The water has a mesmerizing azure color with visibility of several tens of meters - some water bodies of the planet are still distinguished by incredible ecological indicators. They miraculously managed to avoid the harmful influence of civilization; for thousands and millions of years, the water in them remains crystal clear. Some of the cleanest lakes and rivers on the planet are located in incredibly inaccessible places; to see them, tourists need to overcome a difficult path. Others, on the contrary, have long been centers of tourist life, which does not prevent them from maintaining their unique environmental indicators. All the cleanest reservoirs of the planet are incredibly beautiful and, of course, deserve the attention of the most sophisticated travelers.
Crater Lake, USA
In the USA, on the territory of the state of Oregon, there is an incredibly beautiful Lake Crater, which was formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. This lake has become famous throughout the world for its unique deep blue water, which is considered one of the cleanest in the world. According to scientists, this lake was formed more than 7.5 thousand years ago, its average depth is about 350 meters. The dimensions of the lake are also very impressive, its length is about 9.6 km, and its width is about 8 km.
This lake is one of the deepest not only in the United States, but also in North America. A few years ago, a national park was formed around the unique lake, through which interesting excursions are held today. The main event for travelers is the ascent to the crater of an extinct volcano; this is the only way to see the beautiful lake with your own eyes. In recent years, about 400,000 tourists from all over the world visit this amazing nature reserve.
The crystal clear lake attracts not only curious travelers, but also ecologists and researchers. Several years ago, a group of scientists conducted an interesting experiment here. The fact is that initially there were no species of fish in Lake Crater, ecologists decided to add some species of trout and salmon here. Their experiment was completely successful, today the lake is inhabited by fish. Tourists are even allowed to fish here, subject to the only condition - they must use artificial bait.
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Lake Zyuratkul, Russia
In Russia, among the Ural mountains, there is an amazing lake Zyuratkul, it is located at an altitude of 724 meters above sea level and is the highest mountain lake in the Urals. The maximum depth of this lake is relatively small and is about 12 meters, and the area of the reservoir is 13.5 square meters. km. Today, the amazing lake is considered one of the cleanest in the world, despite the fact that the water in it is by no means transparent. It has an unclear tea hue, which is explained by the fact that many streams flowing into the lake originate in swamps.
The area next to the lake is famous not only for its natural beauty, but also for its historical sites. In the course of the study, scientists discovered several important archaeological sites, here they raised the tools of labor of primitive people and found a giant geoglyph. For locals, Lake Zyuratkul has been a sacred landmark for hundreds of years, and many interesting legends and beliefs are associated with it.
In the forests along the shores of the lake, hundreds of years ago Old Believers performed their rituals; while walking along them, you can still see unusual monuments carved from wood. Excellent conditions for recreation have been created on the territory of the Zyuratkul National Park. There are several equipped camping areas, so in the warm season, travelers can stay in these picturesque places for several days. Hundreds of different excursions are held here, during which you can see the most significant natural attractions, as well as unique historical areas.
Piccaninnie Ponds, Australia
In Australia, on the territory of the Piccaninni Nature Reserve, there is a system of ponds of the same name, which have recently been considered a favorite resting place for divers. There are three ponds in the system, all of which are distinguished by crystal clear water. However, each of these ponds has its own unique features. "The first pond" is the smallest, its depth is only 10 meters. The Abyss pond is much deeper; its maximum depth is 100 meters. The water in this pond is crystal clear, the visibility in it can reach 40 meters.
The most unusual and interesting of the three ponds is "Cathedral", its depth is 35 meters. This pond was formed in a cavern of limestone formation and is most popular with divers. The system of ponds is located in a special swampy zone, which is remarkable not only for its water bodies, but also for its unique vegetation and fauna. This swampy area is home to several rare bird species, the observation of which attracts not only bird watchers, but also tourists.
There are many hiking trails for tourists in the Piccaninni Park, as well as several excellent viewing platforms from which you can admire the beautiful ponds and the surrounding landscapes. Piccaninni National Park was formed in 1969, its area is about 8.6 square meters. km. Since a few years ago the ponds were open to snorkelers and divers, today environmentalists monitor their cleanliness with particular care. Those who want to swim in these cleanest ponds will need to follow some formalities.
Lake Masyuko, Japan
In Japan, on the territory of the island of Hokkaido, there is another crystal clear lake - Masyuko. It is located in the Akan nature reserve, from all sides the lake is surrounded by incredibly beautiful mountain ranges covered with dense vegetation. This crystal-clear lake was formed in the caldera of an active volcano, the water in it has a deep blue color due to its special mineral composition. Hundreds of tourists visit this beautiful lake every day as part of organized excursions to the national reserve.
