Karakol

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Looking north. Border with Kazakhstan

Looking east-north east between Bishkek and Karakol. Background mountains separate Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Route between Bishkek and Karakol

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Issyk Kul (Kyrgyz language). Looking north. Kazakhstan on other side of the mountains.

Full moon - looking east

Full moon - looking east. Issyk kul (hot lake) in the background.

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Street scenes of Karakol

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Beach scene with yours truly. Issyk Kul looking east. Photo taken in February 2003.

Soviet era block apartment buildings

Dungan Mosque. Built without nails and completed in 1910 by Chinese artisans. The Dungan, Chinese Muslims, fled persecution in China and settled in the Karakol area around the 1880’s.

Inside the Dungan Mosque.

Another view.




		Issyk Kul, looking south. The Central Tien-Shan Range are the mountains in the background


		Karakol (black hand/wrist) was known during Soviet times as Przhevalsk. Named after explorer/geographer Nikolai Przhevalsky, Karakol, founded on 1 July 1869, was laid out using the European grid system. Przhevalsky is buried nearby Issyk Kul. Przhevalsky persuaded the Russian Geographical Society to sponsor his expeditions.

	Despite its relative isolated location at the foot of the Tien Shan separating the eastern region of Kyrgyzstan from China, the climate is mild enough for a long growing season allowing plentiful bounties of apples, plums, pears, cherries, peaches and apricots. However, the mountainscape is seen as its future. A magnet for hikers and trekkers, Karakol needs to improve its tourist infrastructure and road access to achieve success.


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