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Between Sky And Rocks: Most Beautiful Mountain Lakes Across the Globe

Sputnik

In the mountains, you can not only walk along winding paths, go rock climbing and see the surroundings from a bird's eye view, but also swim. On the peaks, in the fractures of the rocks, in the craters of volcanoes, there are unusual and amazingly beautiful lakes.

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Between the ridges of the Northern Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan, at an altitude of 1608 meters above sea level, there is a "hot lake" that does not freeze in winter - Issyk-Kul. It is the main local tourist attraction. Guests from different countries are attracted by the healing climate and numerous health resorts.
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According to legends, the southern part of Lake Teletskoye in Russia's Altai region and the Chulyshman canyon are the road to the mysterious northern Shambhala. Kyrsay from the Altai language means - "elevation in the river bed". Right behind the beach ridge there is a large lake, behind it there are several more lakes, which alternate with picturesque meadows and birch groves.
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The Kelimutu volcano on the Indonesian island of Flores last erupted half a century ago. Its height is over 1600 meters. In the crater there are three lakes with different shades of water. The colour depends on the dissolved minerals and changes from black to turquoise, red-brown or green over several years.
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Picturesque Croatian Plitvice Lakes were formed due to natural dams: the Korana River flowed through limestone and created natural barriers. The upper lake is 133 meters higher than the lower one. There are about two dozen of them in total.
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In Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, tourists visit Lake Peyto, named after its discoverer, the traveler Bill Peyto. The outline of the reservoir resembles the head of a huge wolf. The water is distinguished by an unusually bright "tropical" colour for northern latitudes.
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Another water tourist attraction is Lake Peoe in Chile, in the Patagonian Andes, in the Torres del Paine National Park. Nearby there is a picturesque 65 meters high waterfall Salto Grande. There are several islets on the lake with bridges.
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In the Himalayas, at an altitude of almost five thousand meters above sea level, there is a hidden lake - Lake Tilicho. Water comes to it from the Annapurna glaciers, from December to May it freezes, and in summer small icebergs float there.
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Washo Indian tribes, who once lived on the shores of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, called it "grasshopper soup." Apparently, because there were many of these insects in the vicinity. Now there are several ski resorts in this area.
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In Kazakhstan, in the gorge of the Kungey-Alatau mountain range, there is the Kaindy lake with turquoise water. It's very young: it was formed by an earthquake in 1911.
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Austrian Lake Gruner See is also popular with divers. Under water the are sunken meadows, a bridge and benches.
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