Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan
Lake Issyk-kul in the northeastern part of Kyrgyzstan is a marvel. It doesn’t freeze in the winter because it’s just salty enough and apparently has some volcanic heaters stoked down below. The place is beautiful, surrounded on all sides by the Tian Shan mountains making Issyk-kul the second largest alpine lake in the world.
Coming here is my first time traveling in the countryside, outside of Bishkek, and I’ve found it to be so easy. Kyrgyzstan’s roads are packed with Marshrutnoe taxis, Mercedes built minibuses that will take you anywhere. On Bishkek’s streets half the cars seem to be these little vans, but it turns out that the countryside is no different. If you can figure out if the bus is heading to your destination this is the safest way to travel since the drivers can’t rip you off as easily as in private taxis.
Today me and two Japanese travelers are setting off to Cholpon-Ata on the north shore of the lake. A tourist haven in the summer, this sleepy little town is just beginning to wake up from the winter, a reality made clear by the gawking and giggling hellos that greet me and my big red backpack on arrival.
I find a nice private room with T.V. and bath for $10. This is a bit of a splurge for me but sometimes it’s nice to have a night where you make the schedule and you don’t have to use earplugs to fall asleep.
The town center definately has a hibernated tourist feel to it and I can see how the place must bustle in July and August, mostly with Kazakhs and Russians. You can’t blame folks for coming, with georgeous mountain vistas and sandy beaches beside the lake’s warm waters, I feel like I’m in a dream.
As an added bonus the area has heaps of petroglyphs dating as far back as 1,500 BCE. It’s over a mile walk up to the boulder field, but it’s nice to walk through the quiet neighborhoods past the occasional cow or herd of goats. You’ll know when you’re close when the bicycle gang of children approaches selling you their “professional” tours. Sasha and Maxime, 10 and 12 year old brothers respectively get to me first and we agree that 20som each for a 30 minute tour would be okay. Speaking very little English, the duo lead me through the boulders which according to them are full of poisonous snakes, pointing out these ancient masterpeices.
“Goat, goat,” they point emphatically. “Yes, yes, baaaaahhh. Yes, come, come.” I follow.
“Goat, horse, goat, sun.” I give the best horse whinny to clarify which picture is a goat and Sasha bursts out laughing.
“Yes, yes. Come, come.” I follow. “Goat, camel, cow, goat.” Of all the majestic animals that live around the lake; the snow leopard, ibex, Himalayan snowcock, the ancients really seemed to like the goat. My 30 minute tour lasts 15 minutes but I am happy to part with my dollar after following these happy, giggling little Russki’s around.
Visiting these petroglyphs is well worth it, an evening visit being the best time to take in the vivid color contrasts of the peaks and enjoy the view of the lake.
Tags: Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Kyrgyzstan
Administrator
I think Sasha only has one set of clothes, because he was wearing the exact same thing when I got the “tour” from him.