Sights

Burana Tower is seven km. far from the city of Tokmok. It is an 11th century minaret, and one of the first buildings of such type in Central Asia. The original height of minaret was 45 meters. Today the tower is 24.6 meters high, the remaining part came down during an earthquake in the 15th century. In the 10th to 12th centuries, Karakhanids khanate was a great feudal state of Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

The Chong-Ak-Suu valley or also called Grigorivka, stretches for 35 km in the Kungey Alatoo massif, between Lake Issyk Kul and the Kazakh border. The river of the same name is bordered to the north by cliffs and very steep slopes, while to the south, large pastures cover the mountains. The valley is very visited in summer by tourists who come to rest on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul.

Ala Kul lake (or Ala Koel in Kyrgyz) is located in the upper part of the river Kurgaktor at an altitude of 3523 meters. The lake is 70 meters deep. Its origin is glacial and some glaciers are still visible, especially in the north of the lake. There is no island and the name in Kyrgyz means "colorfull". The lake can be reach by foot only in one day, from Altyn Arashan refuge or from Karakol valley.

In the Abshir-Say valley, 40 km southwest of the town of Nookat is the unique Abshir-Ata waterfall, 1,800 meters above sea level.

The waterfall is unique because the water escapes from a hole with a diameter of 1.5 m, and its fall has a height of 12 to 15 m from the ground. The water contains mineral salts. It is considered sacred, and so are many local visitors.

According to a legend, once upon a time there was a pilgrim who hit the rock with his stick and milk began to flow from it.

The Abshir-Say valley is located 30km southwest of Nookat. Its river has its source in the Kichik-Alay chain. There is the unique waterfall of Abshir-Ata and several caves.

Lake Aï-Kel is located in Batken Oblast, in the Turkestan mountain range, at the source of the Ak-Suu river. The lake was formed by the retreat of the glacier, and blocked by its morraine. It is 2km long for a width of 600 meters.

The Ak-Say glacier (means "white valley") is situated in the Ala Archa valley and surrounded by popular peaks like Teketor (4441m.); Aktoo (4620m.); peak Korona (4860m.); peak Iziskatel (4400m.); peak Svobodnaya Korea (Free Korea, 4740m.); peak Box (4240m.).

South of the At-Bashi mountain range, lies the upper Ak-Say valley, which stretches for a hundred kilometers, and up to 40 km in width. It is mainly yak breeders who come for the summer season. Some shepherds stay in the winter with their herd of yaks, but the temperatures are harsh and can drop to -40 degrees Celsius in winter.

The valley of vertical cliffs including the peak Ak-Suu (5355 m), the peak Blok (5229m), the Dostoevskogo (4974m) and the peak Iskander (5120m).

Some 10 km from Karakol, on the top of the village of Ak-Suu (anc. Teplokluchenka), wellknown for curatives mineral water and its sanatorium.