Destination Guide: Around Lake Issyk Kul
After visiting Bishkek and its sights around, we arrived at Karakol which is about 6 hours drive away from Bishkek.
We stayed at Happy Nomads Camp which it has the traditional yurts.
Inside the Yurt (our Yurt has 6 beds for 6 of us)
Breakfast at Happy Nomads Camp
Kyrgyz children at Happy Nomads
Przhewalsky Memorial Museum
Nikolay Mikhailovich Przhevalsky is one of the first Russian Scientist-Geographer who started studying in details the geography, flora and fauna of the Central Asian countries. Beginning from 1870, he arranged 4 large expeditions to Mongolia, China and the Tibet.
For the outstanding achievements and contribution to the exploration of Central Asia Przhevalsky was elected Active Member of the Russian Geographic Society and also a Member of the Russian Academy of Science. In the year of 1888, he died from typhoid fever on the eve of his fifth expedition to Central Asia; he was buried on the Issyk-Kul lakeside not far from the city of Karakol.
There are still quite a lot of old Russian Lada around Karakol, they have certainly became tourist highlight!
Dungan Mosque
There is a Dungan (Chinese) mosque in Karakol built by a Chinese architect and 20 artisans between 1907 and 1910. It was built entirely of wood, without a single nail. The Dungans first arrived in Karakol, as refugees, in 1877 and created a small community.
Karakol Holy Trinity Cathedral
The Broken Heart and Seven Bulls
On the way to the end of the Jeti-Oguz valley, the red sandtone will start appearing here and there on each side of the road. And at one point you will notice this huge rock in front of you that kind of resemble a heart that has splintered down. Our guide told us it was from an ancient story about a young couple in love but was separated so the broken heart.
Seven bulls is nearby and its formation where erosion created more than seven bluffs which resemble seven bulls.
There are plenty of horses, donkey for riding around and even eagle for showing…
Part of Seven Bulls behind us.
A panorama view of Jeti-Oguz Valley.
Hot springs of Altyn Arashan Valley, Kyrgyzstan
We continue further driving around the Altyn Arashan Valley near Karakol.
The scenery is just out of this world!
If you like bathing in hot water, they have set up some small cabins with concrete pools to enjoy the water from the hot spring.
To complete your full Kyrgyz hot spring experience, one must run to the cold river after soaking in the hot spring. This helps to circulate blood and it certainly woke me up.
After the valley, we ended our day on the Southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, the water is warmer than the river here and quite a lot of local are enjoying swimming in it.
The water is this CLEAR!
Eagle Hunting Show
During the show, the eagle man will release the eagle and the eagle will perform hunting of a pre-placed rabbit on the ground. You get to see how the eagle capture the rabbit and eat it alive. It is all part of animal chain after all….
Of course there are much more things to do in Kyrgyzstan.
I am only sharing the ones I have experienced myself.
Wondering how I get around Kyrgyzstan?
I did it with a small group tour organized by Aigul, she also runs 2 hostel in Bishkek and Cholpon Ata. (Lake Issyk Kul) Aigul is an excellent and very honest and fun loving guide, please do contact her when you are planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan.
Let me know what do you think of Kyrgyzstan?
If you have any questions, please leave a comment!
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