Yes, leaving your car at a guesthouse in Karakol is the easiest option. You can arrange a UAZ transfer there or use the contact number I provided earlier.Posted by: @azavwould it be better to leave the car in Karakol city and hire a UAZ transfer straight from there?
You’re correct, but Google Maps gives inaccurate time estimates. Plan for a full day — start early. For safety, I’d recommend bringing a satellite phone, as there’s no cell coverage in these areas. If you don’t have one, you can rent it.Posted by: @azavTosor Pass but couldn’t quite pinpoint its exact location. I’ve sketched out a route that I thought would shorten the drive.
They didn’t have boats in the past, but they might now. They definitely offer horseback rides.Posted by: @azavAbout the yurt camp — does it open in late May? And is there any chance of renting a boat there?
Yes, there’s a new bridge replacing the old wooden one.Posted by: @azavis there a bridge across the Aksay River?
Your updated route looks fantastic:
Skazka Canyon -> Kel-Suu -> Son-Kul (North Shore) -> Ak-Kul -> Bishkek via Too-Ashuu Pass.
Too-Ashuu has a fair bit of traffic, but the surrounding mountain views are breathtaking.
Lastly, I’d suggest requesting A/T tires from the car rental agency. They’ll make dirt roads and rocky sections (like Kel-Suu and Son-Kul) much more manageable while reducing the risk of punctures. Just be cautious — Too-Ashuu can still have ice patches in May, though it’s rare.
Safe travels, and enjoy the adventure! 🚙🏔️
got it. We’ll leave the car at the guesthouse in Karakol. Any ballpark figure for a transfer to the gorge?
So, that is the Tosor Pass—well, let’s not tempt fate and take the detour instead.
I’ll check about these services at the yurt camp. I thought the season there starts in July, but with people already arriving as early as May, we’ll see how it plays out. There’s a chance the lake might "disappear" or remain under ice, so it’s a bit of a gamble. But the views of the Kök-Kyia Valley alone are worth the effort.
The bridge news is great—this means we’ll definitely reach the yurt camp.
Thanks for the kind words. Honestly, it’s probably for the best that the road to Bishkek leads exclusively through this pass. With enough acclimatization from earlier treks, we’re unlikely to face any major altitude-related issues.
Thanks for the tire advice regarding A/T—I’ll double-check. I assume they come as standard, but I’m also considering deflating them to about 1.4 atm for particularly rough patches.
Overall, the route looks robust and comprehensive. A buffer of 1–2 days should cover any unforeseen circumstances. Since we’re flying into Bishkek with a tight 1.5-hour layover in Istanbul, there’s a risk of either a) missing the connection or b) losing baggage. In that case, we’ll spend the first 2 days exploring Bishkek, stocking up on essentials (dry fuel, rations, canned food, etc.), and heading to Ala-Archa. If things drag out, we’ll add a visit to Burana Tower and Kegeti Gorge before circling back to Bishkek.
Roughly speaking, the total trip will cover around 2,200 km, which is quite manageable over 12 days.
Here’s the final update on the car:
It’s a 2011 Toyota RAV4 with 19 cm ground clearance. Summer tires (no A/T) and no engine protection. Not ideal, but tolerable. We’re not planning to drive aggressively—ground roads will be handled with care. Thanks to your help, we’ve already eliminated some risky segments (e.g., Tosor Pass and Karakol Gorge).
The remaining “good roads” include:
The tougher roads still on the itinerary are Song-Kul, Kel-Suu, and Naryn Region as a whole.
Lightmax, from what I understand, the road from Skazka Canyon to Kel-Suu is unpaved but generally passable—no Tosor-like adventures, right?
And from the northern shore of Song-Kul to Too-Ashuu Pass, the route is also unpaved but a decent, compacted grader?
Here’s the adjusted plan:
Plan A (if we make the connection and baggage arrives on time):
Day 1: Arrival → car rental → supplies (fuel, food, dry goods) → Burana Tower → Kegeti Gorge → Kegeti Waterfall → overnight stay.
