Kyrgyzstan - country high mountains, fast rivers and clear lakes. Most of the territory is occupied by the Pamir-Alay and Tien Shan mountain ranges, between which beautiful green valleys are hidden.

One of the most picturesque places in Issyk-Kul is the Grigorievskoe gorge.

Photos by Dmitry Chistoprudov

From Bishkek, we reached the coast of Issyk-Kul and almost immediately went to the water. Issyk-Kul - the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan, it is included in the 25 largest lakes in the world in terms of area and is in 7th place in the list of the deepest lakes. The Kyrgyz call it the "pearl" of Kyrgyzstan.

Near the town of Cholpon-Ata, a huge number of stones are scattered, on which you can find ancient drawings - petroglyphs. However, I did not find anything beautiful. (Clickable, 1920×1200 px):

Grigorievskoe gorge. A country road runs along the Chon Ak-Suu valley, which in some places can only be driven by an off-road vehicle. It is especially difficult at the intersection of the road with a crystal clear mountain river:

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Walking through a high-mountain valley, we wandered into At-Jailoo (which means summer pastures) to visit shepherds - shepherds of sheep:

Shepherds are fine. Grandfather, grandchildren and grandmother:

That's how they live. (Clickable, 1920×1200 px):

Pasture:

Nature has preserved its originality here, and neither time nor man has power over it. The middle part of the gorges is wooded and conquers with the most beautiful Tien Shan firs:

The length of the gorge is about 35 kilometers, and along its entire length there are numerous hiking and horse trails along the picturesque slopes and steep mountain paths. (Clickable, 1920×1200 px):

Panorama of the Grigoryevsky gorge Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. (Clickable, 3000×868 px):

Mountain waterfall from glaciers:

An amazingly beautiful place.

A small lake at an altitude of 3,000 meters. (Clickable, 1920×1200 px):

At the intermediate peak. Panorama. (Clickable, 3000×686 px):

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With the climb, the forests turn into beautiful alpine meadows:

The Grigorievskoye Gorge stretches down from the Kungei Ala-Too ridge and runs from the north almost parallel to the coastline of Lake Issyk-Kul.

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On the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. The words "ysyk kel" in translation from the Kyrgyz language means "hot lake", because the lake does not freeze in winter. (Clickable, 1920×1200 px):

Coordinates

Geography

The village of Grigorievka is located on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains.

Population

Infrastructure

The main activity of the local population is animal husbandry, agriculture and household plots, as well as tourism services. More than 20 thousand people visit the Grigoryevskoye Gorge every year. However, the nature management culture of visitors is at a low level. Left garbage, unorganized fires, damaged trees, improper collection of mushrooms and medicinal herbs, barbaric catching of fry, cause irreparable harm. environment, and many others. I would like to note the fact that the local population, interested in seasonal earnings, in view of the low environmental culture, perhaps not realizing the negative consequences, also causes great harm to the environment. This includes cutting down green spaces, shrub vegetation, burning garbage, pollution of the irrigation network with household waste, etc.

Story

In 1910, peasant migrants from the central provinces of the Russian Empire (Kursk, Voronezh, etc.), who arrived at a settlement in the Chon-Aksuu valley of the Semirechensk region, in order to obtain permission to allocate land for the construction of a residential village in this area at a general rural gathering decide to send Petersburg of his confidant - Grigory Nikolaevich Lytikov. But the first trip, for some unknown reason, became fruitless, permission to build a village in the valley was not received. In 1912, he was sent again with a request: as a result, the messenger brought the good news: "The construction of the village was allowed." Thus, in memory of a remarkable person, a public leader, the village began to be called by the name of Grigory Lytikov - GRIGORYEVKA.

The village began to be built up from Kuibyshev Street, originally called "Kuturzhinskaya", the first settlers of which were families who moved from Kuturga, a village located in the nearby Tyup region. Then Voronezhskaya, Bazarnaya, Kabatskaya, Kosyachnaya streets appeared (all these streets in different years have been renamed). Gradually the village grew. But in August 1916, in connection with the royal decree on the mobilization of the indigenous population for rear work (the First World War was going on), a national uprising broke out in Kyrgyzstan, called the "Kyrgyz rebellion". It also affected our village: the village was almost completely burned by the rebellious Kirghiz. After the fire that happened during the "Krigiz rebellion" Grigorievka began to rebuild.

In the summer of 1918, as elsewhere, the establishment of Soviet power in the Issyk-Kul region on the territory of the Przhevalsky district began. In the 1920s, before the formation of the first artels in the village, many peasants already had wealth, grew bread, fished, raised their economy. With the beginning of collectivization, the creation of collective farms, dispossession began, many families suffered from repression. Then - years of hardships and hardships during the years of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45, but the multinational rural community lived together: Russians, Kyrgyz, Balkars, Uighurs, Kazakhs, Belarusians, Ukrainians - the whole village achieved victories in peaceful labor. Distinguished fellow villagers were awarded state awards, awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Badge of Honor, and various commemorative medals.

Grigorievskoe gorge

Grigorievskoe Gorge (Kyrgyz name Chon Ak-Suu) is located on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, 60 kilometers from the city of Cholpon-Ata and 110 km from the city of Balykchy. The Chon-Ak-Suu valley descends from the Kungei Ala-Too ridge near the village of Grigorievka.

Grigorievskoe Gorge is considered one of the most famous sights of Issyk-Kul. The sweet smell of pines, green mountain slopes, the sound of a mountain river, high mountain lakes lure tourists from Issyk-Kul. The most beautiful Tien Shan firs grow in this gorge.

