We spent the morning wandering around Fairytale Canyon, a very colourful place with wonderful rock formations not far from Bokonbaevo. We didn’t feel the need to pose on the highest peaks, nor climb precariously up steep slopes for a perfect selfie, but the patterns and colours in nature are just beautiful and well worth a visit. A dog wandered around with us, magpies kept swooping at him, but he didn’t care. Lionel and Kubat also had a go at archery…this young man had set up a yurt for the Summer and had an official guide tag.

We also stopped at an abandoned resort, which had some lovely designs on the front walls. Evidently a very rich businessman built it, but fled the country after the 2010 revolution…seems a shame no one has done anything with it!

Next stop was Barskoon Waterfall, quite small, but in a fantastic setting amidst snow-covered mountains. There were also two large head sculptures of Yuri Gagarin nearby.

Last activity for the day was a swim in Lake Issyk. A bit cool for me, but Lionel said it wasn’t as cold as the Black Sea in Turkey!

The abandoned resort

Almost a bullseye

Barskoon Waterfall, the small one

Yuri Gagarin monument

Fairytale Canyon