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Lake Kaindy -

Lake Kaindy is located in the south of Kazakhstan, around 129 km (80 miles) southeast of Almaty, the country's largest metropolis.

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Kolsai Lakes National Park -

Set within Kolsai Lakes National Park, Lake Kaindy—known for its series of picture-postcard lakes and reservoirs—is especially celebrated for its scenic beauty.

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A unique natural feature - Kaindy, however, is also known for an unusual natural feature that sets it apart from the park's other lakes.

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Surface to air - Piercing the lake's dazzling mirror-like surface are the needle-like trunks of dozens of Schrenk’s spruce trees.

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Sunken forest - The trunks appear like the bleached masts of stricken, long-forgotten ghosts ships. In fact, they are the visible tips of a sunken forest.

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Lake arrival - How did an entire forest end up being swallowed up by lake? Well, you have to journey back to the early 20th century for the answer.

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Tian Shan Mountains - Lake Kaindy was formed in 1911 after an earthquake struck the Tian Shan Mountains in Russian Turkestan.

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The Kebin earthquake - Known as the Kebin earthquake, or Chon-Kemin earthquake, the violent tremors triggered a huge landslide that effectively blocked a narrow gorge to form a natural dam.

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Water world - This avalanche of rock proved impermeable to water. Subsequently, rain fall and mountain river water slowly filled the gorge to create a lake.

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Submerged flora - While the exposed tips of the trees have become worn and brittle, below the surface a submerged forest still features intact pines.

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A cold environment - Kaindy's water is cold. Even in summer, temperatures rarely exceed 6°C (42 °F).

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A world underwater - The frigid conditions have helped preserve the submerged tree trunks,  which are overgrown with algae and other freshwater flora.

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Clear visibility - Because of the clear mountain water, visibility below the surface is extraordinarily good. In fact, the unwordly atmosphere of this age-old forest is best appreciated underwater.

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Mysterious character - That said, in certain light the lake's surface takes on an eerie almost ethereal veneer. And its mysterious character is further heightened when mist drifts lazily over the water.

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Narrow and deep - Lake Kaindy is around about 400 m (1,312 ft) long and nearly 30 m (98 ft) at its deepest point.

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Spectacular colors - Altered by limestone deposits, the water maintains a bluish-green color which is accentuated in bright sunshine, when the surface looks almost Caribbean in hue.

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Schrenk's spruce - Schrenk's spruce, also known as Asian spruce, is a spruce native to the Tian Shan mountains of Central Asia in western China (Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Its name was given in honor of Baltic German naturalist Alexander von Schrenk (1816–1876).

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The Kolsay Lakes - At 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level, Kaindy sits at a higher altitude than Lower Kolsay Lake (1,818 m/5,964 ft). Middle Kolsay Lake is 2,252 m (7,388 ft) above sea level. But at 2,850 m (9,350 ft), Upper Kolsay Lake is the loftiest of the park's stunning crowd pullers.

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Sustainable tourism - While nature conservation is an important part of the park's mission, with 72% of the territory under strict protection, around 13% of the region is set aside for tourism and recreation.

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Visitor attraction - In recent years, Kaindy and its sunken forest has become a popular tourist attraction.

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Camping - Lower Kolsay Lake is accessible by road and features guest houses and campsites. Traditional yurts dot the campground at Kaindy Lake, but this lake together with the Middle and Upper lakes are more difficult to reach. April to late September are standard periods for camping in the area.

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Adventure tourism - Divers can explore the lake's hidden wonders, in pristine (though somewhat chilly) conditions.

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Wintertime - In winter Lake Kaindy takes on an entirely different complexion.

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Ice diving - Ice diving, which should only be attempted by experienced scuba divers using specialized equipment, rewards the eyes with enchanting views of Kaindy's unseen marine environment.

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Past and present - The lake's submerged tree trunks look like ancient Roman columns supporting the ceiling of a vast dimly lit villa.

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Winter wonderland - In winter, plummeting temperatures and the high altitude conspire to freeze the surface of the lake so it resembles a giant ice rink spiked with toothpicks.

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Mid-winter appeal - Kolsai Lakes National Park is a year-round visitor attraction, but is a particular favorite of adventure tourists during the harsh mid-winter season.

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Almaty, the perfect base -

Almaty (pictured), is an ideal base from which to explore Kolsai Lakes National Park and its fabulous lakes. And of course, the city is well worth discovering for its own unique character.

See also: The oldest, largest, and deepest lake in the world

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