Snowshoeing Adventure Around Issyk Kul Lake

Issyk Ata valley, with its thermal baths, is located 80 km east of Bishkek. Sanatorium and outdoor swimming pools are the altitude of 1775m. An ideal destination on weekends.

The Issyk Ata  valley also offers many opportunities of hiking routes for enthusiasts, routes of mountaineering  to the highest peaks of the Kyrgyz Alatoo, start point for trekking to nearby valleys or to Lake Song Kul.
 

This park encompasses the entire Chong Kemin Valley. There are many trails still virgin or almost. Several passes between Issyk Kul Lake or Kitchi Kemin Valley.

The total area is 126,514 hectares. Here in the park the river Chon Kemin flows. More than 780 species of plants grow and rare mammals such as snow leopard, brown bear, maral, Eurasian lynx, golden eagle, himalayan griffon vulture (Gyps himalayensis),  bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), saker falcon and sablefly are found.

A small Creek canyon! But you can walk two days around the red cliffs. The main valley named Konorchek, and the small canyon starting from the train bridge named Kyzyl Terek can be visited in 2 hours walk. A good option on the way to Issyk Kul lake.

The Issyk-Kul lake has a length of 182 km, a maximum width of 60 km and covers an area of ​​6,236 km². This makes it the second largest mountain lake in the world behind Lake Titicaca. Located at an altitude of 1,606 m, it reaches 668 m deep. 

About 118 rivers and streams flow into the lake. The largest are the Djyrgalan (Jergalan) and Tyup. It is fed by springs, including many hot springs and snowmelt, and it has no outlet. Its south side is dominated by the Tian Shan mountain range of wild beauty. The lake water is slightly saline and level down about 5 cm per year.

The Issyk-Kul lake is an important step on the Silk Road, a dirt road for travelers from the Far East to Europe. Many historians believe that the lake was the point of origin of the plague that hit Europe and Asia in the early and mid 14th. The status of the lake as a place of passage for travelers allowed the plague spread across the continents through the medieval merchants who unknowingly took away the vermin infested with them. Armenian monastery from the 14th century was found on the northeast coast of Lake retracing the steps of a medieval map used by Venetian merchants on the Silk Road.

Ornok (Ornek) is a small village on the northern shore of Lake Issyk Kul 18 km from Tamchi and Cholpon Ata. The place has been known for several millennia, the many petroglyphs on the heights of the village are proof of this. You can see the petroglyphs from the side of the road that leads to Chong Kemin Valley.

The Karakol valley is fully part of the Karakol Natural Park. Located on the south part of Karakol city, from the Altyn Arashan valley till Chelpek valley. The natural park was organized in 1997 to preserve the unique natural ecosystem of the Karakol valley. The main objectives are the protection of plants and animals in the park, typical of the North-East of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the organization of leisure of the population and foreign tourists. The flora is represented by 700 species, 80 of them - trees and shrubs. The fauna are roe deer, goat, fox, marten, ermine, rock partridge, etc. There are included in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan:. Snow leopard, Kumai, saker falcon, bearded vulture, golden eagle. The valley is surrounded by the highest peaks of the Teskey Alatoo, like the peak Karakol (5281 m.), peak Djigit (5130 m.), peak Prjevalski (4283 m.), peak Jukova (4450 m.), peak Telmana (4460 m) and Dimitrova Peak (4450 m). Peaks Djigit and Karakol offer very difficult routes, and a good acclimatization before climbing Khan Tengri or Pobeda peaks.

Some 10 km from Karakol, on the top of the village of Ak-Suu (anc. Teplokluchenka), wellknown for curatives mineral water and its sanatorium.

The geophysical station in the valley of Chong Kyzyl-Suu was built in 1948 by Germans, who have been captured in Kyrgyzstan. At that time, there was no way for cars to get to the station, so they had to transport all building materials on camels. 

The purpose of the station was already then to observe the glaciers, mountains and the animal world. There worked hydrologists and geomorphologists from many different nations.

During the Sowjetunion many students from Moscow and St. Petersburg came here to get some practice and to write their graduation work. A lot of people got their doctor title due to this station.

Until 1991 there were many geographical expeditions, but for example also expeditions to observe the life of snow leopards.

From 1991 to 2003 it was a kind of a geological institute. In 2007 it got an institute for water problems as well as a hydro-energetic institute.

Until the year 2007 it was being named physical-geographical station, but then it got a new name: tien-shan high-alpine scientific center.

Today they work together with Chinese, American and French scientists. Its current director is Satilkanov Risbek Ablaievic.