Here you can also take a walk or ride a horse, enjoying the surrounding nature; see semi-wild yaks, handicraft and horsemanship demonstrations, listen to folk music, drink koumiss and even take part in setting up a yurt in a real Kyrgyz atmosphere. Also in the gorge you can hunt with a golden eagle .

The mountain slopes of the Grigorievsky Gorge are covered with red mountain poppy, which spreads like a carpet along the valley. The length of the valley is 35 kilometers. Stormy glacial water of crystal clearness rushes along the bottom of the gorge. The middle part of the valley is crowned by two snow peaks: Kum-Bel peak (4200 m.) and Eshenbulak peak (4647 m.).

There are three most beautiful alpine lakes in the gorge. In the first part of the gorge is the Lower Lake, higher in the At-Jailoo pastures (which means summer pastures) is the Middle Lake, and about 6 km from it is the most beautiful of the three lakes - this is the Upper Lake. Behind this lake at an altitude of about 3500 m, forests turn into beautiful alpine meadows. Due to the gentle slope of the gorge, all landscape belts are pronounced and have a greater extent than in other Kungei Ala-Too valleys.

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Notes

An excerpt characterizing Grigorievka (Issyk-Kul region)

- What a beast! .. Well? ..
“I went after another,” Tikhon continued, “I crawled into the forest in this manner, and I lay down. - Tikhon unexpectedly and flexibly lay down on his belly, imagining in his faces how he did it. “One and do it,” he continued. - I'll rob him in this manner. - Tikhon quickly, easily jumped up. - Let's go, I say, to the colonel. How to make a noise. And there are four of them. They rushed at me with skewers. I attacked them in such a manner with an ax: why are you, they say, Christ is with you, ”Tikhon cried out, waving his arms and frowning menacingly, exposing his chest.
“That’s what we saw from the mountain, how you asked the arrow through the puddles,” said the esaul, narrowing his shining eyes.
Petya really wanted to laugh, but he saw that everyone was holding back from laughing. He quickly turned his eyes from the face of Tikhon to the face of the esaul and Denisov, not understanding what all this meant.
“You can’t imagine arcs,” Denisov said, coughing angrily. “Why didn’t you bring peg?”
Tikhon began to scratch his back with one hand, his head with the other, and suddenly his whole face stretched into a radiant stupid smile, which revealed the lack of a tooth (for which he was nicknamed Shcherbaty). Denisov smiled, and Petya burst into merry laughter, which was joined by Tikhon himself.
“Yes, quite wrong,” said Tikhon. - The clothes are poor on him, where to take him then. Yes, and rude, your honor. Why, he says, I myself am the son of Anaral, I won’t go, he says.
- What a beast! Denisov said. - I need to ask...
“Yes, I asked him,” said Tikhon. - He says: I don't know you well. There are many of ours, he says, but all are bad; only, says, one name. Ahnete, he says, it’s good, you’ll take everyone, ”Tikhon concluded, looking cheerfully and resolutely into Denisov’s eyes.
“Here I’ll pour in a hundred gog” yachs, and you will be the arc “like a cog” chit, ”Denisov said sternly.
“But what’s to be angry about,” said Tikhon, “well, I didn’t see your French? Here, let it darken, I’ll give you whatever tab you want, at least I’ll bring three.
“Well, let’s go,” said Denisov, and he rode all the way to the guardhouse, frowning angrily and in silence.
Tikhon came in from behind, and Petya heard the Cossacks laughing with him and at him about some kind of boots that he had thrown into the bush.
When that laughter that had taken possession of him passed at Tikhon's words and smile, and Petya realized for a moment that this Tikhon had killed a man, he felt embarrassed. He looked back at the captive drummer, and something struck him in the heart. But this awkwardness lasted only for a moment. He felt the need to raise his head higher, cheer up and ask the esaul with a significant air about tomorrow's enterprise, so as not to be unworthy of the society in which he was.
The officer sent met Denisov on the road with the news that Dolokhov himself would arrive immediately and that everything was fine on his part.
Denisov suddenly cheered up and called Petya to him.
“Well, tell me about yourself,” he said.

