MELS pass is located in Naryn region near Baetovo village. It is not always part of regular tours in Kyrgyzstan as the road is mountainous and can be easily washed off with rains. On clear days it is possible to make a transfer from Son Kul lake to Tash Rabat via Baetovo and MELS pass. Car rent is the best way to explore such hidden places.
The pass is 3, 420 meters above sea level. The name comes from abbreviations of the last names of K. Marx, F. Engel, V. Lenin and I. Stalin. On the first decades of Soviet power it was popular to create such names, so MELS is not only the name for pass but also a male trendy Kyrgyz name of the time.
After the village the road goes through numerous syrts of river Terek with no water (syrt is a special type of highlands typical to Tien Shan and Pamir mountains, used as pastures. The syrt’s relief is smooth or slightly wavy, relatively weakly dissected). On the way it is possible to observe old cemeteries. After river path finishes we drive up to a small gorge and the degree of height gradually rises, until we make to one pass before MELS making dozens of serpentine. From each new round we get amazing views to different layers of mountains with various colors and shapes. Then we see the mountains Baibiche Too, canyons of the Terek River before we finally reach the MELS pass. Going down from is a separate adventure, when you can observe the At Bashy kettle’s sandstones with bumpy roads but not less beautiful.
If you rent a car and want to try extreme, MELS pass be added into your tour.
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