– Region: Issyk-Kul Oblast — Ak-Suu River Valley (Altyn Arashan, 2,500m — valley with natural hot springs)

 – Elevation: 2500

 – GPS Coordinates: 42.439° N, 78.243° E

 – Access Difficulty: T2 — 15km from Karakol | 4WD required (road rough) | 3hr hike OR 30min 4WD | PART of Ala-Kul Loop 

 – Opening Season: Jun–Oct (trail open) | Hot springs accessible year-round by 4WD

 – Winter Room: – Number of Beds: 80  – Showers: YES — NATURAL HOT SPRINGS (sulfurous pools, 38–42°C — outdoor + indoor baths)

 – Drinking Water: Yes — river (treat) + piped at guesthouses – Meals & food: Full meals at guesthouses: plov, soup, bread | USD 5–8 per meal

– Mobile Signal: No signal in gorge – Payment Methods: Guesthouse: USD 12–20 B+D | Hot spring bath: KGS 200 (USD 2.50) | 4WD from Karakol: KGS 2,000–3,000 return

 – Short Description: ALTYN ARASHAN (Golden Spring, 2,500m) = the most popular day/overnight excursion from Karakol. Beautiful gorge with pine forests, mountain streams, and at the top: NATURAL HOT SPRINGS. Several wooden guesthouses + one larger guesthouse operate here. The HOT SPRING POOLS: outdoor (mixed) + indoor (separate) — sulfurous, 38–42°C, extraordinary after a trek. ALA-KUL LOOP: most trekkers combine Altyn Arashan with Ala-Kul Lake (2–3 days: Karakol → Altyn Arashan → Ala-Kul Pass → back to Karakol). The gorge has some of Kyrgyzstan’s finest mountain scenery.