On the way to Issyk-Kul, after the Boom gorge pass, if you watch south from the highway, beyond the Chu River, you can notice unusual reddish rock formations against the starting mountain slopes. What you see there are the scenic and unique Kok Moinok canyons. 

These colorful, 2,5 km long and narrow canyons, are named after the same named village just little bit further along the road. It is believed that long time ago the Issyk Kul lake was also reaching here when the water level of the lake was higher as there is a large concentration of salt on the cliffs here. These canyons have been formed most likely after the ice age when the glaciers on the mountains behind this area were melting and the water from them eroded the cliffs here thus forming these picturesque patterns of rock.