Lakes are natural reservoirs, the bowls of which were not filled as a result of interaction with the oceans. Often they are formed as a result of melting glaciers, earthquakes or as a result of volcanic eruptions. Scientists classify them, focusing on different characteristics. For example, flat and mountain lakes, fresh and salty, warm and cold. In addition, there are natural reservoirs on our planet that are dangerous for all living beings. And also those that attract millions of tourists to their shores with ancient secrets hidden in the water column. Today we will talk about the mountain lakes of the world, which have interested us in one or another of their features.
"Eyes of the Planet"
Many lakes, according to scientists, are located in places of power. Therefore, local residents are often the bearers of legends and traditions that have been accumulated for centuries in the memory of the peoples living near the lakes. They consider some bodies of water sacred and never approach their shores. There are especially many such legends about the mountain lakes of Russia, located in the Altai. This region itself is a very strong emitter of earth energy. Locals claim that this is the birthplace of spirits, and reservoirs are portals through which they penetrate into our world.
However, not only in our country there are unique lakes that attract the attention of tourists and scientists from all over the world. We will begin our article with an overview of mountain lakes that are located in various parts of the world.
Issyk-Kul
There is a reservoir in Kyrgyzstan, which has long received the proud title of the largest mountain lake. Issyk-Kul is an amazingly beautiful lake located in the Tien Shan basin. Locals consider it sacred and are ready to tell an endless number of legends about its origin. All of them are so fantastic that it is quite difficult to find even a grain of truth in them. However, before coming to these quiet shores Russian Kirghiz practically did not approach the lake without a special reason. They didn't fish on its surface and didn't even know what it was like to rest near a mountain lake.
The reservoir is quite deep, the maximum recorded depth is seven hundred meters. The length of the lake exceeds one hundred and seventy-eight kilometers, and the water temperature often reaches a comfortable twenty-six degrees. This noticeably distinguishes Issyk-Kul from other mountain lakes, which remain very cold at any time of the year. But the water of this amazing emerald pond does not freeze even in severe cold.
Local residents told researchers that once, thousands of years ago, on the site of the lake there was a beautiful and rich city, the population of which lived in peace and prosperity. One day they suffered a terrible catastrophe: the mountains shuddered, opened up, and water gushed out of the bowels of the earth into the emerald valley, flooding everything around. Only a few young girls managed to escape, who went for brushwood in the mountains before the earthquake. When they returned, they saw a serene lake surface in the place of their houses. The beauties cried so bitterly that the water acquired a salty taste, and it remained salty for many millennia.
Some legends say that somewhere on the shore of Issyk-Kul, powerful Tamerlane bequeathed to bury himself. His warriors complied with the request of their commander, and time razed his mound to the ground so that no one would desecrate the grave of the great conqueror.
Be that as it may, but the legend of the flooded city has a basis. Scientists studying the lake, eleven years ago, discovered at its bottom the remains of some ancient civilization. According to preliminary estimates, the age of the buildings is two and a half thousand years. So, perhaps, our contemporaries have yet to reveal the secret of the mountain lake.
Plitvice lakes
These reservoirs cannot be accurately called a single lake, but once it was exactly that. Over time, the huge lake turned into an interconnected system of sixteen small natural bowls filled with water. They are cascaded to each other. beautiful waterfalls, along which special suspension bridges from wood. If you wish, you can bypass almost all one hundred waterfalls, because it is simply impossible to choose the most beautiful of them. It is interesting that very thin and fragile dams formed from organic matter separate the lakes from each other. The point is that in this place In Croatia, the climate contributes to the fact that fallen trees, grass and leaf remains do not just rot, but turn into limestone deposits that grow at a rate of one centimeter per year.
"Sleeping Dragon": the most dangerous lake in Central Asia
This beautiful reservoir in Tajikistan is one of the youngest mountain lakes in the world and at the same time the most terrible. And the very history of the formation of the turquoise Lake Sarez is connected with tragic events.
A hundred years ago, there were mountain villages on the site of the reservoir, but a powerful earthquake in the Pamirs caused an unprecedented landslide that formed a dam more than five hundred meters high, blocking the mountain river Mughrab. As a result, water rushed into the valley, flooding two villages. However, many local residents managed to escape, because the bowl was filled rather slowly.
