Mountain climbing is a popular activity within the park, which offers several peaks in the 4000m class: A small reservoir on the Kargay-Bulak river was built to study the Amu Darya trout.

Other wildlife includes the very rare snow leopard (in Kyrgyz: "ilbirs") on the alpine meadows and snowfields above 2,500 m elevation, wild goats, roe deer and marmots.

[5] The park is a destination point for weekend picnickers, hikers, horse trekkers, skiers as well as mountain climbers looking for ice, rock and mixed routes.

Past the gate, the road continues 12 km to a small collection of buildings, including one newly renovated lodge.

At the end of the road, up a trail to the left (East), lies the Ak-Sai Glacier, where remains of a Soviet climbing base indicate the high quality mountaineering within the park.