Rafting
You'll get the most vivid impressions and a huge adrenaline rush from rafting in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan has thousands of glacier-fed rivers and a plethora of beautiful gorges they run though, making river rafting an increasingly desired activity for travelers in Kyrgyzstan. Its adrenaline rush mixed with Kyrgyzstan’s supreme natural beauty make a great vacation package. Rafting tours in Kyrgyzstan are available for both beginner and advanced rafters, so anyone can enjoy going on a river rafting tour in the country.
Popular destinations for rafting
Since Kyrgyzstan has so many rivers and rafting has just recently come into the picture, many rivers in Kyrgyzstan haven’t been traveled yet. However, some rivers that have already claimed a reputation as good rafting destinations are as follows:
The Chu River
The Chu River is located near Bishkek and is by far the most popular destination for rafting in Kyrgyzstan. Part of the river runs through the Boom Gorge, which is renowned in Central Asia as the perfect spot to try your hand at rafting for the first time. Access to the river is easier and the rapids, more manageable, class 2-4.
The Naryn River
A large portion of the Naryn River has tranquil waters. However, there’s a section called the Naryn Falls Canyon that is popular for whitewater rafting. The scenery inside the canyon is breathtaking and the portion of the river within the canyon contains class 4 to 5 runs.
The Chon-Kemin Rvier
The Chon-Kemin River is the Chu River’s main tributary. The Chon-Kemin flows for 116km through gorges that produce more challenging 4-5 class rapids. The area around the Chon-Kemin River is a gorgeous setting for rafting with green mountains topped with snowcapped peaks.
The Kekemeren River
The Kekemeren River winds through the Tien-Shan Mountains, eventually combining with the Naryn River. The Tien-Shan provides a heavenly atmosphere for rafting; the mountains sport huge lazy clouds that brush the surrounding peaks while the days are usually still bright and sunny. The most challenging rapids, class 4-5, are concentrated in the first 40-50km of the river, but the river as a whole contains rapids ranging from class 2-5.
