Alamedin Gorge

Alamedin runs parallel to Ala-Archa one valley east, and it sees a fraction of the traffic because the road is rougher and there is no formal park gate. The walk everyone does goes up the river past a hot spring complex to a set of waterfalls a few hours in, through meadow and spruce with the ridge above; further up the valley opens into summer pasture with shepherd camps and horses. The hot springs at Teplye Klyuchi are developed with pools and simple accommodation, popular with Bishkek families at weekends. In winter the lower valley is used for sledging and short ski tours. It works as the alternative to Ala-Archa for anyone who wants the same landscape without the crowds, at the cost of a worse road.

What you actually see

• The waterfalls - the main walking target a few hours up the valley.
• Hot springs - developed pools at Teplye Klyuchi.
• Summer pastures - shepherd camps and horses in the upper valley.
• Spruce forest - the wooded lower gorge along the river.

When to go

May to October for the walking; the waterfalls are fullest in June with snowmelt. The hot springs run year round. Winter access depends on snow on the approach road.

Honest expectations

The road in is rough beyond the villages and a normal car struggles. Trails are unmarked and there is no visitor infrastructure, so a map or track download matters. The hot spring complex is Soviet-era and basic. Weekends bring picnic crowds and litter to the lower valley.

Nearby

Ala-Archa is the next valley west; Bishkek lies northwest.