Sary-Chelek Lake

Sary-Chelek sits in Aksy District of Jalal-Abad Region on the southern spurs of the Chatkal Range. The lake is inside Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve: the area has been protected since 1959 and was nominated to the UNESCO biosphere reserve network in 1978. This is not a quick outing from Bishkek, but a proper south-western road trip via the Bishkek-Osh highway, Tash-Kömür and Arkyt village. The lake itself lies at roughly 1,870-2,000 m above sea level. It is about 7.5 km long and 350-1,500 m wide; sources disagree on the maximum depth, giving 234 to 245 m. The shores are steep and forested, so the classic visit is to reach the southern end, walk the lakeside and nearby trails, and, if you have time, add the smaller lakes to the south-east of Sary-Chelek. Arkyt is the practical base for guesthouses, food and local transport to the lake. The southern approach leaves the Bishkek-Osh highway near Tash-Kömür and Aflatun; the final kilometres and the road inside the reserve can be rough, especially after rain or before snow has cleared. The best self-drive window is mid-May to September, sometimes early October depending on weather. Swimming in Sary-Chelek itself and hunting in the reserve are prohibited, and camping on the lakeshore should not be planned without permission from the reserve administration.