On leaving Moscow, Petya, leaving his relatives, joined his regiment and soon after that was taken as an orderly to the general who commanded a large detachment. From the time he was promoted to officer, and especially from entering the active army, where he participated in the battle of Vyazemsky, Petya was in a constantly happily excited state of joy that he was big, and in a constantly enthusiastic haste not to miss any chance of real heroism. . He was very happy with what he saw and experienced in the army, but at the same time it seemed to him that where he was not there, the most real, heroic things were now happening. And he was in a hurry to catch up to where he was not.
When on October 21 his general expressed a desire to send someone to Denisov's detachment, Petya so pitifully asked to be sent that the general could not refuse. But, sending him, the general, remembering Petya's insane act in the battle of Vyazemsky, where Petya, instead of going by road to where he was sent, rode into the chain under the fire of the French and fired two shots from his pistol there - sending him, the general he specifically forbade Petya to participate in any of Denisov's actions. From this, Petya blushed and became confused when Denisov asked if he could stay. Before leaving for the edge of the forest, Petya thought that he must, strictly fulfilling his duty, immediately return. But when he saw the French, saw Tikhon, learned that they would certainly attack at night, he, with the speed of young people moving from one look to another, decided with himself that his general, whom he still respected very much, was rubbish, German, that Denisov is a hero, and the esaul is a hero, and that Tikhon is a hero, and that he would be ashamed to leave them in difficult times.
It was already getting dark when Denisov, Petya and the esaul drove up to the guardhouse. In the semi-darkness one could see horses in saddles, Cossacks, hussars, adjusting huts in a clearing and (so that the French would not see the smoke) making a reddening fire in a forest ravine. In the hallway of a small hut, a Cossack, rolling up his sleeves, was chopping lamb. In the hut itself there were three officers from Denisov's party, setting up a table out of the door. Petya took off his wet clothes to dry and immediately began to assist the officers in setting up the dining table.
Ten minutes later, the table was ready, covered with a napkin. There was vodka on the table, rum in a flask, white bread and roast lamb with salt.
Sitting at the table with the officers and tearing with his hands, over which the bacon was flowing, fatty fragrant mutton, Petya was in an enthusiastic childish state of tender love for all people and, as a result, confidence in the same love of other people for himself.
“So what do you think, Vasily Fyodorovich,” he turned to Denisov, “it’s all right that I’ll stay with you for a day?” - And, without waiting for an answer, he answered himself: - After all, I was ordered to find out, well, I will find out ... Only you will let me into the very ... into the main one. I don't need awards... But I want... - Petya clenched his teeth and looked around, twitching his head up and waving his arm.
- In the most important ... - repeated Denisov, smiling.
“Only, please, give me a command at all, so that I command,” Petya continued, “well, what is it worth to you? Oh, do you have a knife? - he turned to the officer who wanted to cut off the mutton. And he handed over his folding knife.
The officer praised the knife.
- Take it, please. I have a lot of them…” Petya said, blushing. - Fathers! I completely forgot,” he suddenly exclaimed. - I have wonderful raisins, you know, like this, without seeds. We have a new marketer - and such wonderful things. I bought ten pounds. I'm used to anything sweet. Do you want? .. - And Petya ran into the hall to his Cossack, brought sacks, in which there were five pounds of raisins. Eat, gentlemen, eat.

One of the most beautiful places on the northern coast of Issyk-Kul is the Grigorievskoe and Semyonovskoye gorges, coming from the mountains and going to Issyk-Kul near the ancient villages of Grigorievka and Semyonovka. The Grigorievskoe gorge is narrower, forested and rocky, while the slopes of the Semyonovsky gorge are slightly flatter and covered with herbs. The gorges, like two narrow slits, run parallel to each other from the lake and lead to the incredibly beautiful expanses of mountain meadows located above - thus, having risen from Issyk-Kul along one gorge, you can return back in another. So we did this - on the first day we went up in a jeep to the mountain meadows along the Grigorievsky gorge, and returned back along the Semyonovsky gorge, and on the final third day at Issyk-Kul we decided to make the return route: there - along the Semyonovsky gorge, and back to the lake shore - along Grigorievsky.

1. We turn off the coastal road running parallel to the lake and head up towards the mountains. At first, the road is quite okay - but after a couple of kilometers our jeep has to show all its best qualities.

3. Grigorievskoe gorge is very narrow and rocky. The steep slopes are covered with a dense spruce forest, along the bottom of the gorge a mountain stream rolls its icy waters. We stop in a picturesque place to admire the views, and at the same time cheer up in a mountain stream - we kitv Of course, people are iron, but a night flight and the second day without sleep still affect. :)

4. Dense, almost Siberian, spruces, clean air, blue water of mountain streams - extraordinarily beautiful!

6. To cheer up, wake up and tone myself, I decided to do something radical. :)))

7. And again on the road - these bizarre strata of rocks slightly reminded me of the Krasnoyarsk pillars.

9. The narrow Grigorievskoe gorge is left behind, and we find ourselves in a mountain valley covered with magnificent meadows.

11. There are many roads in the valley. We start reconnaissance and soon find out that not only Grigorievskoye, but also the parallel Semyonovskoye gorge comes out here. We decided to make a circle and return back by another road - gasoline, however, is running out, but oh well - we'll get to Issyk-Kul somehow. And the beauty around is incredible!

13. These places are some of the best pastures in Issyk-Kul. Horses with foals are walking on the lush grass, cows are lazily dozing a little to the side.

15. Very marvelous fillies here - this, however, is not THE SAME Przhevalsky horse, but Mr. Przhevalsky was still a great fellow. Seryoga and I constantly remembered him with a kind word. :)

16. The sky frowns, it starts to rain, and the landscapes immediately acquire other, more watercolor, shades.

19. One of the private farms located in the valley.

20. On the serpentines of mountainous Kyrgyzstan. However, the locals here are quite cheerful and drive Zhiguli. :)

22. And in conclusion - photographs of the Grigoryevsky and Semyonovsky gorges, and a picturesque mountain valley, taken another time - on a hot sunny day.

24. A foal nibbles grass.

25. Cows indulge in bliss.

On the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, 40 km from the resort of Cholpon-Ata, there is the Semenovskoye Gorge - one of the most beautiful places in the Issyk-Kul region. Its length is about 35 km. Ak-Suu flows along the bottom of the gorge - a stormy mountain river with clear glacial water, and majestic Tien Shan firs rise on its slopes. In summer and spring, the local clean air is filled with the aromas of alpine herbs.

The Semenov Gorge is one of the main attractions of Kyrgyzstan, it is one of the must-see excursions for those who have a rest in Issyk-Kul. In summer, yurts are often set up here, where everyone can taste the delicious dishes of the Kyrgyz national cuisine - koumiss and beshbarmak. For lovers active rest horseback riding through the gorge is organized here.

Currently, the abandoned health center "Chernobyl" is located in the Semenovsky Gorge. Sometimes athletes who come to Kyrgyzstan for training camps stop here for several days to train and live in harsher conditions (rarefied air and mountainous terrain).

