Altai lake Darashkol. Altai is generous to the wonders region – turquoise rivers, snow-white peaks, sharp rocky peaks. Crystal clear babbling brooks, trodden tourist trails and places where you will not meet a single persona. Here’s the lake with blue and green mirror surface, reserved and mysterious, surprising and captivating lake Darashkol. You will not succeed to find any information in the guide books and references. However, avid travelers have known about the Lake nature reserve for a long time. Darashkol is a lake in the Altai Mountains. Situated in Ust-Koksinsky district of the Altai Republic.
“Dyarash Kohl” is translated from the Altai as “Beautiful Lake”. You have to be sure – in this case, the name of the category “I sing what I see” – hits the nail. The name is literally synonym to the beauty, which immediately imprints in your memory. This natural wonder is located in the upper reaches of the valley Ioldo-Airi. A left tributary of the river Kucherla at an altitude of 2,140 m above sea level.
About the lake
The lake stretches from east to west for about 1 km and is carefully surrounded by an amphitheater of pinnacles. By the way, Darashkol has its own Italy! In the middle of the south there is a cape very reminiscent of the famous “Italian boot” in the shape – granite massif, covered with moss and badan, Siberian tea.
Thickets of cranberries and blueberries, low cedars, which bizarrely twists in the fight for space on the rocks under the onslaught of the elements. There is beauty in this particularly harsh and unexpected availability: cedars will be suddenly so undersized and trusting that you can reach out and hit the ripe cone at the very top of the stern-looking tree.
To the east of the “boot-peninsula” opens the view of the top of Katun ridge – Crown of Altai, and beyond it the river Belukha. When the weather is clear the view of the setting sun is amazing. Turquoise and emerald water, sparkling glaciers on the peaks, evergreen cedars, and at the same time – every minute change of lighting, all of which creates a special attraction of the lake. Darashkol is ever impressive: in good weather and in bad weather.
Imagine the clouds, slipping down from the mountains, and enveloping the ancient gnarled cedar, dark ripples of water changes its color – from turquoise to a clear transparent green, and then – all of a sudden! – The leaden sky, suddenly pierced by the rays of the sun, and – a rainbow!
Landscapes of Lake Darashkol
In the early morning and late evening it is calm at Darashkol. All the splendor that surrounds the lake is reflected in it without blemish. Striking picture of a clear windless night, when the new moon. And a myriad of stars reflected in the still sleeping waters. The sky is over your head and under your feet, and in the heart.
The road to the lake itself offers a stunning picture, competing in beauty with the ultimate goal. All over with the confluence of the Kucherla and down to the lake – river Ioldo Ira meet you with cascading waterfalls that resemble water rides, the creation of Mother Nature. Ten-altitude river comes out of the lake and spills a cloud of spray, frantically rushing to the next stage of the massive.
Huge, rough tongue licks the glacier granite of “mutton foreheads” to break, slide, throw itself into many streams and cascades under the gaze of ceaseless eternal guards. Spiky mountain peaks. Ioldo water-Airi takes power above the lake running on colorful mountain meadows, swampy valley fall in a cascade of foam. And then again in the run up of dozens of streams, creeks, branches, forming numerous islands decorated with a riot of pink Ivan tea flowers. At the eastern end of the lake a stream flows into the lake, which brings a “bit of water”. Undermining the foot of the glacier Nemytski. So, if you climb up the creek three hundred meters, you will see “hanging valley”. And with it – Darashkol, at a glance, clearly delineated bulk stone and granite rocks of the lake with its evergreen companions – cedars.
