Gemstones of the Issyk Kul region

Absolute elevation of the area around 1600- 1700 m. The trail is easily accessible even to participants with health restrictions. Preferred season for collection of mineral samples is May - October.

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 to Tamchi village - 220 km, duration: 6- 7 hours. Relax at a picturesque mountain lake Issyk Kul (altitude - 1610 m). Overnight in Tamchi in a 3* hotel.

Day 3: Transfer from Tamchi to Chu river valley (40 km)- 1 hour, followed by a hike with elevation gain from 1600 m to 1750 m 2- 3 km, 0.5 hour. Hunt for minerals. Hydrothermal veins of acid composition, containing quartz (mountain crystal, amethyst, morion, siderite, fluorite, schorl). Amethyst crystals are mostly covered with a grey transparent coating of quartz. Return to Tamchi. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 4: Transfer from Tamchi into Chu river valley (70 km)- 1.5 hours, followed by a hike with elevation gain from 1520 m to 1750 m 1- 2 km, 1 hour. Collect minerals. Hydrothermal veins of acid nature, containing quartz (mountain crystal, amethyst, morion, siderite, fluorite, schorl). Amethyst crystals are mostly covered with opaque coating of grey quartz. Return to Tamchi. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 5: Transfer from Tamchi to Kyzyl- Ompulsky massive: about 60 km, 1 hour. Hike for 0.2 km gaining altitude from 1700 m to 1730 m, 20- 30 min. Collect minerals. Kyzyl-Ompulsky massive of gigantic grain-syenite contains porphyry blasts of plagioclase, shining with moon blue to deep blue colors. Some crystals can be 15 cm wide. Axinite and adular are found more rarely. Return to Tamchi. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 6: Transfer from Tamchi to Orto-Tokoi reservoir, about 70 km, 1 hour. Hike for 1- 3 km gaining altitude from 1750 m to 1770 m, 0.5- 1 hour. Collect minerals. Area of metasomatism in effusive rock displaying concretions of epidote- tiff with well cut crystals of garnet of different composition (including transparent demantoid, topazolite, shining garnet), druses of prenite, etc. Return to Tamchi. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 7: Follow the previous day’s itinerary.

Day 8: Transfer from Tamchi to Orto-Tokoi reservoir, about 70 km, 1 hour. Hike for 1- 3 km with no altitude gain, 15- 30 min. Collect pieces of cornelian, agate, chalcedony, petrified (chalcedony) remains of the fauna. Return to Tamchi. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 9: Transfer from Tamchi to Bishkek. Chill or plunder the Bohemian oasis of Bishkek.

Day 10: Explore mineralogical, zoological, and historical museums, run errands in Bishkek.