Lake Alakol

　　Lake Alakol is a salt lake in Kazakhstan, situated 180 kilometers east of Lake Balkhash and near the border of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The drainage basin covers an area of approximately 68,700 square kilometers, while the lake itself spans about 2,650 square kilometers with a depth of around 45 meters. It is fed by the Urdzhar River. The main source of water for Lake Alakol comes from the melting snow of the Borohoro Mountains, and the Torghai-Jailau grassland receives relatively high rainfall in spring.

　　At the same time, due to the higher air humidity, Lake Alakol remains mostly shrouded in mist during most of the spring season. As summer arrives, the Torghai-Jailau grassland enters its golden tourist season — a time of clear skies, light winds, and lush greenery. On sunny afternoons, locals on the Torghai-Jailau grassland enjoy the fresh air drifting from Lake Alakol and take in the vast expanse of the lake, with two small islands in the center faintly visible through the mist. Sunset is a renowned feature of Lake Alakol. The reflection of the setting sun on the lake’s surface turns the water, along with the vegetation and flowers on the Torghai-Jailau grassland and the over 3,000-meter-high peak of Mount Borohoro, a striking shade of red, creating one of the area’s most famous scenic sights.