There are several tens of thousands of lakes in Kazakhstan, most of which are located in the north and south of the country. The largest and most impressive of them are objects of close attention of tourists, recreational and protected areas, attracting with their beauty and variety of natural landscapes.
Kazakh lakes are completely different. Some lie among the endless Asian steppes and lunar landscapes, others are lost between mountain ranges and wooded gorges, while others boast long sandy shores and clear water. Large, small, artificial and natural - each has its own special charm and unique relief. Convenient infrastructure has been created in the most popular places for tourists, sanatoriums and rest houses have been built.
The most beautiful lakes in Kazakhstan
List, photos with names and descriptions of popular lakes!
Markakol
The lake is located in East Kazakhstan, which is often called the Kazakh Altai. It is not so easy to get to this high-mountainous reservoir - it is necessary to overcome a difficult road and a pass. On its shores there is only one small village, Urunhaika, the rest of the space is occupied by magnificent landscapes of wild nature: forests and rocky ridges. Markarole is included in the territory of the state reserve.
Balkhash
The water in Balkhash has amazing properties - it is half salty and half fresh. The lake is located in the eastern part of Kazakhstan, it is surrounded by the Chu-Ili mountains, as well as the sandy massifs of Taukum and Saryesik-Atyrau. Balkhash attracts numerous tourists with wide recreational opportunities. Several boarding houses operate on its banks.
Borovoe
Natural reservoir in the north of Kazakhstan, which is part of the Burabay National Park. On one of the banks of Borovoye there is a popular health resort that attracts many tourists. The local sanatoriums specialize in therapeutic baths and mud therapy. The lake is surrounded by coniferous forests, which is why a unique healing climate is created on its shores, which is very beneficial to health.
Zhasybai
A small lake 3.5 km long, lying in a basin divided by mountain ranges. It is located on the territory of the Bayanaul National Park. Around the reservoir there are several holiday homes with beach areas, where a lot of people come on weekends. Zhasybay is bordered by deciduous and coniferous thickets, where you can walk, pick mushrooms, have a picnic or just contemplate the natural beauty.
Kaindy
A lake of amazing beauty at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, located on the border of two states: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, in the Kungei Alatau gorge. At the beginning of the 20th century, a coniferous forest grew on this territory, today only bare trunks sticking out of the water remind of this. The flooding occurred as a result of an earthquake in 1910. Kaindy, despite the rather cold water temperature (up to +6 ° C), is popular with divers.
Alakol
Located in the south of the country, Lake Alakol is the second largest reservoir in Kazakhstan; it is part of the lake system of the same name. The lake is located in a fairly desolate area among the mountain ranges. The healing properties of Alakol water have been known since the time of Genghis Khan. In Soviet times, astronauts improved their health on its shores. Today, numerous tourists flock to the lake.
Big Almaty Lake
The reservoir is located not far from Almaty at an altitude of more than 2.5 thousand meters above sea level. The landscapes surrounding the lake are very picturesque. You can endlessly admire mountain peaks, rocky shores and mighty pine trees, reflecting in crystal clear water, the color of which changes depending on the season. The dimensions of the surface are small, only 3 km long and no more than 1 km wide.
Zaysan
The lake is sandwiched between the Kalbinskaya and Altai mountain ranges, several tens of kilometers from the border with China. Since ancient times, Zaisan has been the breadwinner of the surrounding lands due to the large number of fish. But after the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power plants on the Irtysh, the lake fauna began to dwindle, many species disappeared. Zaysan is located in the middle of the steppes, its shores are multi-colored rocky plateaus.
Issyk
The natural reservoir is located on the territory of the Issyk gorge, about 40 km from Almaty. A small reservoir about 2 km long and no more than 500 meters wide is surrounded by wooded rocks, as well as mysterious mountain crevasses. Due to this, the predominant shade of the water is green-blue. Due to a powerful mudflow that descended in 1963, the nearby city of Issyk and a dam in the western part of the lake were destroyed.
Shalkar
It is a large, rounded lake with a length of 18 km. Located in the north-west of Kazakhstan in the Terekta region, about 75 km from the city of Uralsk. It is often called the steppe sea; there are many sandy beaches on its shores that attract tourists. Kiters and windsurfers from the Samara, Orenburg and Saratov regions of the Russian Federation love to come to the lake. In spring and autumn, the lake becomes a staging area for a large number of birds.
Kolsai lakes
The water system in the Tien Shan, a few kilometers from the border with Kyrgyzstan, consisting of three lakes. They are located at an altitude of 1800 to 2800 meters above sea level. A 25 km long tourist route passes around the reservoirs, which leads further through the Sary-Bulak pass to the Issyk-Kul lake. Also nearby are campgrounds and recreation centers, where you can stay for several days.
Bukhtarma lake
An artificial reservoir on the Irtysh, which was formed as a result of the construction of a hydroelectric power station in the 1960s. Despite its man-made origin, Bukhtarma Lake is not inferior in beauty to natural reservoirs. Its shores are covered with dense forests and rocky ledges, snow-capped peaks of mountains can be seen in the distance. In the south, the reservoir merges with the natural lake Zaisan.
Sibinskie lakes
The water system includes five lakes: Alka, Kashkerbay, Istykpa, Duysen, Ulmeis. They are located at the southern end of the Koktau mountain range and are separated by small rocky ridges. It is not only the natural beauty of the area that attracts tourists here. Nearby there is an interesting historical attraction: the ruins of the Buddhist fortress-monastery Ablaykit.
Small Aral Sea
The reservoir was formed as a result of the drying up of the Aral Sea. To prevent its complete disappearance, the Kokaral Dam was built in the late 1980s. The area of the Small Aral Sea is much smaller, but at least this area was saved, and also partially restored the flora and fauna. At the moment, the reservoir is under protection, as it is important for the ecosystem of the region.
Caspian Sea
Kazakhstan is one of five states that own the shores of the Caspian Sea, a huge closed reservoir with a closed drainage system. More recently, the country's authorities have been thinking about developing infrastructure and turning coastal cities into full-fledged seaside resorts. As a result, money was invested in the construction of hotels and the creation of comfortable and attractive recreation areas.
