Date : February 28, 2025
(Tue 21 Oct 2025) from a desk in Kyle’s lab
My Experience~
Woke up to a nice, breezy morning! Irving planned to getting up at 6 to check out before heading to Ala Archa National Park. Super exciting! So, we did it! I hit the bed pretty early last night, and even though 7 am is still kind of early, I’m up and ready to roll! (A little sleepy though, so I plan on catching some sleep in Anuar’s car). We didn’t even grab breakfast, just checked out and asked the receptionist if we could stash our bags in their storage. They were super cool about it and helped us out without any extra charge! You’d totally get hit with extra fees for that in Hong Kong, haha.
So, with half my soul gathered, we hit the road. Jack and Anuar were already in the car, and we were off to the national park that early morning. Honestly, I can’t even remember what happened that morning before we got to the park—no coffee, no breakfast, and I was still half asleep. I definitely wasn’t fully operational yet.
We rolled into Ala Archa National Park around 8:30 am. It was still pretty early, but man, what a nice morning! The sun wasn’t fully up yet, and the snow blanketed the ground, making everything look like a winter wonderland. I’m still blown away by the crazy variety of landscapes in Kyrgyzstan; just yesterday we went to arid environment of Kok Moynok Canyon, and now, just a few km, we’re in a totally different vibe within the same country!
Anuar parked the car, and it looks like we’re some of the early birds that day. Joey, like always, ran off to find the bathroom. I’m still soaking in the gorgeous landscape. At the gate, there were a few buildings covered with snow. A couple of cars were parked nearby too. We’re surrounded by this beautiful mountain range, which is also blanketed in snow. A clear river is running quietly at the bottom of the mountain. Later I know that the National Park is named after this river, Ala Archa!
While Jack kicks off the intro at the tourist info board right at the entrance of this National Park, I’m still blown away by the views. The landscape is packed with juniper trees, giving off that winter wonderland vibe. Then we all start wandering into the park. Karl, Anuar, and Jack are leading the way, chatting it up, while I’m just here soaking it all in through my phone. Snapping random videos, totally unscripted and raw. These moments are definitely going to stick with me forever.
As a biologist, visiting a National Park feels totally different for me. I love soaking in the nature, plants, landscapes, and of course, the animals. There are these info boards along the trail that showcase the biodiversity in the park, sharing details about the animals living there—and it’s super interesting since they’re not the usual critters I know. It’s really cool and educational for everyone who comes to visit!
What an awesome way to start the morning, and guess what? Siberian Ibex!!! I’ve always wanted to see these guys up close. And hey, the snow leopard too! It’s such a luck to catch a glimpse of them on a short trip. I totally get how tricky it is to spot them in the wild. Always an elusive species.
100/10 bench
The river that runs through the National Park.
This awesome view totally sums up the amazement I felt. Can you imagine waking up to this every morning? I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it!
We hung out for a few hours in the National Park while Jack was busy trying to get some drone shots of the guys. Honestly, my feet were freezing because my shoes aren’t really meant for this snow. At least I have several layers of shocks-to keep my toes a bit warmer.
On the way back to the parking lot, I spotted a couple of red squirrels bouncing around in the juniper trees. Seriously, soooo cute! I know we’re not supposed to feed wildlife because it messes with their natural instincts for survival. It seems like most visitors feed them, and they’re totally getting used to it. And those little birds! Jack and I spent some time playing with them while we waited for Joey and Karl, who were lagging behind, while Irving was so cold that he just dashed back to the car.
Check out that adorable little muncher!
Fun Facts About Ala Archa National Park
Let us learn about the National Park we just visited.
- Location
Ala-Archa National Park is part of the Tian-Shan mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. The Tian-Shan spans five Central Asian countries and is the largest mountain system in the region. China and Kyrgyzstan hold over 70% of the Tian-Shan’s territory, while Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan have the marginal areas. This mountain range is a major source of moisture for Central Asia, and without it, the region could become a sandy desert. Therefore, the Tian-Shan and its glaciers play a crucial role as moisture accumulators. Additionally, the Tian-Shan is known as a geological laboratory and outdoor museum that showcases Earth’s history. The Tian-Shan mountains are tectonic in origin and not volcanic.
