Lake Tuzkol, located in the south-east of Almaty Oblast at an altitude of 1,959 m above sea level, is the saltiest mountain lake in Kazakhstan. The lake is quite large, 5.5 km long and up to 2 km wide in some places, but it’s shallow, only 3 meters deep. Its shores are low and gently sloping.

The salinity of the water varies depending on the season and can reach values ​​comparable to the salinity of the water of the Dead Sea in Israel or the Great Salt Lake in the USA. Translated from the Kazakh language, “tuzkol” means “salt lake”.

You can visit the lake any time of year. But if you’re planning a trip to the mountains, the best time to go is from June to September.

The distance from Almaty is 310 km, the approximate travel time – 5.5 hours. Lake Tuzkol on Google Maps. Photos by Sergey Terekhov.

No river flows into the lake, and nothing flows out. It is fed solely by groundwater. The water from many springs is highly mineralized, making the lake unique – it’s both mountainous and salty. The lake’s salt concentration varies depending on the season. Its therapeutic mud is used in mud therapy at clinics in Almaty and the Almaty region.

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

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