Attractive tourist sites on south coast of Issyk-Kul

Today we will try to briefly describe the main tourist sites of the southern coast of Issyk-Kul Lake, which have become popular not only among local tourists, but also from guests from all over the world.
The virgin nature of the southern coast of Issyk-Kul Lake attracts an increasing number of tourists from near and far abroad. Such directions as ecological ethno-tourism, hiking, cycling and horseback riding, as well as yurt camping, have begun to be developed recently, where tourists can get acquainted with the ancient customs of the people and break away from the modern world for a rest time, without the Internet, televisions and radio.
Tastar-Ata
Climbing to the top of Tastar-Ata, which is located at an altitude of more than 3,800 meters above sea level, in search of a magical source in stone caves, will be a real adventure. According to one of the legends, at the very top of Tastar-Ata there is the watch tower of Manas (Kyrgyz hero), there are stone bowls with water on the top of the same place. Until now, many climbers have left memoirs under the stones in the cache, with the hope that they will fulfill their cherished wish. Descending from the mountain, one can talk to the shepherds and hear many more different legends about this place, as well as drink kumys (mare’s milk) in each yurt. The taste of kumys will be different, as the mares graze in different meadows, where various herbs grow and drink the purest water from the glaciers.
Fairy Tale Canyon
The glory of the canyon strikes the eyes almost immediately, leaving no opportunity to collect thoughts, to compare in memory with the previously seen wonders of the world.
Almost everyone, who comes here, falls into the naive children's delight and the desire to wander among the colorful rocks of bizarre shape, which evoke the imagination from children's oriental fairy tales, and sometimes cause the feeling that you are on a completely different planet.
There are eruptions of multicolored rocks frozen in unusual forms of the most vivid contrasting shades. Plates of solid limestone and sandstone, sometimes like ruins of ancient castles or skeletons of prehistoric monsters, protrude from soft flesh of motley colored soils. The Fairy Tale Canyon relatively recently became known far beyond the borders of Kyrgyzstan. Tourists come here from almost all over the world. It is noteworthy that after the rain, the relief of the Fairy Tale can be changed significantly, and this fact makes almost every visit to the canyon unique.
Salt Lake
The little-known Shore-Kol salt lake, popularly called the Dead Lake is an analogue of a dead lake in Israel. The road to the salt lake passes through a picturesque canyon along a rocky road. Although this fact does not stop a large flow of tourists. The lake itself was discovered relatively recently, in 2001.
It is a popular "medical tour" in which tourists can read a newspaper while lying on the water. Its impossible to drown in the lake because of the high salt concentration - more than 132 grams per liter of water, it literally pushes a person to the surface. Here, tourists take mud baths of black and gray mud, sunbathe and take pictures, completely smeared with mud. Although there is no scientific evidence that the mud in the lake is healing, it does not affect the opinion of tourists. Many continue to visit the lake only because of the mud baths. By the way, the chemical composition of water in a salt lake is identical to Issyk-Kul lake. The only difference is the concentration of salt in the water.
Manzhyly-Ata valley of sacred springs
The sacred valley of Manzhyly-Ata is a whole labyrinth of shallow gorges between clay hills, from the depths of which many springs flow. Each spring in the valley is considered curative, and the chemical composition of each spring differs from that of other springs in the sacred valley.
Manzhyly-Ata Mazar (tomb of Muslim saints) is a long-time pilgrimage site. There is a belief in the people: if you want to have a lot of cattle - bow to Cholpon-Ata Mazar, if you want to have a large offspring - bow to Manzhyly-Ata.
Caretaker of the mazar told that each source hidden in the labyrinth of the valley has its own unique property, for example, there is a source that has a beneficial effect on the stomach, a source that improves vision, there is even a source that gives piety and righteous power.
The etymology of the word Manzhyly-Ata is explained differently. Someone associates with the fingers of a person’s hands, since if one look at the valley from above, the gorge and hills resemble the fingers of a person. Others put forward a version of the translation from Sanskrit.
Almaluu yurt camping
Almaluu yurt ethno-town is very popular among tourists arriving from foreign countries, mainly tourists from Western Europe. A feature of this area is the ecology, nature and culture.
Tourists who come to the yurt camp, completely immerse themselves in a nomadic way of life without the Internet, television and radio. The proximity to the mountains and the Issyk-Kul lake expands the possibilities of interesting and useful pastime.
Horse riding and walks in the mountains, swimming in the lake and hiking to waterfalls and hot springs, as well as sleeping in yurts do not leave indifferent tourists living in the large stone jungle.
In general, the southern coast of the magnificent Issy-Kul Lake attracts not only by beach tourism, the main feature of the area, which is emphasized by local tourist sites, is ecology and ethno-tourism.
Kabar News Agency