Grigorievskoe gorge

Grigorievskoe gorge (Chon Ak-Suu gorge) is located 60 km from the center of the coast of the city of Cholpon-Ata. It is one of the most picturesque and beautiful places in Issyk-Kul. The valley of the gorge stretches along the Kungei Ala-Too ridge and runs parallel to the coastal line of the small lake Issyk-Kul. A crystal clear full-flowing river flows along the bottom of the Chon Ak-Suu. The most beautiful Tien Shan firs in the world grow in these places. The mountain slopes of the Grigoryevsky gorge are covered with bright red mountain poppy, spreading along the valley with a magnificent carpet. Here, tourists can admire the unique pristine nature, over which neither time nor people have power.

There are three alpine lakes in Chon Ak-Suu, behind which forests turn into magnificent alpine meadows. Tourists are offered a lot of entertainment here, the most popular of which are horseback riding and wonderful hiking. Also in the Grigorievskoe Gorge you can drink koumiss - the national healing drink, listen to amazing folk music and take an active part in setting up the yurt. This place is perfect for an active holiday with family and friends.

Jety-Oguz Gorge

Jety-Oguz is the name of a number of tourist natural objects. First of all, this is an amazingly beautiful rock ensemble on the shore of Issyk-Kul.

The literal translation of the name from the Kyrgyz language means "seven bulls". However, the softness of the rocks and the erosive effect of the winds led to the fact that there were more than seven large conglomerates. Now it is already ten, and according to some eyewitnesses, even eleven "bulls".

The rocks acquire special beauty on sunny days. Red stones burn directly against the background of the surrounding greenery - it is here that Tien Shan spruce trees grow sometimes more than sixty meters high. Most of the trees are over 100 years old.

The same name often means the entire Jet-Oguz canyon. The gorge begins 28 kilometers west of the city of Karakol as a beautiful green alpine valley and ends with a high mountain plateau.

Boom Gorge

Boo "mskoe gorge" league is located 112 km from the city of Bishkek and is located in the middle reaches of the Chu River, separating the ranges of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too and Kungei Ala-Too. The length of the gorge is about 30 kilometers. Boom Gorge is a kind of calling card on the way to Issyk-Kul lake. A railway line built in 1948 passes through the Boom Gorge, connecting Bishkek and Balykchy.

The first to cross the Boom Gorge, in 1850, was a Russian explorer and traveler XIX century Semenov Pyotr. After that, it got its name - Boom, which means "Evil Spirit" in translation. Semyon wrote the following in his notes about him: "This gorge is a deadly and dangerous trap. We hardly moved along our path." At the entrance to the Boom Gorge, there is a source - a local landmark, which serves as a stop for travelers before a heavy climb. The gorge itself is a truly breathtaking view. Nature in it plays with all the colors of the rainbow. Bright, flashy colors of the mountains, stretching into the endless blue sky on one side. And on the other - all the power of the Chu River, the gentle forms of which gradually turn into a canyon. Coniferous greenery envelops the motley-orange expanse of the majestic mountains.

Along the way, you can see statues of deer, leopards, golden eagles. Also, you can often see wild birds here - for example, a hawk, rapidly overtaking prey. The Boom Gorge has become very popular among rafting enthusiasts. Various cafes along the way will give you the opportunity to take a break from the road.

Sights of Issyk-Kul

GORGONS

Barskoon Gorge

Barskoon Gorge (Barsovo Gorge) is located on the southern coast of Issyk-Kul Lake in the floodplain of the river of the same name. The length of the gorge is about 10 km. The gorge is famous for its waterfalls. One of the most famous is "Leopard's Tears". In addition to the “Leopard's Tears” waterfall, three more are noteworthy: “Aksakal's beard”, “Champagne splashes” and “Manas bowl”. The latter, according to legend, was formed after Manas scooped up water with his hand, and from this a bowl remained in the rock. In the middle part of the gorge there is a monument to the first cosmonaut Yu. A. Gagarin, who loved this place very much and rested in the nearby military sanatorium Tamga. , and on sunny days, small grains of golden sand sparkle along their shores.

Boom Gorge

The picturesque Boom Gorge is located in the middle reaches of the Chu River on the border of the ridges Kyrgyz Ala-Too and Kungei Ala-Too. The length of the gorge is about 30 km. The Boom gorge connects the Chui valley with the Issyk-Kul basin and is a kind of visiting card on the way to the Issyk-Kul lake. Before entering the Boom Gorge, there is a spring where tourists usually stop before starting a dangerous climb. In the gorge itself there is a monument dedicated to the uprising of 1916. The nature of Boom is very diverse. In its upper part, gently sloping forms predominate, the river floodplain is quite wide and covered with dense vegetation. The lower part of the gorge is a narrow canyon, where the river winds its way through steep cliffs.

Jety-Oguz Gorge

Jety-Oguz or the Rocks of the Seven Bulls is a picturesque mountain gorge in Kyrgyzstan, 28 km west of the city of Karakol (formerly Przhevalsk) along the southern coast of Issyk-Kul. The Jety-Oguz Gorge is located in the floodplain of the river of the same name on the northern slope of the Terskey Ala-Too ridge from the south around Lake Issyk-Kul.

The Jety-Oguz gorge (translated from Kyrgyz as “seven bulls”) is located 25 km southwest of Karakol. It is covered with lush vegetation with a monumental ridge of red rocks. These rocks are so unusual and magnificent that they were depicted on Soviet postage stamps issued in 1968. Such unusual name"Seven Bulls" originated from the red rocks at the entrance to the gorge, the length of which is 37 km. In the gorge at an altitude of 2200 m is the Jety-Oguz resort, famous for its healing geothermal springs. Another notable rock is the famous Broken Heart, a place of real pilgrimage for lovers.

