Where you are going
Ala-Archa National Park sits 40 km south of Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, and the drive takes about 50 minutes. From the park barrier it is another 12 km up the valley to the car park, where the road ends and the mountains begin properly. This is the shortest way out of the city into genuine alpine scenery, which is why it is the tour most of our guests start with.
The name means “colourful juniper”. The lower slopes are covered in archa — tree juniper that grows about a metre per decade, so a trunk you can just get your arms around has been standing for two centuries. Higher up the juniper gives way to Tien Shan spruce, narrow and almost black, which grows nowhere else.
Two ways to walk it
You choose the effort. The easy option is a level stroll along the asphalt through the park, about 20–25 minutes each way, with the river on one side and spruce forest on the other. It suits families, anyone travelling with small children, and guests who would rather look than climb.
The second option is the climb to the Broken Heart viewpoint: 1.5 km one way, roughly an hour up, and rated medium difficulty. It is a steady ascent on a clear path, no scrambling and no special equipment, but you will want shoes with grip. The view from the top runs the whole length of the gorge.
When to come
The park is open all year. From May to September the slopes are green and the river is full. October turns the whole gorge gold and is the best month for photographs. In winter the road is cleared and the valley is silent under snow — a completely different tour, and for many people a better one.
Ala-Archa is often taken as a first day, to get used to the altitude before Kol-Tor. If you would like to see the same park from the saddle, we also run a horse riding tour here.
