Glossary
The encyclopedia of the tourist

K
Kaindy
Kairagach
Kairma
Kaji-Sai
Kalinin
Kalmak-Kyrchin
Kambarata
Kan
Kan-Dobo, Ruins
Kant
Kapchygai
Kaptal-Aryk
Kara-Balta
Kara-Bel
Kara-Bulak
Kara-Jygach
 Kara-Keche
Kara-Kel, salt lake
Kara-Kul
Kara-Oi, Issyk-Kul
Kara-Oi, Naryn
Kara-Suu, Jalal-Abad
Kara-Suu, village (Naryn)
Kara-Tokoi
Karakara
Karakol, river
Karakol, Issyk-Kul
Karakujur
Karan-Zhuvan
Kashka-Suu, village (Chui)
Kashka-Suu, gorge (Chui)
Katran
Kazarman
 Kegety
Kekemeren
Kek-Suu
Kemin
Khan-Debe
Khan-Tengri
Kirkidan
Kochkor (Kochkorka)
Koi-Sary
Koja-Ata
Kojo-Char-Korgon
Kojomkul
Kok-Moinok
Kolkogor
Kol-Ukock
Konur-Olen
Konorchok, Dry Canyons
Korumdu, village
 Korumdu, jailoo
Koshoi-Korgon
Krasnorechenskoe settlement
Kudayar-khan chebi, fastness
Kugundy
Kultor
Kunushtag river
Kurban-Kul
Kurmenty, village
Kyrgyz-Ata
Kyurkyupeo-Suu
Kyzyl-Art
Kyzyl-Bel
Kyzyl-Oi
Kyzyl-Suu, Issyk-Kul
Kyzyl-Suu, Chui
Kyzyl-Unkur


Kaindy. One of the valleys in the Kyrgyz Krebet. The town of Kaindy sits across the main road from Bishkek to Tashkent, and was important for a Sugar factory. High in the mountains above the town was an early gold mine. The road climbs gently into the mountains and though the valley housed a pioneer camp, the valley is rarely visited by foreigners.
South of Kaindy lies the site of Ashpara - an ancient settlement dating from the 6th to 12th centuries. To the south lie some Royal Barrows - burial mounds dating from the 6th century BC to the 3rd century BC. Top

Kairagach. On the left bank of the Hodka Bakirgan river, a grave holding 8 bodies has been discovered, which has yet to be dated. Top

Kairma. Kairma - not far from Chaek - is the site of an ancient settlement with the remains of a fortress dating from the 10th century.Top

Kaji-Sai. On the Southern shore - between Tamga and Bokanbaevo. The site of several archaelogical digs in Soviet times. To the east is the site of an ancient caravan sarai dating from the 10th to 12th centuries. Pipes bring mineral water from the hot springs above the village down to the lake shore. Top

Kalinin. A group of German prisoners of war conspired to create a memorial to Nazism, and planted a copse in the shape of a swastika. Their subterfuge remained undiscovered for many years and can still be seen.Top

Kalmak-Kyrchin. A small village about 60 km northeast of Djalal-Adab, which is the starting point for a visit to Saimaluu-Tash.   Top

Kambarata. The Kambarata Canyon lies to the South of the Naryn River, just before if reaches the Toktogul Reservior. With high, rocky cliff walls offering limited observation points, rapids and whirlpools - it is a popular spot for white water rafting.Top

Kan. To the south of Batken, near the village of Kishtut, are the remains of the 19th century fortress of Kan.Top

Ruins of the ancient Kan-Dobo - Tuura-Suu.
Many legends are told about a mysterious underground town on the shore of Issyk-Kul, about immeasurable wealth guarded by spirits in gloomy catacombs and ghosts frightening casual adventurers. A huge settlement of our predecessors actually exists under the ruins of the ancient Kan-Dobo settlement on the outskirts of Tuura-Suu in the Ton rayon.
The walls of the pit were lined with bricks, dry and well preserved. This was a manhole, the beginning of a tunnel.
Kan-Dobo settlement has a water-piping system. Ancient people living here had such a level of knowledge that they created a network of galleries, a real labyrinth, which, when necessary, served as a refuge concealing them from enemies.
Found home appliances and ancient coins with the image of Buddha in the ground.
Tunnel was lined with abode bricks of a very special type - half a meter long and 20 centimeters wide. The laying met the requirements of modern construction.
Many finds were made in Tuura-Suu, among them vases with inscriptions, stone and metal unknown objects, buttons made from bones, jewelry and many others.    Top

