The stone closest to the lake is popularly known as "Tamga-Tash" (stone with a mark). Locals believe that this inscription belongs to one of the beloved heroes of oral folk art, who split the stone in two with his saber and "recorded" the number of trophies taken from enemies on it. The stone lies on high flat terrain near an old path that runs along the bank of the Tamga River. It is hidden from view by vegetation and can only be noticed from a close distance. The inscription represents a traditional form of prayer - a spell. According to scholars, the Tamga inscriptions were made by the Tibetans who settled along the shores of Issyk-Kul during their dominance in Southern and Eastern Tien Shan in the mid-8th to 11th centuries.
Barskaun (the ancient name "Barskhan"), the village of Barskaun is located at an altitude of 1720 m above sea level near the highway that runs along the southern branch of the Great Silk Road.
Barskhan was once the residence of a khan who lived in a castle. Nearby were the towns of Great and Lower Barskhans. It is believed that this is the birthplace of Mahmud Kashgari - a great scholar, author of the book "Maps of the World," and works on history, culture, and more. A good road runs through the Barskhan canyon, which is 30 km long and leads over a pass at an altitude of 3754 m into the Central and Inner Tien Shan. The winding mountain roads pass near a spruce forest, with multi-tiered waterfalls, glaciers, and peaks: Heroes (4610 m), Peace (4310 m), and others.
Chon-Kyzyl-Suu - a river valley 40 km long, flowing down from the slopes of Terskey Ala-Too. It is located 55 km from the city of Karakol, in the area of the Kara-Bulun peninsula. The Chon-Kyzyl-Su River flows into Lake Issyk-Kul, and the peninsula itself is a wintering ground for various species of ducks and other endemic birds listed in the Red Book. The entrance to the valley is located near the village of Pokrovka. The gorges in this area are remarkably beautiful. At an altitude of about 2000 meters, a dense forest begins, rich in mushrooms and berries. In the gorge of the Jyly-Suu River (a right tributary of Chon-Kyzyl-Suu), there are hot mineral hydrogen sulfide springs (water temperature +43°C). In the upper reaches of the area lie picturesque passes: Ashuu-Tuu (3900 m), leading to the ridges of Central Tien Shan, 50 years of Kyrgyzstan (4600 m), Ulyanovtsy (4490 m), Hope (4450 m), and Mystery (4400 m), through which the path leads to the Kolpakovsky Glacier - one of the largest in Terskey Ala-Too. Its length is 23 km. Through the Kok-Bel pass, located on the right side of the valley, one can cross into the Jety-Oguz gorge. From here, the most popular seven-day mountain route (trekking) in Terskey Ala-Too begins, ending in the Altyn-Arashan valley.
Juu-Ku - a mountain valley located west of Chon-Kyzyl-Suu. It cuts more than 50 km into the northern slopes of the Terskey Ala-Too ridge. For almost 30 km, Tien Shan spruces grow on the slopes. In the middle part of the valley, the slopes are composed of red-colored sandstone outcrops. From here, there is a view of powerful glaciers and the main peak of It-Tash (4808 m). In the high-altitude zone, there are many waterfalls and high-altitude lakes. The most remarkable lake is Kashka-Su (a right tributary of Juu-Ku), 800 m long and 200 m wide. It is located on the axial line of the Terskey Ala-Too ridge at an altitude of 3600 m. Water from it flows both towards Lake Issyk-Kul and towards the Tien Shan ridges. Water replenishment occurs due to the melting of glaciers that slide directly into the lake.
Jety-Oguz - firstly, a mountain valley formed by the river of the same name, descending to Issyk-Kul from the northern slopes of the Terskey Ala-Too ridge; secondly, a well-known resort located in the valley at an altitude of 2200 m. The resort is based on hot hydrogen sulfide waters, whose healing properties have been known since ancient times. The surroundings of the resort are very picturesque. The rocky ensembles of % are particularly famous.
