The river that waters the capital
The Alamedin is one of the two rivers that supply Bishkek with water. It starts at the Alamedin glacier on the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Range and flows for 78 km before joining the Chui River.
In summer, when the glaciers melt, the calm river turns into a roaring torrent. In flood it carries dozens of times more water than in autumn.
Peaks you can see from Bishkek
- Semenov-Tian-Shansky Peak — about 4,875 m.
- Kyrgyzstan Peak — about 4,860 m.
- The Alamedin Wall — about 4,700 m.
- Spartak Peak — about 4,657 m.
- Usechenko Peak — about 4,650 m.
On a clear day, look south from any high point in Bishkek: those snowy teeth are the headwaters of the Alamedin.
Glaciers
At the head of the Salyk valley lies the second-largest glacial system of the Kyrgyz Range. Higher still, the Altyn-Tor and Tuyuk-Tor gorges have glaciers of their own, and in Altyn-Tor you can see the Kara-Too hanging glacier.
Trees and plants
The lower gorge is home to birches with reddish bark, rowan, wild rose and archa — mountain juniper. Visitors from Europe are often surprised: the landscape looks like a northern forest, only set against snowy peaks.
In summer people pick wild berries and mushrooms in the clearings. Dozens of medicinal herbs grow on the meadows, which locals dry and add to their tea.
Wildlife
Hundreds of species of animals and birds live in the gorge. You're most likely to see marmots whistling from the rocks, birds of prey above the ridges, and keklik — the chukar partridge. Higher up live ibex, and in the wildest headwaters the snow leopard is very rarely seen. Spotting one is a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.
How to protect it
- Don't pick rare flowers or dig up plants.
- Don't feed wild animals.
- Keep noise down and stay away from nests and burrows.
- Carry all your rubbish out.