Today the lake is located at an altitude of three thousand two hundred and sixty-three meters above sea level. Its depth is five hundred and five meters, and the volume of water exceeds sixteen billion cubic meters. For a hundred years of its existence, Sarez Lake has gradually broken through the dam that formed it, according to the latest data, there are already fifty-seven springs in it.
It is not for nothing that the locals call this body of water the "slumbering dragon", because any serious new earthquake in the Pamirs can cause the collapse of the dam, the consequences of which will be terrifying for the entire Central Asia. Under the rushing, sweeping away everything in its path, the flow of water, mud and stones will fall into the territories of several states, where about seven million people now live.
Grüner See
Reviews of a mountain lake in Austria, posted on the Internet, make experienced divers go to the Alps in order to see this unusual place with their own eyes. Grüner See is located at an altitude of seven hundred and seventy-six meters above sea level. Snowboarders and fans often come here in winter. skiing, but at this time the lake does not attract the attention of tourists, because its depth does not exceed two meters.
With the advent of spring, melting snow feeds the lake, which spills over many kilometers, gradually absorbing beautiful park with all buildings. This is what attracts scuba divers who dive into the emerald waters of the Grüner See to see sculptures, bridges and benches that have become part of a mountain reservoir for a short time.
Kaindy
This place is absolutely unique, lovers know it extreme species sports and photographers who often come to Kazakhstan. The lake is located at an altitude of two thousand meters and it does not differ in water transparency, depth or unusual relief. Its main feature is the abundance of submerged trees rising from the depths. Depending on the lighting and the play of shadows, the lake appears to tourists in a bizarre and sometimes creepy way.
lake of death
IN Ural mountains Lake Karachay is located, which is now deadly for anyone on its shores. The fact is that its waters have become a repository of radioactive waste since the middle of the last century. So many tons are buried here, no one knows, but five minutes on the shore of a reservoir is enough to get a lethal dose of radiation. It is known that about sixty years ago, drought contributed to the transfer of contaminated dust over long distances. This caused a real ecological catastrophe, which affected about five hundred thousand people.
Mountain Spirit Lake
This place is located in Altai and the most terrible local legends are associated with it, which, however, only provoke tourists and adventurers. The lake is located at an altitude of two and a half thousand meters and is part of the Kara-Oyuk valley.
Local residents say that this reservoir has always been hidden from human eyes, because it was here that the souls of those who had done a lot of harm to others during their lives were attracted. The lake lies surrounded by lead rocks, from which it smells of grave cold. Surprisingly, animals do not live near the reservoir and birds do not even fly, and on some slopes turned towards the water, grass almost does not grow. Locals claim that everyone who once found this lost lake was punished by spirits. These people returned to their villages and only had time to tell about the strange leaden fog hovering over the lake. Every now and then dark shadows came out of it, which they called spirits. Usually after that, the narrators died in terrible agony. The Altaians themselves claim that if the spirits do not favor the guests, then it becomes difficult for people to breathe after five minutes of being on the shore. Some experienced dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Scientists were able to prove that there are large deposits of mercury in the area. On certain days, vapors rise above the surface of the earth and concentrate above the water. In this fog, the concentration of mercury is so high that a person can literally get a lethal dose of poisoning in just five to ten minutes. But on other days, being by the lake is quite safe, but it’s impossible to find out in advance.
Seven lakes on the Iolgo Ridge
For those who dream of a vacation in unusual place, we advise you to consider the Karakol lakes in the Altai Mountains. These seven reservoirs are located at different heights on a kind of natural staircase. At the same time, the distance between the lakes does not exceed eight hundred meters. The highest body of water is at an altitude of two thousand meters and is small in size. As it decreases, the area of the lake increases.
There are very few animals in the area of Karakol lakes and practically no fish. Therefore, people come here for the sake of picturesque views, replete with cedar forests, meadows and waterfalls. You can stop for the night at the reservoir in a tent camp or at a recreation center near the fifth lake.
teletskoye lake
This freshwater reservoir is second in volume only to the famous Lake Baikal. Teletskoye Lake is considered one of the deepest and most unique in the entire territory of the Altai Mountains. Absolutely all tourists strive to come here, because this pearl is simply incredible beauty.
