4 / 5 - One review
How to get there
A 4 1/2 hour drive from Bishkek
When to go
Preferably in the summer
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days
Issik Koul (Uzbekistan)
©
@flickr cc Thomas Depenbusch
Practical information on Issik Koul
Reviews of Issik Koul
Meaning "hot lake" in the Kyrgyz language, Lake Issyk Kul offers magnificent views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
My suggestion:
Be aware that despite its nickname of "hot lake" (which comes the fact that the lake doesn't freeze during the winter), Issyk Kul is particularly cold, even in the summer!
My review
Located at 1600 m above sea level, Lake Issyk Kul holds some records : it's the tenth largest lake in the world in water volume, the second largest saltwater lake in the world after the Caspian Sea, and the second largest alpine lake in the world after Titicaca; this alone is worth a visit in itself!
Nestled in eastern Kyrgyzstan, on the Kazakhstan border, the lake attracts many Kazakh visitors who come to enjoy its beaches and resorts once summer arrives.
I especially liked the wonderful views that abound from the edges of the stretch of deep blue water. All around the lake, a 360° panorama of the dizzying snow-capped peaks of the Alatau mountains, making it an especially popular destination on a trip to Kyrgyzstan.
©
@flickr cc Thomas Depenbusch
