The most beautiful and largest lake in Kyrgyzstan - issyk-Kul Lake. It is located in the north-eastern part of the republic between the ridges of the Northern Tien Shan: Kungei Ala-Too (facing the sun) and Terskey Ala-Too (facing from the sun) at an altitude of 1609 m above sea level. Issyk-Kul Lake one of the largest mountain lakes in the world.
The basin of the lake, surrounded on all sides by powerful mountain ranges, remained for a long time an inaccessible region of Kyrgyzstan. Now you can get here on the road through the famous Boom Gorge, there are also 2 airports in the basin: Cholpon-Ata, located near the resort town, and Tamchi International Airport, which was built and opened in the summer of 2003 at the military airport.
Here are some figures about this unique place, attracting an increasing number of tourists: the volume of all water is 1738 km², the area of \u200b\u200bthe water mirror is 6236 km², the length of the coastline is 688 km, the average depth is 278 m, the greatest depth is almost 2.5 times longer and equal to 668 m, length Issyk-Kul from West to East it is 182 km, and from South to North - 58 km. Over the past two centuries, the level of Issyk-Kulpon Lake has decreased and, as a result, both the depth and the length of the coastline have decreased. According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia from 1886 it fell by 4 m, according to other sources, by 9 m.
Due to the great depth of the lake, the water does not have time to completely cool - the lake never freezes, except on some coasts. Issyk-Kul in translation from Kyrgyz - "Hot Lake". The ancient Kirghiz called this pearl of the country "Tuz-Kul" - "Salt Lake" for the brackish taste of water, which is not suitable for drinking either for people or for animals.
Climate of Issyk-Kul Lake
Issyk-Kul Lake belongs to the educated tectonic way and due to the orographic closure of the basin - the climate here is peculiar, almost marine. It is softer, warmer and wetter than in other Tien Shan depressions located at the same height. According to the thermal regime, Issyk-Kul is a subtropical lake. Here, on the coast of the lake in summer it is moderately warm, in winter it is not cold. The average air temperature in January is minus 2 - minus 10 degrees, in July - plus 17 - plus 18. The average water temperature in summer is plus 21 - plus 23, in winter - minus 3 - minus 4. The western part of the basin is arid, rains are rare, snow almost does not fall out. In the western mountains bordering the lake, only 115 mm of precipitation falls, on the eastern shore - about 600 mm. However, in recent years, the amount of precipitation has increased - in Kyrgyzstan the influence of Global warming is also noticeable.
To Issyk-Kul Lake more than 80 rivers and tributaries flow in, but not a single river takes its waters from this azure lake, which causes the accumulation of salts (water mineralization - 5.90%). The largest rivers flowing into the lake are Tyup (103 km) and Jergalan (81 km), the rest do not exceed 50 km. Once, the Chu River, flowing along the western edge of the basin, carried its waters to the lake.
The contrast of natural zones is varied: in the east it is steppe on dark chestnut soils, along the mountain slopes in the west it is a semi-desert, but in the east, at the same heights, especially along the Terskey Ala-Too gorges, there are dense spruce forests. The organic world of the lake is also diverse - about 20 species of fish live here, 10 of which are acclimatized. Issyk-Kul is home to: chebak, common carp, marinka, osman, pike perch, bream, mirror carp, grass carp, Amurdarya and Sivan trout, whitefish and other fish.
Nature of Issyk-Kul Lake
Large vertical extent issyk-Kul Lake, the complexity of the relief, significant fluctuations in hydrothermal indicators and other environmental factors led to a wide variety of flora and fauna in the Issyk-Kul basin. At relatively close distances from each other, various types of vegetation are located - wormwood and solanchak deserts, turf-like steppes, tall grass and alpine meadows, coniferous and deciduous forests and shrubs. The most notable shrubs on the lake are thickets of sea buckthorn, and in the alpine meadows there is a yellow edelweiss listed in the Red Book.