Semyonovskoe gorge

The Semyonovskoye Gorge is a gorge in Kyrgyzstan in the Kungei Ala-Too mountains. The old Kyrgyz name is Kyrchyn.On the north coast Issyk-Kul 40 km from the resort town Cholpon-Ata north of the village of Semyonovka is one of the most beautiful places Issyk-Kul area - Semyonovskoe gorge. The length of the gorge is about 30 km. A stormy mountain river Ak-Suu flows along the bottom of the gorge with the purest glacial water, and majestic Tien Shan firs rise on the slopes. In spring and summer, clean mountain air is filled with the aromas of alpine herbs.

The Semenov Gorge is one of the sights of Kyrgyzstan and is one of the must-see tours for tourists vacationing in Issyk-Kul. In summer, yurts are set up here, where everyone can taste dishes of the Kyrgyz national cuisine: beshbarmak, koumiss, etc. For horseback riding enthusiasts, horseback riding is organized through the gorge.

Grigorievskoe Gorge (Chon-Ak-Suu)

Grigorievskoe Gorge is located 60 kilometers from the city of Cholpon-Ata. The Chon-Ak-Suu valley descends from the Kungei Ala-Too ridge near the village of Grigorievka. The gentle slopes of the valley are covered with dense spruce forest. The length of the valley is 35 kilometers. Crystal clear glacial water rushes along the bottom of the gorge. The middle part of the valley is crowned by two snow peaks: Kum-Bel peak (4200 m.) and Eshenbulak peak (4647 m.). There are three beautiful mountain lakes in the gorge. Due to the gentle slope of the gorge, all landscape belts are pronounced and have a greater extent than in other Kungei Ala-Too valleys.

Grigorievskoe gorge is considered one of the most picturesque in the Issyk-Kul region. Here, from the end of June to the end of September, yurts gather, which offer a variety of services, so you will have the opportunity to get in touch with the traditions and culture of the Kyrgyz, the nomadic way of life. Here you can also walk or ride a horse, enjoying the surrounding nature, see demonstrations of handicraft art and the art of horsemanship, listen to folk music, drink koumiss and even participate in the installation of a yurt.

Kegety Gorge

Another of the most beautiful gorges in Kyrgyzstan, the Kegety gorge is located on the northern side of the Kyrgyz Range, 90 kilometers from the city of Bishkek. Due to its scenic beauty, it is very interesting and attractive for tourists. A turbulent river of the same name flows through the Kegety gorge.

The slopes of the gorge are mainly covered with steppe tall-grass meadows, as well as forest and artisanal trees. Many useful medicinal herbs grow on the slopes of the gorge. These are herbs such as sage, succession, St. John's wort, marshmallow, medicinal thyme and other useful plants. Also, the slopes of the mountains are rich in a variety of wild berries. Here you can find strawberries, drupes, blueberries and other berries.

This gorge, like other gorges in Kyrgyzstan, is not deprived of the most important thing - a waterfall. It is the presence of a waterfall that always attracts tourists. The waterfall is located near the road that passes through the gorge, which is very convenient for tourists. The water falls down from the lime terrace located at the intersection of the left tributary of the Kegety river with the river in the main valley. The height of the waterfall reaches 20 meters.

Alamedin Gorge

30 kilometers south of Bishkek, there is a favorite vacation spot for residents and guests of the capital - the Alamedin Gorge. For many decades in this natural health resort there has been a sanatorium "Warm Keys", which received its name due to natural sources. Multiple springs are the hallmark of the gorge. They are famous for their healing power. They form streams that flow into the Alamedin River, which flows at the bottom of a deep gorge. The beneficial effect of the alpine climate on health (the sanatorium is located at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level) is known far beyond the borders of Kyrgyzstan, and healing pools with natural hot radon water, also offered by the Teplye Klyuchi sanatorium, are strongly recommended by doctors to their patients with a variety of diseases .

For recreation, there are equipped cottages, a dining room, a recreation area. There are huge areas that are perfect for spontaneous picnics and campsites for climbers, as well as for rock climbers.

Gorge Tale

Skazka Gorge is located near the village of Tosor. Its name fully justifies itself. You will find yourself in one of the miraculous fairy-tale cities. Here you will see a canyon called the "Chinese Wall" 5 kilometers long, it seems to guard the peace of sleeping castles and amazing animals created by nature itself from red clay and sandstone - elephants, hippos, snakes and some completely unseen animals. And on the turn to this magical corner there is a wonderful place for relaxing and swimming, where on the way back you can relax, wash off the road dust, look into several small grottoes and suddenly notice that you spent not an hour by the water, as planned, but a whole half day. From here you can see a simply extraordinary view of the majestic panorama of the lake and the blue caps of the mountains.

The gorge is distinguished by the riot of nature and diverse vegetation. Waterfalls of extraordinary beauty, cascading down from rocky cliffs, do not cease to attract the attention of everyone who finds themselves in this area. One of the natural attractions of the gorge is Usachenko peak, which is 4650 meters high.

For recreation, there are equipped cottages, a dining room, a recreation area. There are huge areas that are perfect for spontaneous picnics and campsites for climbers, as well as for rock climbers.

