Around Naryn

 Just after the main bridge on Moskovskaya, which crosses the Naryn River, is a road to the East. If you take this road it will take you past the airport (Although there are no regular flights — it does work on occasion for special chartered flights). Further on is Salkyn-Tor — a picturesque canyon located 14 km to east of Naryn, where there is a former pioneer camp with several picturesque shelters and picnic spots. After another 30 km you can come to Ece-Naryn («Second Naryn») — where the road again forks. Here there is a pine covered valley and wildlife park. Here also you can find one of the strangest sights of all … a swastika of trees planted by a German who was forcibly transported here during the second World War. This sign of defiance was undiscovered until quite recently. From Ece-Naryn (in a good vehicle) you can follow the valley of the Little Naryn River to Lake Issyk-Kul or back to Sary-Bulak and the main Bishkek Road.

The main Torugart Road takes you over the Kyzyl-Bel pass with views along the crest of the At-Bashi mountain range, to the village of At-Bashi, and the nearby ruins of a small citadel at Kara-Suu dating from the 10th or 12th century. The 5 metre high walls are known as Koshoy-Korgon and is where the legendary Kyrgyz hero Manas is supposed to have buried his friend Koshoy. Just before the end of the asphalt, and the start of the gravel road — the highway widens and was an emergency military airstrip built in the Soviet period to be used in the event of hostilities with China (apparently it was never used and is poorly maintained today). Further on is the Tash-Rabat caravanserai — an architectural monument from the Middle Ages. It is about 125 km from Naryn, and 80 km from Torugart border post, at an altitude of 3530m. The road continues around the end of the At-Bashi mountains, past Chartyr-Kul lake to the border post.

Chartyr-Kul Lake — at an altitude of 3500m, this is one of the largest lakes in Kyrgyzstan and it is 16.5 m at it deepest point. The temperature of the water is between 6 and 16C between July and August. Nearby there are some hot springs.

Son-Kul Lake — see below. A remote mountain lake set on a desolate, treeless mountain plain situated 90 km northwest of Naryn, at an altitude of 3013m. Son-Kul is the second largest lake in the Tien-Shan mountains. The lake freezes between the second half of October and April. At its deepest point it is 13.2m. There are four main routes to Son Kul, each with spectacular views. Two are from the main Bishkek road, one from the Osh/Kazarman road and takes you past the mausoleum of Taylacy Baatyk and one from Chaek past the Kari-Kechi coalmines. Nearby are some strange standing stones. There are yurts available in Summer and horse riding can be arranged.

Chaek — is one of a group of villages stretching along the main Kochkor/Osh road. One of them, Marinka is set in a scenic mountain gorge.

On the main Bishkek road, about 25 km out of Naryn is a striking memorial. This is to Àðñòàíáåê Áóíëàø Óóëó, a Kyrgyz writer and poet. (Óóëó is like Mac, Mc, O«, and Ben meaning «son of» so his names reads «Arstanbek, son of Bunlash»). His dates recorded on the monument are 1824—1878. He is regarded as a major Kyrgyz poet, although few of his works survive. He was concerned about the influence of the Russian colonists of his day upon his native people and their culture. He composed poems about the «dark times» that were coming and the need for the Kyrgyz to preserve their traditions and their lifestyle. If you have time, the climb to the Monument is not difficult and the view across the plain is pleasant.

About 25 km from the town in the direction of Osh is the village of Dostuk. Here there is a power station built on the At-Bashi river that flows into the Naryn River. The At-Bashi river flows through a gorge at places less than 100m wide, and at the mouth of the gorge is a dam holding back some 90 million cubic meters of water. The reservoir is reached through a tunnel 245 m long and stretches some 7 km up the gorge. At the dam the water is some 45 m deep. Some 40,000 kW of power is generated by 4 turbines and is supplied to the Naryn region, to Djalal-abad and to China. To visit the power station, special permission is needed.

At-Bashi — a town, which stands on the site of settlements that date from the 8th to 14th centuries.

Chaldybar on the Osh road with an ancient fortress dating from the tenth century.

Shyrdabek, also on the Osh road, with an ancient fortress dating from the tenth century.

Kairma — not far from Chaek — the site of an ancient settlement with the remains of a fortress dating from the 10th century.

Ak-Say — on the «back road» from At-Bashi to Torugart — here there is an neolithic structure — «ancient man» .

The Dolon Pass, at 3025 m, the highest point on the main Bishkek-Naryn Road. The caravans either side of the pass house workers who man the road maintenance depot here, and in winter they help dig cars out of the snow. A seemingly desolate mountain pass — and each summer yurts and tents of the shepherds can be seen here.

The Orto-Tokoy reservoir on the river Chui alongside the main road between Naryn and Issyk-kul has azure waters and makes a pleasant picnic spot, but the water level varies with the seasons.

There are some 1600 glaciers in the Naryn oblast, and several major rivers and it is the home of two makes of Mineral Water («Khan Tengri» and «Emel»), which are said to be particularly healthy.