Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve, Kyrgyzstan

This year Marley has been fortunate enough to spend more than a month exploring and working in Kyrgyzstan’s beautiful Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-protected haven of extraordinary natural beauty. Established in 1959, and with an altitudinal range of 1,200 to 4,274 metres, this biodiverse-rich reserve is home to over 1,000 plant species, 160 species of bird and 34 types of mammal, including bears, lynx, and snow leopards At its heart lies the jewel-like Lake Sary-Chelek - meaning yellow barrel - an alpine lake with deep (245 metres, in places) turquoise waters. Six smaller, equally gorgeous, lakes dot the surrounding landscape: Kylaaköl, Iyriköl, Bakalyköl, Aramköl, Chöychökköl, and Chachaköl.

In Spring and early Summer, the mountains around the lakes are carpeted in waist-high wild flowers. In autumn, the crystalline waters mirror the autumn hues of the surrounding wild walnut forests. These ancient forests are among the largest walnut forests in the world, a remnant of those which once covered much of Central Asia. Whether you want to hike, ride horses or just wander through walnut forests and lounge beside lakes, this really is a place to unwind, immerse yourself in nature and really get away from it all. Marley adores this region.

Sary Chelek currently lies off the beaten track in the mountains of western Kyrgyzstan, a five hour drive from the southern city of Osh. With rumours swirling of a vague plan to relocate the Kyrgyz capital from Bishkek to the south-western city of Jalal-Abad, and direct flights from Europe to Kyrgyzstan likely kicking off in 2027, next year is a great time to visit this magnificent landscape.

If you’d like to visit Sary-Chelek as part of a tailor-made trip to Kyrgyzstan or Central Asia, contact us here.