Juuka Gorge

Dzhuuka Gorge (Zauka) is one of the most beautiful gorges of Terskey Ala-Too. It is located south of the village of Saru, which is 10 km west of the village of Pokrovka. Unlike the neighboring Terskey Ala-Too gorges, the Dzhuuka River in its upper part flows parallel to the main Terskey ridge for a considerable length and only approximately from the confluence of the Kashkasu turns to the north. Therefore, the length of the Juuka River (about 55 km) is longer than the neighboring gorges.
In the gorge of Juuka, more than in other gorges of Terskey, wild animals have been preserved. Herds of ibex - teke number up to a hundred heads. Perhaps this is the only gorge on the northern slope of Terskey, where, just like in the syrts, argali and stone martens are still found. In the forest zone of Juuki, there are many roe deer, and in the alpine meadows there are snowcocks, partridges and bearded partridges.

There are red rocks throughout the gorge. Here, the caravans of the Silk Road went along the river, descending from the harsh Bedel Pass and advancing through the high-mountainous deserts - syrts, where the famous Kumtor gold mine is now located. In the 7th century, in the valley of the Juuka River, there was a settlement of Christian Nestorians, immigrants from distant Syria. The Buddhists also left their sign here, having engraved their eternal mantra on a huge stone. The suffering and the sick found salvation in the healing springs of the right tributary of the Juuki - the Juukuchak. At the end of the 19th century, in the caves of red rocks, like a swallow's nest, the Kyrgyz fortress of the Bugin manap (ruler) Burumbay huddled.

Gorge Chon-Kyzyl-Suu

The Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge is amazingly beautiful. On the slopes with soft outlines, green meadows spread freely, crossed out in places by picturesque thickets of bushes and outcrops of red-colored rocks. At an altitude of 2000 m in the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge, a dense forest begins, in which there are a lot of mushrooms and berries (barberry, wild rose, sea buckthorn, honeysuckle, strawberries, mountain ash, etc.). On the eastern slopes of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge on the right tributary of the Dzhyly-Suu of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu river, there are outlets of hot mineral hydrogen sulfide springs Dzhyly-Suu with a water temperature of about 43 degrees. In the far southeast corner of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge rises the western peak of Armstrong. The slopes of the right tributary of the Archa-Tor forming the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu river are overgrown with tall grass.

In the upper reaches of this tributary there is a pass leading to the Jeti-Oguz gorge. Six landscape belts replace each other as you rise to the upper reaches of the gorge and to the closing ridge up to 4500 m high. The mild mountain-sea climate allows the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge to be used for tourism in all seasons. Twisted with bundles water flow clay-colored rushes down with a roar, dragging large stones. The rocks covered with lichens in the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge move the riverbed to the right, then to the left. The rocks look like monsters tightly clinging in a deadly fight. The Chon-Kyzyl-Suu River turns red in its lower reaches, where it breaks through a bed in the cliffs of red-colored rocks. From animals there are roe deer, wild boars, marmots, snowcocks, kekliks, pheasants. And also: ibexes, argali, snow leopards and huge vultures. In the upper reaches of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge there are picturesque passes: Ashuu-Tor (3900 m), leading to the syrts of the Central Tien Shan; 50 years of Kyrgyzstan (4600 m), Ulyanovsk (4490 m), Nadezhda (4450 m) and Zagadka (4400 m), through which lies the path to the Kolpakovsky glacier, one of the largest in Terskey Ala-Too. Its length is 13 kilometers. Through the passes of the starboard side of Kok-Bel and Asantukum, you can go to the Jeti-Oguz gorge.

On the wooded slopes of the left side of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu gorge at an altitude of 2200 m, you can make a fascinating journey to the Kichik-Kyzyl-Suu gorge. Of great interest to nature lovers are the waterfalls: Shakyratma 20 m high in a narrow gorge surrounded by forest: Shatyly-cascade of waterfalls about 100 m high in the forest zone on the second right tributary of the Chon-Kyzyl-Suu river.

Ala-Archa Gorge

One of the most beautiful places in the Kyrgyz Republic, located just 30 kilometers from Bishkek, is the gorge of the Ala-Archa River. It is a unique natural area. This natural Park, which occupies an area of ​​approximately 20 thousand hectares, includes all the landscape and climatic zones of Kyrgyzstan - from subalpine, amazingly beautiful juniper, spruce and birch forests, to high-mountainous, covered with eternal snows and glaciers.

In 1976, in the Ala-Archa gorge, in order to protect natural objects and unique natural monuments, reproduce rare and endangered species of plants and animals, as well as to organize cultural and educational recreation, develop tourism and mountaineering, the Kyrgyz State Natural Park was created. Ala-Archa. This is one of the main attractions of Bishkek. Twenty minutes drive from Bishkek - and you find yourself in a mountain paradise: below you can see the whirlpool of a fast river, on the right and left alpine forbs under the shade of Tien Shan firs, in the distance the peaks of eternal glaciers turn white. Rich and varied animal world natural park"Ala-Archa". The largest of the predators living here, also listed in the "Red Book" - the snow leopard (in Kyrgyz - ilbirs), popularly called "a diamond in a pearl setting mountain peaks". And in the narrowest part of the gorge, the nesting place of the rarest bird of the blue bird, known in the legends of many peoples as the Bird of Happiness, lurked.

The highest points not only of the Ala-Archa gorge, but of the entire Kyrgyz ridge are Semenov-Tian-Shansky peak (4875 meters), Korona peak (4875 meters) and Svobodnaya Korea peak (4740 meters).

As for the tourist infrastructure of the natural park, there are comfortable cottages, a restaurant, and a car park. And the attendants are always glad to see guests from all over the world in Ala-Archa.