While walking through the mountainous areas, they will have the opportunity to see many rare plants, animals and birds, the most interesting thing is to walk through these colorful places in the summer. However, visiting the reserve also has its own charms in winter. On the territory of the national park there is another crater lake - Kussyaro, which also has its own unique features. The thing is that several hot springs flow into it, which do not allow some areas of the lake to freeze even in winter. This feature attracts many heat-loving birds to the reservoir; whooper swans always winter here.
The main feature of Lake Masyuko is that not a single stream flows into it, and neither does it flow out. Researchers believe that it is precisely this feature of the lake that allows it to maintain its crystal clearness for hundreds of years. It is also worth noting that there are several interesting miniature villages on the territory of the reserve, where you can get acquainted with the life of local residents and buy interesting souvenirs.
Lake Bowman, USA
In the United States, there is the amazing Bowman Lake, which is also famous for its purest water. It is located in the state of Montana, on the territory of the Glacier National Reserve. Despite the fact that the reserve is rich in a variety of natural attractions, it is still visited by a very small number of tourists. This largely contributes to the preservation of the unique ecosystem here. Lake Bowman is notable for its impressive scale, its length is about 11 km, and its width is about 1.5 km.
This fabulously beautiful lake is considered one of the most transparent in the world. Today, tourists are provided with all the conditions for organizing an interesting vacation. They can not only walk around the reserve, but also spend several days in a tent camp. The lake is home to a lot of fish, which tourists are allowed to catch, and in some areas of the lake you can swim.
The tent camp located on the shore of the lake is open only during the warm season and is well equipped. On its territory, toilets and even showers are equipped; here they take all measures to preserve the ecology of these places. Today, the main guests of this "resort" are local residents, although in recent years, Bowman Lake has attracted a sufficient number of foreign travelers. It is not difficult to get to this wonderful lake, as a road passes through the reserve.
Lake Sheosar, Pakistan
In the northern part of Pakistan, in the Deosai National Park, there is the fabulously beautiful Lake Sheosar. It gained popularity among tourists precisely because of its crystal clear water. For hundreds of years, this lake has remained one of the cleanest bodies of water on the planet. The maximum depth of this lake is 40 meters, its length reaches 2.3 km, and its width is 1.8 km. This lake is located in a very inaccessible mountainous region, at an altitude of 4,142 meters above sea level.
For travelers, both car and walking tours of the nature reserve are organized. By jeep, you can get to the remote mountainous area in just a few hours, while the trek usually takes at least two days. For nature lovers, it is best to walk through the reserve on foot; there are several specially designated areas on its territory where you can equip a tent camp.
The best time to visit the beautiful lake and walk around the reserve is the period from early June to late September, when the plateaus surrounding the lake are covered with carpets of bright colors. One of the main inhabitants of these picturesque places are butterflies, there are several dozen of them here. Already in November, a beautiful valley and a lake are hidden under its thickness by snow, it completely melts only by May. There are no excursions around the reserve during the cold season.
Lake Peyto, Canada
In Canada, one of the cleanest lakes is worth looking for in the Banff National Park, where the world-famous Peyto Lake is located. This lake is located in an incredibly beautiful foothill area, its area is about 5.3 square meters. km. The lake stretches for 2.8 km in length, and its average width is only 800 meters. The first to discover this amazing lake was the traveler Bill Peyto, in honor of his discoverer, the lake got its name.
One of the main features of the lake is its unusual shape, if you look at it from a bird's eye view, it resembles a huge wolf head. The lake water has a rich turquoise hue, which also attracts attention. Every year the lake is replenished with water from nearby glaciers. Mountain streams bring the smallest particles of minerals into the lake, which make the color of the water so unusual. Now, on the shore of the lake, several comfortable recreation centers are equipped for tourists, here you can perfectly relax for a few days and enjoy the natural splendor.
Fishing lovers are especially attracted to these places; rainbow trout, salmon, pike and other species of noble fish are found in the lake. Those who want to fish in this wonderful place should take care of purchasing a license in advance. The guests of the reserve can diversify their rest with exciting walks; vast forests are located along the shores of the lake. Here you can see many rare animals and birds, and in summer rare species of flowers bloom in the reserve.
Lake Baikal, Russia
In the south of Eastern Siberia there is a world famous landmark - Lake Baikal. It is the world's largest freshwater reservoir and the deepest lake on the planet, with a maximum depth of 1,642 meters. The lake area is 31.7 sq. km. The lake is interesting not only in itself, it is surrounded by unique natural landscapes. Many unique endemic animals live here, and you can also see a lot of rare plants.
