A restorative day trip away from the city. Forty kilometres east of Bishkek the Chuy Valley meets the Kyrgyz Range and the land erupts with mineral-rich hot springs that locals have bathed in for generations. We start at Teplye Klyuchi ("Warm Springs") — a small family-run bathhouse whose sulphurous pools have been a trusted remedy for aching muscles since the 1950s. After a morning soak and a light tea break we drive 30 minutes south-east to Ysyk-Ata, the largest and most famous radon spa in Kyrgyzstan. Its grand Soviet-era sanatorium still operates today, and the main open-air pool is fed by a natural spring at a constant 47 °C. You have time for a second, longer bath and a walk around the sanatorium grounds before we head back to Bishkek. No hiking required — this is a pure relaxation and cultural day.
Highlights
Two natural radon hot springs in one day · Soviet-era sanatorium architecture · Muscle-soothing 47 °C mineral pool · Quiet foothills of the Kyrgyz Range · Back in Bishkek in time for dinner
Day-by-day itinerary
-
Day 1: Bishkek → Teplye Klyuchi → Ysyk-Ata → Bishkek
09:30 — Pickup from your hotel in central Bishkek.
10:30 — Arrive at Teplye Klyuchi bathhouse (45 km). 1 h 30 min of free bathing in the sulphurous indoor / semi-outdoor pools. Tea on the terrace.
12:30 — Light picnic lunch served en route to Ysyk-Ata: Kyrgyz bread, cheese, fresh fruit, home-made jam, black tea.
13:30 — Arrive at Ysyk-Ata sanatorium (55 km drive + scenic last leg). 2 h of free bathing in the main 47 °C open-air pool. Optional walk around the Soviet-era sanatorium grounds with its preserved 1950s architecture, small museum, and the ancient pre-Islamic rock carving nearby (Buddha stone, 2 500-year-old petroglyph).
16:30 — Return drive to Bishkek (70 km). Drop-off at your hotel by 18:30.
Route and transfers
| Day | From → to | km | Time | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishkek → Teplye Klyuchi | 45 | 1 h | by car |
| 1 | Teplye Klyuchi → Ysyk-Ata | 55 | 1.2 h | by car |
| 1 | Ysyk-Ata → Bishkek | 70 | 1.4 h | by car |
About 170 km in total. Distances and drive times come from our road map of Kyrgyzstan.
Included
- Price includes:
- English-speaking driver-guide (1 day)
- Private car transfer Bishkek → Teplye Klyuchi → Ysyk-Ata → Bishkek
- Teplye Klyuchi bath fee
- Ysyk-Ata bath fee (main outdoor pool)
- Picnic lunch with Kyrgyz tea
- Drinking water
- Price does not include:
- Towel & swimwear (please bring your own)
- Spa extras (massage, private radon room, mud wraps)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips for the driver-guide