Woody vegetation is represented mainly by forests of spruce spruce. Spruce forests are distributed mainly on the northern slopes of the mountains bordering Lake Issyk-Kul. Spruce grows in separate massifs, islands, interspersed with glades, stony screes and rock outcrops, alternating with meadows. The slopes of the mountains are rich in thickets of wild rose, barberry, currant, mountain ash, juniper. In the lower reaches along the river banks, in places more humidified, willows are plentiful. In the east of the valley they form deciduous fishing lines.
The fauna of Issyk-Kul includes 50 species of mammals, 285 - birds, 11 - reptiles, 31 - fish, 4 - amphibians. Black-throated loon, bittern, black stork, mallard, gray duck, common crane, common gull, blue kingfisher nest near the coastal waters of the lake and flowing rivers. A large number of bird species occur during wintering and migration. Of these, characteristic: gray heron, swans, gray goose. In the 40s, over 100 thousand waterfowl wintered here. By the end of the 60s their number was reduced by half. Thanks to the introduction of a 2-km security zone, the prohibition of gun hunting on the coast, the number of wintering birds has increased and now amounts to 70-80 thousand individuals.
The lake is inhabited by 11 native and more than 10 acclimatized fish: osman, marinka, chebak and gadget, common carp, trout, tench, bream, etc. Ottoman, bream, marinka, carp, carp, carp, trout, pike perch, chebak and gazebok are of commercial importance. The latter are also objects of traditional amateur fishing.
Additional information about the lake Issyk-Kul - Guides:
Answer from Danila Serbenyuk[guru]
not salty!)) Baikal is also a lake, and more !!!
Answer from Victoria Kormilina (Kostenko)[newbie]
But still many seas are larger
Answer from User deleted[guru]
Everything that does not have access to the oceans is called lakes, and it is salty because there are solanchaks.
Answer from User deleted[guru]
not fair! agree with you! incredible beauty!
Answer from Rus[guru]
By definition, the sea is part of the world's oceans. Everything that is not connected with the ocean no less than a strait is not the sea. By the way, the Caspian is a lake called the Caspian Sea. And the Aral Sea, until it was dry, although it was called the sea, it was a lake. And note: based on the definition, the sea can not dry out, if the flow (evaporation) of water exceeds its arrival along the rivers and due to precipitation, the shortage will be compensated by the inflow through the strait. And through which strait can water get into Issyk-Kul?
Why is salt water in Issyk-Kul
Prices for holidays on Lake Issyk-Kul are growing much faster than the quality of tourism infrastructure is improving. According to Kyrgyz tour operators, only the weather is the most predictable on the lake this year. As for the prices of boarding house services, here you can predict the situation only in terms of their growth.
The most inexpensive season was June, when the average price for a vacation in more or less decent pensions was 50 conventional units. What exactly is meant by units is definitely hard to say. In the past two years, tourism business owners have preferred to settle in more stable euros. “A day's stay in the most comfortable hotels on the coast will cost an average of about $ 150 in July. But this is not about suites, but about standard rooms. Luxury will cost at least $ 200. It is possible that at the peak of the vacation season in August, the cost will be even higher, ”one of the Bishkek travel agencies told Liter. If last year we had to pay $ 35 for rooms with the most modest conditions, now now we need at least 70.
This is provided that vacationers will be fed only breakfast and dinner, ”says tourism manager Ainura Bekesheva. - Now many boarding houses indicate in their price lists prices exclusively for accommodation in rooms, not including meals. Therefore, the price of $ 50 per day changes to 70 or 80 dollars.
The main tourists, as in previous years, are natives of Russia and Kazakhstan. For the majority of Kyrgyzstanis, Issyk-Kul is nothing more than a weekend itinerary, there is not enough money for more. True, this year the number of Russians has decreased due to rising prices. According to tour operators, a vacation consisting of a monotonous lying on the beach and eating smoked Baltic herring, which is often given out as a “native” Issyk-Kul whitefish, does not particularly appeal to foreign lovers of exotic trips. Starting this year, scooters are also prohibited on the lake. The reason is the large number of accidents in the 2007 season. Also in parliament, the question was raised that jet skis threaten the ecology of the lake. Jet ski this time will be available only in closed elite hotels. So the most common offer is an equestrian route.
