Underwater Forest of Kaindy Lake

In the idyllic Kaindy Lake in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan lies a strange set of trees which seem to thrive from beneath the surface of the water. These spruce trees once thrived in the valley before an earthquake struck in 1911, causing a landslide to block the gorge and creating a natural dam. A subsequent years caused rainwater to fill the dam, thus drowning the forest and creating the beautiful turquoise lake.

Naked, dead trunks can be seen sticking out of this 400-meter long lake, like masts of ghostly ships rising to the surface. Underneath, the green pine branches of spruce are well-preserved even after a hundred years due to the consistently cold temperature of the water which does not exceed 6 degrees. Because of the clear mountain water, the branches can be easily seen from above, creating a surreal, otherworldly scene.

Unlike its two more popular neighbors the Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake and the Kolsay Lake, Kaindy Lake is rarely visited by tourists, thus retaining its peaceful atmosphere. Kaindy Lake can be reached 129 km from Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city.