Karatag – beautiful gorge with its rivers and lakes

Upstream of the Karatag River, there are beautiful places to relax. It is worth seeing Timur-Dara - this is a very beautiful mountain lake of the dammed type. A little further is Lake Pyron.

A country road to the gorge from the village of Karatag is laid only up to the village of Khakimi. For a trip to the gorge, it is recommended to use vehicles with high traffic. Further up the gorge, you can only travel on foot or using pack animals. 1.5–2 km below the Khakimi village, its tributary Sarbin flows into the Karatag River. If you move upward along this tributary, you can go to the upper reaches of the Shirkent River.

Today in the Karatag gorge there is a rest house, summer health camps for children and adults.

The gorge is famous for its diverse picturesque nature. The rich vegetation gives it a special charm. In the lower zone, there are many wild fruit trees, in the upper zone, juniper dominates. In the area of the village of Lyabidzhoi (30 km from the village of Karatag up the river), there is a remarkable grove, which was chosen by nightingales, and on the mountain slopes around there are many uncultivated grapes, apples, mulberries (mulberries), cherry plums.

The Karatag River is formed from the confluence of two rivers: Diakhandarya - in the west and Payron - in the east. Trout is found in them. If you go up the Diakhandarya, you can go to the Iskanderkul Lake. Moreover, if you go up the Pyron, you can get to the upper reaches of the Siam River. Hiking and excursions along the valley of the Karatag River, among picturesque forest groves, to Lake Payron and Timur-Dara Lake, leave an unforgettable experience.

Lake Timur-Dara - a dammed origin - is located an hour's walk from the Karatag River, at an altitude of 1970 m above sea level. The path leading to the lake starts from a small river with the same name Timur-Dara, which flows out of the lake and flows into the Karatag river. The lake itself is located among the wooded slopes. Its water is bright blue. One of the shores is covered with coarse granite sand and can serve as an excellent beach.

Lake Pyron is located at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level. It appeared because of a blockage, but the water is filtered through a stone dam, forming several small waterfalls. The lake water is cold. The left bank of the lake is inaccessible, as the slopes of the mountain drop abruptly into the water. The trail runs along the right bank.

The Karatag Gorge is a great place for one to two days of hiking. There are quite safe, wide hiking and pack trails ending at the glacier zone, a mild climate, convenient sites for organizing parking or overnight stays, many options for interesting routes of any complexity category, which are best overcome from May to November.