Hard-to-reach mountain lakes in the Kolsay Lakes National Park -
Mountain hike to Lake Mazhi (Chon-Uryukty) -
Lake Chon-Uryukty is a beautiful high-mountain lake, also known as Lake Mazhi, located at an altitude of 2154 meters above sea level in the Kolsay Lakes National Park. The length of the lake is 494 meters, the width is 71 meters, the depth of the lake is unknown, no one has measured it, but, like all high-mountain lakes, it can have a depth exceeding 50 meters. The water in the lake can be of different colors, the water changes its color depending on the sunlight and the phase of the day. On cloudy days, the water in the lake becomes absolutely black. As if the lake does not contain water, but black fuel oil. On sunny and clear days, the water in the lake changes its color from turquoise, blue and green.
Lake Mazhi (Chon-Uryukty) is difficult to access, the path to it starts from the village of Saty in the upper reaches of the Shilik (Chilik) River, it is impossible to get to it, you can only walk. You can get to the gorge. Kishi-Uryukty, along which you can climb on foot to the lake, but this is not an easy task, the places are very remote, it is possible to get to the starting point only by 4x4 vehicles with high cross-country ability, then you have to walk. The journey here can take several days, so the trip must be planned in advance very carefully. Also, on the way to this location, you can visit such natural attractions of the park as the Kolsay Lakes and Lake Kaindy. In addition, you will see the famous village of Saty, where you can rent a guest house for rest and taste traditional Kazakh cuisine in local cafes. There are also mountain gorges in the park such as Karasai Gorge and Kurmenty Gorge which are accessible both on foot and on horseback, and you can also drive into the gorges in 4x4 high-traffic vehicles.
How to get there and visit -
Chon-Uryukty Lake (Lake Mazhi) is located in the Kolsay Lakes National Nature Park and Nature Reserve, the upper reaches of the Shilik (Chilik) River, the area of the village of Saty, Kegen District, Almaty Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 42°59'07"N 77°56'10"E
Information -
Somewhere there, at an altitude of three kilometers, where the lungs begin to burn from the thin air, and the sky becomes so close that it seems - stretch out your hand and touch the dome of the Universe, Lake Chon-Uryukty is hidden. It is also called Mazhi, which means “enchanted,” and for good reason: on a clear day, the water shimmers with all the shades of the rainbow, and in bad weather, it turns into a leaden abyss in a matter of minutes. There are no paved roads here, no tour buses fly here – only a narrow path winding along the edge of the abyss, where every step tests your strength. This place breathes with ancient magic. The black rocks framing the lake seem to be made of fragments of the night – their sharp edges preserve traces of glaciers that retreated here thousands of years ago. In the mornings, when the first rays of the sun break through the pass, the entire basin is filled with golden fog, and then you can see mirages dancing over the water – either reflections of clouds, or the spirits of nomads who once hid their secrets in these mountains. Local shepherds whisper that at the bottom of the lake lies the "altyn tas" - a golden stone thrown here during the Dzungarian wars, and whoever finds it will gain the power of their ancestors.
The road here is already an adventure. Three days on horseback along rocky paths, where the wind whistles in your ears, and small stones constantly fall under your hooves. But when you overcome the last climb and this bowl of water, purified over the centuries, opens up before you, you understand: it was worth it. The special world of the lake is under water. At night, magic happens here. The desertedness and the altitude make the stars incredibly bright - the Milky Way hangs overhead like a shining river, and sometimes you can see meteors tracing their tracks across the sky. The fire crackles, the wood crackles, and it seems as if time slows down, finally allowing you to hear your own thoughts.
Lake Mazhi does not forgive mistakes. The weather here changes instantly: five minutes ago the sun was shining - and now a snow vortex is swirling over the lake, closing visibility to zero. Fogs fly in suddenly, turning paths into traps, and the thin air is treacherous - even experienced climbers can feel dizzy. It is better not to go here without a guide - the mountains do not like the self-confident. Those who have been here, return different. Someone falls in love with these desert landscapes forever, someone believes that the lake really has magic - it cleanses not only the body, but also the soul. And also - it leaves a longing for these rocks, for this sky, for this wind that whispers ancient stories in your ear while you sit on the shore and watch eternity reflected in the water.
P.S. If you decide to go - take a handful of salt with you. The locals say that if you throw it into the water with good thoughts, the spirit of the lake will grant one wish. The main thing is that it comes from the heart.
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