KOCHKOR IN BRIEF:

Territory: 6.45 thousand km2

Altitude above sea level: 2 000m

Population: 16,000

Climate: continental

How to get there: Bishkek-Kochkor (2.5 h by car,190km.),

Naryn – Kochkor (2 h by car,120km.)

To get on the Kochkor road from Bishkek, you must follow the Issyk-Kul road through the Boomskoe Gorge and then turn right, traveling around the Orto-Tokoi Reservoir. The Kochkor Valley includes many different kinds of landscape. Firstly there is a broad expanse of steppe sweeping up to the base of the Tian-Shan Mountains. Extending above the steppe are high mountain forests and broad swathes of jailoo – high-altitude summer pastures where sheep graze on fields covered with edelweiss. The hub of the valley is the village of Kochkor. Hospitable and affable people engaged in agriculture and traditional Kyrgyz crafts live here.

Kochkor – the Heart of Nomadic lifestyle. In families with a traditional rural way of life, where a woman looks after the hearth, where the young implicitly listen to the grown-ups, where the old men enjoy honor and respect, you will be offered an overnight stay in traditional Kyrgyz style. You can sleep on hand-made felt carpets called “shyrdaks” and enjoy a breakfast cooked with fresh, local products. You will have the chance to bake your own bread and to make “kymyz”- the national drink that is made from mares’ milk. With expert assistance from the local women you will be able to weave your own Ala-kiyiz (wall hanging) – not only an unforgettable experience, but also a lasting souvenir of your trip. A children's folklore group will present a show including Kirghiz national songs and dances accompanied by a “komuz”, the most ancient of Kyrgyz musical instruments. In the local museum you will not only hear the old legends, but also learn about the history of this land and see the rarities and samples of fauna that can be found in the area.

Maps of CBT Kochkor: