Narrow echoing gorges, through which in the gloomy depths flows a river bound by rocky jaws; tributaries falling into it, hanging villages clinging to the terraces, autumn-blazing orchards of wild apricots, fortresses and burial mounds where once warriors in chainmail and bright cloaks walked, armed with swords and spears - all this is Sokh. Caves, winding paths above the boiling river, rickety bridges, and finally, one of the largest waterfalls, not far from the hidden village of Zardaly
This area is located 40 km from the village of Kadamjay, where the best antimony in the world is produced. Kadamjay is situated along the banks of the Shakhimardan River, which flows down from the northern slopes of the Pamir-Alai. The Shakhimardan River is formed by the tributaries Ak-Suu (on the left) and Kok-Suu (on the right). Below their confluence rise two cliffs: Kala-Choku and Uzun-Choku. In ancient times, these cliffs served as natural fortresses. Many tools of primitive man and
The contrasts of nature in the mountain ranges of Matchi and Karavshin are astonishing, offering grand opportunities for the development of mountain tourism and climbing. The striking peaks, with their smooth edges converging at five-thousand-meter heights into sharp pinnacles, resemble giant crystals adorning the wide ridge of the watersheds of Ak-Suu and Karavshin.
Abshir-Sai (Waterfall Gorge) is located in the mountain valley of the river of the same name, flowing from the northern slopes of the Kichik-Alai mountain range. The distance from the city of Osh to Abshir-Sai is 70 km. The mountainous part of the valley begins with rocky, distinctive gates formed by layers of limestone, standing out against the backdrop of picturesque slopes.
In the interfluve of the Aravan and Ak-Buura rivers lies the unusual land of Chil-Ustun, where karst remnants, arranged in three rows, strikingly contrast with the green backdrop of the floodplains of the foothill valleys, which flow into the oasis of the Fergana Valley beyond the western border. From a geological, or more precisely, geomorphological perspective, the stone islands are remnants of a once large mountain massif. They are composed of sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic era, which
Kojo-Kelen - a natural and ethnographic complex that is still little known to tour operators. Each year, Kojo-Kelen becomes more famous and attracts more and more tourists. The beautiful village of Kojo-Kelen is located in a wide area of the valley of the Jiptik River, a left tributary of the Ak-Buura River. At the upper edge of the village, fantastic orange cliffs open up along the left bank of the river. At the foot of the cliffs lies the Kojo-Kelen Cave, or rather a pink grotto with a
Kyrgyz-Ata Natural Park is located in the basin of the river of the same name, which flows down from the northern slope of the Kichik-Alaï ridge, about 40 km from the city of Osh along the road leading to the village of Iski-Naukat. The valley is surrounded on all sides by stunningly beautiful pointed peaks, adorned with snow caps, of the Kichik-Alaï range. The cliffs are composed of limestone with outcrops of multicolored marble.
The mountain nodes Achik-Tash and Korumdy are the main and most popular areas for high-altitude mountaineering. Achik-Tash is located in the central highest part of the Zaalai (or Chon-Alaï) ridge. The mountain complex consists of powerful glaciers and peaks: Dzerzhinsky (6716 m), Kyzyl-Aga (6663 m), Estonia (6202 m). The highest and most popular point of the Achik-Tash mountain node is Lenin Peak, which is 7134 m high. From the edelweiss glade located in the Achik-Tash area, which serves as
Suleiman Mountain (Throne of King Solomon) is located in the center of the city of Osh. The height of this mountain at its highest points reaches 100-150 meters, its length is one and a half kilometers, its width including the alluvial fan is 120 meters, and the absolute elevation is 1106 meters above sea level.
Chatkal Valley is 30 to 50 km wide and stretches from the southwest to the northeast for 150 km. The surrounding ridges: Pskem, Talas, and especially Chatkal are characterized by rocky peaks, deep gorges, rocky slopes, and canyons. The average height of the Pskem ridge is 3200 meters, with the highest point being Peak Beshtor (4299 m). The Talas Ala-Too and Chatkal ridges are more elevated, with Peak Chatkal reaching a height of 4503 meters.
