If you can’t yet identify Kyrgyzstan on a map, you’ll be forgiven. This tiny, mountainous Central Asian state, formerly part of the USSR, is home to just 5 million people and, unlike her more famous neighbors, is home to neither significant oil reserves nor large numbers of militants. However, if you take your kayaking seriously, it’s time to get better acquainted: 9500 miles of alpine rivers (classes 2-5+) and the world’s 2nd largest mountain lake are awaiting your arrival. Best of all, until the secret gets out you’ll almost certainly have the water to your self.
There undoubtedly as many kayaking routes as there are rivers (40,000 by some accounts!) but 2 in particular spring to mind, each showing off a different aspect of this wildly beautiful country. The first is a 2-3 day, 35 mile journey along the Chom-Kemin River and begins some 8070 ft above sea level in a small gorge where a tributary known as Djindy-Su joins the main river. 93% of Kyrgyzstan is covered by mountains from the Tien Shah and Pamir ranges, and the drive up to the put-in is breath-taking. You must, however, take into account the time of year as snowfall and ice prevent canoeing in winter and glacier melt water swells the river in early summer. The best time, therefore, is to take a trip in August or September.
On joining the river, your first encounter is with a class 4 rapid where the two rivers meet. There’s nothing quite like baptism by fire. However, having braved the rapid you’ve now got a chance to catch your breath as the two miles that follow are mostly calm. While you have the opportunity, take in the sight of the pine forested slopes and the total absence of mankind; occasional sheep and goats will be your only companions.
A bridge now passes over the river, signaling it is time to prepare for the next two sets of rapids. Each short stretch is class 3-4 and they’re little over a mile apart. Visibility is fairly good, so you shouldn’t need to scout the bank in advance and the village of Buzulgansai, right next to the second set of rapids, offers a chance to get out and stretch your legs should you need it.
A little over two miles past Buzulgansai, the river enters the next gorge and one of the more challenging stretches of the river. The gorge itself is 3 miles long and the first part contains two rapids, each 1300-1500ft. The first is class 4+ and the second class 5. You will need to scout the right bank for this stretch and, once the water is calm again, prepare yourself for the 2 miles of class 4 rapids that take you all the way to the end of the gorge.
Between this gorge and the next you have 3-4 miles of flat river. The parallel road begins to climb to the right of a hill while the river snakes through to the left, entering the next gorge through little more than a crack. ½ a mile of class 5 rapid greets you on the other side and it gets noticeably harder before easing into class 4 for a further ½ mile and then flattening out as the gorge ends.
The final gorge is just under 2 miles down river. It contains one last class 4 section before the valley opens out and villages are scattered across the horizon. Most kayakers leave the river at this point as the whitewater excitement is over but if you have the time to appreciate the scenery, carry on down river to Ashu, where civilization, proper beds and a newly-built sauna await tired limbs.
For a complete contrast and rather more sedate paddling, take a trip instead to Lake Issyk-Kul, the jewel in Kyrgyzstan’s crown. The saline Issyk-Kul, second in size only to the Caspian Sea, is 430 miles in circumference and an incredible 3700 ft deep. Despite being more than 5200 ft above sea level, Issyk-Kul never freezes: it is heated from below by low-level volcanic activity. An 8-day trip will enable you to see almost all the lake has to offer – from Soviet sanatoria to wildlife and 2500 year old archaeological sites – but there are also a number of lake-side hotels offering kayaks to rent by the day.
Issyk-Kul is the one place in Kyrgyzstan that has significantly developed its Kyrgyzstan infrastructure so although you can take off on your own, it’s just as easy to rent a boat to follow your round and carry your belongings. The most popular route around the lake begins and ends on the pier at Prjevalsk bay at takes in the major coastal bays and towns as well as offering extended stretches of deep water kayaking. Although the lake itself has no white water, some 117 rivers and streams lead into the lake, providing ample opportunity for day-long excursions.
Getting to Kyrgyzstan is the first part of the challenge as there are no direct flights from the US or UK; services usually route via Moscow, Almaty (Kazakhstan) or Istanbul. A tourist visa can now be purchased on arrival, however, which is a real treat after the excessive red tape of neighboring states. Any international flight will come into Manas, the airport shared with the US army, on the outskirts of Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, and it’s just a short drive to the city centre. If you have a command of basic Russian it will certainly help you to get around but if not, don’t fear: there are a number of English-speaking tourism agencies who can assist you with transport and basic accommodation as well as provide experienced guides. Avantour (www.avantour.com/kyrgyzstan) and Celestial Mountains (www.celestial.com.kg) are the most reliable and, although based in Bishkek, have a good network of guides, drivers and accommodation options across the country. The Canoe Kayak Federation of Kyrgyzstan (email canoe.kg@rambler.ru) can provide up to date information on organized trips, as can the team at Kayak USSR (www.kayakussr.com). The most recently updated (and comprehensive) travel guide to Kyrgyzstan, which includes sections on canoeing and rafting, is Kyrgyz Republic, published by Odyssey Illustrated Guides in July 2008. Sit down, have a read, have a look and prepare to go to the back of beyond in pursuit of the remotest, highest, visually stunning and physically challenging paddling to be found.
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