Bokonbaevo is a village on the south shore of Issyk-Kul, the great mountain lake of Kyrgyzstan, which lies at about 1,600 metres and is the second-largest alpine lake in the world. The name means warm lake, because the water, though cold, never freezes, even in the hard winters of the Tian Shan, and the mountains that rise behind it, the Terskey Ala-Too, carry snow all summer. On the road along the shore the lake is a sheet of deep blue on one side and the red and grey peaks on the other, and the contrast is striking.
The village is known for its eagle hunters, called berkutchi, who train golden eagles to hunt foxes and hares, a tradition that goes back centuries among the Kyrgyz and Kazakh peoples. Visitors can watch demonstrations, and a festival in winter and a small hunting display in summer keep the practice alive. The eagles are impressive birds, with wingspans of over two metres, and watching one fly from a hunter's arm across the open steppe is unforgettable. A few kilometres away, the little town of Kadzhi-Say, once a coal-mining settlement from the Soviet era, has a bleak, post-industrial feel, but nearby the red sandstone canyon known as Skazka, the Fairy Tale, has weird, eroded cliffs and rocks.
The riding along the south shore is a pleasure. The road is paved but rough in patches, with potholes, frost heave and occasional animals, and traffic is light apart from minibuses and trucks. Sudden winds off the lake can be strong, and the weather changes rapidly, so carry warm and waterproof clothing even in summer. Side roads head up into valleys with yurt camps, waterfalls and glaciers, mostly unpaved, and require care and decent tyres.
Fuel is available at stations along the shore, but not everywhere, so keep the tank topped up and carry a little extra if heading into the valleys. Food is simple and good: lagman noodles, beshbarmak, a dish of boiled meat and noodles, fresh bread, and fermented mare's milk, called kumis, offered in summer at roadside stalls and yurts. Apricots and berries are sold along the road in season.
Plan to stay a night in a homestay or a yurt camp, and wake early to see the sun come up over the lake. The silence and the clear air at this altitude are the real reward.