Teletskoye Lake has practically no shores in the usual sense of the word, it is completely surrounded mountain range, giving it an unusual impressive flavor. You can’t swim in the pond, its water never warms up above eighteen degrees. But tourists can enjoy relic cedar forests and even dive to the bottom of the lake. Diving in Lately has become a very popular pastime. Despite the fact that there are practically no inhabitants in the cold water at a depth, scuba divers still manage to see rare fish and find the petrified remains of huge trees.
Camping on the lake shore is prohibited. Therefore, the base "Mountain Lake" hospitably opens its doors for all tourists ( Mountain Altai). Here you can stay in comfortable houses of various types. At the mountain lake camp site (Altai), travelers can choose from two comfortable cottages, eleven houses with a glass wall, and two buildings designed for several dozen residents. Also, the camp site has all the benefits of civilization, allowing you to have a great vacation on the shores of Lake Teletskoye.
A few words instead of a conclusion
As you can see, our planet is rich in amazing and beautiful places that you want to see with your own eyes. In addition, the lakes that we talked about today are an unknown source of information for scientists. After all, it is not known what other secrets their transparent inhospitable waters hide.
Many people believe highest mountain lake in the world Lake Titicaca, located on the border of Bolivia and Peru at an altitude of 3812. In fact, there are lakes and higher. But Titicaca is the largest alpine lake, where navigation is even possible.
This lake attracts many tourists, striking them with its beauty and grandeur. Its name has Indian roots and translates as "stone puma". If you look at the lake from above, its outline slightly resembles the silhouette of this sacred animal for the Indians.
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The average depth of the lake is 150 m, but there are also deeper places, up to 280 m. mountain rivers, so the water in it is cold, its temperature is about 10 o C. The lake is very large, its area is 8300 km2, and 32 inhabited islands rise on its mirror surface. People are born and die here, sometimes without even leaving their native islands.
In addition to the natural ones, there are also 44 artificial floating islands inhabited by mestizos on the lake. The islands are made of reed and clay. Reeds are used to make boats on which the descendants of the Indians sail on the lake, as well as the huts in which they live. Reed roots are used for food. Local Indians taught to weave reed boats famous traveler Thor Heyerdahl.
The men fish and the women do the handicrafts. Both are sold, and in return, products are bought in addition to the main dish - fish. When the wind picks up, the huts can be ripped off and carried away. But people do not want their islands, the lake feeds and waters them.
Sometimes, due to weeks of downpours, the rivers flowing into Titicaca overflow, the water level in the lake rises to four meters, and then the villages located on its banks are flooded.
Many legends are associated with sacred lake. One of them tells about the gold of the Inca Indians, who, fleeing from the Spaniards, hid it at the bottom of Titicaca. Jean-Yves Cousteau, having explored the lake in a small submarine, did not find gold, but he discovered a frog, the size of which reached 80 cm.
Of course, there are higher mountain lakes than Titicaca. They are less known as they are located high up in the mountains. In Bolivia, at the foot of the Licancabur volcano at an altitude of 6390 m, there are two lakes - Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca. The color of the water in these lakes is green, mainly due to copper oxide.
There is a small nameless lake, located even higher - at an altitude of 6891 m. We can say that this highest lake in the world. It is located on the border of Chile and Argentina and is a volcano crater. The depth of this lake ice water-10 m, its diameter is 100 m.
Lakes are different: large, small, deep, shallow, drying up, etc. but there is one lake on the border of Peru and Bolivia, which bears the title of the highest located above sea level. Titicaca - that's what it is called, a little ridiculous and even funny for the Russian ear. The name of the lake, translated from the language of the Indians, means "Rock of the Puma" (kaka - rock and titi - puma - a sacred animal of the Quechua tribes.
It is located at an altitude of 3812 meters above sea level, you see, it is impressive, because even some mountain ranges cannot boast of such figures. It is believed that the modern size of the lake (8300) is just the remnants of what it used to be, the ancient reservoir was just huge. This is evidenced by the fact that the chemical composition of water taken from the lake is very close to that of the ocean.
Lake Titicaca has a maximum length of 190 km and a maximum width of 80 km. The narrow strait of tikuina divides the lake into two reservoirs. On the topic of the Russian perception of Latin American names: about sixty kilometers from Lake Titicaca there is a city with a very terrible for the Russian language - the plague. But the residents themselves do not even suspect why the Russians are so surprised by the name of their nice friendly city.
