Blue Lakes - the main attraction of Kabardino-Balkaria

In the Cherek region of Kabardino-Balkaria, among the high cliffs there are amazing natural monuments - five blue lakes of karst origin. Each of the reservoirs contains a secret, the solution of which until today did not find a man. This landmark is located 60 km from Nalchik, so blue lakes are considered the most visited by tourists and locals a place.

If you believe the legend, blue ponds were called by travelers, who were struck by the amazing color of water. After them, people from all over the world began to come here, but not all agreed with such a name for lakes. To some, they seemed green, blue, emerald ... It turns out that blue lakes appear in all their glory only in quiet and sunny weather, and they can transform about 16 times a day, taking on different shades.

Distinguish the Lower Lake, called the locals Cerik-Kelem, and the Upper: Eastern and Western - Secret and Dry, respectively. The first reservoir is of the greatest interest: its secret lies in the fact that no river or stream flows into it, but it consumes about 70 million liters of water daily, and the level of the depth mark does not change at all. In addition, the precise depth of Cerik-Kel is not known for certain, because no one has descended to the very bottom, even Jacques-Yves Cousteau has not coped with this task. In some sources, the figure is indicated - 386 m, but many sketch another 100 m.

The blue lakes are associated with a garland legend: many centuries ago a hero called Bataraz lived in these parts. One day a horrible dragon attacked the settlement, but the fearless hero went out with him to a duel and won. There, where the monster fell, a failure formed, which instantly filled with water. They say that the dragon still lies on the bottom of the lake, filling it with his tears and making a fetid smell. By the way, if you walk along the coast of Tserik-Kel, you can smell hydrogen sulfide.

If you climb higher to the rocks, then on the way will meet the Upper Blue Lakes. They are not deep, but the area is huge. The eastern and western water bodies are connected by a dam, so the water flows from one to the other. Not far from them is located the Secret Lake, its name was received because of stealth. It is a pond in a karst funnel densely overgrown with bushes and tall grasses, surrounded by beech forest, so if you do not know the exact location, you can go two steps and not notice this miracle of nature.

The fifth of the lakes is called Dry, it was formed in a very deep karst fault, which many centuries ago was completely filled with water. Then something happened, perhaps an earthquake in the mountains, and the reservoir almost completely disappeared, remaining only at the very bottom of the collapse. According to some versions, the water simply flowed into Cerik-Kel.

Rest on the blue lake charges with positive emotions, allows you to retire in the bosom of nature, to feel its charm, purity and beauty. Not far from the attractions are numerous sanatoriums and hotels in which you can stay. Absolutely all guests are greeted with open arms of Kabardino-Balkaria. Blue lakes attract many tourists with their mystique and magnificent scenery.