Lake Sary-Chelek

The Sary- Chelek (also Sarytschelek, ( Kyrgyz Сарычелек ), literally " Yellow shell ") is a 4.92 km2 large lake surrounded by 30,000 acres of protected since 1959 and since 1978, recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere nature reserve of the same name in the area Jalalabad to the west of Kyrgyzstan. The lake is located north of the settlement Arkit, the headquarters of the park, at the eastern end of the Chatkal chain, in the west of the Tian Shan Mountains. The Sary- Chelek Biosphere Reserve contains six other smaller lakes below the Sary- Chelek.

The lake lies at an altitude of 1873 m above sea level. It owes its origin to an earthquake around 10,000 years ago, in which the Koja -Ata River was dammed by a landslide. The lake is 7.5 km long in general north-south direction and up to 2,280 m wide. The average width is about 650 m. At its deepest point it is 234 meters deep. The shores are rocky. In winter, the lake freezes, and the water temperature drops to 0-4 ° C. In midsummer, the water reached a temperature of 20 ° C. The lake is fed by snow and glacier melt water. The only outflow is the Koja -Ata River, which empties into the right Naryn Creek Karasu.

The biosphere is home to a variety of protected plants and animals.

For visitors guest cabins are available.