Concerning weather conditions reigning over water surface of this remarkable lake, then there, due to the height, it is quite cold. Most of the year, the shores of Lake Titicaca are covered with ice, in the center the temperature is constant (11-12), but despite this, the region is considered navigable, the most major city- the port on the lake is puno (118 thousand people. It is worth noting that the lake maximum depth 281 m, is the largest reserve of fresh water in South America. Although it cannot be called absolutely fresh, since the salinity of the water in it is about 1%. More than 300 rivers flow into the lake, flowing from the glaciers surrounding the altiplano and the desaguadero river flows into drainless lake Poopo in Bolivia.
The Alpine Lake region is a legacy of the already extinct Tiahuanaco culture, which was displaced by the modern Aymara Indians at the end of the first millennium AD. Culture left its mark in history in the form of a well-preserved settlement with an area of just over 40 hectares. The style and quality of construction suggests that civilization for that time and South America itself was quite developed. From under the layers of the earth, archaeologists have extracted a whole town with preserved quarters, streets, houses and even a small pyramid. Pyramid 15 m high called akapana, according to scientists - historians, it was a continuation temple complex. Nevertheless, the complex was surrounded by a wall, from which not much has survived to this day, but, nevertheless, the monolithic gates still adorn the entrance. The image of the deity and the unreal creatures running towards him is still the subject of a dispute over who the inhabitants of the lost civilization worshiped.
Only if you believe the legends that exist among local residents, then at the bottom of the lake is ancient city wanaku. Divers have found fragments of walls, sculptures, houses there, but have not yet been able to confirm the legend about the city.
Most big lake in the world - the Caspian Sea. About 70 names are known, which were given to it by the peoples living on its shores at different times.
There is a theory that Black and Caspian Sea were a single entity about 10,000 years ago. Today the Caspian Sea is the largest salt water lake in the world.
His official name came from the Caspians - the tribes inhabiting the southeastern Transcaucasia in the second millennium BC. Today, the territories of the Caspian coast belong to five states. Most of the Caspian Sea belongs to Turkmenistan. Other sections of its shores were divided by Kazakhstan, Iran and Azerbaijan. The Iranians still call the Khazar sea.
The area of the Caspian is 371,000 km². Despite the fact that it is considered a lake, the reservoir can be classified as a full-fledged sea, since its bottom is composed of oceanic the earth's crust. In addition, the Caspian Sea is very large. Its area is only 6000 km² smaller than Japan. But why is the Caspian Sea called a lake? Because it has no outlet to the ocean and is closed.
If we consider the Caspian Sea as a lake, it will be the largest in the world. Although disputes about whether to attribute the Caspian to the sea or lake are still ongoing. But most experts consider it an endorheic reservoir. Among the lakes, it is the third deepest after Baikal and Tanganyika. Northern part The Caspian Sea is quite shallow, and on average its depth is only 5-6 meters. In the southern region, called the South Caspian, the maximum depth reaches 1025 m.
The water level is currently steadily declining. It falls 6.72 cm annually. This was already the case in the 20th century. In 1977, the water level dropped to 29 m below sea level, although it quickly recovered to optimal levels. Fortunately, the historical minimum has not yet been reached. Over the past twenty years, the Caspian has become shallower by 1.4 m. Geophysicists believe that global warming is to blame, causing changes in the Caspian ecosystem. If this continues, by the end of the 21st century, the reservoir will dry up completely.
Lake Baikal is the most deep lake in the world (up to 1642 meters deep). It is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia (70 km from Irkutsk) and ranks first in the TOP of the deepest lakes in the world.
Lake Issyk-Kul is the deepest in Central Asia (702 meters)
Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal (Jason Rogers / flickr.com)
Lake Tanganyika, Central Africa
Lake Vostok, Antarctica
Caspian Sea, Baku
Lake San Martin (OʹHiggins)
Lake Malawi - the deepest in Africa (706 meters)
Great Slave Lake. Canada
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US, Oregon.
Lake Matano 590 meters deep
As you know, 70% of the earth's surface is water. Therefore, it would probably be more logical to call our planet the Planet of Water.
