Ala-Archa - most favorite place of Kyrgyz citizens and tourists

Ala-Archa natural park is the most favorite place of townspeople during hot summer days.
It is located 30 km south of Kyrgyzstan’s capital city of Bishkek, on the slopes of the Kyrgyz Range.
This place is very popular among the citizens primarily because of its accessibility and proximity to Bishkek, as well as the magnificent nature, the cold rivers, where one can hide from the exhausting summer heat.
Ala-Archa natural park is a small valley inside the gorge, the ridges of which are covered with eternal ice, and the slopes with the most beautiful fir forests. The streams of melt water flow on the slopes of the glaciers, which then turn into the Ala-Archa river.
The Ala-Archa river, with a total length of 76 km, originates from glaciers on the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too and flows through the territory of the reserve, through green meadows and slopes covered with spruce forests.
"Ala" is translated as "stripe" or "varicolored" and "archa is juniper a coniferous plant of the cypress family.
The gorge, park and river all got their names because of the numerous juniper trees that cover the mountain slopes of the canyon. Because there is a great diversity of juniper trees and shrubs in the gorge, with different colors and shapes, it gives a feeling that the gorge is varicolored. So the multicolored variation of the juniper forest here gives "Ala Archa" both it’s unique appearance and its name.
For Kyrgyz people the traditional importance goes further than that as the brightly colored juniper continues to be held in high esteem.
Kyrgyz people used to burn archa twigs in homes as they believe that the smoke helps to get rid of bad smells (especially during flu epidemic) and to chase away evil spirits.
However, people do not plant junipers near homes, because it is believed that they gradually sap energy from human beings living close-by.
Ala-Archa natural park, as the most beautiful place, is the favorite place of tourists too. The high guests are also often brought here during their official visits to our republic. And for lovers of hiking this place is paradise. The park’s plants continue to interest for many years not only local but also foreign dendrologists.
Ala-Archa alpine camp is located at an altitude of 2100 meters above sea level. The alpine camp was once something of a Mecca for Soviet climbers, who organized here ascents in large numbers.
The park has laid many routes, both for climbers and for trekking. There are a lot of peaks around: the Korona peak, the Semenov Tien-Shansky peak and others.
The park is divided into four zones: a recreation area, an area for feeding and tracking animals, a sport climbing area and a recovery area.
Ala-Archa natural park has the status of a national and is protected by the state.