Kulun Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Kulun Lake is the largest mountain lake in the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan. It is located at an altitude of 2856 meters above sea level on the territory of the Kulun State Reserve. Kulun Lake was created as a result of an earthquake.

The length of the lake is 4.6 kilometers, width – 0.7 kilometers, surface area – 3.25 kilometers. The maximum depth reaches 91 meters.

Alpine and subalpine meadows and woodlands are adjacent to the lake. Stunning mountain panoramas open from any shore of Kulun, for the beauty of which not only tourists, but also locals come here.

Kulun Nature Reserve was founded in 2004 to preserve flora and fauna, including rich juniper-coniferous forests. Before the creation of the protected area, poachers hunted animals here, but now this practice has been discontinued. Poaching is strictly prohibited. And it is difficult to get into the territory of the reserve without a special permit.

The reserve is divided into two sections: "Kulunata" with an area of 18.5 thousand hectares and "Tonzoo" with an area of 6 thousand hectares. It is home to more than 100 species of animals and birds, as well as more than 800 species of plants. The main task of employees of protected areas is to preserve and multiply rare representatives of fauna and flora.

Also on the territory of the reserve is the mountain lake Ortokol. The mountain-lake system of these places is considered unique. It is formed by Lakes Kulun, Maly Kulun and Ortokol.

Not far from Kulun Lake there is a sacred spring Kulun-Ata. There is a belief that if a childless person comes to the spring barefoot and alone, then soon he will have a child. Once upon a time a man prayed at this place. After the prayer, he fell asleep and, in the morning, saw a white horse coming out of the spring and giving birth to an unusual foal. Therefore, the place was named Kulun-Ata ("kulun" – foal, ata – father).

Near the spring there is an old mausoleum where heroes (batyrs) who died as a result of fighting for the territory of Kyrgyzstan rest.