2. Name
Ala-Archa, meaning “colorful juniper” in Kyrgyz, refers to the national park known for its variety of juniper trees on the mountainsides.
3. Brief Information on National Park
Ala-Archa is located 30 km south of Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Range and is the oldest and most popular national park. Established in 1976, the park covers 194 km² and includes a 25 km stretch of the Ala-Archa River, attracting hundreds of visitors from May to October. The first 10 km consists of a rough road leading from the entrance gate to a small lodge and picnic area. The park features a steep canyon with elevations ranging from about 1600 m at the entrance to 4895 m at “Peak Semenova.” Its lower part is a classic V-shaped valley, while the upper part has broad, glacial steps surrounded by towering cliffs and glaciers.
Recreational features of the park include hiking and climbing, with the most notable trail leading to the Ak-Sai glacier, ascending 1200 m over 6 km to a climbers’ hut. Another trail, approximately 13 km long, goes from the park lodge to a former ski lodge, reaching the edge of the ice fields near the southern boundary, about 8 km up the Ala-Archa Valley (Farrington 2005).
The Ala-Archa River gorge was designated as Kyrgyzstan’s first “State National Nature Park” in 1976, classified among various conservation categories by IUCN. The park is noted for its rich biodiversity, featuring a crucial glacial watershed, diverse forests, and towering alpine mountains, all conveniently accessible from Bishkek.
The park has thrived despite minimal management and is becoming a key attraction for the country’s tourism industry.
The park, notable for its unique Central Asian flora and fauna, has endured post-Soviet disturbances and offers significant ecosystem services. With its proximity to the capital and existing management challenges, it serves as an ideal site for cost-effective educational programs focused on ecology. Although only 194 square kilometers, the park features diverse microclimates that include various ecosystems, such as mixed coniferous and deciduous forests, alpine grasslands, and glaciers.
Special Species: Picea schrenkiana
Wooopp!
Here’s the crème de la crème of this National Park, at least according to my utterly biased and oh-so-humble opinion—an unpopular take, and frankly, I’m okay with that! LOL! : The native species that is inhabited Tian-Shan mountain of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang! Hello to Asian spruce tree, Picea schrenkiana!
The oldest known living specimen, 502 years, was documented in a tree-ring chronology covering the period 1301-2006 (fully crossdated), collected at 2950 m elevation near Engilchek, Kyrgyzstan by O. Solomina (doi.org/10.25921/4vdr-rt82). A number of sites have recorded collections of trees over 400 years old. Isn’t it amaaaazing??
Overall, I gotta say, this is one of my all-time favorite spots I’ve been to! A solid 1000/10, totally recommend checking out Kyrgyzstan and just be a respectful visitor while you’re there 🙂 Remember to always respect the locals, cultures, norms and nature.
And that’s a wrap on my Kyrgyzstan story! I’ll do a recap in another post, but seriously, if you’re thinking about visiting, I’ve got a friend to recommend (as your guide). Jack is super friendly and knows his stuff—trust me, having him around will make your trip way more fun and you’ll get around easier! Hit him up on IG (ice_jack_sparrow) if you’re interested!
Bye for now Kyrgyzstan, I will come back!
Cheers!
Chornelia (Thu. Nov 6, 2025)
–—I’m writing this on the couch at night in Sumatra Island, where my family has turned our home into a circus! Mom and Dad have guests over, so I escape to another living room—because I can only take so much socializing. Meanwhile, my sister is busy with a late-night Zoom meeting, showing that some people really take ‘working from home’ too seriously. Honestly, writing this has been a fun, chaotic adventure!—-
Sources:
https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/picea/picea-schrenkiana/
Ada Chornelia Blog 
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