Custom trip  in Central Asia.

“As soon as man seeks to penetrate the secrets of nature - in which nothing is secret and it is but a question of seeing - he realizes that the simple produces the supernatural” 

Honore de Balzac.

Foreign Independent Tour in Central Asia.

This beautiful gorge is western in Turgen gorges. The orographical characteristic in the top part approaches Issyk the gorge, crosses, it is possible to leave to Zailiysky Ala-Tau - to east part of peak Talgar. At the small settlement of Batan merge of two rivers: Kishi-Turgen and Turgen.
Our way passes at first down the river Turgen, across the dirt road, before merge to the river Chin-Turgen. From this place there is further a track which, through 600 - 800 meters disappears. The virgin forest which is designated on the card relic Chin-Turgen a fir grove begins with this place".
In this fir grove under a thick layer of a moss there is permafrost! The similar phenomenon is not present anywhere in Zailiysky of Ala-Tau. Without track in mountains to go very difficult, the zone of the wood manages to be overcome with an average speed of 1 km in 1 hour!
Under cover of the dense wood there are a lot of different berries: fragrant mountain raspberry, wild strawberry, an edible black honeysuckle, an endemic of Northern Tien Shan - blackcurrant of Linchevsky which pleasant smell is felt already for 10 - 15 meters from a plant.
Difficulty of movement consists that through 5 kilometers it is necessary to overcome the rivers, it is necessary to make ascension on the steep slope (about 35 - 40 degrees), then the same descent. In one place in the wood there is a big blockage from fir-tree trees.
Approximately in 500 meters from the coast on a slope the extensive space settles down where there are no trees, probably, hundreds of trees were tumbled down in different directions from powerful blow. The most part of trees lies on the earth.
An impression is made that the large meteorite fell in it meste15 years back. The route proceeds generally on fir forests and passes at the river bank. Gradually the track becomes flat, the wood rare and comes to an end then. It is necessary to move along the river bank, on slippery stones.
At the height of 2900 meters above sea level on the left river bank there are huge falls which fall to the river several cascades. Its height is not less than 100 meters! On the right coast there are one more falls about 30 meters high.
The river Chin-Turgen is in upper courses in small (depth from 10 to 25 meters) about one and a half a kilometer canyon. In this area are available 3 more small (5 - 15 meters) falls. Everywhere the Alpine meadows with a large number of various mountain plants settle down.
It is higher than 3500 meters above sea level and in the east of (riverheads of Turgen), and in the South (the region of a glacier of Kassin) slopes become more flat, the magnificent panorama on the main ridge of Zailiysky Ala-Tau opens.
In the West it is visible huge a white glacier which slips towards the river Chin-Turgen. In this place the mountain plateau there were old glaciers. In some places this stone stone blocks is covered with bright orange lichens which in combination with the blue sky and a white glacier create a tremendous picture.
Farther descent in Issyk the gorge.

Authority:
V. L. Kazenas, A. B. Zhdanko. A photo album "On Zailiskiy Alatau".

Photos
Alexander Petrov.