 1000 varieties of invertebrate animals inhabit this area.
At the foot of the Chatkal mountain range at an altitude of 1873 m lies one of the most beautiful lakes in the world - Lake Sary-Chelek. It was formed as a result of a strong earthquake. The freshwater in the lake is so clear that the colorful pebbles on the bottom and the timid fish swimming in it are visible as if on the palm of your hand. The depth of the lake reaches 234 m, stretching 2280 m in width and 7500 m in length.
Sary-Chelek is located in the center of the national reserve. Here you can observe a diverse flora and fauna (300 species of plants, 32 species of trees, 80 species of shrubs, 38 species of animals, 157 species of birds).
The majority of the reserve's territory is occupied by majestic mountains, their snow-capped peaks reaching into the sky.
Climate Conditions: The climate at Lake Sary-Chelek is warm, dry, and moderate. Air temperature in summer is 22-26 degrees during the day and 8-14 degrees at night. The wind regime is moderate. Winters are snowy and frosty.
Water Temperature on the surface in summer reaches 17-19 degrees. At a depth of 12-14 m, a thermocline begins. The constant temperature starting from a depth of 25 m is 5-6 degrees. Ice formation occurs every winter across the entire lake.
