Tien Shan Trail Race by Ak-Sai Travel

Description

Kyrgyzstan is a country of contrasts and tons of highlights. Its variety impresses to the deepest corners of your soul and leave unforgettable experience for a long time. Tien-Shan Trail Race is a fascinating mountain marathon for professionals as well as for amateur runners. The race will take place in the Base Camp “Karkara”, the picturesque natural boundary of the Issyk-Kul region - Char Kuduk. The runners can test their forces in 3 km or 10 km race, as well as in half-marathon (21 km) and marathon (42 km) distances. Let's escape from the city, get unforgettable impressions of the mountain scenery and enjoy the atmosphere of the sports festival together!

The aims of Marathon:

•    Promotion of resort tourism and healthy life-style; motivation of the people for physical exercises and activities.
•    Develop of international contact in tourism and sport; acquaintances with the best marathoners of Kyrgyzstan.
•    Attraction of sportsmen and tourists of neighborhoods and other countries.

There will be 4 Marathon destinations:

•    Full Marathon Distance (42 km and 195 m)
•    Half Marathon Distance (21 km and 97.5 m)
•    10 km running distance
•    3 km running distance.

Please kindly pay your attention that Marathon will take place at 2200 meters above sea level.
This sport event isn’t just the part of tour program, it’s also the great opportunity to be introduced to the culture and beauty of Kyrgyzstan nature.

Itinerary

Day 1. Airport – Bishkek city. Ala Archa Natural Park. (30+80 km / 40 min + 2 hours)

Early morning arrival to Bishkek city. Meeting with the guide and driver. Transfer to the hotel and rest. Early check-in is included.

Short rest and breakfast. After breakfast you drive to Ala Archa Natural Park located in a picturesque gorge of Ala Archa 45 km from Bishkek to the south. You spend in the park some time enjoying the beautiful views and breath with fresh cool air. Nice opportunity to hide from the heat of the big city.

After walk drive back to Bishkek city. Lunch and start half day city tour. Walking tour around main Ala Too Square with monuments of the Great Manas and Kurmanzhan Datka, main governmental buildings, Oak Park, Opera and Ballet theater and finish at the Victory Square dedicated to the WWII.

Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

(Breakfast – hotel, Lunch – café, Dinner – restaurant).

Day 2. Bishkek city – Son Kul lake. (390 km / 6-7 hours)

In the morning we start our journey and drive to Son Kul lake. On the way visit Burana Tower (UNESCO site) near Tokmok town (1,5 hours). Here you explore ruins of one of the most important trading point at the Great Silk Road and also visit a little local museum that tells about that civilization by items of ancient.

After excursion drive further via Boom canyon, Kuvaky pass and around Orto Tokoi reservoir to Kochkor village.

Upon arrival to Kochkor, visit local women cooperation, watch felt production demonstration called “shyrdak show”. There are different types of carpets exist in Kyrgyz felt producing tradition, so there will be opportunity to take part in Ala Kiyiz making (carpet type). After show we visit the handicraft museum and a shop. Lunch in a local family.

Leave the village after all activities and head to Son Kul via Kilemchi valley and Kalmak Ashuu pass. Alpine Lake Son Kul is located in Tien Shan range at the altitude of 3016 m. During the summer Son Kul pasture is considered to be the best Kyrgyz jailoo.

Upon arrival to Son Kul lake dinner and overnight in a yurt camp.

(Breakfast – hotel, Lunch – family, Dinner – yurt camp)

Day 3. Son Kul lake – Bokonbaev village (270 km / 5 hours)

After breakfast free time around the camp. There is a chance to explore the area, seek for edelweiss flowers, take pictures, walk along the lake or hike to the nearest Petroglyphs site, and taste national dishes and drinks.

Together with local people set up a yurt – traditional dwelling of the nomadic culture. Interesting and very informative activity.

