A few kilometres further up the valley from the ski area, Ysyk-Ata is a balneoclimatic resort set at around 1,775 metres altitude on the northern slopes of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too. The thermal spring waters here have been used for bathing and recuperation since Soviet times, and the resort still draws a steady stream of visitors from Bishkek looking for a weekend break.
The baths are the main draw, but the setting — forest, mountain air, the rushing stream — is reason enough to come even if you skip the treatments. In summer the trails above the resort lead up through pastures where shepherds bring their flocks. It is an easy add-on to a Norus day trip, or a destination in its own right.