Kyrgyzstan · KG

Besh-Tash Lake

Besh-Tash Lake is a striking turquoise high-mountain lake perched at nearly 3,000 metres in the Talas Region of Kyrgyzstan, cradled by the jagged peaks of the Talas Alaa-Too range. Named after five ancient standing stones further down the gorge — "Besh-Tash" means "Five Stones" in Kyrgyz — it is the largest and most spectacular lake inside Besh-Tash Nature Park, a protected area established in 1996 to safeguard the region's spruce forests, alpine meadows, and rare wildlife including the elusive snow leopard. The lake's colour is its headline feature: a vivid turquoise that contrasts dramatically with the surrounding snow-dusted peaks and green alpine grass. Reaching it from the city of Talas involves a rewarding full-day drive and short trek along a dirt road that climbs roughly 30 km up the Besh-Tash gorge. For travellers willing to make the effort, the reward is one of the most beautiful and least-crowded mountain lakes in northern Kyrgyzstan.