The reason for the increase in prices was the increase in the cost of electricity, as well as their sharp jump in food. However, levying an order of magnitude higher than conventional units does not guarantee that the rest will also be not conditional, but comfortable. For the first time, a government commission headed by the recently appointed Vice Prime Minister Elmira Ibraimova decided to study meticulously the conditions for receiving vacationers. The ex-leader of the pro-presidential parliamentary faction Akzhol chose the most popular vacation spots as objects of inspections. It is no accident that the inspection concerned only the northern coast, where the tourism infrastructure is most developed. Nothing could hide from the watchful state eye of a high-ranking commission. The owners of the tourist industry were severely criticized, starting with poor landscaping and ending with funds that were inefficiently spent on major repairs.
The members of the commission had a lot of questions about the fences around the beach area. According to the akim of Issyk-Kul region Turusbek Mansurov, local residents are outraged that now they can’t walk along the beach. And the owners of private estates say that otherwise valuable things may disappear from someone. “We need to think about how to solve this issue,” said Elmira Ibraimova. The words of the director of one of the oldest boarding houses on the coast of Issyk-Kul that a renovation of 500 thousand soms had been recently carried out, only a lot of questions arose from the commission members. “It’s imperceptible that such money was invested in a health resort,” E. Ibraimova summed up.
Representatives of the state commission, consisting of employees of the Ministry of Emergencies, state construction, sanitary and epidemiological surveillance and environmentalists, came to the conclusion that, due to the lack of sufficient funding, there are problems with fire safety in all guest houses, the canteens do not comply with the catering, air exchange, sanitary and environmental standards, and bathrooms and the toilets are poor. In addition, inspectors noted that many health resorts have a large territory, but it is not well-groomed or desertified. “It is necessary to attract investors in order to develop infrastructure, as private traders do,” members of the commission say. The set list of paid services raised questions. According to the representative of the State Agency for Tourism Zamir Dzhumashev, often the owners make a profit from renting cottages, but they are in no hurry to invest the money received in the development of the infrastructure of boarding houses. “Here you have to pay for every step: for blankets, mattresses, for entering the health resort. And this despite the fact that the vouchers are very expensive, ”said the representative of the main tourism department of the country, leaving the Golden Sands.
The comments also related to toilets. In a number of recreational places that were checked, stationary did not work, and dry closets have not yet been installed. “You understand that when there are no toilets near the beach, people relieve the need for a lake,” the Deputy Prime Minister called on the professional duty of the directors.
Ecologists did not remain in debt either, noting that the nature protection zone was not taken into account at all: cafes, summer bars are located right on the shore, dumping garbage into the pearl of Central Asia. “Most of the garbage is brought to us by local residents who come to bathe, picking up food,” the leaders of the Blue Issyk-Kul boarding house told the state commission. The beach of this health resort is open to all comers. Experts believe that soon there will be little such free luxury. Most of the beaches will be paid, which already causes discontent of local residents.
Summing up the results of the state check, E. Ibraimova instructed the employees of the relevant departments not to issue permits for the reception of tourists to those boarding houses that do not meet the accepted standards. “And if different“ roofs ”call you, show firmness, because the well-being of the region and the safety of the lake are yours,” she said.
But, most likely, this indication remained nothing more than a good wish. While there is no information that any boarding house of the coast was closed.
But positive changes should occur in matters of ensuring law and order in the resort area. “The Ministry of Internal Affairs is considering the issue of attracting an equestrian platoon of patrol and guard duty to duty on the territory of the Issyk-Kul region. In addition, about 200 police officers of the region and cadets and officers of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic sent to help on a daily basis will be involved, ”the Press Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told Liter. Increased security measures are associated with the holding of a large number of CIS activities on the lake this summer season, where Kyrgyzstan is chairing this year.