Day 2: Trek to Kol-Tor for acclimatization → drive to Konorchek Canyon → exploration → overnight there.
Day 3: Long drive to Karakol via Issyk-Kul’s northern shore → stop at Grigoriev and Semenov Gorges → overnight in Karakol → arrange transfers for Altyn-Arashan.
Day 4: Full-day drive to Enilchek → overnight in Enilchek.
Day 5: Return to Karakol → transfer to Karakol Gorge → exploration → overnight in the camp.
Day 6: Start the trek to Ala-Köl Lake (~5 hours hiking). Depending on conditions:
Day 7: Transfer back to the car in Karakol → drive to Jeti-Ögüz → Barskoon → Skazka Canyon → exploration → overnight stay.
Day 8: Tough day: Long drive (~350 km) to Kel-Suu → overnight at the yurt camp.
Day 9: Trek to Kel-Suu (possibly with kayaking) → return to the car → drive to Naryn → overnight in Naryn.
Day 10: Drive to Song-Kul → explore northern shore → overnight at a yurt camp or Kara-Keche village.
Day 11: Challenging day: Drive to Ak-Köl Lake → exploration → long drive towards Bishkek via Too-Ashuu Pass → overnight in the first village past the pass.
Day 12: Final day: Drive to Bishkek → stop at Ala-Archa Valley → explore → return to Bishkek → car drop-off → free time.
It’s a tight plan, no doubt. If baggage is lost or any delays occur, we’ll use the first 2 days for Ala-Archa, Burana Tower, and Kegeti Gorge. Then we’ll head back to Bishkek for the luggage before resuming the rest of the route as planned.
Does this look reasonable? I’d say this is 99% final—I’m unlikely to add anything. If needed, I’ll just drop some stops. Thanks in advance!
Posted by: @azavthe road from Skazka Canyon to Kel-Suu is unpaved but generally passable—no Tosor-like adventures, right?
If you’re bypassing Tosor, the road will remain good until Naryn. After that, it’s unpaved and corrugated.
Once you turn toward Song-Kul, the road is a decent dirt track. With the grader—well, that’s luck-dependent.
Posted by: @azavDay 5: Return to Karakol → transfer to Karakol Gorge → exploration → overnight in the camp.
You can reach the gorge entrance in your car, but beyond that, you’ll need a transfer if you’re planning to go deeper.
Posted by: @azavDay 6: Start the trek to Ala-Köl Lake (~5 hours hiking).
From the upper bridge to the lake’s midpoint, it’s roughly 5 hours. From there to Altyn-Arashan? At least another 5 hours, and that’s with a brisk pace.
The route is solid—for a very active traveler!
Thanks, Lightmax.
Alright, I’m crossing the Tosor Pass off the list. I’ll stick to the same route as shown in the map — better to take the passable road.
About Karakol Gorge — yes, the plan is to reach the start of the trek to Ala-Kul, specifically the alpine camp coordinates 42.315667, 78.470962. But based on what you’ve mentioned regarding the road’s condition, I see we likely won’t get there by car. We’ll leave the vehicle at the guesthouse and proceed from there.
Five hours sounds manageable for the trek. As for the overnight stay — we’ll decide based on timing, but honestly, it’d be great to spend the night up there by the lake. It’ll help recharge after the long hike and aid with acclimatization too.
Just to confirm: from Son-Kul all the way to the Too-Ashuu Pass, it’s dirt roads the whole way?
Update: I’ve just spoken to the rental company, and they offered a Toyota 4Runner for a slight additional fee. It’s equipped with A/T tires and has a clearance of 23 cm. I’m leaning toward taking it.
Given the long stretches of gravel roads in the second part of the journey, it feels like the safer option. Plus, I’d rather not face any surprises with a RAV4 and its summer tires on a snowy Son-Kul.
Now, a couple of follow-ups:
Yes, it’s dirt roads all the way to Suusamyr.Posted by: @azavJust to confirm: from Son-Kul all the way to the Too-Ashuu Pass, it’s dirt roads the whole way?
