From Bishkek: Burana, Kegeti Gorge & Issyk-Ata Hot Springs

Highlights

• Climb the 11th-century Burana minaret, all that's left of Balasagun
• Reach the Kegeti waterfall on a five-minute walk from the road
• Follow the river 3 km up Issyk-Ata Gorge to a second waterfall
• Finish the day in open-air hot springs below the Kyrgyz Ala-Too
• Walk among the carved balbal stone figures set around the tower

Description

Burana Tower is the last standing piece of Balasagun, a Karakhanid capital on the Silk Road that has otherwise disappeared into the Chuy Valley. The 11th-century minaret still stands about 25 m high, and you can climb the spiral staircase inside to look out over the fields and the mountains behind them. Around it are the foundations of the old city, a small museum, and a field of balbals — carved stone figures gathered here from across the region. The staircase is narrow, steep and unlit, so it isn't for everyone; the site itself is flat and easy. From there the road turns south into the Kegeti Gorge. This is the easy stop of the day: the waterfall is a five-minute walk from where the bus parks, dropping through a wooded cleft in the rock, and there's time to walk further up the gorge before lunch. Issyk-Ata is a different landscape again — a narrow valley with a fast river running between bare rock walls. The walk to the waterfall is about 3 km each way along the river, flat almost the whole way, with no climbing involved. The day ends in the open-air thermal pools at Issyk-Ata, fed by hot mineral springs that people have been coming to for over a century. An hour in the water with the ridge directly above you, then the drive back to Bishkek for around 7:30 PM.

Includes

Round-trip transport from Bishkek by minibus or car Entrance ticket to Burana Tower and its museum English-speaking guide

Excludes

Hot spring entry: 300 KGS per hour for adults, 150 KGS per hour for children aged 3–10 (paid in cash on site) Lunch (a stop for supplies is made before leaving Bishkek — there are no shops at the gorges) Water and snacks Towel, swimwear and flip-flops for the hot springs Personal expenses

Important Information

• The staircase at Burana Tower is narrow, steep, and unlit The walk to the waterfall at Issyk-Ata is about 3 km each way

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund