Issyk Gorge Mountain Hike -
Mountain tours of Kazakhstan -
The Kokbulak River flows into the Issyk River and several small tributaries flow into the river in the upper and middle reaches. The river crosses Lake Issyk in its middle course at an altitude of 1759 m. The length of the river is 96 km, of which about 22 km passes through the Issyk Gorge. The width and depth of the river varies in different sections.
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How to get there and travel -
The Issyk River in the Ili basin flows through the territory of the Yenbekshikazakh and Talgar districts of the Almaty region. It originates in the lower foothills of the Korzhenevsky (3950 m) and Grigoriev (3850 m) glaciers in the Trans-Ili Alatau and flows into the Kapchagai reservoir.
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Tourist Information
According to geologists, the Issyk River originated on earth eight thousand years ago. Due to the tectonic shift of rocks, a catastrophic landslide occurs, as a result of which a natural dam up to 300 meters high forms in the middle of the gorge. After that, glaciers, snow, and rainwater collected from the top of the mountain turned into a beautiful lake in the mountains.
History
Since 1939, the territory of the Issyk River has been rapidly being improved. In 1958, the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR adopted a special resolution "On providing cultural recreation for workers on Lake Issyk", where a highway was built, a tourist base and a bus station were located. A special public transport runs from Almaty to the Issyk River. Buses left the central market every half hour. Thus, this place has become a favorite vacation spot for citizens who do not go out into nature. The river became so popular that in Soviet times its photographs were used for postcards.
A two-storey hotel and a restaurant for 100 people have been built on the shore of the lake. Various service organizations were opened. There were even dance floors for vacationers. However, the water in the lake, fed by mountain glaciers, was cold, but this did not prevent vacationers from coming here. They basked in the sun on the sandy shore of the southern shore of the lake and rode boats, canoes and river trams on the surface of the lake.
Even a trip to Lake Issyk-Kul was included in the program of distinguished guests from abroad in southern asanas. This is because Lake Issyk is considered one of the most beautiful places in Kazakhstan. Historical records show that Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, who arrived in Almaty in 1959, visited here. The governors of several US states also came here to rest. The Issyk River was also one of the favorite vacation spots of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
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