Issyk-Kul protected area, Biosphere reserve in Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan.

The Issyk-Kul protected area is a biosphere reserve surrounding a large saline lake with mountain ranges, valleys, and wetland habitats on all sides. The landscape features diverse ecosystems at varying elevations that support plant and animal species adapted to the region's continental climate.

The reserve was created by decree No. 1205 of the Council of Ministers of the Kirghiz SSR on 10 December 1948, the first protected area established in Kyrgyzstan. It was set up to safeguard waterfowl and their habitats on and around the lake. It is a zapovednik, not a biosphere reserve.

The reserve was created in 1948 to protect waterfowl and their habitats, and its Kyrgyz name, Ysyk-Köl mamlekettik korugu, is used on local signs. Each winter the lake hosts close to 100,000 waterbirds, mainly ducks, coots, swans and gulls, and the same sites serve as resting and feeding stops on spring and autumn migration.

Visitors can walk designated trails throughout the reserve that pass through different habitat types and elevation zones. Come prepared for changing weather conditions and bring sturdy footwear, as terrain varies from flat valleys to steeper mountain sections.

The reserve consists of 15 separate parcels strung around the lake over a total length of 400 km, covering 19,661 hectares. It was created in 1948 to protect waterfowl and their habitats. Each winter close to 100,000 waterbirds stay on the lake, and the same shores serve as a resting and feeding stop for migrants in spring and autumn.