In the Chereksky region of Kabardino-Balkaria, amazing natural monuments lurked between high cliffs - five blue lakes of karst origin. Each of the reservoirs keeps a secret in itself, the solution of which until today has not been found by people. This attraction is located 60 km from Nalchik, so the blue lakes are considered the most visited place by tourists and locals.
According to legend, travelers called the blue ponds were struck by the amazing
color of the water. 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 transform about 16 times, taking on different shades.
Distinguish Lower Lake, called locals Tserik-Kel, and Upper: East and West - Secret and Dry, respectively. The first reservoir is most interested: its secret is that not a single river or brook flows into it, but at the same time it spends 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. In some sources, the figure is 386 m, but many draw another 100 m.
Blue lakes are associated with a flattering legend: many centuries ago a hero named Bataraz lived in these parts. Once, a terrible dragon attacked the settlement, but the fearless hero went into a duel with him and won. Where the monster fell, a failure formed, which instantly filled with water. They say that the dragon to this day lies at the bottom of the lake, filling it with its tears and emitting a fetid smell. By the way, if you walk along the coast of Tserik-Kel, you can smell hydrogen sulfide.
If you rise higher to the rocks, then on the way you will meet the Upper Blue Lakes. They are not deep, but the area is huge. Eastern and Western bodies of water are connected by a dam, so water flows from one to the other. Secret Lake is located not far from them, it got its name because of secrecy. The pond is located 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 walk in two steps and not notice this miracle of nature.
The fifth of the lakes is called Sukhoi; it was formed in a very deep
karst dip, which many centuries ago was completely filled with water. Then something happened, perhaps an earthquake in the mountains, and the pond almost completely disappeared, remaining only at the very bottom of the failure. According to some versions, the water simply flowed into Tserik-Kel.
Rest on the blue lake charges with positive emotions, allows you to retire to the bosom of nature, to feel its charm, purity and beauty. Near the attractions there are numerous motels and hotels where you can stay. Absolutely all guests are welcomed with open arms of Kabardino-Balkaria. Blue lakes attract many tourists with their mystery and magnificent landscapes.