Minerals of the mountain rim of Ketmen-Tube valley

Altitude: 1800- 2200 m. Preferred period is May - October. Travel mainly by roads with descent asphalt pavement. No specific health requirements for participants.

Day 1: Meet in Bishkek. Lodging at guest house. Overview of the program, brief instruction, demonstration of gemstone samples.

Day 2: Transfer by bus from Bishkek to the mountain lake Kara Suu (altitude 2900 m) 450km, duration-
9- 10 hours. Overnights in cottages at the collection site with an altitude of 2500 m or in a guest house 30 km away in the city of Kara Kul.

Day 3: Hunt for minerals in the vicinity of lake Kara Suu, max hike distance - 6 km with an altitude gain of 600 m. On this territory all pegmatite formations are shaped into a chain oriented towards north-west along lines the general direction of rocks in Tashtaly Range. Sizes of veins differ quite a bit with ave. 200 m lengths and powers of 0.15- 30 m. Most of the veins are steady in power along the length and are characterized by an intensive cataclase. Mineralogical composition is as follows: microcline, quartz, muscovite, tourmaline, garnet (almandine). Muscovite have sometimes been found to contain small grains of apathyte and zircon .

Day 4: Collect minerals in the vicinity of lake Kara Suu.

Day 5: Transfer to the city of Tash Kumyr (120 km, 2 hours). Lodging in a guest house. Collect minerals and rocks featuring petrified trees (substitution by chalcedony and agate), some with trunks up to 2 m in diameter with vivid year rings, crust and so on, remains of other Jurasic flora (fern) and fauna. Overnight in Tash Kumyr.

Day 6: Collect minerals and rocks at the terraces above the Naryn river, featuring rhodingite, transvaal jade. Overnight in Tash Kumyr.

Day 7: Collect minerals by itinerary of the previous day.

Day 8: Transfer from Tash Kumyr to Bishkek. Chill or plunder the Bohemian oasis of Bishkek.

Day 9: Explore mineralogical, zoological, and historical museums, run errands in Bishkek.