Things to see and do Region Du Lac Issyk Kul

A wooden mosque built without a single nail! It was designed between 1907 and 1910 by a Chinese architect, Ejoï Si, and erected by Dungan workers in a confusing style that would make one believe it was a Buddhist temple. Its foundations are "floating", i.e. resistant to earthquakes. Because of this building, the architect was condemned for having given construction secrets to the Muslims. The building became a mosque in 1910 and never stopped being a place of worship except when it was closed by the Soviets between 1933 and 1943. Five years after independence, in 1996, a controversy arose between the city's two communities, Buddhist and Muslim, over an inscription painted on the main beam saying "this is a Buddhist temple". The interpretations went well and caused much anger, and finally the inscription was removed and the spirits calmed down. The beams and panels are decorated with painted motifs representing plants as well as the stars of the mythical Chinese bestiary: dragons and phoenixes. It is not always possible to get inside the mosque, but be sure to go around the mosque to see how the different elements are intertwined. On the right side, the light blue wooden minaret is surmounted by a golden dome where the crescent of Islam rises. No guided tours on site. Free access, proper attire required and scarf for women.

Little-visited by travellers, this valley seems to be framed by sandy cliffs, raised and sculpted by erosion and then frozen by the operation of the Holy Spirit. High, red-hued needles with inspired shapes point skywards, forming canyons that are ideal for hiking. The site's rugged relief and the shapes and silhouettes of the rocks have earned it the nickname Valley of Legends. Take an hour or two stroll along the dry riverbed and let your imagination run wild.

If you're lucky enough to be in Karakol on Saturday evening, get up before dawn the next day. Every Sunday there's a gigantic livestock market, one of the biggest in the country along with Öuzgen. Cows, sheep and, of course, horses are bought and sold by the herd between 2 and 6 am. The following five hours are reserved for individuals who come to buy a few head for a wedding or a birthday. In both cases, you'll find an atmosphere like no other, and a hustle and bustle worthy of the Palais Brongniart!

It is one of the highest waterfalls in Kyrgyzstan, richer in torrents than in waterfalls by the way. 20 km south of Barskoon, at an altitude of 1,720 m, these waterfalls nestled at the bottom of a narrow gorge consist of three successive waterfalls, the largest of which is 33 m high. In the summer, many Kyrgyz people come here in search of freshness and the small road is quickly filled with a tight crowd elbowing their way to the best selfie. Jovial and good-natured atmosphere, authentic to perfection.

Trinity Church had a rather difficult fate. The original brick building, which replaced the yurt under which the settlers prayed, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1894. Rebuilt in wood, the cathedral was partially burnt down by the Bolsheviks, with all five domes removed. Under Soviet rule, the building was used as a meeting hall. Finally, in 1989, it was restored to its former glory, although the wooden facades seem to have long outlived their usefulness. Patriarch Alexis II consecrated the building in 1997. A bell tower was added, and bell ringers from Zagorsk and Sergei Possad in Russia installed the five bells of the traditional Orthodox carillon. Today, the church remains a bustling, busy place for Karakol's large Orthodox community. Depending on the time of year you visit, the gardens and exterior may appear poorly maintained or unkempt, but the five golden domes are irresistibly charming when they take on their most beautiful hues, reflecting the colors of the sunset at the end of the day. Inside, a whole collection of icons, candelabras and incense burners are the object of great devotion. In the entrance hall, you can view photos of the building's restoration. Don't forget to observe a few basic rules during your visit: don't keep your hands behind your back and don't turn your back to the crucifix, so go out backwards.

The primary reason for the city's success. The sandy beach runs for several kilometres on either side of Cholpon-Ata, enjoying beautiful views of the mountains set back from the south shore. An enchanting place, populated by hundreds of holidaymakers in the summer and cows the rest of the year. From the beginning of June to the beginning of September, you can rent pedal boats, jet skis, water ski and indulge in all possible and imaginable water sports here. Or stay calmly at the water's edge, for those who prefer tanning above all else.

