Barskoon Gorge is the south shore's easiest move from lake country into the high Tien Shan. The road climbs along a cold river toward spruce slopes, summer yurt camps, and a chain of waterfalls reached on foot from the upper valley.
The gorge also has an odd Soviet-era footnote: monuments to Yuri Gagarin stand near the route, tied to the cosmonaut's stay in the Issyk-Kul area. Come in spring or early summer for stronger water, and bring proper shoes if you plan to climb beyond the first viewpoints.