Chunkurchak Gorge

Just twenty-five kilometers from Bishkek, this tiny gorge lies to the east of the village of Tash Dobo. On the territory of the gorge is the Chunkurcha National Bio-Reserve, created to protect rare species of tulips, such as the "Royal Tulip", which can grow up to 15-18 cm, and the Zinaida Tulip, with bright red petals and green veins on the outside and yellow-gold inside. Flowers usually bloom in April and May. The gorge itself is very narrow at the entrance and not easy to find. Already inside, it opens up to form the larger Tahr Gorge, which is proud of its 200 meter cliff rising above the seething river. It is also famous for its pigeon waterfalls. a good place for climbing.

Issyk Ata Gorge

Issyk Ata is located 77 km from Bishkek, at an altitude of 1775 meters, the Kyrgyz Range. The mountain slopes are strewn with numerous mountain meadows, and in the neighborhood of the resort there are fruit and ornamental trees. The local water has attracted visitors for centuries and Issyk Ata has become a place of pilgrimage. In the 19th century, locals expressed their gratitude for the healing properties of the water by touching a large stone with an image of Buddha, which dates back to the 10th century. Tibetan inscriptions on the front of the boulder, and an eagle sculpture on top. Unfortunately, all this is complemented by modern graffiti. There is a legend about a young girl who bathed every day in the river. The magical powers of the mountains supported her youth and allowed her to remain as young and beautiful, despite the fact that her peers had grown old and wrinkled a long time ago. Nearby, they say, was the home of an Uzbek shaman, famous for her powers of healing, who lived here in seclusion until the 1950s, after her husband and son were killed as Basmachi rebels. Turkic nomads worshiped local springs and early Russian colonists stayed here for medical treatment, at a time when only yurts were the only available accommodation. The river is famous for its trout, which attracts many poachers. Another problem faced by the valley is illegal cutting of trees. The Soviet authorities built the first buildings here in 1928. The upper slopes are saturated with vegetation.

Shamsi Gorge

The Shamsi Gorge is considered by some to be the most beautiful of all in the Kyrgyz Range. It was chosen as the location for the "hunting house" of the former Iranian Khan, which was never used. The word "Shamsi" means "dark" in Farsi, but since the gorge has been called by this name for many years, it may be a mere coincidence. Nearby, a golden mask of an ancient beauty, Queen Shamsi, was found. two rivers, Shamsi and Tuyuk. (Do not confuse with the Tuyuk River in Kok Moinok). Forested slopes and high mountain plateaus are home to a variety of flora and fauna. In the summer, it is possible to cross the mountains and get to the side of Kochkorka.

Gorge Kara-Koyun

The Kara-Koyun gorge is located in the Naryn region, which is 110 km south of the city of Naryn, at an altitude of 3200 m above sea level. One of the rare monuments of ancient Asian architecture, Tash-Rabat, is located in this picturesque gorge.

Gorge Kara-Balta

Gorge Kara-Balta. Deep and narrow, located on the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, on the territory of the Zhaiyl district. Characteristic landscapes are forest, meadow-steppe at an altitude of 1900-2700 m. Archa, mountain ash, birch, willow, barberry and others grow. Alpine (3200-3600 m), glacial-nival (above 3600 m) belts. The upper part is used as pasture. The Bishkek-Osh highway passes through the gorge.

Karakol Gorge

Karakol Gorge It is located near the city of Karakol and cuts into the slopes of Terskey Ala-Too for 40 km, after which it runs into the glacial belt of the ridge. Starting from May, snowdrops, primroses, alpine asters, edelweiss, tulips, yellow trolls, white anemone, wild rose, sea buckthorn bloom in the gorge, turning the slopes into a blooming park. Climbing up the gorge, in a few hours you can move from the steppe foothills to mountain forests, light forests, subalpine and alpine meadows, and even to the kingdom of eternal snows with exposed rocks and glaciers.
In the upper reaches of the Karakol gorge, many mountains are concentrated, the peaks of which are located behind the snow line: Dzhigit (5130 m), Karakolsky (5281 m), Przhevalsky (4283 m), Zhukov (4450 m), Telman (4460 m), Dimitrova (4450 m), Fuchik (4210 m), Gasstelot (4350 m). In the summer, a climbing camp operates at their foot.
The objects of tourist interest are also: a complex of cascades-waterfalls located in the thickets of juniper in the Kurgan-Tor gorge; a powerful On-Tor waterfall, cut in two by a ledge of a rock, located in the gorge of the On-Tor River (the left tributary of the Karakol River); cascade of Sharkyratma waterfalls - in the gorge of the right tributary of the same name of the Kel-Tor River (right tributary of the Karakol River) and numerous madder lakes.

Oruu-Sai Gorge

The Oruu-Sai gorge is located 35 km from the city of Bishkek at an altitude of 2100 m above sea level. Mountain gorges, decorated with thickets of wild rose, barberry, wild raspberry and juniper, alternate with red clay talus. The ringing silence is filled only by the murmur of springs with crystal clear water and the chirping of birds.

Tamga Gorge

Tamga Gorge is located at south coast Lake Issyk-Kul, not far from the village of the same name. The gorge is distinguished by its unique landscape, when green vegetation abruptly changes to picturesque views of stone blocks. The river of the same name flows in the Tamga gorge, along the banks of which there are burial mounds in places. The main attraction of the gorge is the mysterious Tamga-Tash stones with Buddhist inscriptions, where Tibetan pilgrims often come. There are three Tamga-Tash stones in the gorge, located at a distance of one kilometer from each other. Ancient Tibetan writings are written on the stones - prayers dating back to the 5th-1st centuries BC. Around the stones on the bushes you can see colored ribbons left by Tibetan monks who spend several days at the stones with prayers. images of various animals and mysterious Tibetan symbols. According to scientists of esoteric science, there is an accumulation of special energy in the Tamga gorge, thanks to which people who visit places around the stones feel very good. Tourists are attracted here not only by the sacred stones of Tamga-Tash, but also by such unusual landscapes, the wildlife of the surroundings of Tamga, calm solitude and harmony with nature. It is better to travel along the Tamga Gorge on bicycles or on horseback, as the locals do.

