One of the most picturesque and unusual lakes in terms of beauty is the alpine lake Sary-Chelek, located on the territory of the Sary-Chelek State Biosphere Reserve. Translated from Kyrgyz, Sary Chelek means Yellow Bowl.

Residents of coastal villages are sensitive to the lake, because for Kyrgyz, any spring, river, reservoir, or area where there is water is considered a sacred place and the attitude is appropriate. The lake is covered with legends and stories. Old-timers say that there was a man named Sary, and he was a beekeeper, and when he harvested from hardworking bees, he compared the lake to a container for collecting honey. There are other stories that the locals themselves can tell.

Another version of the origin of the name – from the Kyrgyz language, Sary Chelek can also be translated as a yellow bucket, a yellow container. There are many trees and shrubs around the lake, and in autumn, when everything turns purple-yellow-gold, the lake reflects all the colors and turns golden yellow.
The wonderful deep-water lake was formed more than 10,000 years ago as a result of a mountain collapse and is located at an altitude of about 1,900 meters above sea level.

The steep coastal slopes of the lake are surrounded by dense thickets of trees and shrubs, and you can get closer to the lake only from two sides - from the north and south, because a densely populated forest tightly surrounds the lake from all sides. On the southern side of the mountain lake there are walnut forests and fruit trees, the valley is fragrant with coniferous aroma and smells of mountain medicinal plants and alpine flowers.

Arriving at the lake, you involuntarily stop and admire the unprecedented views of the incredible picture. Sary-Chelek pleases the eye with fascinating colors, as if it turns into a sparkling living stone hidden among the mountains, shimmering in the sun - turquoise, lapis lazuli, emerald, sapphire, jade, amber, opal colors. The view from the height of the lake looks like giant mountains guarding their pearl, surrounded by coniferous trees.

The lake is so beautiful that you don't notice the time - Sary Chelek is amazing at any time of the year, but especially beautiful in autumn, when the entire surrounding landscape is transformed, the trees are painted in the colors of ochre, crimson, gold. Maybe that's why it's called Sary (yellow, gold). The lake is usually visited from April-May to October, at any other time it is unfavorable to visit, because the ascent to the lake is steep and winding, and during the precipitation period you can get stuck on a dirt road for a long time

On the way to the lake, passing through the picturesque area, climbing steeply upward, you can stop at the observation deck and explore the stunning valley. It takes your breath away from what you see, and in anticipation of the main attraction, you rush up the serpentine road to the lake again. On the way, you stop near springs of natural origin, the water is from mountain sources, crystal and so delicious.

In this unique rich variety of animal species and tree and plant species, you can find more than 80 species of shrub and tree plantations, more than 160 species of birds, including predatory ones - golden eagles, hawks and more than 35 species of animals (deer, bears, lynxes, wolves, foxes, badgers, porcupines, etc. even to discover a snow leopard at very high altitude). For biologists, botanists and scientists who study the biodiversity of fauna and flora, this reserve is a real paradise.

The national park is full of small rivers, reservoirs, alpine lakes and glaciers. The Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve is a specially protected area and at the entrance we are greeted everywhere by signs with the rules of entry and stay in the protected area - it is forbidden to burn bonfires, swim in the lake, leave garbage, etc.

There are cafes, food outlets, recreation areas, here you can go horseback riding along mountain trails, and go hiking in the surrounding area. Many people come here to make this journey on foot, absorbing the aromas of mountain grasses and coniferous forests with every cell.

Sary Chelek is very popular among locals, travelers, tourists and foreign visitors. Anyone who has visited this amazing place at least once will definitely want to come more than once. There are many mountain routes and impassable trails around. You can become a pioneer among the untouched forest and build a new route yourself, you can navigate along the lake, which is visible from a height from all sides.

You can and should write about Sary Chelek gracefully, just like the lake itself, but no words can describe the charm of staying by the lake - you need to see it with your own eyes. Therefore, let's go, friends!