In the afternoon, after lunch we leave Son Kul Lake and head to another alpine Lake – Issyk Kul. Issyk Kul Lake is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America. Measuring 182 km long by 58 km wide, the lake appeared as a result of volcanic activity. In the summer the water temperature reaches 22-23 degrees centigrade and you can swim in the lake enclosed on all sides by the snowy peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains.

Drive along the south shore of the Lake and reach Bokonbaev village. Accommodation at the local family guest house. Dinner and overnight.

(Breakfast – yurt camp, Lunch – yurt camp, Dinner – family guest house)

Day 4. Bokonbaev village – Karakol town via Djety Oguz gorge. (185 km, 2-3 hours)

After breakfast we head to meet an eagle hunter and his bird.  The hunter will demonstrate to us traditions of training birds of prey and hunting procedure (you can choose between fake skin of fox or real live rabbit). After demonstration it’s possible to take pictures with the bird on your hand!

Later drive to Karakol town. On the way visit Djety Oguz gorge. Djety Oguz in Kyrgyz means “Seven Bulls”. This picturesque gorge is named so because of the red rocky sand formations covered with forests of Tien Shan spruces. On this day you get acquainted with nomadic way of life of the Kyrgyz people and enjoy beautiful views of the gorge. There are great hiking opportunities at the beginning of the canyon or deep inside.

Arrival to Karakol in the late afternoon. Karakol town situated in the east of the lake area, at the foot of the picturesque mountains of Tien Shan. This sleepy but very interesting old Russian town was firstly erected by Cossacks in the middle of 19th century and became an important garrison settlement.

Start short city tour. We have 2 object to visit: Dungan mosque as a unique construction in Chinese style, but serving as a mosque and Old Russian Orthodox Church – Holy Trinity Cathedral made of wood.

Dinner in a café. Accommodation at the hotel. Rest.

(Breakfast – local family, Lunch – en route, Dinner – cafe)

Day 5. Karakol town – Karkara valley (120 km, 2-3 hours)

Today we head to Karkara camp to take part at the highlight of this travel. It is located in 120 kilometres from Karakol to the east. Camp is situated in the picturesque tract of Char Kuduk valley of Issyk-Kul region, at an altitude of 2200 m.

Upon arrival to the valley you can walk around or take a horse for riding (free time).

Routes for marathon are made for participants with different physical strengths. Athletes can run a marathon and a half marathon race (42 and 21 km) to compete with the strongest marathon runners. Those, who like a healthy life style, can overcome 3 and 10 km distances and enjoy unique landscapes. Trail running is a run on natural terrain. For some participants, it is a strength test, and for others, it is a unity with nature and the opportunity to enjoy the mountain scenery. Here everyone will find something that one likes.

Briefing regarding marathon at campfire.  Interactive games to get to know other participants.

Dinner in BC Karkara. Overnight in tents.

(Breakfast – hotel, Lunch – BC Karkara, Dinner – BC Karkara)

Day 6. Karkara valley.  

Tien-Shan Trail Race day, 3 km, 10 km, 21 km, 42 km

6:00 – 8:00 – Breakfast

8:00 – 8:30 – Delivery of packages to the participants of the Marathon

8:30 – 9:00 – Opening Ceremony

9:00 – 9:45 – Warming up

9:45 – 10:00 – Preparation for the start

10:00 – Mass start at the Distance 21km, 42 km.

* Maximum time – no more than 6 hours and 8 hours.

10:30 – Mass start 3km, 10km

* Maximum time: 1 hour and 4 hours

13:00 – 15:00 – Lunch (Buffet)

15:00 – 18:00 – Interactive games / sports entertainment / rest

18:00 – 19:00 – Awarding. Closing ceremony

19:00 – 21:00 – Dinner at campfire and music

Overnight in tents.

(Breakfast, Lunch – lunch box, Dinner – BC Karkara)

Day 7. Karkara valley – Semenovskoe gorge – Grigorjevskoe gorge – Cholpon Ata town (260 km / 4 hours)

In the morning leave Karkara and drive along the northern shore of Issyk Kul lake.