Established in 1959, covering an area of 23,868 hectares, it includes unique nut forests and mountainous landscapes with picturesque lakes. Sary-Chelek Reserve is characterized by rich biodiversity. First of all, it is worth noting about 1,000 species of herbaceous plants (which make up 73% of the species of the entire Western Tien Shan), 40 species of mammals, 157 species of birds, and 7 species of reptiles. 30 species of plants and 4 species of animals residing in the reserve: the Tien Shan
Gava-Sai Gorge is a right tributary of the Kara-Unkur River, located 20 kilometers northwest of the district center Bazar-Korgon. In its middle part, about five kilometers long, lies the village of Uzbek-Gava. Surrounded by picturesque nature, it has been home to Uzbeks since ancient times. Not far from the upper boundary of the village, in the forest, there is an experimental site of the national institute of nut growing. From it, a magnificent walnut forest stretches in all directions, where
Arslanbob Massif The extensive relict massif of wild walnut forests, preserved since ancient times, is a unique natural monument of global significance. This forest massif occupies the foothills of the Fergana Range, which borders the Fergana Valley from the north. According to scientists, the forests originated in the Cretaceous period, which lasted 70 million years. This was followed by the Tertiary period, which lasted another 60 million years. At the beginning of the Tertiary period, the
Remoteness, wildness, and mystery are the concepts that characterize and give an idea of this region of the Tian Shan. Before the collapse of the USSR, these areas were closed off. Only border guards and, with rare exceptions, shepherds occasionally ventured here. Almost the entire territory of the region is occupied by hard-to-reach ridges: Kokshaal-Tuu Barkaldy, Karla-Tuu. The prevailing absolute heights of the ridges range from 3400 to 5600 meters. The highest point, Dankov Peak (5982
Naryn State Reserve is located 50 km east of the city of Naryn on the left bank of the river. The main objects of protection in the reserve are the Schrenk spruce and the population of maral (red deer).
Muzdag Mountains, Khan Tengri Peak, and Victory Peak. The Muzdag mountain range (ice mountains) is located in the Central Tien Shan and occupies its highest area. For extreme tourism enthusiasts, this region, also known as the "Arctic," offers a wide variety of challenges. In the summer, a corporate climbing camp operates here, organized by various tour operators.
Kekemeren River is one of the most amazing and beautiful rivers in Kyrgyzstan. The Kekemeren is formed by the confluence of the impressive rivers Suusamyr and Eastern Karakol. The beauty of the Kekemeren lies in its mighty energy, unusual greenish color, multicolored steep banks, striking bends, rapids, and floodplain forests. For 199 km, up to its confluence with the Naryn, stretches the realm of the "Green River" (as some tourists call the Kekemeren). Along the riverbank, there is
Ala-Medin. The Ala-Medin Valley is located 25 km from Bishkek. The valley opens up through the so-called "Wolf Gates," beyond which it unfolds. The surrounding steep cliffs resemble the ruins of ancient fortresses. The gorge, which climbs steeply upward, widens at its sources, forming the picturesque Salik Valley. The areas covered with a variety of alpine meadow grasses are adorned with beautifully arranged rocks and adjacent cliffs. Here, in the upper part of the left bank of the
In the ridges of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, there are 480 glaciers. The largest of them are located in the central part of the ridge between the upper reaches of the Ala-Archa and Alamedin rivers. This is the so-called Ak-Sai mountain knot. The highest points of the ridge are located on its crest: Semenov Tien-Shan Peak (4874 m), Corona Peak (4860 m), Free Korea Peak (4640 m), Teke-Tor Peak (4441 m), and Ak-Tuu Peak (4620 m). The path to the Ak-Sai peaks lies through the picturesque Ala-Archa gorge,
Ak-Talaa includes the valleys of the Ala-Buka, Arpa, and Terek rivers, as well as the southern slopes of the Moldo-Too ridge within the middle reaches of the Naryn River.
Kok-Kiya River (Green Slope) - the easternmost right tributary of Ak-Sai, flows down from the northwestern slope of the Kokshaala-Too ridge. In its middle course, the river runs through an impressive canyon, the walls of which show openings of caves and grottos. One of these openings, on the left side of the lower part of the canyon, leads to the Sports Cave, discovered by speleologists of Kyrgyzstan in 1973.
Small Naryn encompasses the valley of the river of the same name, located between the ridges of Jetim-Bel, Kapkatash, Karadjorgo, Jetim-Too, Uch-Emchek, and Terskey Ala-Too. Approximately 25 km from its mouth, Small Naryn flows into the Naryn; the valley of the river, transforming into the southern slopes of the Kapkatash ridge, makes a sharp turn at a right angle and continues to stretch almost 100 km to the east. On the right bank of the river, in the area of the bend and on the northern
Upper Naryn includes the upper part of the Naryn River basin from the vicinity of the town of Naryn to the headwaters of its two main tributaries - Taragay and Kara-Say, which originate in the ridge's crest area of Ak-Shiyrak. The territory of the complex lies within the administrative boundaries of the Issyk-Kul and Naryn regions.
Protected Natural Areas of the Kyrgyz Republic “We, the people, will lose part of our essence if we allow the last corners of the wild nature to disappear from the face of the earth, if we pollute the last clean air and poison the last clean rivers and pave our highways through the last refuge of silence.” This saying belongs to Wallace Stegner - an American writer. Today, 500 million people travel around the world each year for pleasure, and the wonders of wild nature are a favorite
Therapeutic Resources of Kyrgyzstan Currently, more than 120 natural mineral water springs have been discovered in the territory of the republic. Among them, mineral waters of almost all known types are noted.
