Kara-Shoro National Park

Kara-Shoro lies in the mountains east of Uzgen at around 2,000 metres and upward, a valley of spruce and juniper with meadows above and a set of mineral springs that give it its reputation: the water is carbonated and strongly mineralised, and Kyrgyz visitors come specifically to drink it over a course of days, with different springs assigned to different ailments. A small resort area with cabins and yurts serves them. Beyond the springs the park is walking and riding country, largely unvisited by foreigners, with bears and deer in the higher forest. The road up from Uzgen is rough and climbs steadily. It is the kind of place that functions as a domestic health destination rather than a tourist sight, which is much of its interest.

What you actually see

• Mineral springs - carbonated water taken as a cure.
• Spruce and juniper - forest across the valley slopes.
• Cabin and yurt camps - simple accommodation around the springs.
• Upper meadows - grazing and walking country above the treeline.

When to go

June to September; the springs and camps operate in summer and close with the snow. July and August are busiest with domestic visitors. The road is impassable in winter.

Honest expectations

Accommodation is Soviet-era cabins and yurts, basic by any standard. Almost nothing is in English and foreign visitors are rare. The road up is rough and slow. Trails are unmarked. The mineral water is an acquired taste and drinking a lot of it has predictable effects.

Nearby

Uzgen and its Karakhanid monuments lie west; Osh is southwest.