This centre, founded with the support of the European Union, is an essential part of any visit to Karakol. Run by friendly students, it provides information on B&Bs, local travel agencies, treks in the area and topographical maps of the surrounding mountains. Hikes and treks are even organized with reservation of pitches and equipment management. A very useful center to prepare your stay in Karakol and the surrounding area.

Behind the runway of the old airport of Cholpon-Ata is a huge site of petroglyphs, made between the Bronze Age and the Middle Ages.

More than 900 rocks form a veritable open-air museum in which you can walk around discovering drawings of sheep, horses, camels, hunting scenes... Most of the paintings date from the pre-Kyrgyz period, from the 8th century BC to the 1st century AD. It seems that the local priests used the site as a place for sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the sun. The engravings that can be seen are more recent, and date from the Turkish period from the ^5th to the 10th century. The walks are rather done in the morning or late afternoon to have a low light. At the entrance to the site, a large sign gives a few warnings about what to do to preserve the site. Take the time to go around this sign: you will discover the signposted routes to the petroglyphs that will save you from wasting time wearing out your eyes on virgin pebbles. Take a picture of it on your mobile phone to find the directions that you have not memorized, because the signposting on the site is unfortunately not the most effective. And despite their large number, not all petroglyphs are obvious. Some are hidden by moss or worn out by erosion, while others had been painted white by the Soviets, to stand out better, and remained more easily spotted.

Probably one of the most interesting museums in the country. It retraces the history of the region, exhibits objects from the nomadic culture: everyday objects, but also musical instruments, carpets, jewels... It is a good opportunity to perfect one's culture on the subject, and one realizes while rubbing shoulders with this nomadic culture that many questions come to mind: how food is conserved, where are clothes stored, how a yurt is transported... So many subjects and themes tackled in an illustrated way in this beautiful museum. At the same time, a large collection of archaeological objects dating from the Scythian period can be discovered, in particular many finely worked gold jewels. Most of them were discovered in kurgan and have allowed us to learn more about the burial sites of this nomadic people. In the ethnography section, you will know much more after your visit about traditions, clothing styles or akyns... The museum's collection is really interesting but there is a lack of means for the presentation and explanations in English or French of the different exhibits, even if things are tending to improve. The best thing is to be accompanied by a guide, who will be able to reveal all the secrets to you. In addition, the museum has collected numerous photos of petroglyphs discovered throughout Central Asia, particularly in the more remote regions of Kyrgyzstan, such as Kazarman, but also in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The beach is obviously the main point of interest in Tamchy, whose main central street runs parallel to the lake, less than 500 m to the south. The beach is attractive, even if cows, sheep and donkeys are sometimes as numerous as the summer visitors. It stretches in length on both sides of the village. As soon as the weather is fine, umbrella hire companies, vendors of cold (or alcoholic) drinks, billiards, refreshment stands, shooting ranges... take possession of the first metres of sand to provide all the equipment and leisure activities necessary for a successful day on the beach. The atmosphere is very popular, much more so than on the beaches located further east and reserved for apparatchiks. If you find the whole thing too noisy and prefer contemplation, move away from the beach in one direction or the other to reach more peaceful corners. After the last houses in Tamchy, there is not really a beach anymore but a lot of nice places to picnic and have a little picnic. Even those who love peace and quiet, however, will certainly find it more interesting to stay close to the centre, to enjoy the atmosphere and the unique show offered by a day at the beach in Tamchy. During the summer months, each house opens to offer rooms for rent to Kyrgyz people who have come on holiday for the weekend or a short week's holiday (but do not necessarily have the necessary authorisation to accommodate western tourists, so there is no need to ring every doorbell).

About 40 kilometres west of Bokonbaevo is this small lake, separated from the Issyk Kul by a rise in land elevation and where evaporation has led to a rise in salinity. Kyrgyz people will tell you that it is perfectly possible to read your newspaper like on a sofa without even getting the bottom of the leaves wet! Joking aside, the floating feeling is real and anyway, the shores of this "dead lake" are worth a short walk for the beautiful views of the mountain ranges on one side and Lake Issyk Kul on the other.

