An aerial survey of Krasnorechenskoe archeological site in the Chu river valley in Kyrgyzstan. The ruins are associated with the medieval town of Navekat, which was established as a Sogdian merchants' stopover on the Great Silk Road 4-9 ca AD. The place is known for its multi-confessional population. Temples of Zoroastrian Fire-worshipers, Buddhists and Nestorian Christians met in this spot of space-time.

A flight like this can be part of a day-trip visiting the Lost Cities of the Chu-river valley. To sign-up for the trip please write to asia@lostnomads.com

DURATION: 1 day
DISTANCE: up to 250 km.
SEASON: Year round.

This trail follows the footprints of trade caravans, that used to once traveled thru the Chu Valley - along one of the northern routes of the Silk Road.

Field excursions offered on this trip are developed by the researchers who have been participating in studies carried out on these sites. Air overviews of the medieval cities, horseback rides, folk music concert are being offered as optional add-ons to the main tour program and are hence printed in italics and a different font color.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY

Depart from Bishkek.

Krasnaia Rechka archeological site ( city of NAVEKAT):
- Air excursions depend much on the weather conditions. Best times for flights are during sunrise/set.
- Field excursion - Buddhist Temple, Rabad, Shakhristan, Fire Worshipers’ Temple (Zoroastrianist)
- Demonstration of coin collection from Krasnaya Rechka.

Light breakfast.

Transfer to Ak-Beshim archeological site.

Ak-Beshim (city of SUIAB):
- Field excursion (on horseback) Nestorian Christian Temple, Buddhist Temple, Rabad, and look for a Balbal stone figure.

Transfer to Burana tower. (on horseback) - 15 км

Lunch

Burana archeological site (city of BALASAGUN):
- Field excursion - Burana museum, the minarah, digs at the Shakhristan.

Transfer to Issyk-Ata mountain valley.

Issyk-Ata Buddha: Excursion at the 1930s mineral springs resort, Radon swiming pool. (downhill biking - 15 км)

Transfer to Bishkek.

Dinner, folk music performance.

When one of the adventure tourism groups approached me with a request to develop an archeological trail in the Chu River valley, I was not very optimistic about the prospect. They proved me wrong…

As revealed by earlier scientific explorations, the Red River archeological site represents an early mediaeval city known as Navekat - a uniquie legacy, but its significance and historical value is only accessible to professionals. The city lies under a thick alluvial of hundreds of years. A few recent digs, which uncovered a Buddhist temple, fortification structures of the citadel, and an independently positioned castle with round shaped corner towers had soon turned into vague ruins and fall far from appealing to one's esthetic emotions. Neusses burial places of fire worshippers zoroastrians, destroyed by cattle farms constructed at the site also envoke emotions far from positive. For now, from my point of view, there isn't much at the site to see for an average tourist yet. But the adventurous guides proposed to take off and catch a bird's eye perspective on the ancient city. As a trail-blazer, I was supposed to be the first one to test fly the route and catch a few effective views on camera for advertisement purposes.

The views uncovered from 200m (650 ft) were worth the few unpleasant moments when the motorized hang-glider steeped up and the wind blasted tears from my eyes. It's amazing how much detail comes to view when you are looking from above. Beside the fortress walls one may distinguish living quarters and even outlines of separate buildings. The pilot of the ultralight would pass down by the hills, obliterating ancient temples or gain altitude letting you assess the size of this grand city on the route of the Great Silk Road.

The excitement of free flight, resembling only those emotions from dreams, mixed with the thrill over a great perspective to a medieval city and beauty of the Chu River Valley.

The trail yet needs to be perfected, there is much work in progress - the route needs to be detailed, a guidance narrative has to be translated to several languages and recorded on tape, to be played back in the air explaining what is seen under feet of those daring adventure tourists. By now I have a belief in the future of our adventure tourism, and can use the words of Gorky's characters in “The Song of the Felcon” to say: “I've seen the sky… I know happiness…”

Trail: [Bishkek - Teo Ashu pass - Susamyr valley - Talas valley- Talas -Kara Bura valley -Chatkal valley - lake Sary Chelek - Arslanbob -Tash Kumyr - Jalal Abad- Kek Art pass - Saimaly Tash moraines - Kazarman - lake Song Kul - Sary Bulak - Den Alysh - Kegety/Shamsi - Bishkek]

This route takes bikers on a crosscultural expedition across ridges from the nomadic North to the settled South of Kyrgyzstan. The trail begins by venturing into Talas valley supposedly an epic Manas' homeland and major supplier of archeological findings for Bishkek's antique shops.