The water resources of the Earth are represented by the following categories: oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, small rivers, ponds, springs and springs - we are all accustomed to this sequence of dimensional gradation since childhood. Meanwhile, in each category, there may be an example that, in terms of its characteristics, will surpass the leading category.
Some lake storms are in no way inferior to sea unrest, and the depth of others is many times greater than the greatness of the deep sea. It is precisely with these water giants that it is worth getting acquainted in more detail. So, let me present the ranking of the 10 deepest lakes in the world.
The highest mountain lake in the world - Wikipedia. Panch Pohari
One of the highest mountain lakes in the world is located in Nepal and consists of five cleanest reservoirs. Panch Pokhari is located in the Makalu-Barun nature reserve, surrounded by mountains with snow-capped peaks. The height of the reservoir is 5,494 meters above sea level.
Unlike Ojos del Salado, Panch Pohari can be visited by everyone, regardless of physical skills, but in the company of a guide. During tourist route travelers will have time not only to admire the landscapes of untouched mountainous areas, but also to merge into the culture and life of the local population.
The most salty lake in the world. mineral lake
Mineral lake - a lake whose salinity (mineralization) exceeds 1 ppm. The water of such reservoirs has a sharp taste and is unsuitable for drinking without additional treatment.
Mineral lakes are divided into brackish (from 1 to 25 ppm), saline (from 25 to 50 ppm) and salt (over 50 ppm).
By chemical composition, mineral lakes are divided into carbonate (soda), sulfate (bitter-salty) and chloride (salty).
The vast majority of salt lakes are drainless water bodies located in an arid climate. Fresh rivers can flow into lakes, however, when the water evaporates, the applied minerals settle.
The level of lakes can fluctuate significantly depending on the time of year and weather conditions. With a decrease in the volume of water, the salinity of the lake increases, with an increase, it decreases.
In mineral lakes, chemical raw materials are mined: in carbonate lakes - soda, in sulfate lakes - mirabilite, in chloride lakes - table salt.
the biggest salt lake Land is the Caspian Sea.
Lake Balkhash is unique in its kind: part of it contains fresh water, part - salty.
For the title of "most clean lake»fight several reservoirs located in different parts of the world.
Blue - there is no equal in purity
Until recently, Baikal was considered the cleanest lake on Earth. However, recently it was moved from this unofficial pedestal by Blue Lake in New Zealand.
Its Maori name is Rotomairevenua, meaning "lake of the peaceful land".
In 2011, studies conducted by scientists showed that it was Blue Lake that deserved to bear the title of the cleanest lake. By its transparency of water in blue lake comparable to distilled water, and the visibility of the water column is approximately 80 meters.
The Blue Lake is fed by the waters of the neighboring Lake Constance, in which they undergo a kind of filtration. The water in Blue Lake changes completely within 24 hours. Due to the landslide rocks that make up the bottom of the reservoir, the water in it has different shades:
- Blue;
- Emerald;
- The rarest purple color, which distinguishes the most clean water bodies.
Also, Issyk-Kul, in Kyrgyzstan, can be considered one of the cleanest lakes in the world. Read about its exact location and features here.
The lake is located on big island New Zealand - south island. Swimming and diving in the Blue Lake is strictly prohibited not only because of the unique cleanliness, but also because of its sacred status among the local Aborigines - the Maori.
Bowman - crystal clear
The most transparent lake in the world is Lake Bowman, Montana, USA. A small body of water with an area of less than 10 km² is located in the Glacier Reserve.
The water in this lake is so clear that you can see every pebble at the bottom. The high transparency of Bowman Lake is preserved, among other things, because there are practically no tourists here, although visiting the lake is not prohibited.
A dirt road leads to the lake, and on its coast there is a campsite where anyone can order a boat ride on the water surface or fishing.
Lakes are one of the most beautiful and mysterious natural objects. There are many record holders among them - the largest, the deepest. And in this article we will consider the highest mountain lakes in the world.
Lake on Mount Ojos del Salado
The lake, named after the volcano, is located at an altitude of almost 6900 meters, so this is the highest mountain lake on Earth. It was formed in one of the small craters and has a width of only one hundred meters, and a depth of up to ten meters. Excursion routes lead here, since the volcano has long been inactive. But not everyone dares to come very close to the crater itself.