Ruslan Andreev, Bishkek - Cholpon-Ata
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Many people who are going to go to rest on the shore of the Kyrgyz counterpart of Russian Baikal are sure that the water in Issyk-Kul is just as fresh. However, those who have been there have a completely different opinion. And that only the purity and size of similarity is limited. So ?
Indeed, this is one of the main issues that excites potential guests of this fertile land. That is, can this water body be considered really the closest analogue of Baikalsky. Yes, this pond is one of the largest on the planet. The same applies to the purity of the content. By this indicator, it is second only to Baikal. Depending on the time of day, the surface color changes: from blue to dark green. Purity is achieved due to the fact that only mountain rivers flow into it. And those, as you know, originate from snow-white glaciers.
In total, effluents from 80 rivers fall into Issyk-Kul. Some of them flow along salt-rich soil rich in salts. Since none of it follows, the mineralization of the contents is constantly increasing. Hence the salinity of the local water.
It contains a large amount of sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate (almost 6% of the total volume). Due to these elements, the liquid becomes so multicolored and completely unsuitable for drinking.
However, during bathing it has a very beneficial effect on the body. Of course, this is not the Dead Sea, which can easily keep anyone on the surface. Here, the density of the liquid is not so high. In addition, it contains a lot of oxygen.
To catch or not to catch?
What animals can be found in such a mineralized environment? Should I take gear and rely on loot? These are serious questions for some potential tourists. I don’t want to get into a mess by wasting a vacation on the shore without a single bite. For many species of fish, the local conditions were very suitable. True, before the lake fauna was more diverse and was caught by fishermen in much larger quantities than now. Marinka, Ottoman, and Chebak were found here. They in any form and degree of readiness could be purchased along the coast.
But these times have sunk into oblivion. Thanks to the importation of predatory zander and trout here, populations of traditional local fish very quickly disappeared. So, if the target of fishing is a predator, then this plan may well be feasible.
However, it is worth considering that there is no winter fishing here as a class. And it’s not at all because in the harsh winter months there is no one here and the road is blocked here, due to the abnormally low values \u200b\u200bon the thermometer column. At this time, the average temperature is -5. Due to its extraordinary depth and mineral composition, this pond never freezes.
Crimea or Issyk-Kul?
But you should not go here only for fish. This area can bring other joys. Many doubt that in high altitude conditions, the temperature of the contents of the lake can reach suitable for swimming. But, as practice shows, this is not so. In July, the water here warms up to 24 degrees. Yes, in the summer there is no suffocating heat. Due to the fact that the area is surrounded by mountains. Therefore, the climate here is more pleasant than, for example, on the Black Sea coast, where it is often unbearably hot. At the same time, there are at least 300 sunny days. And this is more than in the Crimea. And certainly more than on Lake Baikal. So you can relax here even in winter. Naturally, in January they will not be able to plunge into the water, but it is quite possible to walk around the surroundings and breathe air.
Answer from Danila Serbenyuk[guru]
not salty!)) Baikal is also a lake, and more !!!
Answer from Victoria Kormilina (Kostenko)[newbie]
But still many seas are larger
Answer from User deleted[guru]
Everything that does not have access to the oceans is called lakes, and it is salty because there are solanchaks.
Answer from User deleted[guru]
not fair! agree with you! incredible beauty!
Answer from Rus[guru]
By definition, the sea is part of the world's oceans. Everything that is not connected with the ocean no less than a strait is not the sea. By the way, the Caspian is a lake called the Caspian Sea. And the Aral Sea, until it was dry, although it was called the sea, it was a lake. And note: based on the definition, the sea can not dry out, if the flow (evaporation) of water exceeds its arrival along the rivers and due to precipitation, the shortage will be compensated by the inflow through the strait. And through which strait can water get into Issyk-Kul?
