Issyk-Kul

The story of Issyk-Kul

Issyk-Kul covers about 6,200 square kilometres at an altitude of 1,607 metres and reaches a depth of 668 metres. It is often described as the second-largest mountain lake in the world, after Lake Titicaca.

The lake was a stopover on the Silk Road, and the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang passed by in the 7th century and described it in his account of the Western Regions.

The surrounding territory forms the Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan, with Karakol, near the eastern end of the lake, as its administrative seat. The Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve was established in 2000.

Villages along the shores, including Bokonbaevo on the south side, are the setting for traditional events and tourism.

Falconry in Issyk-Kul

The Kyrgyz eagle hunter is called a burkutchu, from the word for the golden eagle, and the tradition has continued since the period of Mongol rule. The Salburun (Salbuurun) festival presents it to the public on the shore of Issyk-Kul.

The 2025 edition took place on 2 August in Bokonbaevo, on the southern shore. Burkutchu performed with golden eagles, and the programme also included archery, horse racing, traditional Kyrgyz wrestling, performances by folk poets (akyns), throat singing, komuz music and craft exhibitions.

Kyrgyzstan appears among the 24 states on the UNESCO list of falconry as a living human heritage after the 2021 extension.