In the Cherek region of Kabardino-Balkaria, amazing natural monuments lurk between high cliffs - five blue lakes of karst origin. Each of the reservoirs keeps a secret, the solution of which until today has not been found by a person. This attraction is located 60 km from Nalchik, so the blue lakes are considered the most visited place by tourists and locals.
According to the legend, travelers who were struck by the amazing color of the water called blue reservoirs. After them, people from different parts of the world began to come here, but not everyone agreed with this name of the lakes. To some, they seemed green, blue, emerald… It turns out that blue lakes appear in all their glory only in calm and sunny weather, and in a day they can change about 16 times, taking on different shades.
Distinguish between the Lower Lake, called by the locals Tserik-Kel, and the Upper: Eastern and Western - Secret and Dryrespectively. The first reservoir is of the greatest interest: its secret lies in the fact that not a single river or stream flows into it, but at the same time it consumes about 70 million liters of water daily, and the level of the depth mark does not change at all. In addition, the exact depth of Tserik-Kel is not known for certain, because no one went down to the very bottom, even Jacques-Yves Cousteau did not cope with this task. Some sources give the figure - 386 m, but many throw another 100 m.
The blue lakes are connected with a spoiling legend: many centuries ago, a hero named Bataraz lived in these parts. Once a terrible dragon attacked the settlement, but the fearless hero went to a duel with him and won. Where the monster fell, a hole formed, which was instantly filled with water. They say that the dragon lies at the bottom of the lake to this day, filling it with its tears and emitting a fetid odor. By the way, if you walk along the shore of Tserik-Kel, you can smell hydrogen sulfide.
If you climb higher to the rocks, then on the way you will meet the Upper Blue Lakes. They are not deep, but they occupy a huge area. The Eastern and Western reservoirs are connected by a dam, so the water flows from one to the other. Not far from them is the Secret Lake, it got its name because of its secrecy. There is a pond in a karst funnel, densely overgrown with bushes and tall grasses, surrounded by a beech forest, so if you don’t know the exact location, you can walk a stone’s throw and not notice this miracle of nature.
The fifth of the lakes is called Dry, it was formed in a very deep karst sinkhole, which was completely filled with water many centuries ago. Then something happened, perhaps an earthquake in the mountains, and the reservoir almost completely disappeared, remaining only at the very bottom of the failure. According to some versions, the water simply flowed into Tserik-Kel.
Resting on the blue lake charges with positive emotions, allows you to retire in the bosom of nature, feel its charm, purity and beauty. Not far from the sights there are numerous sanatoriums and hotels where you can stay. Absolutely all guests are met with open arms by Kabardino-Balkaria. The blue lakes attract many tourists with their mystery and magnificent scenery.