Lake Baikal is of tectonic origin, its water is considered one of the cleanest in the world and is home to valuable species of fish. One of the main features of the water is its high oxygen content, while the amount of minerals is very low. Lake Baikal is also one of the coldest in the world, the water temperature in it, even in the summer months, does not rise above +8 degrees Celsius.
One of the main unresolved issues related to the lake is the theory of its origin. According to scientists, its formation was provoked by tectonic activity, the age of the lake is at least 25 million years. The inhabitants of the lake are of great interest to researchers; there are more than 2,600 species of them. More than half of the aquatic life is endemic and cannot be found in any other body of water in the world. Wastewater is one of the most important environmental problems of Lake Baikal. Many rivers flow into the lake, the water in some of them is polluted with industrial waste.
Moraine Lake, Canada
In Canada, there is the famous Moraine glacial lake, it is located in the Banff National Park. This lake is quite small, its area is only 500 sq. meters, and the maximum depth reaches 14 meters. At the same time, the beauty of this lake is difficult to find equal. The discoverer of this unique natural landmark was the explorer Walter Wilcox. When he discovered this lake, then uninterruptedly admire it for half an hour. Later, in his manuscripts, the scientist noted that these were the happiest half an hour in his life.
This lake is located in a very inaccessible mountainous area, so for a long time no one knew about its existence. The water in the lake, which fills it from year to year during the melting of glaciers, has a rich sapphire hue. Against the background of the surrounding mountain ranges, the lake looks fantastic. The best time to visit the lake is considered to be June, at this time the peak of glaciers melting occurs, the lake reaches its maximum size.
Travelers can visit Lake Moraine only from May to September; the rest of the year the mountain road is closed for safety reasons. You can easily get to the lake by car; the closest large settlement to it is the city of Calgary. In recent years, organized excursions have been carried out to the lake; a bus runs along the tourist route. A half-hour drive from the lake is a small mountain village, which will also be very interesting to visit as part of the excursion.
Jenny Lake, USA
Lake Jenny is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming; today it is part of the Grand Triton National Park. This lake also has a glacial origin, it is located at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters above sea level. According to researchers, the lake was formed about 12,000 years ago, its maximum depth reaches 129 meters, and the area is about 482 square meters. km. Despite the fact that this lake is one of the cleanest in the world, motor boats are allowed on it, which is actively used not only by researchers, but also by tourists.
The main route, formed along the shores of the lake, is called Jenny Lake Trail; excursions here are conducted not only during the day, but also at night. Nearby is the beautiful Cascade Canyon, which is also an important attraction of these places. The name of the lake has a very interesting history. In 1872 one of the first large expeditionary groups worked on the lake, led by the Englishman Richard Lee. This beautiful lake was later named after his wife Jenny.
Another attractive feature of the reservoir is the variety of fish species; fishing was allowed here several years ago. Trout is the most cherished catch of fishermen; in order to go fishing here, you need to obtain a special license. Tourists are allowed to travel to these places only when accompanied by guides; there are many predatory animals among the inhabitants of the nearby forests, and bears are also found here. Like many years ago, today the national park attracts hunters, and climbers also like to rest here.
Lake Pukaki, New Zealand
New Zealand also has many wonderful lakes worthy of tourist attention. One of them is worth looking for on the Yuzhny Island, where the beautiful Pukaki Lake is located. This glacial lake has become known all over the world thanks to the rich blue color of the water, which, among other things, is also incredibly clear. The lake area is 178.7 sq. km, it is located at an altitude of more than 500 meters above sea level. This fabulously beautiful body of water stretches for 15 km in length, and its width is about 8 km.
Several years ago, Lake Pukaki became part of a large hydropower system; experts made sure that such use of the reservoir did not in any way affect its environmental performance. For local residents, the emergence of a hydrotechnical unit was a real breakthrough, it was thanks to the lake that they finally received stable electricity.
Not everyone knows that the original glacial lake was very small, its maximum depth was no more than 25 meters. When in the 40s of the last century they began to build a hydro-technical station, the volume of the lake was significantly increased. Initially, there was a small island in the center of the lake, which was flooded as a result of the expansion of the reservoir. The water in the glacial lake is always very cold, so not everyone dares to swim in its crystal clear azure water. Even at the height of summer, its temperature is no more than + 7 degrees Celsius. The locals have many beautiful legends associated with the lake; it got its name in honor of one of the mythical warriors.
