Issyk-Ata Gorge

Issyk-Ata means warm father, and the gorge has been used for its hot mineral springs for a very long time; a Soviet sanatorium still operates there with indoor and outdoor pools fed from the source, and it is the main reason people come. The older attraction sits on a boulder near the road: a relief of a seated Buddha, cut in the medieval period when this valley carried Silk Road traffic and Buddhism reached the Chuy region, weathered but clearly legible. Above the sanatorium the valley narrows into spruce forest and continues towards the high ridge, with walking routes and shepherd camps in summer. The complex is Soviet in style and condition, and the mix of medieval carving, mineral pools and concrete blocks is the character of the place.

What you actually see

• The Buddha relief - a medieval carving on a roadside boulder.
• Hot spring pools - indoor and open-air baths at the sanatorium.
• The upper gorge - spruce forest and walking routes above the resort.
• Soviet sanatorium - the working spa complex and its buildings.

When to go

May to October for the valley walks; the springs work year round and winter bathing in the outdoor pool is popular. The road is kept open in winter to the sanatorium.

Honest expectations

The sanatorium is dated and basic rather than a modern spa, and standards vary. The Buddha carving is small and easy to miss without directions. The upper valley has no marked trails. Weekend crowds fill the pools.

Nearby

Bishkek lies west; Tokmok and Burana are northeast.