The Pearl Of Tien-Shan

Route: Bishkek - Cholpon-Ata - Grigoryevskiy Gorge - Karakol - Jeti-Oguz Gorge - Skazka Canyon - Bishkek

Water for nomads was of particular importance – the beginning, purity, renewal... At an altitude of 1607 m above sea level in the east of the country, there is a unique creation of nature – Issyk-Kul Lake. Already from the appearance of consciousness in the heavenly mountains, this lake has become a holy place, a place of worship and admiration, the pearl of the heavenly mountains. The eponymous name of the region from the Kyrgyz means "Warm Lake". With a length of 182 km, a width of 60 km, and a depth of 700 m, the lake reaches 19–20 degrees in summer and 4–5 degrees in winter, making it an attractive place for ecotourism.

In addition to Issyk-Kul itself, tourist attractions include: Cholpon-Ata rock paintings dating back to 2 thousand years BC; The picturesque Semenovskoe and Grigorievskoe gorges, where famous Soviet filming and the World Nomad Games were held; the open-air museum "Rukh Ordo", which combines the chapels of different confessions and different world cultural heritage; The city of Karakol, where unique cultural monuments have been preserved – the Dungan mosque of 1910 and the Holy Trinity Church of 1895; Ski base "Karakol", which is included in the list of prestigious ski bases in the CIS; The highest peak in the country is Pobeda Peak 7439 m above sea level and the third highest peak – Khan-Tengri Peak 7010 m above sea level; Jeti-Oguz gorge, where the sanatorium of the same name, known in Soviet times, is located; Skazka canyon – red clay rocks that created amazing silhouettes reminiscent of fairy tale fantasy stories.

In two days, we will make a circular tour around the lake, seeing the spacious blue smoothness of Issyk-Kul and visiting all the above destinations located near the shore of the lake.