Posted by: @azavI’d rather not face any surprises with a RAV4 and its summer tires on a snowy Son-Kul.
Keep in mind: A/T tires are also considered summer tires, just optimized for rough and gravel roads. They’re not winter tires. That said, the 4Runner will definitely be more comfortable and reliable for this route.
However, I’d strongly advise against trying to push through Karakol Gorge with it. Even in a 4Runner, that’s asking for trouble.
Last May, we took a road trip across Kyrgyzstan, including a drive around Issyk-Kul. I have to say, the trip was absolutely fantastic. Kyrgyzstan turned out to be even more beautiful than I had expected! The locals were incredibly kind and welcoming — they even posed for pictures with us as a keepsake. And, of course, everything was unbelievably cheap.
The roads were decent overall, though you should prepare for the fact that almost half the roads are dirt tracks. Unfortunately, our car didn’t have a cabin filter, so all the dust made its way inside, which made the driving pretty tough.
The most exhausting part was the route around Son-Kul Lake. The terrain there is marshy, filled with river crossings. A couple of times, I seriously thought I’d get stuck. The roads are bumpy, winding, and hilly — even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to go faster than 20 km/h. That circular drive was much more tiring than I expected.
Other than that, the roads are generally manageable. To get to Kel-Suu, there’s a railway bridge you cross, and then you can follow the signs straight to the yurt camp.
What stood out the most? The southern side of Issyk-Kul and the trip to Kel-Suu Lake via Enilchek — absolutely breathtaking places. The road from Issyk-Kul to Kel-Suu easily made it into my top list of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken (and I’ve seen plenty!).
What didn’t impress me? Ala-Archa Gorge — too many people, and it doesn’t really stand out compared to the other places. Kel-Tor Lake was also a letdown in May. It had just started thawing, and the water was murky.
Since you’ll also be traveling in May, keep in mind that Ala-Kul will almost certainly be inaccessible for hiking. As for the road to Enilchek, you might want to check in advance — they don’t clear it regularly. Everything else should be passable, though.
By the way, you don’t necessarily need a 4Runner for this kind of trip — a simpler SUV will do just fine.
All I can say is this: Kyrgyzstan will win your heart. Wishing you an amazing journey!
How cold was it overall in Kyrgyzstan? How warm should we dress for this trip? Did you use guides, horses, or transfers with a prepared jeep anywhere? Also, if it’s not a secret, how much did the trip cost — fuel, food, and other expenses? From what I’ve heard, food is pretty cheap there, and accommodations aren’t too bad either (about $30-40 per night on average).
We traveled there at the end of May, and the weather was generally quite comfortable. Around Issyk-Kul, it was blazing hot — around +35°C.
In places like Enilchek and Kel-Suu, though, nighttime temperatures hovered around zero degrees. Overall, the weather was pleasant, but you’ll definitely want warm clothes for trekking and overnight stays. My packing list included felt boots, fleece layers, thermal underwear, a down jacket with a membrane shell, and insulated pants — the standard gear for these kinds of places.
I can’t recall the exact numbers, but the car consumed a lot of fuel. For the whole trip, it cost our group around $400 in total for 12 days of very active driving.
Accommodations were cheap, and you can even find more budget-friendly options if you look. That said, we camped in tents every night, so we didn’t really spend anything on lodging.
As for guides and horses — we didn’t use any. For transport, though, we rented a UAZ “Bukhanka” in Karakol to get to Altyn-Arashan Gorge (we skipped Karakol Gorge). In Altyn-Arashan, you’ll definitely need the service of a driver with a properly prepared vehicle.
The road there is a nightmare — a real “off-road paradise.” I was honestly relieved that I didn’t attempt it with my own car. It’s all boulders, riverbeds, and steep climbs in abundance. That service (round trip) cost us about $200.
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Drives to Karakol Gorge, Altyn-Arashan, and other locations - by arrangement.