In 1937, the peak was first conquered by climbers from Poland. As it turned out, the best preparation is needed for this, amateurs cannot go up there. On the slopes, buildings of the Inca tribe were found, in particular, altars for sacrifices. The volcano is located in the Atacama Desert, where the climate is quite hot, so the peak acquires a snow cap only in winter. In summer, the lake does not freeze, and it looks very beautiful from a helicopter height.
Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde
One of the most wonderful places in Bolivia - two beautiful lakes, climbing to a height of almost 6400 meters. Numerous visitors to the Eduardo Avaroa reserve consider them to be one attraction. The lakes are distinguished not only by their high location, but also by many unique features. For example, Laguna Blanca has a white tint of water due to the high content of various minerals. And Laguna Verde becomes emerald green in strong winds: oxidized copper rises from the bottom. The joint view of the two brother lakes is simply unimaginably beautiful.
Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde in translation mean "Green" and "White Lagoon"
Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde are at the base of a volcano called Licancabur. Recent studies have discovered another small lake there. It hasn't been named yet. Experienced travelers recommend visiting these places in the summer, but it’s still better to bring warm clothes with you: even in the midst of the heat in the mountains, it can get quite cold.
Panch Pahari
This incredible beauty a complex of five reservoirs, located on a rise of about 5500 meters in the Nepalese national park Makalu Barun. A large accumulation of reservoirs with crystal water attracts tourists to itself, and getting there is very easy even for beginners, although it is advisable to take a guide with you.
Although the lakes are far enough away from large settlements, several small villages gradually settled around them. It must be very pleasant to live in these quiet mountainous places, although in recent years there are more and more inquisitive tourists. During excursions, attention is paid not only to lakes, but also to settlements in order to get acquainted with the life and cultural heritage local population.
Panch Pahari - famous place for the pilgrimage of adherents of Hinduism
Gurudongmar
This body of water got its uneasy name after the famous Buddhist preacher. Since the 8th century, the inhabitants of the Indian state of Sikkim have considered him a saint. The lake is located 5200 meters above sea level. Every year, hundreds of pilgrims come here, eager to drink from the lake of a wonderful healing liquid - after all, according to legend, this water heals all diseases.
The lake is shrouded in veil beautiful stories. One of them: a few hundred years ago, a famous Tibetan guru came to visit the lake, found a suitable stick on its shore and made himself a staff.
Returning home and burying the staff in the ground, he was surprised to see that in just a few days twigs and leaves appeared on it, and over time a beautiful tree with a spreading crown and round leaves grew.
In turn, it is absolutely known that all Buddhist leaders must visit the miraculous lake Gurudongmar in order to touch the divine power.
The pond never freezes, so its waters are available to all those who suffer, even in winter
Titicaca
The height of this reservoir above sea level is 3800 meters, this is the highest water surface among the Western Cordilleras. Several dozen rivers flow into the lake, and only one stream flows out - the full-flowing Desanuadero. Titicaca - main source water for all people living on the nearest mountain plateau.
There are many small islands on the surface of the lake, the most famous of which are the Lake of the Sun and the Lake of the Moon, which are associated with an unusual legend about the gods and their son, who founded the city of Cuzco and a temple in honor of his parent here. It is most pleasant to watch Titicaca in the early morning, when the rising sun is reflected in its impeccably smooth surface. At the height of the day, when the luminary is located in the center of the sky, the light expanse of water gives a sharp contrast to the dark silhouettes of the mountains. And in the evening, the setting sun paints the water in crimson-red tones. Often in the evening a storm can break out.
According to the research of historians, life existed here 10 thousand years ago, it was the Indians of the Uru tribe.
Traveling around the world is always very interesting, each country has something to see. And a great option is to admire the lost alpine lakes as wonderful natural phenomena.
Beautiful lakes of Europe that you must see
All lakes are beautiful in themselves, but not like these beautiful lakes of Europe! From a luxury villa on Lake Como to the absolute tranquility of Lake Saim in Finland, here are the most beautiful lakes in Europe!
1. Lake Como in Italy
The first time I saw Lake Como was from a taxi window. As soon as I stepped off the train from Switzerland, I immediately felt a change in pace. I was no longer in sleepy villages, but instead experienced all the brightness of Italy, coming from the locals and gorgeous small towns full of life! Lake Como was exactly what I imagined it to be and even more - stunning lakeside villas, lively towns, and most importantly... extraordinary Gelato.
