“I spent my childhood years here. My parents worked in this village, so we stayed here. Upon returning, I restored the house that was left by my parents and opened the first guesthouse for tourists. Since then, the mining village of Enilchek has begun to develop again,” he noted.
Currently, local residents in Enilchek are actively renovating their homes, opening guesthouses, and welcoming tourists. Last summer, the president of the country visited the village and stayed at his guesthouse. “In the future, we plan to open several more such facilities. My wife prepares national dishes of Kyrgyz cuisine for our guests,” he added.
The president also met with local residents and shared joyful news about the construction of a road. “We hope that with the improvement of road infrastructure, our tourism will develop,” Urmatt emphasized.
Enilchek is located at an altitude of over 2000 meters above sea level, near the Chinese border, and is famous for its hot springs. It is said that the holy Kydyr Ata once visited this place. The mineral water from these springs helps with various skin diseases and other ailments, attracting tourists from all over the world — the water temperature reaches 50 degrees.
The village became known in the 1980s when the construction of a plant was planned, as the region was rich in minerals, especially tin. For nearly ten years, 20,000 workers and their families lived here.
However, the collapse of the Soviet Union was the main reason for the abandonment of Enilchek. People did not have time to relocate as production ceased. Currently, Chinese mining companies operate in this area. Local residents are confident that the development of rural tourism will help revive this region.
