SARY-JAZ INTRO - 4 days

This tour is for people who want to fully relax and retire with nature and also to experience beautiful, wild nature and untouchables landscapes with panoramic view to Tian-Shan mountains.

At the moment Sary-Jaz area is part of Khan-Tengri National park. It is the largest national park in Kyrgyzstan for the protection of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, primarily to preserve the snow leopard population.

The territory of the natural park is still little affected by human activities, and the main landscapes have remained almost in their natural state. Currently, 457 species of vascular plants are known from the Sary-Jaz river basin, although their total number can reach 700 species, which is a significant part of the total flora of Kyrgyzstan. Five types of them are listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan, 8 are endemics which are not found anywhere else, and 11 are known in the Sary-Jaz region.

Program:

Day 1,  Karakol – Engilchek – Kaindy valley, 150 km 

One of the most interesting tour. We will drive to Soviet abounded industrial town Engilchek which is located at 2500m. It is based 150 km from Karakol at the confluence of the rivers Sary-Jaz and Engilchek. With the closure of the tin mine, the population fell from 5,000 to less than 20 families. At the 2009 census, its population was 345. You need permission to that area due to the reason that it is close to the China border. Tour in Engilchek town and one of abandoned mine, after taking unique wild hot spring. Overnight at tents or a shepherd's house.  

Day 2, Kaindy valley 

Radial hiking to unknown ancient petroglyphs located on the confluence of three rivers: Sary-Jaz, Kaindy and Uch-Kol.   Overnight at tents or shepherds house. 

Optional: Radial trekking (or horseback riding) to Kara-Bel valley (through which Kyrgyz people where running away to China from Red Army 100 years ago during Urkun.  

Day 3, Kaindy valley – Echkilitash – Ak-Chunkur cave – Karkyra, 150 km 

We will take wild hot springs on the way back to Engilchek (another name Inylchek) and further to Echkilitash. We will pass through another border checkpoint and arrive to Ak-Unkur cave. The cave consists of the two levels and starts in a large room. The length of the entire cave is 40 - 45 m, height some places up to 10m. After lunch moving to Karkyra through Turuk pass. This place well known for its green diversity. Overnight at tents.

Day 4, Karkyra – Karakol, 150km 

We will visit Tamerlane’s stones, after crossing next border checkpoint in Karkyra. Not far from Santash village, there are kurgans and remains of the Caravanserais, where the Tamerlane’s troop used to pass. The legend has it that they were composed by the army of Tamerlane. Arriving to Karakol. End of service.    

Practical Information:

Duration: 4 day (5-6 hours of driving per day)

Distance: 400km

Highest point: high pass Chon-Ashuu -  3822m

Road: 30% of the road is soviet asphalt from 1980 and the rest of the road is gravel or off-road

Area: Sary-Jaz located in border zone with China and Kazakhstan and that is why you need a permit.

Connection: No signal connection

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