Lake Tahoe, USA
In California, there is an amazing freshwater Lake Tahoe located in the picturesque foothill region of the Sierra Nevada. This lake is well known to tourists; there are several popular ski resorts in its immediate vicinity. Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States, with an average depth of 305 meters and an area of about 495 square kilometers. km. Of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Tahoe is considered one of the most easily accessible; large highways run along the entire perimeter of the reservoir.
A lake was formed at the site of a geological fault in the earth's crust about 3 million years ago. Today, not only the lake itself with fantastic sky-colored water is of great interest, but also the coniferous forests surrounding it. Here you can see many rare species of pine and fir, as well as rare species of shrubs and grasses. The lake was discovered relatively recently, in 1844, its discoverer is Lieutenant John Fremont.
He explored these mountainous regions in search of a river, and discovered an incredibly beautiful lake, which scientists from all over the world were exploring in a few years. Most of the tourists began to visit these places after 1960, when the Winter Olympic Games were held at one of the local resorts. Since then, an excellent tourist infrastructure has remained here, today there are comfortable hotels near the lake, and there are also many ski slopes of various levels of difficulty. It will be interesting for hikers to have a rest here, fascinating excursions are held next to the lake at any time of the year.
Blue Lake, New Zealand
One of the cleanest and most unusual lakes on the planet with the complex name Rotomairewhenua is located in New Zealand, translated from the Maori language its name means "Blue Lake". This miniature freshwater lake is located in the Nelson National Reserve, it is part of a complex lake system. Ecologists began to study the reservoir in detail only since 2011, they accidentally discovered that the water in the lake is extremely clean.
The visibility in it can reach 80 meters. From year to year, the lake is fed by water from nearby glaciers. Flowing down from mountain peaks, it passes through many natural rocks that act as a natural filter. Largely due to its purity, the lake water has an amazing hue, which varies from deep blue to light purple during the day.
One of the first specialists to show interest in the lake was the hydrologist Rob Mirriles. Having admired the crystal clear water, travelers should definitely take a walk through the forests and mountain ranges surrounding the reservoir. There are no tourist bases near the lake; travelers are extremely rare here. The main visitors to these picturesque places are researchers and ecologists, not so long ago, as a result of a large study, the water in the Blue Lake was equated in properties and quality to distilled water.
Petermann River, Greenland
Some rivers are amazingly clean. An excellent example is the Petermann River, located in Greenland, known to a wide range of travelers under the unofficial name of the Blue River. The location of the river is the glacier of the same name, which melts in the summer and forms many small streams. They all converge into a single river, the water of which has a deep blue hue.
The incredibly beautiful and clean river poses a huge threat to the global ecology. In recent years, the Petermann Glacier has begun to melt four times faster, which contributes to a significant increase in the water level of the world's oceans. According to researchers' forecasts, in the coming years the glacier will melt even more intensively, which could lead to serious environmental disasters. In the meantime, the crystal clear river is of great interest to scientists. They can estimate the composition of glacial waters that have been frozen for millions of years.
It is very difficult for ordinary travelers to get to this remote corner of the world with an incredibly harsh climate; this can be done only together with organized expedition groups. Now ecologists are trying to take all possible measures to minimize the influx of glacier melt water into the world ocean. In the coming years, he may lose up to 100 sq. kilometers of ice, so much melt water would be enough to provide a large metropolis for 10 years.
Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Off the coast of West Antarctica lies the beautiful Weddell Lake, which is also one of the cleanest bodies of water on the planet. It bears its name in honor of the discoverer J. Weddell, who made an expedition to these places in 1832. The sea area is 2,900,000 sq. km, and its maximum depth reaches 6 800 meters. In addition to the incredibly beautiful sky-colored water, the sea is distinguished by a huge number of ice floes that float in it all year round.
This beautiful clear sea has become home to thousands of aquatic inhabitants, huge populations of whales, seals and fish live here, and penguins are also typical inhabitants of these places. Today, the Weddell Sea is considered the cleanest in the world. The last major study of its water took place in 1986, and the average visibility was estimated at 79 meters, which is in line with that of distilled water.
Not all research groups decide to sail on this sea, not to mention ordinary tourists, drifting ice poses a huge threat to ships. Many natural and physical phenomena are associated with the North Sea. Its water never freezes, despite the fact that its temperature can reach -25 degrees Celsius. The Weddell Sea is the coldest and cleanest sea on the planet. To see it with their own eyes, travelers need to be part of one of the research expeditions, but they rarely go to this harsh sea.