Kaji-Say is a small village on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul where the landscape shifts gear, the lake is still visible behind you but the hills ahead are red-rocked and dry, and the Tian Shan rises sharply above. It's a good base for getting up into the hills, and the views from higher ground make the effort obvious.
Sights & Culture
Aalam Ordo
A large complex on the lake shore that sits somewhere between cultural centre and tourist attraction without fully committing to either. On one side of the road, a substantial statue of Sayakbai Karalaev, the Manas-chi whose portrait appears on the 500 som note, stands on a hill above the water. He was the first person to write down the full text of the Manas epic, over a million lines of verse that had existed until then only in oral tradition. The scale of the statue reflects the scale of what he did.
On the other side of the road, the final building carries a large mural commemorating the April 2010 revolution: a dragon, a sniper defending against it, a golden eagle above, a Kyrgyz man in a traditional kalpak. It's bold and unambiguous about what it means. The Mausoleum of Manas is apparently to the left of the complex, worth locating if you have time.
Sports & Activities
Panorama Shatyly
A drive up and then a hike above the village, with golden eagles working the thermals overhead and swallows cutting across the hillside below them. The red rock formations higher up are known locally as Mars, which is fair, the colour and texture is unlike the green slopes lower down. Locals offer horse rides and there was a kid at the trailhead offering archery lessons, both of which are worth considering if you have time. The views across Issyk-Kul from the top are the best reason to come.