The administrative center of IssykKul region, the town of Karakol is situated at the foot of Terskey Ala-Too mountain range, 12 km from the shore of Lake Issyk Kul.
Chong-Kyzyl-Suu gorge is located 60 km to the west of the town of Karakol. Its name "the big red water" the gorge got because water in a river at the bottom of it seems to be red.
The picturesque valley Jeti-Oguz ends with a wall of majestic mountains, passing into Terskey Ala-Too. The highest point of this mountain wall is the peak Oguz-Bashi 5170 m high.
On the southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, between the villages Kaji-Sai and Ton is situated a unique place called Manjyly-Ata. People call it "the Valley of the sacred springs."
Mars Canyons are located near the village of Kaji-Say on the southern shore of the Issyk-Kul Lake. They represent a ridge of red mountains similar to the landscapes of the planet Mars of the same name.
Issyk-Kul reserve is the biggest one on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. It consists of 12 separate parts with general area more than 19500 hectares. Issyk-Kul national reserve was established in 1948.
5 km to the south of the town Karakol a gorge of the same name is located. The gorge has a length of 40 km and it is adjacent to the ridge Terskey Ala-Too.
The Kok-Jaiyk valley is located in the Jeti-Oguz Gorge, 25 km. from the city of Karakol and is one of the main Jailoo (summer pastures) in the south of Issyk-Kul.
Semenov Gorge, with a length of about 30 km, is located 40 km from the town of Cholpon-Ata. In the valley there flows the river Ak-Suu, which starts from the glacier.
10 km to the east of the town of Karakol, in the valley of Arashan River the gorge Altyn-Arashan is situated. In the lower part of the river there is the village Ak-Suu (old name Teploklyuchenka).