The Kara-Bura river valley may expose travelers to the ancient gold miners' techniques. We will get to pass thru unique nature reserves of Sary-Chelek and Arslanbob. The stretch between Tash-Kumyr and Jalal Abad adds a flavor of the Ferghana valley.

A big attraction on the way is the Saimaly Tash moraine - UNESCO acknowledged largest collection of petroglyphs in Central Asia. This portion of the way has not been ridden on by our bicycle guides and promises to be a first-hand pioneer experience, not only 'off the beaten path' but completely off any trail at times. Traveling back by lake Song Kul at altitude of 3000 m is supposed to cool off bikers and brakes.This is a long trail. To save time, travelers might consider taking 4 wheel transport on asphalt roads where possible.

DURATION: 7 days
DISTANCE: 1000 km
ROUTE: Bishkek - Karakol - Bishkek
SEASON: April-October

“Millennia ago, a traveler passed along the Silk Road. He was born in Barskhan, which is on lake Issyk Kul’s southern shore. His name - Makhmud Kashgari. He had compiled the first ever “Vocabulary of Turkish nouns,” which had imortified his name. Many of the cities, where the traveler had stopped, have since then been submerged by the lake’s waters, newcomers and local tribes have mixed, but the cultural legacy has not vanished ...” - City of the Great Traveler, Bishkek, 1994. Join us in search for the drowned treasures of lake Issyk Kul. Travelers will circle the lake, camping in unpopulated areas. We will explore the sites of known city ruins from the air - flying an ultralight powered hang-glider, and scuba-diving where possible.

DURATION: 7 days
DISTANCE: 1700 km
ROUTE: Bishkek- Jalal-Abad - Kazarman - Naryn - Bishkek
SEASON: May - September

"Saimaly Tash is located on the slopes of the Ferghana mountain range, about 100 km east of the provincial capital of Jalal-Abad at an altitude of 3200 m. As translated from Kyrgyz, Saimaly Tash means Painted Rock, which is a succinct description of the place - there are thousands of rock images. Some very modest estimates put the number of scenes depicted on the boulders of two moraines at 11000. Two thirds of the images depict animals (goats, wolves, horses, rarely camels, leopards, and marals) the rest of them display hunting scenes, rituals and shamanist symbols. The oldest of the drawings are considered to have been produced in the third millenium BC."

-Bruno De Cordier, UNV Spec.

Saimaly Tash is extremely isolated from the outside world. Getting there takes a full day hike from the closest dirt road.

DURATION: 10 days
DISTANCE: 1000 km
ROUTE: Bishkek-Talas-Bishkek
СЕЗОН: April - October

- Petroglyphs of Scythian times at the top of Urmaral river: The purpose of this trip is to visit the petroglyphs located at the top of Urmaral river - a unique site, presenting samples of Scythian culture; to identify specifics and general properties of the “Scythian Animal Style”; to locate the sources of cultural influence on the art of nomads by the Akhemenid Iran and China; to decode the petroglyph language. We will try to discover undocumented images, conduct primary processing of the collected data, and practice in application of dating techniques depending on the type of drawing. The majority of images at Urmaral are spread out unevenly alongside the river flow with a lesser density in the river's lower stretch. The images at the river source are more vivid (north face). The most renown group of images is located on a boulder named Zhaltyrak Tash ("Glanced Rock") This rock is 60 m across and 8-10 m in height. It is blocking half of the Kaman Suu valley. There are images of a deer-camel - a female maral deer with 2 cone-shaped humps. The animal is depicted in motion - as if it was aiming for the sky. The images are made with a contour line technique. Other images, like a multi-figure composition consisting of scenes drawn at different times, are made by the so called point technique.

- Ken Kol catacombs and Manas memorial: Explore the renown Ken Kol catacombs, that have given its name to an entire culture of ancient migrants, who have buried their tribe-mates in catacomb-like constructions. We will have a chance to argue on timing and cultural belonging of the Ken Kol catacombs and tribes with artificially elongated skulls. Visit the Manas gumbez - architectural artefact dating to XIV c. and the Manas lore museum.

- Medieval cities of Talas river valley: Visit the remains of the medieval cities, that once flourished at Talas and gather medieval artefacts.