Bishkek, Sept. 2, 2025 /Kabar/. Altyn-Arashan is a treasure hidden in the Teskey-Ala-Too Mountains near Karakol city of Kyrgyzstan. The gorge greets guests with the aroma of dense spruce forests, the sparkle of hot springs and the grandeur of mountain landscapes that are impossible to forget.
Back in Soviet times, this land was recognized as a specially protected area. In 1963, the gorge was officially given the status of a nature reserve - and for good reason: a rare relict forest of Tien Shan spruce has been preserved here, noisy and evergreen, as if it came from ancient times.
Altyn-Arashan is famous for its springs, which flow at an altitude of 2600 meters. Their waters, saturated with radon and hydrogen sulphide, give warmth and healing all year round. Some baths are hidden under roofs, others are "wild", as if the rocks themselves had hollowed out grottoes and bowls for them.
For travelers, this gorge is a real hub of trails. From here, routes go to Lake Ala-Kul, to the Ak-Suu gorge, to the valleys of Karakol and Jety-Oguz. But Altyn-Arashan is not only a transit point, it is also a place of power: here it is easy to dissolve in the silence of the Tien Shan, listening to the sound of the river and the breath of the wind in the spruce crowns.