Paradise lakes

Between Lake Balkhash and the city of Taldykorgan lies the area popularly known as “Paradise Lakes”. This is a group of salt lakes formed in a wide valley between the Karatal and Aksu rivers, in the south of Balkhash. The concentration of minerals in these natural reservoirs is so high that the density of water exceeds the density of the human body, so it is impossible to drown here.

The lakes are located in the famous Zhetysu, in the southeastern part of Kazakhstan. This is a vast area, with Balkhash in the north, Sasykkol and Alakol lakes in the northeast, and Zhongar-Alatau in the southeast, and the ridges of the Northern Tien Shan in the south.

These lakes are popularly compared to the Dead Sea, located on the border of Israel and Jordan.

Unlike the Dead Sea, there is life in Paradise Lakes. For example, reservoirs are rich in various types of algae and small crustaceans such as Artemia salina. With a high concentration of crustaceans, the water in the lakes turns purple around October. And in summer, the water in the lakes usually turns a light emerald color.