Issyk-Kul, Alpine lake in Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan.
The waters of Issyk-Kul extend across 6,236 square kilometers at an elevation of 1,606 meters, surrounded by the white peaks of Tian Shan mountains.
The lake served as a significant point along the Silk Road trade routes, where Chinese Buddhist scholar Xuanzang documented his journey in the 7th century.
The northern shore holds the Rukh Ordo Cultural Center in Cholpon-Ata, featuring museums and chapels that represent various world religions.
Travelers reach the lake via minibuses departing from Bishkek's western bus station, with the journey taking approximately four hours by road.
Despite winter temperatures dropping below zero, the lake never freezes due to its high salt concentration and thermal activity.
Location: Issyk-Kul Region
Elevation above the sea: 1,606 m
GPS coordinates: 42.41667,77.25000
Latest update: May 26, 2025 19:06
Kyrgyzstan offers photographers mountains, lakes and historic structures. The locations feature natural areas like Ala Archa National Park and Lake Issyk-Kul, along with cultural sites such as Burana Tower and Tash Rabat Caravanserai.
List of protected natural sites in Kazakhstan including national parks, reserves, lakes, mountains, canyons, and waterfalls that represent the diversity of the country's landscapes
Big Almaty Lake
73.8 km
Almaty State Nature Reserve
75.5 km
Ile-Alatau National Park
72.7 km
First President's Park
91.4 km
Almaty Tower
93.1 km
Shymbulak Cableway
84.6 km
Kok Zhailau
83.2 km
Kamenskoe Plateau Observatory
87.7 km
Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory
74.9 km
Medeu tract
84.3 km
Butakovsky gorge
88.5 km
Issyk-Kul protected area
1.2 km
Кырчын
48.6 km
Аксайская пустынь
84.3 km
Oktyabrskaya cave
77 km
Свято-Троицкий Иссык-Кульский монастырь
89.1 km
Przhevalsky Museum
89.6 km
Barskoon waterfall
53.5 km
Gorodetsky Glacier
65 km
Open air Museum Issyk Kull at Cholpon Ata
31.2 km
Fairy Tale Canyon
30.2 km
Lednik Aksu
47.7 km
Ledovoye Pole "Medeu"
83.9 km
Lednik Sapozhnikova
62.3 km
Ozero Karakol' (lanaw nga asin sa Kirgistan, Issyk-Kul'skaya Oblast')
27.6 km
Istochnik Dzhilusu
63.3 km
Almaty
60.7 km
Ak-Bulak
75.1 kmReviews
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