Burana Tower / Kegety Gorge and waterfall

Burana Tower and Kegety Gorge — day tour from Bishkek

This tour is a great way to see the ancient history and mountain beauty of Kyrgyzstan in one day. In the morning you will get acquainted with one of the oldest monuments of Central Asia, and after lunch you will go to a picturesque gorge with a waterfall.

Burana Tower
Burana is a 25—meter minaret of the 11th century, the only thing left of the ancient city of Balasagun, the capital of the Karakhanid state (X–XII centuries).
The minaret was built as a landmark for the caravans of the Silk Road and originally reached 45 meters, but the earthquakes of the XV century destroyed the upper part.
Today, you can climb the external and internal stairs to the top — from there you can enjoy a view of the Chui Valley and the mountains.
Nearby there is an open—air museum: balbals (stone statues of Turkic warriors), foundations of mausoleums, remains of a fortress and archaeological finds.
It is one of the most significant monuments of the Karakhanid era and a UNESCO site.

Kegety Gorge and waterfall
The Kegety Gorge is located 90 km from Bishkek (30 km from Burana).
This is one of the most accessible and beautiful gorges near the capital: dense juniper forests, a clear mountain river, steep cliffs and a waterfall about 20 meters high.
The track to the waterfall is light and comfortable (about 1-1.5 hours each way), suitable even for children and people without special training.
There are scenic views along the way, and you may encounter grazing horses and yaks.
If you want, you can climb further to Lake Kohl Tor (2,725 m), but this is a more difficult route (3 hours each way).