Canyons Konorchak

On the road from Bishkek to Issyk-Kul, 125 km from Bishkek, there are the Konorchak canyons. The path to them lies across the right bank of the Chu River, immediately after the Red Bridge and passes along stone labyrinth dry river.

The canyons stretch for 200 km and it can take a long time to see them all, but it is enough to spend a few days exploring the impressive landscapes. Canyons are called by romantic names such as "Grand Canyon", "Bobsleigh" and "Skyscraper". Canyons were formed from one and a half to two million years, with the help of wind and water, to turn a plain plateau into giant stone columns, reaching up to 400-500 meters in height. One of the attractions of the canyons is the "dry waterfall" - these are the remains of a waterfall that flowed here many years ago, and, according to local folklore, emits a "black tear" every year.

The light clay of these places testifies that once Issyk-Kul Lake extended up to here. One of the peculiarities of the Konorchak canyon is that the plants here tend to grow very large, much larger than usual. One of the fascinating places in the canyon is an extinct volcano, Segizkhan Shokny, 2.5-3 million years old, with slopes covered with fossilized seashells the size of a child's fist and lava remains.

During the summer months, the air in the canyon is hot, dry and dusty. And in winter, despite the fact that it can be cold, there is almost no rainfall during any season of the year. From 1980 to 1990, the canyons did not snow at all, and during the last decade of the twentieth century, snow fell only twice. If the temperature in Bishkek is 20 degrees below zero, in the canyons of Konorchak it is +5 - although recently the climate in the canyons has become a little colder.

There are many legends about the canyons and local folklore states that any horse lost in the canyons will never come back alive. Despite this, many local residents canyons have become a favorite gorge among others in the Kyrgyz Range.

PASSES

The Ala-Bash pass (height 3965) is located in the Kongur-Olen valley in the Issyk-Kul region and extends from Balykchi to Bokonbaevo

The Ak-Beit pass (height 3282) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Naryn to Torugart

The Ala-Bel pass (height 3184) is located in the Chui region on the border with Talas and extends from Susamyr to Toktogul

Beruaylu pass (height 3268) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Baetov to Tash-Rabat

Baykurt pass (height 3268) is located in China and stretches from Torugart to Kashgar

The Dolon pass (height 3028) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Kochkor to Naryn

The Irkishtam pass (height 2841) is located in the Osh region and extends from Sary-Tash to Kashgar

The Kordai pass (height 1233) is located in Kazakhstan and stretches from Bishkek to Almaty

The Kyzart pass (height 2664) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Kochkor to Chaek

The Kyrk-kyz pass (height 3223) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Kyzyl Oi to Toktogul

The Kyndy pass (height 3102 is located in the Naryn region and extends from Ak-Sai to Kara-Sai

The Kulak-ashu pass (height 3268) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Baetov to Tash-Rabat

The Kerege-Tash pass (height 3684) is located in the Issyk-Kul region and extends from Naryn to Barskoon

The Kerurguntu pass (height 3907) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Ak-Sai to Kara-Sai

The Karakol pass (height 3485) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Susamyr to Kochkor

The Kara Koo pass (height 3907) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Ak-Talpa to Kazarman

The Kara Buura pass (height 3302) is located in the Talas region and extends from Talas to Jala-Abad

Karabuman pass (height 3907) is located in the Jalaabad region and extends from Kazarmanai to Jalal-Abad

Kaldama pass (height 3062 is located in the Jalalabad region and extends from Kazarman to Jala-Abad

The Kurtkal pass (height 3660) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Son-Kul to Ak-Taal

The Kara-Keche pass (height 3384) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Son-Kulai to Chaek

The Kalmak-Ashu pass (height 3446) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Sary-Bulak to Son-Kul

The Kyzyl-Art pass (height 4280) is located in the Osh region and extends from Sary-Tash to Takjikistan

The Kyzyl Bel pass (height 2484) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Naryn to At-Bashi

The Kubiki pass (height 3907) is located in the Chui region and extends from the Boom Gorge to Kochkor

The Otmok pass (height 3330) is located in the Talas region and extends from Susamyr to Talas

Pass 33 Parrot (height 3133) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Son-Kul to Naryn

The San-Tash pass (height 3907) is located in the Issyk-Kul region and extends from Tyup to Jirgalen

The Tuu-ashu pass (height 3586) is located in the Chui region and extends from Karabalt to Susamyr

The Tash-rabat pass (height 3968) is located in the Naryn region and extends from Tash-rabat to Torugart

The Torugart pass (height 3752) is located in the Naryn region and stretches from Naryn to Kashgar

Taldyk pass (height 3619 is located in the Osh region and extends from Osh to Sary-Tash

Teo morun pass (height 3536) is located in the Osh region and extends from Sary-Tash to Irkishtam

The Terek-Davan pass (height 4131) is located in the Osh region and extends from Gulcha to Irkishtam

The Terek pass (height 3907) is located in the Talas region and extends from Toktogulay to Talas

The Tezduu suu pass (height 1971) is located in the Jalal-Abad region and extends from Kyzyl-oy to Toktogul

The Shamsi pass (height 3573) is located in the Chui region and extends from Shamsi to Kochkor

The Chapchima pass (height 3822) is located in the Issyk-Kul region and extends from Karakol to Enilchek

The Chiyiryk pass (height 2408) is located in the Osh region and extends from Osh to Gulchi