After passing the entrance, where a porcupine and a few turkeys are desperately trying to cheat their boredom, you can see at Karakol Zoo the main animal species living in the Kyrgyz mountains with the exception of the Marco Polo and the snow leopards. Camels, eagles, grey wolves, yaks and also some lynx are the main attractions but do not shine by their vivacity. The living conditions of the animals in this zoo seem questionable and we encourage you not to endorse this zoo by your visit.

The local agency can arrange accommodation in town or nearby, and suggest excursions on foot or horseback in the area. Immersion programs from 2 to 7 days in the Terskey Ala-Too range, adaptable according to demand. Rinat, CBT's local coordinator, obviously knows all there is to know about falcon hunting and the various events organized or improvised throughout the year. Apart from the classic winter hunts, you can attend the eagle hunting festival held in summer.

This hunt, reserved for the nomadic elite, is carried out on horseback with a golden eagle or sparrowhawk. The falconer, always from one of the "noble" clans, raises and trains his eagle from an early age. The bird of prey is released onto birds, rabbits or foxes. When the eagle grows old, its master gives it back its freedom. These hunters can be found in other regions of Kyrgyzstan, including the Tian-Shan and At-Bashi valleys. Hunting takes place in winter. Local tour operators can organize demonstrations.

This 1,500-year-old stone block is engraved with Tibetan Buddhist inscriptions. Certainly engraved by monks or pilgrims following the path of propagation of religions between Afghanistan and China. It has become the pretext for nice hikes at a very easy level. The stone is not really in the middle of the path, and if you go alone you will have trouble finding it. Ask a guide to accompany you or, if you are in season and you meet people on the road, ask for the direction of "Tamga tash".

Built in 1908, it was the first city racecourse in Tsarist Russia. It owes its existence to a very romantic love story between an officer of the czar and the daughter of General Petrakov. The general strongly opposed the marriage of his daughter Elena to the young captain Pianovsky, so the two lovers decided to flee from Tashkent. They seized the General's best horses and galloped to Karakol, where they took refuge and built the racecourse, which still sometimes hosts horse races.

Shepherd's Way Trekking was founded in 1994 by a Kyrgyz family from the village of Barskoon. In order to promote Kyrgyz culture and control the tourist movement on their land, they have set up hikes with the riders' peoples.

What do they propose? 20 hiking trails ranging from 3 to 30 days. You can visit the Juuku Valley, the Ak-Shyiraq Gorge and the Silk Road. You will sleep under the tent and share the daily lives of Kyrgyz men.

Where is it? Kyrgyzstan.

Prices and conditions. The journey is at your expense. On site, count between $ 60 and $ 100 ½ per day, depending on the duration of your stay, the period and the hiking.

The museum, opened to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the death of Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839-1888), traces the life of the famous 19th century Russian explorer by exhibiting engravings dating from his travels as well as some extracts from his publications and journals. Linger in the first room where, around a globe, are presented the four successive great expeditions in Central Asia of the man who gave his name to the small prehistoric horse that has now disappeared from the Central Asian landscape. The number of individuals was so small that inbreeding accelerated their near-extinction, before attempts at reintroduction were made in Kazakhstan. Don't miss to carefully observe the murals, which seem to move as the angle of vision changes. The second room is interesting for photos of Kyrgyzstan at the time of the explorations. It shows the different populations in their ethnic diversity as well as their traditions and scenes from their daily life in the 19th century. A few pieces of Przhevalski's personal material decorate the showcases here and there, as well as stuffed animals among those he listed. The 10-hectare park surrounding the building is also home to the memorial itself, which consists of a statue and a small chapel. In the cove of Mikhailovka, where in Soviet times torpedo tests were carried out, CBT organizes excursions and fishing trips by boat. Find out more at Karakol.