Toktogul Reservoir

The Toktogul reservoir was created in the 1970s by damming the Naryn for hydroelectricity, flooding a valley and the old town of Toktogul, which was rebuilt above the waterline. It covers around 280 square kilometres and supplies a large share of the country's electricity, which makes its water level a matter of national politics in dry years. For travellers it is the long turquoise sheet visible for an hour of the drive between Bishkek and Osh, with bare brown hills around it and beaches where families swim in summer. Fishing is common and roadside stands sell smoked fish. Guesthouses and simple resorts have opened along the shore. It is a stop on a long drive rather than a destination, and the contrast between the blue water and the dry hills is the whole picture.

What you actually see

• The turquoise reservoir - a long sheet of water below bare hills.
• The dam - the hydroelectric works at the western end.
• Shore beaches - swimming spots used by families in summer.
• Smoked fish stands - roadside sellers along the highway.

When to go

May to September for swimming and warm weather. Water levels vary a lot between years and seasons, exposing wide mud margins when low. The road over the passes at either end can close in winter storms.

Honest expectations

This is a working reservoir, not a lake resort: shores are bare, facilities are basic and the water level fluctuates. Swimming areas are unsupervised. The main road is busy with freight. Accommodation is simple guesthouses.

Nearby

Suusamyr valley lies northeast; Kara-Suu lake is north.