Barskoon Gorge (also Barskaun) is one of the most beautiful gorges on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, famous for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests. The gorge is famous because it was visited by the first man who flew into space – Yuri Gagarin.
The length of the Barskoon Gorge is about 30 kilometers. It stretches deep into the mountains of Terskey Ala-Too, reaching the high plateau (syrta) Arabel, which is separated from the gorge by a cascade of passes. The height of the passes in the Barskoon Gorge are very high and reach 4000 meters. Barskoon is very attractive for tourists both for its natural beauty and cultural attractions including the following: Cascade of Barskoon waterfalls: Tears of the Leopard, Bowl of Manas, Sparkling Champagne and Beard Ak-Sakal. Among the cultural attractions in the gorge it is important to note the camp of Tagay-biy, or as it is also called, Muhammed-Kyrghiz. He was one of the founders of the Kyrgyz state. Another famous monument is the Yuri Gagarin statue. Contrary to popular belief, the astronaut was only passing through these places and did not visit them regularly.
-
- SONY DSC
How to get to Barskoon?
The Barskoon Gorge is located on the southern shore of the Issyk-Kul Lake, about 140 kilometers from the Bishkek-Karakol Road, near the village of Tamga. There is a good quality dirt road in the gorge right up to Arabel.
Barskoon Gorge on the map
Useful Information
Mobile Network
The mobile network is partly available
Infrastructure
Near the waterfalls there are several yurtas that function as a cafe
Water
Drinking water from the river without boiling is not recommended
Camping
Many places for camping
If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Enter+Ctrl.