Ak-Tyuz

The Kichi-Kemin valley, a right tributary of the Chu River, is located in the north of the Chui Region, not far from the border with Kazakhstan. The road that runs through the gorge ends in the village of Ak-Tyuz, next to which a mine and a mineral processing plant were built during the Soviet period. Ores containing valuable minerals were extracted and processed here. A quarry where the mining took place has been preserved on the former mine site; it is now filled with rain and meltwater. The road to the quarry passes through a coniferous forest that feels more typical of much more northern latitudes.

To get there, follow the Issyk-Kul highway until the turnoff to the village of Boroldoy (just after the monument to Karabek Uulu Zhantai Khan). In the village, turn right and continue along the road through the Kichi-Kemin valley to the final point of the automobile route (shortly after entering the village of Ak-Tyuz). Along the way, you will pass a giant birdhouse, a reservoir, and a birch grove described on the page dedicated to Kichi-Kemin. Access to the road leading to the quarry in Ak-Tyuz is blocked by a gate, so you will need to leave your car here and continue on foot. The entire road along the Kichi-Kemin valley is easily passable by a regular car. However, keep in mind that snow appears earlier and melts later in the narrow gorge and at higher elevations than in the lowlands. If you are traveling at the beginning or end of the season, winter tires are recommended.

Some of the ores extracted at the mine have elevated natural radioactivity. This background is not dangerous for a short visit, but you should not drink water from the quarry, swim in it, or pick and eat sea buckthorn berries that grow abundantly along the road.

From the gate, follow the clearly visible forest road originally built for ore trucks. The road gradually climbs from about 2,100 meters above sea level (at the gate) to 2,300 meters (at the quarry). A small section of the serpentine passes through a dense coniferous forest typical of northern regions and rare in Kyrgyzstan. Higher up, the landscape becomes more open and level, with sea buckthorn bushes, scenic cliffs and excavation sites, and scattered trees. The road ends right at the quarry, allowing you to descend to the water’s edge and admire the reflection of the stepped rock walls in the mirror-like surface of this artificial lake.