Switzerland of Central Asia – what to see in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a country with pure and amazing nature, which beauty is known mainly by the Kyrgyz themselves. This misunderstanding needs to be corrected, so go and explore majestic Tien Shan, six thousand mountain peaks and icy lakes. When traveling, take comfortable shoes and a large backpack, and we guarantee that after reading this article you will want to go hiking in this beautiful country.

Issyk-Kul

If you are going to Kyrgyzstan, then most likely your trip will begin with Issyk-Kul. This mountain lake, one of the largest and deepest on the planet, is located at an altitude of 1608 meters above sea level in a tectonic depression and is surrounded by the Kungei-Ala-Too and Terskey-Ala-Too Mountain ranges. It is believed that the lake is inferior only to Baikal in terms of water transparency, with visibility up to 20 meters. Basically, people come here in summer for a beach holiday, but even in winter, Issyk-Kul impresses with its unique beauty.

Many resorts and public beaches are located on the northern coast of the lake, while the southern part is known for its natural beauty. The most visited places in the Issyk-Kul region include the cities of Cholpon-Ata and Karakol, the resort villages of Bosteri, Sary-Oi, Chok-Tal, Bulan-Sogettu, Chon-Sary-Oi, Tamchy, as well as the gorges of Barskoon, Dzhety-Oguz, Grigorievskoe and Semyonovskoe. The beach season usually starts in mid-June and lasts until the end of August. You can also get there by public transport - regular buses run from Bishkek to popular places.

Semyonovskoe Gorge (Kyrchyn)

This gorge is the largest and most famous on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. It is located approximately 30 km from the village of Cholpon-Ata on the way from Bishkek. To explore the surrounding area, it is recommended to start from the village of Semyonovka: from here, an asphalt road runs to the mountains along the Chon-Ak-Suu River. Heading along this road, you will reach a summer pasture (jailoo) at an altitude of 2010 m above sea level, where Chon-Ak-Suu joins Kichi-Ak-Suu: this is the place of the historical meeting of aksakals - heads of families or elders in the Turkic peoples. Around the gorge there are many trekking routes of varying difficulty, which allows you to fully enjoy its beauty.

From June to the end of September, a camp with yurts operates in the gorge. Although the level of service here is far from ordinary hotels, you will remember your stay in this authentic place for a lifetime, because you can feel like a real nomad. Kyrgyz families live here together with travelers, they will be happy to share the history and culture of their people, cook traditional dishes, and also teach crafts and horseback riding.

Grigorievskoe gorge

This gorge, located 60 km from Cholpon-Ata, will surprise you with a clear mountain river, coniferous forests and endless meadows. Tourists usually come here for one-day excursions, but if you wish, you can stay here longer by settling in one of the yurt camps. A good quality gravel road leads directly to the gorge and can even be reached by a small car. In addition, horseback riding to alpine lakes, forests or flower fields is very popular here.

Tien Shan mountains

The high-mountainous Tien Shan, one of the highest and most famous mountain systems in the world, has more than 30 peaks - six thousand meters high! There are many unique nature reserves in the Heavenly Mountains, which system of 88 ranges runs through the entire country and conditionally divides it into northern and southern parts.

Fans of mountaineering and extreme sports dream of climbing Pobeda Peak, the highest peak of the Tien Shan, 7,439 meters high. Successful climbing requires excellent physical shape, professional equipment and experience in the mountains: this challengee is not for beginners. Another peak, Khan Tengri, is located on the border of three countries - Kyrgyzstan, China and Kazakhstan. For those tourists who are just starting their way in the mountains, walking tours to the base camps on the Southern Inylchek or Northern Inylchek glaciers can be offered. In winter, the Tien Shan mountains turn into ski resorts: winter sports enthusiasts can go skiing or snowboarding on the slopes of Orlovka, Chunkurchak, Ak-Tyuz or Kashka-Suu. The season runs from December to April.

The Tien Shan Mountains are known for their unique and picturesque lakes. In particular, at the intersection of two glacial streams - the Southern and Northern Inylchekov - there is an amazing "disappearing" Merzbacher lake. This reservoir is unique because it is completely emptied twice a year, in winter and summer, diverting all the water through ice-covered channels to adjacent rivers within a week. After that, ice blocks resembling icebergs can be observed on the open bottom of the lake.