Our way lays through the two picturesque gorges:  Semenovskoe and Grigorevskoe, where you can enjoy nature and visit the place called Kyrchyn where World Nomad Games took place in 2016 and 2018. Grigorievskoe gorge (Kyrgyz name Chon AK-Suu) is located on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul lake, 30 kilometres from Cholpon Ata near the village Grigorevka. 20 km to the West of the Grigorievsky gorge there is no less popular Semenovskoe gorge, named after one of the first researchers of these places – the famous Russian scientist – geographer p. Semenov-Tien-Shansky, who studied Tien Shan in the 50s-60s of the XIX century.

Accommodation in the hotel on the lake shore around Cholpon Ata town.

(Breakfast – tent camp, Lunch – en route, Dinner – hotel/cafe)

Day 8. Cholpon Ata – Bishkek (290 km / 4-5 hours)

After breakfast we take the road to the city of Bishkek.

Before we leave visit Cholpon Ata Petroglyphs site. It is a large open-air collection of rock carvings sometimes referred to as a Stone Garden, which covers some 42 hectares and contains a number of prehistoric monumental structures (stone circles, tombs, the remains of a boundary stone wall) and Petroglyphs dated back Sak-Usun period from 9-8 century BC up to 3-5 century AD. 

Drive along the north shore of Issyk Kul lake, to Boom gorge, back to Chui valley and further to Bishkek city.

Upon arrival accommodation at the hotel.

Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight.

(Breakfast – hotel, Lunch – en route, Dinner – restaurant)

Day 9. Bishkek city – Airport “Manas”. (35 km, 40 min)

Morning transfer to airport to catch your flight back home.

(Breakfast – hotel)

Map

Additional Info

Level of difficulty:

There are some difficulties on the route, tourists should have an average level of fitness for hiking and horse riding, and take into account that sometimes they have long transfers up to 5 hours by mountain roads.

Clothes and equipment:

Please take into consideration that in summer time the temperature in Bishkek city reaches up to 40 C and in the mountains the temperature decreases to -10 C. Be prepared for unexpected changes of the weather.

Conditions of accommodation:

Hotels in Bishkek, Issyk Kul and Karakol  – private shower and toilet.

Yurts at Son Kul Lake and guest house of Bokonbaev village – shared shower and toilet.

Responsibilities of clients

Clients should recognize and accept the risk that circumstances may arise which would cause some activities to be shortened or eliminated altogether without reimbursement or refund. Such circumstance includes weather conditions, earthquakes and other acts of nature, injuries or other medical problems, which they may experience. Each tourist should have medical insurance that should be organized him/herself in home country.

Recommended to have:

• Rain-coat
• Sweater/fleece
• Wind-stopper
• Enough t-shirts and other underwear (think of taking smth with long sleeves to avoid sunburns)
• Hat (remember – the sun can be violent)
• Sun-screen cream (30 or higher)
• Insect repellent (skin + clothes)
• Good trekking boots for easy hikes in the mountains
• Walking shoes for the city walks
• Proper shoes for the run on the unpaved road
• Personal first aid kit (most likely problems: blisters, sunburns, allergy, diarrhea, sore muscles after hikes. Take painkillers, anti-histaminic, antibiotics of general action, and anything you need for your usual medical conditions).
• Personal hygiene kit (disinfection gel is highly recommended) + some toilet paper.
• A small towel
• Swimming suit (for Issyk-Kul)
• Sunglasses
• Photo camera
• Notepad and a pen to make notes as you travel
• A smaller backpack, except for your normal suitcase.
• Flash light (torch)
• Walking poles if needed

Money exchange - if you plan to exchange USD / Euro to KGS , we recommend to take the notes of 50, 100 without stamps, inscriptions and any kind of damage, because damaged banknotes are not accepted by banks and exchange offices.

Photos

Prices

Please fill the form to request details and actual information of the Marathon in the upcoming year. Responsible manager will contact you as soon as possible.