Colombia is a country of bright contrasts, in which skyscrapers coexist with huge reserves, and not far from cities there are national parks of incredible beauty. In addition to amazing rivers, Columbia is rich and lakes, which must be admired, having gone on holiday to this most interesting country.
Colombia is a country of bright contrasts, in which skyscrapers coexist with huge reserves, and not far from cities there are national parks of incredible beauty. In addition to amazing rivers, Columbia is rich and lakes, which must be admired, having gone on holiday to this most interesting country.
The most famous lakes of Colombia
The most popular in the country are those water bodies that attract tourists either with stunning nature , or with an interesting history, or both, at the same time:
- Lake Guatavita . Located 50 km northeast of Bogotá in the mountains of Cundinamarca. The lake is located at an altitude of 3100 m above sea level in the crater of an extinct volcano , and therefore has almost an ideal round shape. The diameter of the reservoir is about 1.6 km. It is believed that it was here that the Indians once performed sacred offerings to the gods: they threw gold objects into the depths of the lake. This custom, by the way, also spawned among the conquistadors a legend about the golden city of Eldorado.
- Lake Thoth. It is the largest in Colombia, located in the center of the country's lake. Its area is 56.2 square meters. km. The maximum depth is 67 m, and the reservoir itself is located at an altitude of 3015 m above sea level. Thoth is navigable and second in height in South America, second only to Lake Titicaca . The nearest settlements are Aquitaine, Tota and Quito. They are easy to get to the lake, and these cities are the easiest to get from Bogota.
- Lake Iguacu. It is located in the homonymous national park , which was declared a protected area in 1977. There is a lake to the north-west of the town of Villa de Leyva . An ancient legend about the birth of mankind is connected with this lake. According to the beliefs of indigenous people - muiskov, humanity originated from the Iguaques, when the goddess Bachue came out of the waters with a small son in her arms. By the time the boy grew up, mankind had already inhabited the entire globe. And the goddess and her son returned together to the lake waters, but already in the guise of snakes.
- The reservoir of Kalima. It is one of the largest artificially created lakes in the country. It is a pond in western Colombia, just 80 km from the Pacific Ocean. Its length is 13 km, and the maximum width is 2.5 km. Since 1966 (after the completion of construction work), this place began to attract tourists, because the reservoir opens a wonderful view. Presence of constant winds became ideal for surfers who can be met here in any season. The water temperature fluctuates around the mark at +19 ° С throughout the year.
- Lake Santa Isabel. Located in the National Park Los Nevados , which is located in the department of Risaralda. This lake has a glacial origin and is replenished by glaciers from the slopes of the volcano Nevado. Thanks to this method of filling, the water in the lake is always crystal clear. There is a beautiful view of the mountains. It is also worth noting that in the waters of Santa Isabel, rainbow trout is found - a large and very beautiful fish.
- Laguna Verde. It is located on the western side of the Azufral volcano. The water temperature in the lake fluctuates around +50 ° C - in the Laguna Verde hot springs, the temperature of which is +54 ° C. Tourists are attracted to this lake because its waters are considered curative. In addition, the coast has ancient lava formations, which are more than a thousand years old, since the last volcanic eruption here occurred in 930.
- Lagoon of Kocha. This lake is an amazing beauty, located near the town of Pasto. In the middle of the pond is a small island of La Corot. And on the island, and around the Lagoon Kocha a huge amount of greenery, there are beautiful sandy beaches here . In addition, lovers of fishing can tackle trout fishing, which is found in large quantities in the lake.