The Valley of Chichkan

The Chichkan River flows from the north into the Toktogul Reservoir. It is a small river with clear water. It runs through a picturesque gorge with steep slopes and whimsical rock formations. Along the banks of the river runs the main road of the country, connecting the city of Bishkek with the city of Osh. The road gently descends from the Ala-Bel Pass (3184 m), from which the Chichkan River begins. Two ridges loom over the river: the Talas and Suusamyr ridges. The gorge is open to air currents that bring moisture. The special humidity of the valley is the main factor for its rich vegetation. The slopes of the gorges are covered with dense stands of elegant blue Tien Shan spruces, rowan trees, thickets of barberry, wild rose, sea buckthorn, currants, raspberries, and even wild grapes. The grass reaches human height. In the upper reaches of the Chichkan River is a hunting reserve, which protects: ibex, roe deer, wild boar, argali, bear, lynx, and snow leopard. An interesting feature is the gallery of drawings in the upper reaches of the It-Agar River, a right tributary of the Chichkan. In the upper reaches of the Muztor Valley, a tributary of the It-Agar River, there are two lakes. The upper lake is located at an altitude of 3317 meters surrounded by glaciers, reflecting in the bluish water. From the lake, a stream cascades down a sixty-meter granite cliff and flows into the morainal lake Muztor, located at an altitude of about 3000 meters, after two kilometers. The water has an emerald hue. In the middle, the most beautiful part of the Chichkan Valley, a small tourist complex has recently been completed, which can be used for accommodating tourists traveling along the Bishkek-Osh route.