Semenov Gorge (also called Chon aksuu) is one of the most famous straits on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. It is located on the Kyungey Ala-Too ridge and is 30 km long. Behind the gorge is a small lake, called the Holy Lake for its purity and clarity. The upper part of the gorge merges with the Grigoryev Gorge.
The pass was named after the famous traveler Semenov Tian Shansky, who explored the region in the mid-19th century. The area is popular with tourists as there are few easily accessible and beautiful gorges on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. At the beginning of the gorge there is a dense spruce forest. In addition to fir trees, there are barberry, horse chestnut, dog-tooth violet and currant bushes in the canyon.
The gorge has a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Here you can stay in yurts, taste Kyrgyz folk dishes cooked on stilts, drink koumiss and experience the nomadic culture of the country; from late July to late September, a yurt camp is organized, where you can experience yurt cultivation and enjoy nomadic life in pristine nature. Semenov Gorge is also home to the Semenov Forest.
A number of tourist routes pass through the Semenov Gorge. Most of them are for day hikes, but there are also complex routes to the Chong Kemin Gorge and the Zailiisky Ala-too ridge.
