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Kyrgyzstan Attractions

Issyk Kul Lake is the world's second largest salt lake (after Caspian Sea) and located in the northern Tianshan Mountains in eastern Kyrgyzstan. The lake is surrounded by snow peaks but never freeze.

Surrounding by mountains, there are several valleys around the lake that worth visiting like the North are the Kungei (Sunny) Ala-Too Mountains which has criss-crossed by trekking routes including ones that connect the lake with Almaty; to the South lie the Teskei (Shady) Ala- Too mountains. These mountain ranges protect the Issyk Kul hollow from winds bringing either extreme cold – or extremely hot winds. Moreover, the lake valley is a unique combination of sea, steppe, mountain climates and eternal ice zone. The very appearance of Issyk-Kul Lake is a "geological mystery".

The tourist season for Issyk-Kul comes at June to September, when the temperature are usually around 25-28 °C in summer days (with an altitude of some 1606m, Issyk Kul Lake can get quite chilly, especially at night. Winter temperatures can be around –5 °C). The sandy beaches, radon springs, alpine meadows and coniferous forests as well as alluring peaks and glaciers are worth to see when traveling to Issyk-Kul Lake. The lake region is home to many migratory and wintering birds, including swans, geese, ducks, and cranes and so on.

There are wide ranges of hotels, sanatoria, guesthouse or even home-stays that provide varied accommodation choices around the lake, do book earlier if you plan to the lake for holiday during peak season.

There is large number of hotels, sanatoria, guesthouses and home stays at various points around the lake, many of which can make arrangements for services to the neighboring mountains. Some of the sanatoria have hydrothermal springs and offer mud baths.