Jeti Ögüz

Jeti Ögüz (Seven Bulls, курорт Жети-Огуз) is a raion (district) in Issyk Kul and the Tian Shan.

Understand

Its capital is Kyzyl-Suu. The district comprises much of the eastern end of the Teskey Ala-Too Range.

Get in

It is about 35 km (22 mi)/35 min with bus #355 from Karakol's Big Bazaar Bus Station to 1 Jeti Ögüz village, 30-35 som. From the village the driver goes up to the sanatorium if there are at least 6 people, for another 40 som. Otherwise, just hitch-hike from the village.

Get around

See

Jeti Oguz rock formation and resort

• 1 Jeti Ögüz resort. An ageing Russian a balneotherapic resort aka sanatorium with hot springs. Like many such sanatoriums in former Soviet countries, it carries the name курорт or kurort, which is German for sanatorium. The public bath has baths and massages on offer. Free, baths are extra. (updated Mar 2019)
• Just before it the beautiful Seven Bulls (which is "Жети-өгүз" in Kyrgyz) and Broken Heart mountain, a large, red sedimentary rocks, about 2,200 m, for which it is famous. The rocks have been carved out by a river from the Terskey Alatoo mountains. Years of weathering have split the rocks into seven parts. The forms of the rocks are similar to the head of the seven bulls, “Jeti”-means seven and “Oguz”-means bull in Kyrgyz. Broken Heart is a reddish rock shaped like a broken heart. For this rock, there are several legends: long ago a king who was very rich and had many wives went hunting. One day he saw a beautiful girl with black long hair. He fall in love with her at first sight, and wanted to marry her. However she was from a poor family and was already engaged. Her family ran away from the king when they learned that he wanted their daughter. But the king caught them, killed her fiancé and her family. Her heart was torn by sadness and the Broken Heart appeared in that place.

Do

• Kyzyl Suu River Valley (Chon-Kyzyl-Suu / Чон-Кызылсуу). On the top of the Kyzyl Suu river valley is a 1 Geo-physic and meteorologic station (2,580 m) build in wood in 1948 by German builders. Families staying there all the year around will explain their activities and can guide you around the region. It is possible to sleep in the station. (updated Mar 2019)

Hiking routes from Kyzyl Suu River Valley to:

• 2 Jeti-Ögüz Sanatorium (Жети-Өгүз курорту) through 3 Archa Tor pass (3,900 m)—see Archa Tor Pass Trail (Download coordinates: GPX, KML.),
• 4 Kiche Kyzyl Suu valley through 5 Savator pass (Саватор, 4,000 m),
• 6 Syrtha Ak Shyyrak (right place?) through Ashu Tor pass.

Or directly to the glacier lakes:

• Kashkator (?) (3-hr walk), and
• 7 Shakartma (3 hr hike).

Sleep

• 1 Meteo Station Guest House, (Chong) Kyzyl Suu Valley, ☏ +996 557367322. A convenient place to stay when about to hike the destinations around the Kyzyl Suu Valley. There is also a large lawn nearby to put up a tent. (updated Mar 2019)