Sofia Lakes

The Sofia Lakes are three alpine bodies of water near Mount Sofia in Arkhyz. Their shores are covered with large rocks left by glaciers, and each lake has a distinct color: the largest is turquoise, the northern lake is dark blue, and the lower lake is sky blue. They lie at an elevation of 2,830 meters, and the water rarely warms above +12 to +15°C. Hiking routes begin from the Glacier Farm or Taulu Meadow and follow the Sofia River through Irkiz Pass, opening broad views of the Caucasus. The route is 10–12 km long, and the difficult terrain requires experience and preferably a guide; traveling alone can be dangerous.

Newts, toads, and frogs inhabit the Sofia Lakes, while roe deer, wildcats, snakes, and lizards live in the surrounding forests. Yaks and mountain goats occasionally enter the area. According to legend, the turquoise lakes were created by God. Seeing the bare summits of the Caucasus, He asked a blacksmith to forge enormous scissors, cut a piece from the sea, and poured it into mountain gorges. Thus the Sofia Lakes and other Caucasian lakes—the Green, Arkasar, and Seven-Color lakes—came into being.