Canoeing across a sunken lake? What? Yes! The Great Chuy Canal? Absolutely. The Chu River in the Boom Gorge? That too.

If you’re tired of one-day mountain hikes, let me tell you about my favourite hobby — paddling on boats, SUP boards, and canoes. And the best part? All of this can be done in just half a day.

Spring: paddling across a sunken lake

You have about a month to step into this fairytale — yes, it’s a very small window of opportunity.

Every spring, something unusual happens at the Ala-Archa reservoir: it is filled with water for irrigation, causing the water level to rise dramatically and flood the nearby forest. And you can actually paddle right through this breathtaking scenery.

Several companies organise trips from Bishkek to the Ala-Archa reservoir, where you can rent a SUP board, a boat with a transparent bottom, or even a canoe. While waiting for your turn, you can enjoy a picnic by a scenic inlet or have a photo session. Recently, the spot has become so popular that sunset tours — and even tours with nighttime disco parties — are now on offer.

While waiting for your turn, you can enjoy a picnic by a scenic inlet or have a photo session. Recently, the spot has become so popular that sunset tours — and even tours with nighttime disco parties — are now on offer.

You can find these tours on Instagram, but the most important thing is not to miss the timing. The reservoir is usually filled in March–April, and by mid-May the water is released for irrigation. My advice: late April, when there’s still plenty of water, the weather is already warm, and the trees have turned green.

Watch my review here.

Summer: Canoeing along the Chu River

When travelling through the Boom Gorge on the way to Issyk-Kul, you can’t help but notice a beautiful mountain river — turbulent in some places, calm in others, with quiet backwaters and little islands. I don’t know about you, but I had always dreamed of floating down this river. Still, kayaking and extreme white-water rafting are definitely not my thing.

So when I came across a canoe tour along the Chu River, I knew immediately: this was exactly what I’d been looking for. Canoes in Kyrgyzstan? Sounds like a miracle. And the organisers built the canoes themselves. Incredible.

Imagine this: you’re sitting in a canoe, sipping your favourite drink, soaking in the views, relaxing while someone else does the paddling and shares local legends along the way. A dream. At the end of the route, you’re welcomed by an Indian-style teepee and sweet tea.

The river current is mostly calm, though there are a few “bubbly” sections — but don’t worry, you’ll be provided with life jackets.

etting to the starting point on your own isn’t easy. You’ll receive a map pin somewhere in the Boom Gorge, where the organisers will pick you up and take you to the launch point. We did it this way: we took a train towards Balykchy and then called a taxi to the starting location — the ride took about 20 minutes. Getting a taxi back was trickier, so it’s best to plan ahead.

Watch my review here.
Canoe tours are available here.

We also went canoeing along the Great Chuy Canal (BChK) with the same team — the most unusual experience of my life 🙂

Autumn: SUP Boarding Among Fallen Leaves

There’s a reason why so many tour companies offer trips to the 5ГЭС(GES) reservoir — and it’s not just the sense of calm and tranquillity that settles over the lake in autumn.

Willows and elm trees line the shores, and their yellowing fallen leaves create an almost magical atmosphere.

Find a quiet inlet where you can glide through the water as if moving down a leafy corridor, soaking in the autumn vibes and completely switching off.

The best time to visit 5GES and go SUP boarding is late September, when the weather is still warm but the leaves have already turned yellow and begun to fall. Tours can be found on Instagram, often offered by the same companies that run trips to the Ala-Archa reservoir.