Program of JS Turkestan. T2/a

Day 1. Arrive Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
You begin your tour in BISHKEK, capital of Kyrgyzstan, (optional Almaty (KZ), Tashkent(UZ)). Upon arrival, after lunch you have a sightseeing tour, hosted by our guide. Highlights include the ORTHODOX CHURCH, ORIENTAL BAZAAR, NATIONAL SQUARE, MUSEUM OF ARTS etc. Hotel accomodation for first overnight.

Day 2. Issyk-Kul
Your day is for transferring to ISSYK-KUL LAKE near KARAKOL town 400 km from BISHKEK via BOOM gorge with intricate rock canyons and visiting BURANA TOWER (11th c) en-route. Your second overnight is on the shore of the lake on chalet 1600m above the sea level.

Day 3. Karakol and about
Begin your day with a sightseeing tour, hosted by our guide. Highlights include the ORTHODOX CHURCH, ORIENTAL BAZAAR, CHINESE MOSQUE, MUSEUM OF ARTS, PRZHEVALSKY MEMORIAL etc. Afternoon is for preparation for your tour. Accomodation in Yurts Camp.

Day 4. Karakol - Sirota place
You begin your tour from Karakol town up in Karakol valley along the fast rage mountain's Karakol river. Mountains begin from low hills and finish as a high rocked sky-scrapers. You climb on altitude 2900m to the place called SIROTA (it means "orphan" because it's like a forest oasis in the middle of rock's area). There is a little log hut built by group of enthusiasts a few years ago. This place is fantastacally beauty with its landscape and look around. You can see a few neighbour valleys with their corner peaks and ridges. Your camping is on the bank of little stream from ALA-KUL lake above you. Surrounded with forest, your first tent camping is a quiet place for enjoying a silence of mountains and crystal clear air and water.

Day 5. Ala-Kul Lake
After brekfast you continiue your climb to the pearl of Karakol canyon - ALA-KUL LAKE. This lake is famous with its altitude 3500m above sea level. Unfortunately this altitude doesn't allow to be this lake full of life, but the view of this nature miracle ir really unforgettable for everybody. If you are in the first time here - we are sure you'll fall in love with it. The color of surface is changing every hour depending on the weather conditions from greenery-blue to violet. If you are lucky with the weather you can see a sunset on the lake and that's a wonderful. Your camp on the lake shore.

Day 6. Altyn-Arashan resort
Today is a day of ALA-KUL pass of 3860m high. You have good acclimatization for passing over it. The short top on the summit is good for seeing around and watching the highest peaks of Terskey Ala-Too: KARAKOL (5273m), DJIGIT and OGUZ-BASHI PEAKS. The ridge of these peaks lasts from the west to the east. After that, you go down to the valley of ALTYN-ARASHAN resort. This resiort is famous with its HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS. Your evening is at leisure and having bath in this lovely spot. Camping in tents or in a local guest house optional.

Day 7. Altyn-Arashan - Echkilitash
Today your morning is for your own exploration of this place or for visiting baths again and afternoon you go down along the river ARASHAN to the village AK-SUU. On the way you will pass one more pass of less than 2500m but you almost don't notice that. This pass is border between two valleys ARASHAN and AK-SUU. Another resort is situated in AK-SUU valley with hot baths but it's not so remote area and a lot of people are there everyday. Then you drive to Echkilitash place where borderguard and .

Day 8. Tyuz valley
From Echkilitash you go toward Central Tien-Shan's main ridges via Tyuz valley. The river is full of fish and your first camping is full of fish dishes tonight. The Nansen peak is wonderfully colored on the sunset.

Day 9. Under Tyuz pass
Today you reach the north foot of Tuyz pass before passing it. This place is famous with meeting of wild animals. The tents could be set under the big rock as under the nature roof.

Day 10. Chon-Tash
This morning you leave the lovely spot of the camp for the place called CHON-TASH (Big stone) just under INYLCHEK GLACIER near the big rock, natural monument for mountain climbers, who was perished capturing high peaks of Central Tien-Shan. You pass Tyuz pass of 4010m with beautiful view of almost whole South Inylshek Glacier. Camping on the altitude 2900m.

Day 11. Inylchek Glacier
Today you have an interesting glacier trekking to your camp on the right moraine of Inylchek Glacier. From this point you can already see th valley of Merzbacher Lake far ahead. The glacier Putevodny will be passed by you on the right side. It's like a branch of long body of main glacier. The camp is on the sandy flat meadow with fresh clear water sourse. Altitude is 3000m above sea level.

Day 12. Merzbacher meadow
Explore again the INYLCHEK GLACIER enroute to grass-covered MERZBACHER MEADOW just opposite the MERZBACHER LAKE. Camping on the 3400m surrounded with long glacier, ice-falls, avalanches and green grass (!).

Day 13. Merzbacher Lake
Day for your walking across the 7km wide INYLCHEK GLACIER to the iceberg filled MERZBACHER LAKE. Lunch on the lake's indented coastline. Afternoon back to the camping. Rest part of day for your relaxation.

Day 14. Merzbacher meadow - Panorama peak
Today you can choose your activity from variety of ways for that. Panorama Summit of 4500m is best for climbing and having of fantastic view over whole valley. For hikers it's good possibility to explore the neighbour branch of Inylchek glacier - Shokalsky glacier. Camping on the Merzbacher meadow.

Day 15. Merzbacher Lake - Khan-Tengri and Pobeda peaks - Inylchek Base
This morning you will have thrilling helicopter flightseeing tour through over whole INYLCHEK GLACIER and along the wild KOKSHAAL-TOO and TENGRI-TAG ridges. View of Khan-Tengri (6995m) and Pobedy (7439m) peaks is unforgettable. Back to Inylchek Base. Camping.

Day 16-17. Issyk-Kul
Bid farewell to Inylchek valley and go to Issyk-Kul Lake for having two days of swimming, fishing, boating or just relaxation on the shore of this "PEARL OF TIEN-SHAN". Camp is in the tents or in chalet accomodation.

Day 18. Bishkek
Today you will go back to Bishkek by south side of Issyk-Kul lake and on the whole you'll drive around of this large nature water reservoir. Upon arrival to Bishkek you are transferred to hotel for your last overnight in Kyrgyzstan. Evening is for your own walking around your hotel. Night Bishkek is wonderful.

Day 19. Bishkek - Depart for home
Today you fly home from airport with many pleasant memories of your vacation to Tien-Shan's Lakes and Valleys.

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