"Broken Heart" and "Seven Bulls," located in the low mountain ridge composed of Tertiary (Paleogene) red-colored deposits, and thirdly, this is an ancient settlement where the residence of the Usun ruler was located. The Jety-Oguz gorge is located 30 km west of the city of Karakol, and its length is 37 km. Huge dark green masses of spruce forest on the slopes of red sandstone create a beautiful contrasting impression. Behind the narrow passage, where the Jety-Oguz canyon begins, lies the beautiful place Kok-Dzhaiyk, which is very popular among tourists. Increased interest from tourists has been noted by local tour operators, who annually organize a yurt tourist camp here, offering a variety of services, including horseback excursions into the high-altitude zone and neighboring mountain valleys. In the upper reaches of the rivers, there are lakes, waterfalls, a zoological reserve, and interesting gorges-canyons. The upper part of the valley is closed by a multi-meter wall, in the middle of which rises the beautiful double peak Oguz Bashi (Bull's Head), 5170 m high. This peak is often compared to the beauty of the Swiss Alps - the Jungfrau mountain.
Karakol (Nature Park). The Karakol canyon is located near the city of Karakol. The branched valley deeply cuts 40 km into the slopes of Terskey Ala-Too, after which it reaches the glacial belt of the ridge. The main peaks are clearly visible from the city: Karakol (5280 m), Jigit (5130 m), and Przhevalsky (4283 m). In the summer, an alpine camp operates at their foot. This area is home to many peaks that rise above the snow line. In addition to those already mentioned, the most famous peaks include: Zhukov (4450 m), Telman (4460 m), Dimitrov (4450 m), Fuchik (4219 m), Gastello (4350 m), and others. Tourist attractions also include a complex of cascades of waterfalls located in the thickets of juniper in the Kurghan-Tor gorge; the powerful On-Gor waterfall, split in two by a rock outcrop, located in the gorge of the On-Top River (a left tributary of the Karakol River); the cascade of Sharkyritma waterfalls - in the gorge of the same name, a right tributary of the Kely-Top River (a right tributary of the Karakol River), and numerous glacial lakes.
In 1997, the Karakol River valley was designated as a national park to preserve its unique natural complexes. The park covers an area of 8450 hectares. The park is home to over 700 species of plants, 23 species of mammals, and 150 species of birds. The national park has developed hiking, horseback riding, and automobile routes. The fee for foreign tourists is 5 dollars per person, and for vehicle entry - 10 dollars.
Altyn-Arashan. The valley of the Arashan River is located 10 km east of the city of Karakol. In the lower reaches of the Arashan River lies the village of Ak-Suu (formerly Tepoklyuchenka), named for the numerous hot springs located near the village. The water from the springs contains radon and is used to treat diseases of the nervous system. Beyond the village of Ak-Suu, the gorge widens. The left slope is densely covered with spruce forest. The Arashan gorge is very picturesque. At an altitude of 2600 m, in a wide valley with spruce forests, green meadows, and fragrant flowers, on the right bank of the river, lies a small resort "Altyn-Arashan" ("Golden Spring"). The resort was established in 1963 based on hot springs with increased mineralization and radioactivity.
Just above the resort, on the right, the tributary of the Arashan River, Anyr-Tor, flows in, at the headwaters of which lies a beautiful morainic lake. Other attractions of the Arashan valley include: the morainic-glacial lake Kashka-Suu at the northern glacier of the peak, the Ak-Suu wall, and the waterfall on the Ak-Suu River - the upper tributary of the Arashan. The waterfalls Sharkyritma, Tash-Tektir, and Kuldurek are very beautiful. The lake Ala-Kol, located at the same-named pass at an altitude of 3532 m, on the way to the neighboring Karakol valley, is particularly popular. The upper part of the gorge is closed by the glaciated giant trapezoidal peak Ak-Suu wall (5022 m) and to the east - the peak Soviet Russia (4900 m). In this area lies the Tepoklyuchen zoological reserve, where licensed hunting can be organized in the fall.
The tourist popularity of the Arashan valley is growing every year. Many mountain adventure routes organized by tour operators in Terskey Ala-Too begin and end here.
