Lake Kaynar Baba

In the very south of Turkmenistan, in the Karlyuk steppe, soaked with hot air and salt, there is one of the country’s most unusual lakes – the Kaynar Baba. It is very popular not only among the locals but also all over the country, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Its name is translated from the Turkmen language as “boiling spring”.

The lake is quite small in size – only 25 m in diameter. The water here is crystal clear and its bottom, besprent with small stones, seems very shallow. Its water is fresh, so the Kaynar Baba is the only source of drinking water for miles around. Near it, there is a hydrogen sulfide source – Akkoz, which annually attracts hundreds of people from all over the country.

Healing properties of the Akkoz were known since ancient times, with the advent of first settlers there. To the present day, its waters help treat the diseases of the musculoskeletal system.