Kant. The town of Kant lies 22 kilometers to the East of Bishkek. It is sometimes thought that the town was named after the philosopher Immanual Kant - especially as there used to be alarge number of ethnic Germans living in the area (for example in the neighbouring village of Luxembourg) - but this is a mistake. The word is Kyrgyz for «cube sugar» and the town owes its name to the presence of a large sugar factory. The town is also home to Kyrgyzstan'slargest cement factory.
There is a statue of Lenin and a monument to theose who fell in the Civil War.
Nearby are Krasnaya Rechka; the Chui river with some good spots for fishing; and a water reservior which is favourite spot for swimming amongst the locals.
To the East of Bishkek, on the road to Kant, lies the site of Pakap - an ancient settlement dating from the 6th to 12th centuries. Top

Kapchygai. (Gorge, mountain valley in Kyrgyz) Between the villages of Frunze and Kyzyl-Kiya, but in the foothills, there is a «stand of ancient man» - dating from about 25-20 thousand years BC.Top

Kaptal-Aryk. The village of Kaptal-Aryk lies about 75 km east of Bishkek, on the road to Talas. It is home to a museum dedicated to the Kyrgyz poet Alykul Osmonov, (1915-1950), who appears on the 200 som note. He was born in the village and wrote in both Kyrgyz and Russian and translated many poems, stories, legends and fairy tales fromKyrgyz into Russian. He was very fond of Lake Issyk Kul and lived in Cholpon-Ata - many of his works describe the lake in it’ s different seasons and moods. He was revered in the Soviet time as an important Soviet writer. He died at the age of 35 of Pulmonary Pneumonia. There is a statue of him outside the National Library in Bishkek. The museum was built to commemorate what would have been his 75th birthday. Top

Kara-Balta. Kara Balta means «Black Axe» in Kyrgyz. The town, 60 kilometers to the West of Bishkek, at the junction of two main roads : The main Bishkek - Taraz (Djambul) - Tashkent road and Kyrgyzstan'smain North-South highway, the Bishkek - Osh road which climbs through the gorge of the Kara Balta river to pass over the Tuu Ashu pass into the Suusamyr plain.
In Soviet times it was a closed city because the uraniumand other metals thatare found in large deposits in the neighbourhood were mined for military purposes. Because of this it took on a prosperous economy with well developed infrastructure, pretty buildings, tree lined streets and a generally Russified feel. The part of the town which was «closed» is called Pochtoviy.
There is a park with plenty of trees and the inevitable statue of V. I. Lenin.
Kara Balta is also the name of one of Kyrgyzstan's bestselling brands of Vodka. Not surprising, because the town is home to the Bakai factory which produces many different types of foodstuffs, but most notably - Vodka.
In the plain leading upto the foothills, south of the road between Kara-Balta and Bishkek are Barrows (burial mounds), some dating from the 5th to the 2nd century BC. There is also the site of Karan Zhuvan - an ancient settlement dating from between the 6th and 12th centuries.Top

Kara-Bel. Eight km North-West from the village of Kara-Bulak in the village of Jety-Tepe is a burial site dating from the 1st century. Top

Kara-Bulak. Not far from Batken is the burial site of Kara-Bulak - in which were discovered silk clothes which date from the 4th to the 2nd centuries BC. Abdylas Maldybaev, (1906-1978) one of the first Kyrgyz composers and a singer (tenor), whose portrait features on the 1 som banknote - was born here.Top

Kara-Jygach. Among the natural sights to the South of Lake Sary-Chelek is Kara-Jygach, which is just one example of a beautiful geological feature, stone columns moulded by the forces of erosion and the Padysha-Ata canyon which presents a picturesque view of an beautiful pristine mountain landscape - it is also a place of pilgrimage.Top

Kara-Keche. On the road from Chaek to Son-Kul, Kara-Keche is best known as an open pit coal mine - one of the largest in Kyrgyzstan with approximately 100 million tons of coal. Top

Kara-Kul. A dormitory town for the workers at the main Toktogul power station, which is nearby. It is possible to arrange tours of the dam and power station, which is one of a series of five across the River Naryn through the gorge down to Tash-Kumyr.
The dam was completed after 14 years construction in 1976 - and it features on the 100 som note. Yet more dams are planned - but it is not clear when and if these plans will be implemented. As well as being a major producer of electricity which Kyrgyzstan exports to neighboring countries - it has also been the source of much dispute with Uzbekistan which lies further down the river - as Kyrgyzstan controls the flow of water which is needed for irrigation of cotton fields etc. in Uzbekistan. At one point the Uzbek armed forces apparently held exercises which looked suspiciously like a rehearsal for seizing control of the dam.
Just to the North, a «golden tiger» ornament was discovered. Top

