Highland Lake Sary-Chelek is considered to be the most beautiful place in the west of Kyrgyzstan. It lies at an altitude of 1940 m above sea level in the foothills of Chatkal range, 500 km from Bishkek (the capital) and 300 km from the town of Osh

The length of the lake from the south-west to north-east is 7.5 km, the water surface area is 50.7 square kilometers and a depth in some places reaches 234 m. It was formed as a result of the powerful earthquake that occurred many centuries ago, when the huge landslide blocked Kojo-Ata (one of the tributaries of the Kara-Suu river) and the river flooded the entire valley.

By the way, Sary-Chelek is the third deepest lake in Central Asia and the second in Kyrgyzstan.

Because of the great depth water temperature even in summer does not exceed + 18C, and in the winter it is around + 4C-0C. The lake is freshwater and gives rise to the river Kojo-Ata.

Northern shore of Sary-Chelek is almost entirely overgrown with spruce and fir forests, these forests are so dense that often even in sunny days it’s half-dark and cool there, the air filled with the smell of pine needles and flowering herbs. Nepuganaya marinka (species of trout) frolics in streams, the hillsides are covered with wild raspberries and blackberries - a true paradise on earth.

From the southern coast of the lake begins Sary - Chelek Biosphere Reserve, an area is relatively small and amounts to 23900 hectares.

It occupies a small mountain hollow gorge Arkit with height differences from 1200 to 4247 m. and is designed for saving the walnut forest and mountainous landscape with its endemic fauna and flora.

A landscape here is really amazingly beautiful. Foothill meadows and steppes, wild rivers and pristine lakes make a lasting impression, but the main wealth of the reserve - walnut forests - a unique phenomenon that does not occur in this amount almost anywhere in the world.

The fauna of the reserve is diverse and colorful. Here, under the vigilant protection of human live bears, martens, porcupines, leopards, bobcats, deer, argali, wild boars, as well as 157 species of birds.

Dozens of mountain creeks flow to the lake. Almost vertical cliffs go down to unprecedented depths. Blue water reflects the clouds and it is not clear whether they float across the sky or on the water. Coastal gray rocky uplands covered with pine and walnut forests make the lake look like a precious sapphire mounted in old greenish silver.

The name of the lake literally translated as "yellow barrel" or "yellow bucket". The name is justified by the shape of the reservoir which really looks like a deep vessel, but yellow it can be only in autumn, when surrounding forests turn yellow and trees are reflected in the clear water.

Sary-Chelek is not the only lake in the area, it is connected to the lake Kyla Kol. There is also Iri-Kol which continues with a whole chain of smaller lakes. Even though these lakes are not as big as Sary-Chelek, their beauty is truly unique and tourism potential is endless, just as endless as legends and mysteries surrounding them.

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