2. Lake Bled in Slovenia
Lake Bled is undoubtedly the most famous lake in Slovenia, but you will also find many beautiful lesser known lakes in the country. This is the country that will amaze you with its vibrant landscapes.
3. Lake Garda in Italy
Lake Garda in Italy is another one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe and a very famous place in Italy. Various Italian architecture can be seen everywhere you look and will appeal to those travelers who like to feel like they have taken a step back in time.
4. Lake Annecy in France
There is nowhere quite as charming and picturesque as Annecy, an added bonus, this city has its beautiful lake located in France.
5. Lake Hallstatt in Austria
There is probably nothing more beautiful than a lakeside village, and I am sure of it. This small gorgeous village is usually regarded as one of the the best places in Austria to visit - both in summer and in winter (a layer of snow on the roofs adds romance!).
6. Lake Geneva (Leman) in Switzerland
When I visited Geneva a few years ago, I was surprised by the size of this city. The best way to escape the city is to go down to Lake Geneva (a huge lake), and wander along the lakeshore.
7. Lake Bohinj in Slovenia
Another beauty of Slovenia is the highly photographed Lake Bohinj. This lake is the most big lake in Slovenia, the size of the lake is 318 hectares. The scenery around the lake is stunning to say the least, so be sure to take a day or two to explore the area!
8. Lake Obersee in Germany
The Obersee is one of the three parts of the Königssee lake. Located in southern Germany on the border with Austria and Switzerland, this lake is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in Europe. One of the most popular activities on the lake is to take a boat ride to see the beauty of the lake from the water - the surrounding scenery will amaze you!
9. Lake Saimaa in Finland
This is one of my favorites in Europe, Finland is filled with natural beauty wherever you look. Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland is one of the most beautiful places, the place to go in autumn, when the colors of the surrounding trees really come alive (although I'm sure it's beautiful at any time of the year!)
10. Loch Ness in Scotland
Although the lake is not the most beautiful in Europe, Loch Ness is a must for anyone interested in visiting the legendary lake home to the Loch Ness Monster! I recommend to take a boat and ride on this lake!
Lakes are different: large, small, deep, shallow, drying up, etc. e. But there is one lake on the border of Peru and Bolivia, which bears the title of the highest located above sea level. Titicaca - that's what it is called, a little ridiculous and even funny for the Russian ear. The name of the lake, translated from the language of the Indians, means "puma rock" (kaka - rock and titi - puma - a sacred animal of the Quechua tribes).
It is located at an altitude of 3812 meters above sea level, you see, it is impressive, because even some mountain ranges cannot boast of such figures. It is believed that the modern size of the lake (8300) is just the remnants of what it was before, the ancient reservoir was just huge. This is evidenced by the fact that the chemical composition of water taken from the lake is very close to that of the ocean.
Lake Titicaca has a maximum length of 190 km and a maximum width of 80 km. The narrow Strait of Tikuina divides the lake into two reservoirs.
On the topic of the Russian perception of Latin American names: about sixty kilometers from Lake Titicaca there is a city with a very terrible for the Russian language - Plague. But the residents themselves do not even suspect why the Russians are so surprised by the name of their nice friendly city.
As for the weather conditions prevailing over the water surface of this remarkable lake, it is quite cold there, due to the height. Most of the year, the shores of Lake Titicaca are covered with ice, in the center the temperature is constant (11-12 ®), but despite this, the region is considered navigable, the most major port city on the shore of the lake is Puno (118 thousand people).
It is worth noting that the lake with a maximum depth of 281m is the largest reserve of fresh water in South America. Although it cannot be called absolutely fresh, since the salinity of the water in it is about 1%. More than 300 rivers flow into the lake, flowing down from the glaciers surrounding the Altiplano, and the Desaguadero River flows out, flowing into the endorheic Lake Poopo in Bolivia.
