Lake Issyk-Kul

Lake Issyk-Kul, nestled in Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan mountains, is the world’s second-largest alpine lake (1,668 meters deep) and one of its clearest. Despite its altitude (1,607 meters), it never freezes—its name means "warm lake" in Kyrgyz. A Silk Road gem, its shores harbor ancient ruins and Soviet-era sanatoriums. Home to endemic fish and migratory birds, it balances tourism with ecological fragility. Fed by glaciers but shrinking due to climate change, this saline jewel remains Central Asia’s natural and cultural treasure.