Kara-Oi. A village just to the West of Cholpon-Ata. There were some petroglyphs discovered here. Top

Kara-Oi. A small village in the Ak-Talaa region - birthplace of the twentieth century Manaschi Togolok Moldo, whose portrait appears on the 20 som note.Top

Kara-Suu. Two lakes at an altitude of 1998 m, set amongst fir forests and meadow land. There are a number of small villages along the valley with Community Based Tourism accommodation and other services. A jeep track leads 3 km above Kyzyl-Kol which offers opportunities for trekking and horse riding over three passes to the northern and southern ends of Sary-Chelek lake and to Arkyt in summer months. Other horse trails and trekking routes up the valley to Kara-Kamych lake and on into the Chatkal valley through the Sary-Chelek bio-reserve, though the beautiful Jarik-Tash valley and to Toktogul are also possible.
The valley is populated, with many small farms along the river. Many of them have been established since 1999 and some even lack electricity. It has been described as «a cultural landscape where man is important but nature dominates».Top

Kara-Suu. A village founded in 1919 by refugees from the Chui valley fleeing the Bolsheviks.Top

Kara Tokoi. In the Chaktal Range, North of Lake Sary-Chelek - an area with a great number of high altitude mountain lakes. Cliff paintings of wild animals (dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries) are found here at a height 3000 m.Top

Karakara. (Black Crane). A high mountain valley at the extreme Eastern end of the Issyk-Kul plain. Herders bring their livestock here to graze on the fine pastures - and every summer there is a «cahbana» or horse festival held in the valley - but the time and place varies each year - apparently depending upon such things a s the harvest.
There is a helipad here from which flights depart for ascents of Khan-Tengri and Peak Pobeda.Top

Karakol. Not to be confused with it's more famous namesake in Issyk-Kul. The Karakol river flos along a canyon on the Southern edge of the Kyrgyz Krebet into the Suusamyr plain, and the village at the easternmost extreme of the plain is named after the river. Top

Karakol. (Black Hand). The most important is the administrative center for the Issyk-Kul region. Top

Karakujur. A beautiful and fertile river valley. Top

Karan-Zhuvan. Between Kara-Balta and Sokoluk, archaeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient settlement dating from between the 6th and the 12th century.Top

Kashka-Suu. Kashka-Suu is a village on the road from Bishkek to Ala-Archa. It is better known amongst locals for the nearby dachas and the Recreation center and ski resort located in the foothills above the village. Even in the summer, when there is no snow, the locals like to come here for the refreshingly cool air (to escape the heat of the city) and as a pleasant place for walking.Top

Kashka-Suu, gorge. 35 km from Bishkek, in Kashka-Suu gorge there is a ski base. It is located in picturesque place, above mountains river with lots of beautiful waterfalls with height from 5 to 10 meters. Neighboring slopes are covered with archa, barbaris, sweet-brier and other wild bushes. The air is filled with aromas of curing plants. The gorge goes up to the foot of the peaks Komsomolets (4140 meters) and Pioneer (4050 m) that can be seen all the way up from Bishkek. At your service there are cozy cottages, sauna, ski lift, ski rent, a wonderful skiing on mountains slopes.Top

Katran. A number of burial sites have been discovered nearby that have yet to be dated, and some cave paintings dating 10th, 12th, 15th and 16th centuries. Top

Kazarman. Kazarman has the reputation of being a «Wild-West» type of town - possibly because of it's connections with the nearby open-cast gold mining and refining facilities. It is located on the main road between Naryn and Jalal-Abad and serves as a stopping point on this journey. The road is closed for most of the year - because the high passes are blocked by snow - and even when it is open - it takes about 18 hours and is not an easy drive (even if the scenery can be spectacular).
The Naryn river flows by, and the mountains that surround the town are. They are said to be good for hunting and fishing. To the South lies one of the access points for Sailaimu-Tash.Top

Kegety. Ninety kilometers East of Bishkek lies the Kegety valley with steep forested slopes. The map shows a road passing over the mountains towards Kochkor - but it is not really passable - the road is blocked by landslides and even in the height of summer it is almost impossible on horseback. A two or day three trek takes you up the Kel-Tor gorge, a side valley, to the Kel-Tor lake (Dead Lake) with it's turquoise water and numerous beautiful waterfalls. From the valley you can visit the Bel Saz jailoo, the Sharkeratma waterfall, Kushkonok forest, Kisl Beles forest, Chaunde Gorom viewpoint and Kara Unkur (Crying cave). It is also possible to make a trip into the neighbouring Tuyuk valley and Karagai-Bulak.
The village of Kegeti lies at the mouth of the gorge although the road into the valley leaves the main road at Ivanovka and travels through Ak-Sai, Rotfront and Leskhos. Top

