Issyk-Kul Lake

With its high location at 1,609 m above sea level and a huge surface area of 6,206 sq. km (179 km long and 60 km wide) Issyk-Kul is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America. Despite its location at such a high altitude the lake never freezes, hence the name - Issyk-Kul which means “hot lake” in Kyrgyz. The waters of 134 rivers flow into this unique lake. With no rivers flowing out of Lake Issyk-Kul the mineral substances carried here by the rivers and rains are all accumulated in it. Since ancient times, Issyk-Kul has been renowned for its healing mineralised water, its hot springs and the medicinal mud used for treating many diseases. Lake Issyk-Kul still keeps many secrets. Recently some reports were released about an astonishing discovery of ruins at the bottom of the lake. The ruins are of the ancient city of Chigu, the capital of the Usuni State and the trade centre of the Tian Shan on the Great Silk Road and date back to the 2nd century BC.

Silk Road Travel Map

Travel Destinations
Bukhara
Bukhara Bukhara
Bukhara is one of holiest cities in Central Asia and was once the intellectual and spiritual centre of Islamic world. Bukhara entered history in 500BC as a vassal state of the Pers... Read more
Cholpon Ata town
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A resort town on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan with a year-round population of about 12,000. It is the administrative centre of the Issyk Kul District of Issyk... Read more
Issyk-Kul Lake
Issyk-Kul Lake Issyk-Kul Lake
With its high location at 1,609 m above sea level and a huge surface area of 6,206 sq. km (179 km long and 60 km wide) Issyk-Kul is the second largest alpine lake in the world afte... Read more
Jety-Oguz gorge
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The Alpine health resort Jety-Oguz lies near the river at the altitude of 2,200 m. Situated in a picturesque canyon on the Northern slope of the Terskey Ala-Too range about 25 km S... Read more
Karakol
Karakol Karakol
The fourth largest city one of Kyrgyzstan's major tourist destinations, serving as a good starting point for the excellent hiking, trekking, skiing and mountaineering in the high c... Read more
Khiva
Khiva Khiva
Often called an “open air museum”, Khiva today is a well-preserved and restored town thanks to a conservation programme in 1970 - 1980. This enchanting town with its to... Read more
Samarkand
Samarkand Samarkand
Samarkand - often called the Gem of the East – is the city which evokes romance just with its name. The city is as old as Rome and reached the height of its fame under the ru... Read more
Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz - the birthplace of Tamerlane, or Timur and his residence during his reign - is probably one of the most unassuming of the tourist attractions, where locals still wande... Read more
Son Kul Lake
Son Kul Lake Son Kul Lake
Song Kul Lake (literally meaning the "following lake") is an alpine lake in northern Naryn Province lying at an altitude of 3,013 metres. It is the second largest lake af... Read more
Tash Rabat
Tash Rabat Tash Rabat
A well-preserved 15th century stone caravanserai in At Bashy district, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. It is located approximately 520km from Bishkek at the altitude of 3,200 meters. I... Read more

Relevant tours
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8 days, from £895