Highway A363/Issyk-Kul Lake

Located in Issyk-Kul Region, in the northeastern corner of Kyrgyzstan, Highway A363 is a very scenic drive running along the perimeter of Issyk-Kul Lake, the seventh deepest lake in the world.

Highway A363/Issyk-Kul Lake
Highway A363/Issyk-Kul Lake

Located in the northern Tian Shan mountains, the coastal road is paved, in pretty bad conditions in parts, with some narrow sections. The lake is over 170km long and 70km across. Issyk-Kul in translation from Kyrgyz means "hot lake". The water in it does not freeze all year round.

The attractive A363 is a loop road circling the lake. The total drive is 491 km long. The journey offers an exhilarating driving experience. Portions of the road may be temporarily closed due to road work or inclement weather. There is a reasonable amount of traffic. On the south shores of the lake is a giant face of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin carved directly into a massive rock. During the Soviet era, the lake became a popular vacation resort and the Soviet Navy operated an extensive facility where submarine and torpedo technology was evaluated.