Song-Kul Lake

Song-Kul is the largest natural freshwater lake surrounded by picturesque alpine meadows. Located at an altitude of approximately 3,016 meters, it is only accessible to the public during the summer. The name of the lake is translated from Kyrgyz as "lake of wild ducks" and is a place of "gathering" of ornithologists and birdwatchers, because here you can observe such rare birds as mountain geese, black storks and demoiselle cranes. Snow leopards, foxes and wolves live in coastal forests, while edelweiss and medicinal herbs grow in green meadows near the lake, where horses and sheep graze. Near the lake, ancient rock paintings depicting scenes from the life of primitive shepherds were found, and on the northern shore is the mausoleum of the national hero Tailak Baatyr, built at the end of the 19th century. The journey to Song-Kul from Bishkek will take approximately 6–7 hours, but you will definitely need an SUV.

Sary-Chelek

Sary-Chelek is one of the most picturesque lakes in the Tien Shan Mountain system and part of the biosphere reserve of the same name. The surrounding area is rich in gorges with many murmuring streams. The northern slopes of the lake are adorned with dense forests of fragrant fir and fir, while the southern slopes are covered with hazel. This area is a unique combination of mountain taiga and alpine meadows. Rare animal species such as ibexes live here, and the locals are sure that meeting them brings good luck and happiness. In the southeast of Sary-Chelek there are several small but charming lakes: Kyla-Kol, Iri-Kol, Chocha-Kol and Krugloye. Although fishing is prohibited on most of them, fishing enthusiasts can enjoy it on Sary-Chelek.

Dzhety-Oguz (Rocks of seven oxen)

This gorge is located at a distance of 28 km from Karakol, the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan, at the northern foot of the Terskey Ala-Too mountain range. The mountains here are profusely littered with vegetation, but the rocky ground peeking through the trees has a tinge of red that makes it look like the Grand Canyon in the USA. According to local legend, the red color of the rocks is dyed with blood: the evil khan kidnapped the bride of his enemy, but instead of marrying her, he killed her. The most unusual places in Dzhety-Oguz include the Ak-Dzhailoo mountain lake and the 20-meter Kok-Dzhailoo waterfall, as well as the Broken Heart rock, where couples in love come.

This gorge is striking in its beauty: in summer, alpine daisies, mountain edelweiss and poppies bloom here, and snow leopards, bears, mountain sheep, argali and roe deer walk along its slopes. After a busy day in the fresh air, you can relax in the health resort, which was founded in 1932 and bears the same name as the gorge.

Kol-Suu

This is an alpine lake of glacial origin located at an altitude of 3,500 meters in the depths of the Aksakay valley, near the border with China. The lake was formed quite recently, after a landslide in the 1980s. The surrounding landscapes are simply breathtaking: bright emerald water, mountain pastures where herds of yaks graze, fast rivers and glacial peaks on the horizon. Nearby is a spacious cave, which looks like a small crack in the rock from the outside.

Getting to Kel-Suu on your own transport can be difficult (even navigation systems do not build a route to this place), so it is recommended to join a group of tourists who go there in SUVs from Karakol. The last section of the path passes through marshland, so you will have to overcome it on foot or on horseback.

Altyn-Arashan

The gorge, known as the "Golden Spring", is located just 10 km from the city of Karakol. This place is famous for its hot mineral springs, where you can swim all year round. The first resorts were built here in 1963 under the Soviet regime, but some springs still retain their originality and authenticity. Locals claim that these thermal waters help in the treatment of diseases of the joints, digestive system, liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system.

Altyn-Arashan strikes with its beauty: one side of the gorge is covered with lush spruce forests, while the other is decorated with a carpet of mountain herbs and flowers. Marals, bears, marmots, mountain goats and wild boars live here. You can go on a hiking tour to the Kashka-Suu and Ala-Kol lakes or to the Sharkyratma, Tash-Tektir and Kuldurek waterfalls. Altyn-Arashan is also ideal as a base camp and transit point on the way to Ala-Kul lake, Ak-Suu gorge or Jety-Oguz valley.

Barskoun

The gorge is famous for its majestic waterfalls that cut their way through lush coniferous forests. There are four of them in total, each of them has a unique and romantic folk name: "Tears of the Snow Leopard", "Beard of the Elder", "Champagne Splashes" and "Bowl of Manas". Interestingly, travelers exploring the gorge may come across a memorial dedicated to the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. He was a big fan of this place and once rested in the nearby military sanatorium "Tamga". Most of the shallow rivers that flow through the valley contain gold, and on sunny days you can see bright flashes of the precious metal in the water.

Naryn river

Naryn, the longest river in Kyrgyzstan with a length of 807 km, crosses the country from east to west. Its turbulent streams run through mountain gorges and valleys. For example, the Naryntau mountain range stretches along the left bank of the river. While walking around the entire river valley can be a challenge, there are certain places that definitely deserve a visit. On the way to Lake Sary-Chelek, breathtaking landscapes open up. The cities of Naryn, Tash-Kumyr and Uchkurgan are located on the banks of this majestic river.

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