7-Day Archeological Diving Program

Day 1.Transfer from Bishkek to Cholpon-Ata.  The route passes through unique natural gates – Boom gorge.  Check-in at Cholpon-Ata hotel, lunch at the hotel; after the lunch a trip to the City Historical Museum and outdoors Petroglyphs Museum. Dinner, rest hours.

Day 2.  Breakfast. Transfer to the place for diving – Kara-Oy mull.  Two boat dives; lunch on the shore. Dinner at the hotel; rest hours.

Day 3. Breakfast. After the breakfast transfer to Kuturga village; hotel check-in; lunch.
After the lunch a trip to Kurmenty village, to archaeological excavation of supposed Nestorians’ monastery; after that visiting “Genghis Khan Cliffs” (according to the legend  Genghis Khan’s treasures are hidden in that place).  Return to the hotel; dinner, rest hours.
Day 4. Breakfast. After the breakfast diving will start – alleged Chigu town.  Two boat dives. Lunch. After the lunch one more dive.  Dinner on the shore (shashlik made of meat and fish, salads, green).

Day 5. Breakfast. Transfer to the place for diving – Darkhan village.  En route visit to Przhevalsky Museum. Arrival to the place for diving. Two boat dives.  Lunch on the shore. Transfer to Tury-Aygyr village. Arrival to Ulan hostel; check-in. Dinner, rest hours.

Day 6. Breakfast. Two boat dives; lunch on the shore; after the lunch one more boat dive.  Dinner. Rest hours.

Day 7. Breakfast. Transfer to Bishkek.  Arrival to Bishkek. Hotel check-in. Lunch at a café. Sight-seeing tour. Dinner at a café.  Rest hours. Departure for the airport.

The program’s price covers the following:

Transportation during the trip

Meals during the trip.

Accommodation at a hotel.

Nine dives’ package (oxygen cylinder, weights, Zodiac boat)

Charge for visiting archaeological sites.

Museums’ fees

Hotel in Bishkek

The program’s price does not cover:

Alcoholic drinks

Rental of scuba diving equipment

Meals at cafés and restaurants

The program’s price per 1 person for the groups consisting of:

6 persons - 980$

8 persons - 950$

10 persons - 930$

Brief Description of Diving Sites

Kara-Oy Mull. One may see under the water remains of stacked stone slabs, numerous fragments of medieval pottery, and bones of human skeletons; if you are lucky enough, you may find here ancient bronze items. Exactly here in the field season of 2003 two wonderful bronze pots and one bronze psalium (part of a bridle attached to horse harness) have been raised from the lake bottom.

Sary-Bulun (Chigu). The most noteworthy monument located on the north-eastern outskirts of Issyk-Kul Lake (under water and on the territory partially emerged from the water) is Sary-Bulun ancient settlement identified with Chigu town – the capital of Usun State on Great Silk Road. 
In the 2nd century BC, a Chinese diplomat and explorer Zhang Qian went from China to Central Asia, was a guest of Usuns, the capital of which was located on the scenic shore of Issyk-Kul Lake.  Zhang Qian is rightly called the pioneer of the Silk Road – the trade artery connecting the world of East and West. Issyk-Kul Lake was in the middle of the transcontinental trade artery; on the shores of the lake the Chinese built for their princess, a bride of Usun ruler, a capital – Chigu town (Chiguen, a literal translation from the Chinese means “City of Red Valley”). 
Scientists have long argued and wondered where was the capital of Usuns, about which Chinese historians have written a lot, but for many years they could not find this place. This happened because Chigu town went under the water of Issyk-Kul Lake shortly after dissolution of Usun state. And they needed time, patience and … good luck to find it. This happened in the field season of 1985. Traces of large ancient settlement for the first time have been discovered during work of Issyk-Kul expedition at the bottom of Tyup bay.

Toru-Aygyr Settlement. North-western shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. Some scholars identify this settlement to the medieval town Siculo. Remnants of the upper ancient settlement are on the shore, and remnants of the lower ancient settlement are under water. At the bottom there are pottery, fired bricks, bones of human and animal skeletons. According to one hypothesis this is a possible site of a medieval monastery of 10-14 cc. In the course of the field works here have been found several valuable medieval ceramic pots and a stone grain bruiser.