Larry Memmott's Blog

Though I’ll call this a day trip, you can actually visit this field of wildflowers on your lunch hour.  I’m not certain that it is actually in Bishkek proper, but if not, it is just outside.  Really, it is just an example of many beautiful places you can find by exploring the near foothills.

This is also a loop, though I have only traveled the backside of the loop, so I’ll give no guarantees.  The final part of the road is dirt, and likely mud when wet, so although a car could probably make the trip in dry weather, you should be wary about the possibility of getting stuck. This ride could easily be combined with a visit to the memorial at Ata Beit.

As the .gdb file shows, the trip, in either direction, begins by driving out to the final intersection at the south end of Mir Avenue.  From here, the closer route turns left.  In another 1.5 miles, turn right.  From here on out, I don’t know how to give you directions, so see the .gdb file on Google Earth or your GPS.  Of course, any of the jeep trails wandering through these hills might take you to an even more magical place than I found. What’s more, the flowers probably vary from year to year, and from week to week.

The back route involves driving towards Ala Archa until you come to the major intersection (with the arch).  There, you turn left and continue on 1.7 miles to the village of Chon-Tash, where you turn left again.  At the other end of the village (0.4 mi.) you again turn left.  In another 2.7 miles you will reach the point where I was when I took the photo above.  Again, though, there are other trails leading in different directions between both cultivated and wild fields.  Any one of them might be profitable.  Have fun.