Canyons of Konorchek occupy the eastern part of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, covering a vast territory. Dry, devoid of any vegetation, red canyons, colored by the oxidation of mineral particles, appear as a collection of fantastic semi-ruined castles, ancient temples, modern skyscrapers, columns, and spires. The unusual shapes of these natural structures have given rise to equally strange names: Castle Rock - an impressive mass with a flat top 300 meters high, crowned with jagged towers; Bobsleigh
The Shamsi Natural Complex is located 85 km east of Bishkek and includes the territory of a valley of the same name with tributaries flowing from the northern slopes of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too. The largest tributaries are located in the eponymous gorges: Tura-Kayin - left lower tributary; Tuyuk - left middle tributary; Kel-Tor - right lower tributary; Karagayly-bulak - right middle tributary.
All rare and endangered species of animals and plants in the territory of Kyrgyzstan are protected by the state. According to the resolution of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, all rare and endangered species of animals and plants are included in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic. The red color is a signal of alarm, understood by people all over the world. That is why this book was named, as it contains facts about the status of those species of animals and plants that are threatened
The length of the valley is 155 km. It is bordered on the north by the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, on the south and southwest by the Suusamyr-Tuu ridge, and on the south and southeast by the Jumgal-Tuu ridge. The vast expanses of Suusamyr stretch from the Ala-Bel pass in the west to the beginning of the Kekemeren River in the east.
Syrty - the magnificent pastures of Kyrgyzstan In the valleys of the Arabel-Su and Kumtor rivers, which form the Taragay river, there are landscapes of rare beauty known as syrty. Syrty stretch for many tens of kilometers, filling vast spaces between the ridges of Ak-Shiyrak, Sary-Djaz, and Terskey Ala-Too. Syrty is a cold semi-desert plain formed at elevations in the Tian Shan from 3000 to 3600 meters, characterized by gentle hills, small lakes and marshes, and scattered stones of various
Flora of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan The totality of all plant species is called flora. The totality of all instances of plants covering a certain territory is called vegetation. The diversity of the flora of Kyrgyzstan is explained by its geographical location and serves as a crossroads of floras from different natural and climatic zones. The plant world of Kyrgyzstan includes over 3,500 species. Among them are many fodder, medicinal, tanning, essential oil, and rubber-producing plants that
Wildlife of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan People around the world are increasingly interested in unique or rich flora and fauna, which is forming a significant and constantly growing segment of the tourism industry. Currently, thousands of tourists travel to distant places such as the Galapagos Islands, the Serengeti Reserve in Africa, the Great Barrier Reef, the jungles of Costa Rica, etc., to see and photograph rare plants and trees, butterflies or other insects, as well as endangered animals.
Mineral Resources of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan The subsoil of Kyrgyzstan is truly a gigantic "treasury" of valuable mineral resources. In the figurative expression of scientists, here "nature has hidden the entire periodic table of Mendeleev underground." By 1982, more than 5,000 deposits and manifestations of various types of minerals had been discovered and accounted for in the republic. Did you know that silver and gold, as well as ores of tin, copper, lead, mercury,
Kyrgyzstan: A Country of Heavenly Lakes Kyrgyzstan can confidently be called a country of heavenly lakes, as there are about 2,000 of them in the republic. The water surface of the lakes covers almost 7,000 square kilometers. Here you can find giant lakes, whose water volume can rival that of some seas, as well as tiny lakes that are so small they are not even marked on topographic maps. Kyrgyzstan has 1,923 lakes with a total mirror area of 6,836 square kilometers. The lake area of the
Nature of Kyrgyzstan The best elixir of health is nature. Walks through picturesque forested gorges and relaxation by the shores of a beautiful lake are the best ways to restore and maintain health. Humans have always sought to study the impact of various climatic factors on the body and to use their beneficial effects to strengthen it. The mechanism of action of climatic factors is based on the reflex-humoral principle, where climatic factors, by acting on receptors, reflexively influence the
Caves of Kyrgyzstan Caves are rightly called the cradle of humanity. Primitive people took shelter in them from the wind and cold, and from predatory beasts. Later, artificial caves created by humans appeared. There are very few artificial caves in Kyrgyzstan. The most notable are the salt mines of Chon-Tuz in the Kochkor district and the tunnel under the Tuy-Ashu pass on the Bishkek-Osh road. Natural caves are formed as a result of karst processes in water-soluble rocks (limestones, gypsum,
Mountains and Glaciers The abundance of landscape resources or interesting geological features often plays an important role in defining the international tourism image of the respective country. Tourists may travel thousands of kilometers just to see such famous natural wonders of the world as the Himalayas, the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji, etc. The main natural attractions of Kyrgyzstan include: Lake Issyk-Kul, Sary-Chelek, Son-Kul, the mountains of the Tien Shan and