Kekemeren. The Kekemeren River runs through a narrow valley South from Suusamyr plain, past the village of Aral (in Naryn region - 1400 m. a. s. l.), until eventually it flows into the Naryn River. Popular for white-water rafting, at first the river is relatively calm, but gradually, more and more obstacles appear making it a much more demanding course. Fishing is also a popular activity on the river from Spring, through summerand into Autumn.Top

Kek-Suu. In the mountains, near the border with Tajikistan are a number of petroglyps.Top

Kemin. A regional administrative center which used to be called Bystrovka - and some older locals still call it that.
There is a statue of Shabdan Batyr, a 19th century chieftain of the Sary-Bagysh tribe who ruled the region and is highly regarded as a national hero - and a monument to those who died in the Civil War. Top

Khan Debe An ancient 8th century settlement - abandoned in the 12th century - the remains near the village of Tora Suu, about 20 km to the south of Bokonbaeva, on the southern shore of the lake. Basically all that remains is a stretch of fortifications and a gateway.Top

Khan-Tengri. («Prince of Spirits» or «Ruler of the Sky»)
At 6995 m., (it was recently resurveyed and it was announced that it is, in fact, 7010 m - but some people treat this figure with an element of suspicion), on the border with Kazakhstan, this one of the highest peaks in the Tian Shan. There was some confusion between Khan Tengri and Peak Pobeda - Semyenov, «Tianshansky», mistakenly identified the latteras Khan Tengri when he first reached the region in 1857.
The local name for the mountain is Kau Tau (Blood mountain) - perhaps because of the burning red colour it adopts at sunset, or perhaps because of the numbers of climbers that have died in attempting to climb the peak. It was first climbed successfully only in 1931 by a Ukranian team.
In a sensitive border zone, special permits are required. In the Soviet period, even local mountainjeers needed special permissions and foreigners were totally prohibited access until 1989.
The mountain makes for spectacular photos with its pyramid peak - and there are photos which appear to show a face in the snow on the mountain sides - The spirit of the mountain?
At the foot of the mountain lies the Engilchek Glacier and the mysterious Merzbakher lakes which appear each year in summer only to drain away in August when the ice bank breaks.Top

Kirkidan. To the West of Osh, close by the border with Uzbekistan, lies the site of an ancient settlement dating from between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD.Top

Koi-Sary. At the extreme Eastern end of the lake, North West of Karakol is the site of this ancient settlement, dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries.Top

Koja-Ata. The valley leads into the Sary-Chelek Bio-reserve.Top

Kojo-Char-Korgon. Near the confluence of the rivers Katta-Sai and Kur-Sai, archaeologists have found the remains of an ancient settlement dating from the 10th to the 12th centuries. Top

Kok-Moinok. Between the Issyk-Ata and Kegety gorges are tucked away two small gorges - Tuyuk and Kok-Moinok, connected by the Kok-Moinok pass (2911 m). Nestled under the «Sugar Head» peak sits lies the Kok-Moinok lake.Top

Kolkogor. High in the Kungey Ala-Too mountains between Issyk-Kul lake and the Kemin valley is the Kolkogor mountain lake.Top

Kol-Ukock. The «Lake in a Chest» - a quiet, peaceful lake with cold and crystal clear waters - to the South east of Kochkor. Like Lake Issyk-Kul, a number of rivers flow into the lake, but none flow out. With a maximum depth of 17 meters, it is home to Savan trout (a multi colored fish) and White fish.Top

Konur-Olen. Is a 40-kilometer beautiful intermountain valley of meadows and marshes, which runs parallel to the main road between Balykchi and Bokonbaevo. It is located at an altitude of 2200 m. This valley represents the green mountain slopes, small lakes full of waterfowl, and vintage domed burial - Gumbez.   Top

Konorchok - look Sulu-Terek, dry canyons.    Top

Korumdu. A village to the East of Cholpon-Ata. There is an Ethnographical park here and petroglyphs were discovered here.Top

Korumdu. A jailoo to the West of Kochkor in the Kyzart mountains. The highest point is 4400 m, but it averages 3800 m. Top

Koshoi-Korgon. The site of an ancient settlement, near At-Bashi. The 5 metre high walls are part of the ruins of a small citadel dating from the 10th or 12th century and is where the legendary Kyrgyz hero Manas is supposed to have buried his friend Koshoy. A «korgon» is an ancient burial mound.
The fortress has a rectangular shape. The general length of walls is more than 1000 m. The height of the walls is 8 m. The walls are made of pahsa (pugged clay) and are fortified with towers. Top

