Russian scientist, geographer, explorer and traveler Petr Semenov described the little-studied mountain system of the Tien Shan for Europeans in the 19th century; in expeditions funded by the Russian Geographical Society, he studied and presented a report that there are no active volcanoes on the Tien Shan mountains, that there are eternal snow on the peaks of the high mountain range of the Tien Shan; discovered dozens of new plant species unknown to science and collected a rich collection of rocks. This was a major breakthrough in the science of studying grasses and rocks in Central Asia.

He also drew up the first scheme of orography (classification of landforms) of the Tien Shan in the form of a system of latitudinal ridges. For these services, a prefix was added to his surname – Semenov - Tien Shanskiy. The Semenovka gorge was named in honor of this outstanding researcher. Local name of this gorge is Kichi Ak Suu, which means Small White River.

From Grigorievka Gorge, you can walk and drive directly to the Semenovka Gorge. Therefore, it is a favorite route for travelers, tourists, researchers and just lovers of hiking. Along the way, you admire the views of picturesque landscapes: towering coniferous giants, tall and intimidating mountain slopes, a mountain river, winding trails, gentle hills, hundreds of species of plants, grasses, trees, shrubs, medicinal plants, berries, mushrooms, huge boulders and the bizarre shapes of mountain peaks. And you can often find things that you won't see in other places -yaks graze on high-altitude plateaus, and golden eagles, falcons fly in the sky.

Along the gorge there are yurts and buildings for travelers - for a fee you can buy a hot lunch, drink koumiss, and taste dishes of national cuisine. There are also local activities - horse riding enthusiasts can take horseback rides through the gorge, climb mountain peaks, and go fishing. This gorge is a favorite place for athletes, people come here to recover from grueling workouts, and cyclists set a route through the gorge.
Those who come here to relax will be able to actually get acquainted with the real life of the ancient nomads: stay in yurts for the night and see firsthand how the ancient Kyrgyz lived.
The Kichi Ak-Suu river is of glacial origin: it is transparent and clean. Living in a yurt near the crystal river against the backdrop of high mountain peaks, surrounded by centuries-old coniferous giants, you truly feel like an ancient nomad.

The fertile Kyrchyn Valley is located on a picturesque plateau, where the World Nomad Games were held three times, in which athletes from more than 80 countries of the world took part. So, the legacy of the past is reborn today. And the spiritual wealth of each nation is in the preservation of national games, crafts, oral folk art, folklore, in the competition of improvisational akyns (poets), and in many other things, which cannot be enumerated, and the heritage of any nation, if it is adapted to the realities of the time, if it carries the seeds of kindness and education, nobility and generosity, is always priceless.

What else is Semenov gorge famous for?
There is a lake here, and according to the legends of old-timers, it was formed in 1910 as a result of a strong earthquake. It is called Suttu-Bulak or Milk Lake and is considered as a holy place - the ancient legend says that by diving three times in the lake you can wash away your sins. True or not, it's always the place that holds the story that attracts you.