Kyrgyz Ala-Too Trek (10 Days)

Morning pick up from airport Manas or accommodation in Bishkek City. After breakfast, we go to one of the most picturesque gorges in all of Kyrgyzstan - Kegety - located 90 km from Bishkek on the northern side of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range. On the way, we will stop at Burana tower – all that remains of the once great 10-13^th century Karakhanid capital of Balasagun.

Upon arrival in Kegety, we will stop at our cottage accommodation (1820 m) for lunch. Our afternoon features as return walk deep into the gorge to a 20-meter waterfall. The force of the water as it falls from the terraces will enchant you and fill you with energy after a long flight. We will have supper and spend the night in the cottage.

After an early breakfast, we go deep into the gorge to the incredibly beautiful Kol-Tor lake (2735 m.). Formed in the headwaters of the glacial Kegety River, purity of the turquoise mirror lake captivates travelers at first sight. From here we can also see the moraines and large glaciers lying only 3 km above Kol-Tor.

The path to the lake can be quite steep in places, but the varied vegetation of spruce forests, rose hips, mountain ash, barberry and juniper, and the increasingly beautiful views make this one of the best day hikes in all of Kyrgyzstan. We will enjoy a picnic lunch on the shores of the lake, after which those who wish can go for a swim, a wander, or just relax. Returning to the cottage, we will retrieve our bags and get a ride to Sokuluk Gorge (150 km, 3-3.5 hours). There, we will set the camp for our overnight stay and have a delicious dinner.

After a relaxed morning, we will hike to one of the most amazing waterfalls of the Ala Too, dropping 60m down into the gorge. The source of the falls remains a mystery, flowing out of the rock and tumbling down to the valley below.

On our way to the falls, we can enjoy views of the Black Spire peak (4000 m.). This name was given to the rock because of its dark color, which stays unchanged no matter the weather.

After rest and lunch near the waterfall, we continue further along the stony path to the tributary of the Kichi-Tor river, which we ford. From here, we have 1-1.5 hours to go to the campsite. Upon arrival, we will set up camp, have dinner and settle for the night in our tents.

After breakfast, we continue deeper into Sokuluk gorge along the river of the same name. The vegetation here is dense and diverse. After lunch, we will continue our rout to the foot of the Ozernyi pass. We will settle for the night near the moraine lakes. Dinner and overnight in tents.

After breakfast, we begin our ascent of the Ozernyi pass (3920 m). The hike is made difficult by the wide-spread moraine scree. From the pass, you can see a beautiful view of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range and the nearby valleys. From here, we descend into the Ala-Archa Valley, restoring our strength with lunch before continuing up a little ways to the great Ala-Archinsky glacier, a favourite place among skiers. Due to its favorable location, the ski season on the glacier continues almost year-round except for a couple of summer months. We will have dinner and set up camp to spend the night at a ski base abandoned since Soviet times.

After breakfast we continue our way down the valley to the alpine camp of Ala-Archa National Park (2200 m), located just 30 km from Bishkek. The descent is moderate and without sharp changes. From here, we turn up the Ak-Sai branch of the park and continue on to the Ak-Sai Waterfall (2860 m), enjoying breath-taking views of the park along the way. The landscape of the park is very diverse - there are about 600 plant species, including 70 species of shrubs and trees, 50 species of medicinal plants, and many tannic plants and honey trees. In addition, Ala-Archa is a home to Siberian roe deer, argali sheep, wild boar, capricorn, fox, hare, wolf, badger, marten and other animals. Once we reach the waterfall, we will set up camp, have supper and enjoy our night.

After an early breakfast, we begin the steep hike up to the foot of the Ak-Sai glacier (3350 m) and Ratsek hut, mountaineering base with stunning views onto the nearby Ala Too peaks of Uchitel (4527 m), Baichechek (4515 m), Corona (4860 m), Boks (4240 m), and Free Korea (4740 m). In addition, the highest peak - Semenov-Tian-Shansky (4875 m.).

Following our return from the glacier we will pack up camp, descend to the gate of the national park and catch our ride back into Bishkek City where we will enjoy lunch before continuing on our way to the Chon-Kemin valley (2 hrs) - a unique natural complex encompassing the gorge, the valley and the river running through it.

The Chon-Kemin River is 116 km in length, beginning at the junction of the Kungei-Ala-Too and Ili Ala-Too ranges and flowing through the specially protected territory of the Chon-Kemin National Park. The whole valley is covered with green meadows, and spruce forests grow on the slopes of the gorge. Upon arrival we will make our way to our accommodation at the guesthouse, have supper and spend the night.

The Chon-Kemin Valley is the ideal place for admirers of extreme tourism and beautiful nature. While we are here, depending on your desire, you can test your courage rafting down the river or enjoy a horse trek over the Kalmak-Ashuu pass (3447 m) to Balykchy on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.

After enjoying all that the Chon-Kemin has to offer, we will make our way to Cholpon-Ata city (those on the horse trek will be picked up in Balykchy along the way), located on the coast of the famous Issyk-Kul lake where we can enjoy the beaches and have a swim. Supper and overnight in a guest house.

After breakfast, we will go for a walk to the 42 hectare open-air museum located just north of the town. Here you can see the fine arts of the ancient Scythians – over a thousand petroglyphs (2000 BC – 4th century AD), painted by the hands of ancient artists. One drawing depicts hunting leopards in motion. This image is unique, the only one of its kind in Central Asia.

Our cultural program also includes a visit to the Chingiz Aitmatov Rukh Ordo Centre. On the territory of the complex there are 5 chapels built in honor of the 4 major denominations of the world: Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity, as well as various sculptures and photo galleries.

After our explorations, we will drive to the town of Kochkor. After short rest, we will attend a master class on traditional Kyrgyz felt-making, where you can will try to master the techniques and purchase handicrafts. We will have supper and overnight in a guesthouse.

Following breakfast, we will make the transfer to Bishkek (3-3.5hrs) and stop at the hotel accommodation for lunch. After a short rest, we will go on a small walking tour of Bishkek city, visiting Ala-Too square, where the monument to the Kyrgyz national hero "Manas the Magnanimous" is located. Here you can watch the changing of the guard of honor at the flagpole, visit the historical museum, and see the monuments to Lenin and to the leader of the Alai Kyrgyz, Kurmanzhan Datka. We will also visit the old square and government house. At the conclusion of our tour, we will visit the central department store (TSUM) where you can purchase locally handcrafter souvenirs. After dinner, we will return you to the hotel.

Transfer to the airport can be arranged for the following morning.