Kugundy. In the hills in the South Western corner of the Talas region is a collection of petroglyphs.Top

Kultor. In the Tuyuk valley - a waterfall and mountain lake.Top

Kunushtag, river. There are signs around the river to the South of Leninpole of ancient silver excavations.Top

Kurban-Kul: A mountain lake in the Dugaba valley, which can be reached in a trek from the Dugaba mountaineering base. Top

Kurmenty, village. Beyond the village Kurmenty on one of the hills that were once an island, you can find the entrance to the underground catacombs, which now is almost completely blocked. According to scientists, in IV-V centuries, there was an Armenian Nestorian monastery (noted in the Catalan map of the world in the 14th century as a monastery of "brothers Genocide"), where in a silver casket holy relics of St. Matthew the Evangelist were kept. The complex is a narrow hole, gradually expanding, with small rooms overlooking at it from different sides, resembling monastic cells. It can be said that there is only about thirty of these cells. Archaeologists suggest the existence of lower tiers, which are now buried in the ground.
The whole area is intricately carved with bent sleeves of bays. Not far from the former island, across the bay to the west, was located a Russian Orthodox monastery founded in 1885 by Tsar Alexander III. In 1916, during the uprising of Kyrgyz against the government of tsarist Russia, the monastery was burnt and the monks were killed. 5 people have fled before the massacre, Iraklion first fled to Ananievo, then to Almaty. He managed to take with him a miraculous icon of the monastery, which survived during the fire. According to the eyewitnesses, the blood was coming out from the bullet holes in the icon, but the icon itself was exuding an unearthly light. At present, this miraculous icon, which, in the belief, heals the wounds and keeps from enemy bullets, can be found in the Orthodox Church in Karakol. Top

Kyrgyz-Ata. («Father of the Kyrgyz») A national park in the mountains, south of the road between Osh and Kyzyl-Kia, established to protect the archa forests which grow here. Top

Kyurkyupeo-Suu. At the extreme Western end of the Talas region, a little past Sheker is the village of Kak-Sai. There are some petroglyphs nearby which are dated from between the 15th century BC and the 8th century AD.Top

Kyzyl-Art. The road south from Osh to Tajikistan passes through Sary-Tash where it meets the road to Irkeshtam and China. Further South it passes over the Kyzyl-Art Pass into Tajikistan. At 4282 m above sea level - this is the highest road in Kyrgyzstan.Top

Kyzyl-Bel Pass. About 24 kilometers South of Naryn, on the road to Torugart, the pass offers a splendid view down the valley with the crest of the At-Bashi range to the East. Top

Kyzyl-Oi. «Red Bowl» in Kyrgyz - the village is located at 1800 meters asl, 40 kilometers South of Suusamyr on the main road to Kochkor and Son-Kul. The road travels through the narrow gorge of the Kokomeren river and into a wide bowl surrounded by red coloured mountains. The local clay soil was used was used to build houses which give the village a distinctive style and character.
The mountains surrounding the village offer potential for hiking and horse trekking; the river for rafting. The jailoo of Chet-Tor, about five km from the village has a number of springs and a family offers accommodation in their yurt. This can be a base for further exploration to Kel-Tor gorge and it? s glacial lake. The Chon-Tash jailoo, which is a gentle 40 minute horse ride from the village, leads on to the Munkur pass to a glacier feeding three mountain lakes.Top

Kyzyl-Suu. The village of Kyzyl-Suu is nestled under the Kyrgyz Krebet, some 35 km east of Tokmok. The Kurandy jailoo is surrounded by slopes covered in coniferforests and alpine meadows. Top

Kyzyl-Suu. Known as Pokrovka in Soviet times, about 40 km west of Karakol, at the foot of the Chong-Kyzyl-Suu valley which is one of the terminal points of a standard trek from Altyn-Arashan - Goskartophica, in Bishkek, sell maps of the route - unfortunately only in Russian. There are warm springs up the valley, for example, at Svetlaya Polyana and the Zhuku gorge.
To the North is the site of a medieval settlement of Torktol, and to the West in the village of Saru there are some ancient barrows (burial mounds). In the hills above the village there is a Tibetan Buddhist inscription on a stone.
The peninsula to the North is the winter home to a variety of ducks and wildfowl - some of which appear int «Red Book» of endangered species.Top

Kyzyl-Unkur. («Red Cave» in Kyrgyz) Fifteen kilometers from Arslan-Bob. Situated in nut woods, there is a hunting reserve around the nearby Yassa river. There is a small holiday camp here. Top

Kyrgyzstan travel