Tysha Mountain

Tysha Mountain is the highest point of the mountain ridge closest to Bishkek, located between the Alamudun and Ala-Archa valleys. From an elevation of 2300 meters above sea level, the view is spectacular in good weather: to the north you can see Bishkek and its southern suburbs, and to the south — the main ridge of the Kyrgyz Range. The terrain along most of the route is strikingly barren: although a noisy metropolis is just an hour’s drive away, you will only occasionally meet shepherds or hikers here. The route is suitable for a calm, meditative walk, with a gentle ascent along a good dirt road. It is appropriate for people of any fitness level.

Leave the city by taking the road toward the Alamudun Gorge. In Koi-Tash, turn right toward Arashan, and after crossing the bridge over the Alamudun River, turn left toward the Chunkurchak ski base. As of 2025, the road to Chunkurchak is undergoing active reconstruction, so there is hope it will be fully paved by the 2026 season. In the village of Tatyr, be careful not to miss a barely noticeable right turn onto a dirt road leading toward the Heavenly Bridge and the Golubinyy Waterfall. Pass them and continue ascending along the serpentine. As your final waypoint, you can set Altyn-tör on your navigator — it’s about one kilometer before the Kara-Bulak eco-resort. Unless you have a 4×4 vehicle, you will need to leave your car here: the road beyond this point is unsuitable for regular city cars.

The route runs through open terrain with no shade and no water sources. Although extreme heat is unlikely at this altitude, you should protect yourself from the sun and bring sufficient drinking water — at least 1.5 liters per person.

The main route (the one shown on the map) follows a wide dirt road, making it difficult to get lost. There is also an alternative route that passes through the Kara-Bulak eco-resort, so if you don’t want to return the same way, you can go up or down via a different path. A driveable road leads from Altyn-tör to Kara-Bulak, but beyond that it narrows into a trail, overgrown in places with thorny shrubs and not always easy to follow. In addition, since this route is shorter, it is also steeper. Choose this option only if you are confident in your abilities and have enough daylight remaining. There is also a descent option leading from the summit into the Malinovoye Gorge (if you don’t need to return to your starting point). We haven’t explored it ourselves, but according to reviews, this trail is also overgrown with shrubs and challenging to pass.