Since 2003 they started to work with tourists as well. But even earlier, there have been tourist visiting the station. For tourists it’s got interesting things to see in a wonderful environment, where you do beautiful hikes to lovely lakes. The station has places for 18 people at a time. The inhabitants are very kind, but the life there is without luxury. (No current water, no electricity, outdoor toilet)

Transports can be organized from Jeti Oguz, Bishkek, Karakol, Siutuu Bulak or Djukku.

The canyon was named because of its bizarre rocky landscape, which for many years has been transformed by erosion into amazing sculptures and formations. Some formations look like The Great Wall of China and you can also find other formations that look like snakes, dragons, sleeping giants and even whole castles. From the canyon you can see a majestic panorama of Lake Issyk-Kul and snow caped mountains. It’s an excellent destination for children and adults because it’s an easy hike close to Lake Issyk-Kul.

Why Should You Go There?
On the way back to Bishkek it’s really worth a stop because of the view of Issyk Kul Lake and the view of the mountains.  Its only a short and easy trek with really great view!  I recommend it to everyone that goes on the south shore of Issyk Kul Lake. 

Address: 4 km from the village of Tosor
Working Hours: 9am-5pm
Cost: 50 SOM
Time Spent: 2-3 hours
Trek Fairy Tale Canyon
Highest Point: 1765m
Lowest Point: 1622m
Total Elevation Gain: 143m
Total Elevation Loss: 143m
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Total Hours Hiking: 3-4Avg
Total Amount of days: 0.5
Approximate Distance: 6km
Transportation: From Karakol to Fairy Tale Canyon (112km) 2 hours by transport
Private taxi cost 2100 SOM one-way per car.
Marshrutka to Balykchy or Bokonbaevo from the South Shore Bus Station and ask the driver to stop at Fairy Tale Canyon (cost 100 – 150 SOM)
*Beware that after 5pm it will be hard to find a marshrutka / taxi.

Barskoon waterfall is a geological protected area located in Jeti-Oguz District of Issyk Kul Province of Kyrgyzstan in 90 km to the south-west of Karakol on one of the tributaries of Barskaun River. It was established in 1975. 

Within the Barskoon valley there are two waterfalls on top of the mountain and the mountainside. At the foot of the mountain you can enjoy the beautiful river of Barskoon. During the summer time there yurts built. At the yurt you try Kyrgyz traditional drink Kymys while enjoying the beauty of the landscape Why you should go there?

There is three amazing waterfalls that can be seen within a few hours of hiking.  It’s a great one-day activity for anyone. Make sure to bring a lunch and hiking boots. 

Address: Barskoon Valley
Working hours: 9am-5pm
Time Spent: 2-3 Hours

• Highest Point: 2300m
• Lowest Point: 1880m
• Total Elevation Gain: 420m
• Total Elevation Loss: 420m
• Level of Difficulty: Easy
• Total Hours Hiking: ~5-6Avg
• Total Amount of days: 1
• Approximate Distance: ~18km
   

Transportation: 

From Karakol to Barskoon waterfall (100km) 
Private Taxi cost 2500 soms per car one way.
Marshrutka from South Shore Bus Station to Barskoon village for 100 soms and walk 15 km to the waterfall. 

*Beware that after 5pm it will be hard to find a Marshrutka / Taxi.

Kochkor is a town of shepherds located in Naryn oblast 200 km from Bishkek. It is located at 1800m. alt. The city has 17,000 residents. Most of them are shepherds or farmers. With the Kyrgyz hospitality, tourism is an increasingly important for economy. It is a starting point to reach the sights as Lake Song Kul, Sarala-Saz pastures, Lake Koelykoek, the salt mine Chong Tuz, and also the crossroads between Issyk Kul lake and City Naryn. Places for visiting: the women cooperative "Kochkor Kutu" which develops Kyrgyz crafts. Opportunity to see a demonstration of the production of livestock market mouton. The cattle market held each Saturday is always a colorful and lively event,don't miss it.

Burana Tower is seven km. far from the city of Tokmok. It is an 11th century minaret, and one of the first buildings of such type in Central Asia. The original height of minaret was 45 meters. Today the tower is 24.6 meters high, the remaining part came down during an earthquake in the 15th century. In the 10th to 12th centuries, Karakhanids khanate was a great feudal state of Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

The founders, "karakhans", chigil tribes by birth, lived in the Tien-Shan and for a short time of the second half of the 10th century they conquered a large territory. One of the capitals of this state was Balasagun. In Karakhanids' time new towns and settlements were developing, the centers of big cities were improved and Moslem religious buildings were built in the town of Balasagun. Burana tower, mausoleums and other buildings found after archeological excavations are the witnesses of that build up. The town's life declined slowly, people left it, the buildings fell apart and finally in the 15th century it ceased to exit.