Adventure tours in mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

“Flat and at first glance lifeless syrts (morainic depression) lying before us went far to the west and east. Small lakes scattered here and there and slowly flowing meandering streams and rivers glittered, huge boulders grown into the ground darkened. A strange, indescribably unique world surrounded us on the syrts. Everything, absolutely everything here was harsh, unusual. Here, at an altitude of 3600-3800 meters, the climate is harsher than in the Pamirs, or, say, on Novaya Zemlya. Every morning the flowers of water buttercups froze into the ice that formed every night on the surface of the lakes. In the summer it snowed.”

K.V. Stanyukovich. “Across Central Tien-Shan”. 1932.

Trip along of Kyrgyzstan.

Highland syrts (morainic depression) are vast mountain plateaus located at high altitudes, characterized by severe climatic conditions, sparse vegetation and seasonal use for grazing purposes. Some of the most significant syrts (morainic depression)o f the Tien-Shan are located in the Naryn River Valley and on the Arabel Plateau.Sibbaldia tetrandra cushions, shaped like dunes by the wind and growing in the direction of the wind.
The syrts (morainic depression) in the Naryn River Valley and on the Arabel Plateau are located at altitudes from 3,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level. The Naryn River Valley stretches in the southeastern part of Kyrgyzstan, and the Arabel Plateau occupies the territory on the southern slopes of the Terskey-Ala-Too Range, near glaciers and high-mountain lakes.
These areas are flat and gently undulating spaces formed by glacial and fluvioglacial processes. The climate of the highland syrts is sharply continental. Summer is short and cool, with frequent frosts, and winter is long and severe, with low temperatures and strong winds.
Precipitation falls mainly in the form of snow, and in the summer, torrential rains are possible. A significant part of the syrts' territory is located in the permafrost zone, which complicates the development of soil cover and agriculture. Sudden changes in weather determine the life of the syrts. In strong winds and cold, everything freezes: birds do not sing, insects are not visible, marmots and voles disappear.
Butterflies and flies sit motionless on stones, they can be picked up by hand. A light wind rolls stiffened crane flies across the ground, vainly clinging to the grass with their long legs. Due to the altitude and harsh conditions, the vegetation in the region is represented mainly by alpine and subalpine meadows.
Feather grass, sedge, wormwood and cereal plants predominate here, which serve as valuable pasture lands for grazing cattle. In some places, there are small areas of shrubs and moss-lichen formations.The cushion-shaped form of plants is a good adaptation to the harsh conditions of life in the highlands. The world of syrts is surprisingly original and harsh.
Every morning, the flowers of water buttercups freeze into the ice covering the surface of small lakes, and in the summer, snow suddenly falls. Due to the rarefied atmosphere, the sun's rays easily warm the surface of the earth, and therefore all life here is concentrated in its upper layer.
The leaves of plants are tightly pressed to the soil, and their roots are located shallowly, since permafrost begins at a depth of less than a meter, and in some places underground ice lies. The animal world includes such species as snow leopard, argali, marmots, foxes, as well as various species of birds of prey - golden eagle, bearded vulture, falcons.
The fauna of the syrts is amazingly adapted to the extreme conditions of the highlands. On the southern slopes of the hills, where the permafrost is deeper, there are numerous colonies of marmots. Many of these species are listed in the Red Book and need protection.
For centuries, the syrts (morainic depression) in the Naryn and Arabel valleys were used by nomads as summer pastures (jailoo). High-mountain meadows provide excellent grazing for sheep, goats, yaks and horses. Today, these territories continue to play an important role in animal husbandry, and are also of interest for scientific research, tourism and ecology.Collective farm sheep crossing the plateau of the Cold Desert.
Despite their remoteness and harsh conditions, the high-mountain syrts face a number of environmental problems. Among them:
Climate change, causing glaciers to melt and water resources to decrease.
Overgrazing, leading to pasture degradation and soil erosion.
Infrastructure development and mining, which affect natural ecosystems.
The highland syrts in the Naryn River valley and on the Arabel plateau are a unique natural area with rich biological diversity and important for traditional nomadic cattle breeding. Their conservation and rational use are key tasks for the sustainable development of the region and maintaining the ecological balance.
Above this harsh, cold, glacial landscape rises the snow-white peak of the Kyrgyz Council of People's Commissars. All summer long, this peak with ridges decorated with snow flags attracts the eye and beckons to itself.Alpine steppe with edelweiss.
Geographic coordinates of syrts (morainic depression) in valley of Naryn and Arabel rivers: N41°55'45 E78°05'49

Marmot hunters on the syrts of the Central Tien-Shan.

Authority:
Alexander Petrov.

Photos by:
K.V. Stanyukovich. "Through Central Tien-Shan". 1932.