The Alpine Lake region is a legacy of the already extinct Tiahuanaco culture, which was supplanted by the modern Aymara Indians at the end of the first millennium AD. Culture left its mark in history in the form of a well-preserved settlement with an area of just over 40 hectares. The style and quality of the building suggests that civilizations for that time and most South America was quite developed. From under the layers of the earth, archaeologists have extracted a whole town with preserved quarters, streets, houses and even a small pyramid. A 15m high pyramid called Akapana, according to historians, it was a continuation of the temple complex. Nevertheless, the complex was surrounded by a wall, from which not much has survived to this day, but, nevertheless, the monolithic gates still adorn the entrance. The image of the deity and the unreal creatures running towards him is still the subject of a dispute over who the inhabitants of the lost civilization worshiped.
If you believe the legends of the locals, then at the bottom of the lake is the ancient city of Wanaku. Divers have found fragments of walls, sculptures, houses there, but have not yet been able to confirm the legend about the city.
Today TravelAsk invites you to take a walk on the most amazing lakes. And they are amazing because they are located very high in the mountains and hidden from human eyes. This means that they have preserved a unique ecosystem, and few tourists have had a chance to enjoy their beauty. So, TOP 5 of the highest mountain lakes on our planet.
TOP 5: Lakes Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca
These two lakes are located at an altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level at the foot of the Licancabur volcano, which is located in Bolivia. By the way, there is also a small lake in its crater.
Lakes of stunning beauty: the water in them is emerald green.
The fact is that they have a lot of different deposits, including copper, arsenic, calcium and lead. But, despite this, bacteria and plankton live in the water. Laguna Verde more large lake and always invariably emerald in color, Laguna Blanca is much smaller. The latter has its own characteristics: it is able to change color. Usually the water in it is milky, but sometimes it also becomes emerald. The fact is that there are much fewer substances in it than in the first one, but as soon as the wind blows, the color changes, since there are multiple deposits of copper at the bottom.
In addition, the area near Likankabur is one of the driest places on the planet, rainfall is very rare here, so there is no vegetation. Thanks to this, the views here are very impressive: clay-colored earth, emerald water and a majestically towering volcano surrounded by other no less picturesque mountains. And all this beauty is complemented by flamingos that live in these places.
No wonder the lakes are popular with tourists.
TOP 4: Lake Chungara
This amazing reservoir is located in Chile at an altitude of 4,570 meters, its area is more than 21 square meters. km. The virgin nature with its rare inhabitants has been preserved here, many of which are almost never found at the foot of the Andes.
In addition, old buildings have been preserved on the banks of the Chungara: people once lived here. Therefore, reservoirs attract not only climbers who want to conquer local peaks, but also history buffs.
Well, look at Sahama - a snow-covered extinct volcano, next to which is Chungara.
TOP 3: Gurudongmar Lake
This reservoir is located in India, in the state of Sikkim, at an altitude of 5,148 meters above sea level. The name was given by Buddhists in honor of the teacher Padmasambhava, better known as Guru Rinpoche. He is the founder of Buddhism in Tibet. The preacher visited the lake in the 8th century, since then it has been considered sacred: thousands of pilgrims come here every year to bathe in this water. It is believed that the water here is healing.
The lake is unusual: in winter it freezes, but not all of it, a small part of the reservoir remains untouched by ice and frost. Buddhists believe that during the pilgrimage, the teacher Padmasambhava put his hands on this place, and therefore it is not covered with frost.
By the way, it is not so easy for ordinary tourists to get here: they need a special permit from the Delhi Ministry of the Interior.
TOP 2: Panch Pokhari Lakes
These are as many as five lakes with crystal water, surrounded by mountains. They are located in the highest mountainous country -. Reservoirs are located at an altitude of 5494 meters above sea level. Indian pilgrims come here regularly.
In general, these places are mysterious and fabulous: he is. For example, it will be difficult for an unprepared person to breathe so high, however, despite this, there are quite a few villages near the lake. People here live alone and calmly, in accordance with wildlife. If you ever manage to visit these Amazing places, pay attention to these settlements, they are wonderful with their colorful life and special history.
TOP 1: Ojos del Salado
Well, the record holder of our TOP can be seen during the ascent to the most high volcano on the planet - Ojos del Salado. The volcano is located near the border and Argentina. By the way, we already talked about him.
The lake "hidden" at an altitude of 6,390 meters above sea level. The reservoir is only 100 meters in diameter and 10 meters deep, but it is the highest source of fresh water on Earth.
