Barskoon - A mountain camp at waterfalls

 


Barskoon is a village near the shore of Issyk-Köl in the valley of the Barskoon River, and further up in the valley you'll find a yurt camp at the base of the hiking trails to the Barskoon Waterfalls. (I use it in plural, as it is a number of falls, not one.) There are also a couple of monuments commemorating Yuri Gagarin, as the famous cosmonaut visited and hiked the area. Semi-nomadic herders also camp here, but most of them were gone by now. The few who remained were having a party and didn't seem too open to deal with visitors. But I got a place to stay for the night in a yurt run by an old lady, and she and her visiting son and his family were nice.

There is a smaller waterfall standing alone, easy and fast to reach. There are several other falls in another gully. I tried to reach the higher waterfall but gave up. The path I found (as far as I know the correct one) was very steep and covered with lose rocks, it was very slippery. Getting closer to the lower waterfall was also tricky, with a few dangerous scrambles. Later I went for a 'horse ride' - first it was on leash, and then a little girls was sat behind me and she overlooked my handling of the horse. Her family were visiting their herding relatives who still stayed up here, although they would also move soon, and that's what the celebration was about. The family I stayed with was also very nice. The old lady hosts groups of visitors for lunch, and also provides accommodation in one of the yurts. I was the only tourist staying there at the time, which I didn't mind at all, as it was already getting cold. The old lady's son, a devout Muslim, and his wife, a veterinarian partly educated in Holland, and their small child were also visiting. An interesting combination. I hope they find a way that suites them best, as they loved the life in the mountains and living in the big city of Bishkek did not appeal to them. It was a nice stay at the Barskoon Falls, as I also felt treated as a guest and not as a customer. 


























































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