Gemstones of Song Kul region
Submitted by lostnomads on Fri, 2005-03-11 14:13.Altitude of the area 2800- 3200 m. This elevated plain features no steep climbs or descents. The road is mostly asphalt, with the exception of a 30 km dirt stretch. Preferred period for collection of samples is June - September. The participants should have no health restrictions for altitude.
Proposed Itinerary
Day 1: Meet in Bishkek. Lodging at a guest house. Overview of the program, brief instruction, demonstration of gemstone samples.
Day 2: Transfer from Bishkek by bus to an elevated lake Song Kul (Altitude 3013 m) 250 km, duration- 8- 9 hours. Overnight in tents at the mineral collection site - 3100 m above sea.
Day 3: Collect minerals in the area of the developed depository of scheelite, gold, and polymetals. Rich zone of skarns, containing druses of well cut garnet, zonal garnet, gematite roses, crystals of qartz with croppings of (actinolite, gematite), transparent crystals of scheelite, native gold, etc. Overnight in tents.
Days 4-5: Collect minerals by itinerary of the previous day.
Day 6: Transfer to lake Song Kul shores (50 km)- 2 hours. Hunt for minerals. Massive and crystal rhodonite. Amethyst, ore minerals in skarns. Large concretions of quartz- in a rim of carrot chalcedony. Overnight in tents or yurts.
Day 7: Collect minerals. Massive and crystal rhodonite. Amethyst, ore minerals in skarns. Large concretions of quartz- in a rim of carrot chalcedony. Overnight in tents or yurts.
Day 8: Relax at the shores of lake Song Kul. Traditional horse games (performance), national cuisine, costumes.
Day 9: Transfer from lake Song Kul to Bishkek. Chill or plunder the Bohemian oasis of Bishkek.
Day 10: Explore mineralogical, zoological, and historical museums, run errands in Bishkek.
