Sary Chelek Lake is situated inside the boundaries of the Sary Chelek State Biosphere Reserve, 500 kilometers from Bishkek and 300 kilometers from Osh. The lake is 1940 meters above sea level and is on the edge of the Chatkal and At-Oinok mountains. The lake is 7.5 kilometers long, 234 meters deep, and takes up 507 hectares of land. In Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, it is the second and third deepest lake, respectively. There are rocky spots and thick trees all along the beach. Many mountain rivers feed Sary Chelek.
In the summer, the water’s temperature doesn’t get over 19 °C, while in the winter, it varies between 0 and 4 °C. In Kyrgyz, Sary Chelek translates to “yellow barrel.” An ancient beekeeper once made the springtime decision to build hives around the edges of an exceptionally lovely lake, according to tradition. When it came time to harvest, the beekeeper was so enthralled by the golden hue of the honey that he gave the lake the name Yellow Barrels, alluding to the barrels of honey that were piled up along the shore. Furthermore, there exists an other interpretation for the lake’s name. When fall arrives, the water’s reflection of the golden hue of the coastal trees creates an amazing, all-golden scene.
Trekking to Sary-Chelek Lake is a unique experience since it takes you past petroglyphs, waterfalls, relict woods, steep slopes, and rushing water that falls to the bottom. There will be incredible views of the neighboring mountains from the mountain passes that the path passes. Inspired by the journey, you won’t even realize that you’ve arrived at Lake Sary-Chelek.
