The gorge cuts deep into the Tien Shan mountains, and a fast, icy river — also called Ala-Archa — tumbles along the valley floor over boulders and through narrow rocky channels. The river is fed all summer long by melting glaciers high above, so the water is always cold and crystal clear.
The national park around the gorge is full of wildlife. Ibex — mountain goats with long, curved horns — pick their way along the steep rocky cliffs above the valley. Snow leopards occasionally pad through, though they are so shy that few people ever see one. Bright wildflowers cover the meadows in spring and summer.
Walking trails wind up the gorge to higher and higher meadows, and eventually to glaciers that are always covered in ice and snow. The air gets thinner and cooler as you climb, and on a clear day you can see enormous snow-capped peaks in every direction.
Many Kyrgyz families spend weekends and holidays in Ala-Archa, picnicking by the river or hiking the trails. It is a reminder that in Kyrgyzstan, wild mountain nature is never very far away, even when you live in a city.