Chong Kolduk lake
The Chong Kolduk Lake, or Big Kolduk Lake, is the largest and most visited alpine lake in the Kichi-Alai foothills above Kyrgyzstan’s Gulcho valley. Sitting at 2,470 meters elevation, it’s the first lake travelers encounter on the climb up from Köldün Shaty village, just 5 km from the Osh–Alai road junction. Roughly 700 meters wide, it dwarfs its quieter neighbor Kichi Kolduk Lake and rests in a broad basin of alpine meadows, rocky slopes, and seasonal streams draining the Alai range. Its accessibility makes it a natural starting point for day trips into the highlands.