Semenov Gorge (also Chon-Ak-Suu) is one of the most famous gorges on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. It is located on the Küngey Ala-Too Ridge and has a length of 30 kilometers. In the depths of the gorge lies a small lake, which is called the Sacred because of its purity and transparency. The upper part of the gorge joins with the Grigoryev Gorge.
The name of the gorge is in honor of the famous traveler Semenov-Tian-Shansky, who explored these places in the middle of the XIX century. This place is very popular among tourists, because there are not many easily accessible places and beautiful gorges on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. At the beginning of the gorge a thick spruce forest starts. In addition to fir trees, in the gorge it is possible to find thickets of barberry, sea-buckthorn, dogrose and currant.
The gorge has quite a developed tourist infrastructure. Here it is possible to spend the night in a yurt, taste Kyrgyz national dishes cooked on a stake, drink kymyz and get acquainted with the nomadic culture of the country. From the end of July until the end of September there is a yurt camp where you can try to raise a yurt or simply enjoy nomadic life in the middle of pristine nature.
A large number of tourist routes pass along the Semenov Gorge. Most of them are designed for one-day hikes, but there are also complex routes leading to the Chon-Kemin Gorge or the Zailiisky Alatau Ridge.
If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Enter+Ctrl.