Travel to Kyrgyzstan: treks, yurts and high-altitude lakes

In the heart of the Celestial Mountains, Kyrgyzstan offers summer pastures where herders still set up their yurts every year, the great Lake Issyk-Kul ringed by snowy peaks and trekking trails that need no expedition, just a few hours' drive from Bishkek.

Why choose Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan is the most accessible hiking destination in Central Asia: visa-free entry for up to 60 days for French travellers, a network of homestays and summer yurt camps. Its high mountain scenery recalls Nepal, with far fewer people on the trails.

What to discover in Kyrgyzstan?

Bishkek and the Chuy Valley

A capital of wide, tree-lined Soviet avenues, Bishkek can be seen in a day, between Ala-Too Square and the Osh Bazaar. It mainly serves as a base: Ala Archa National Park lies about 40 km south for a day hike, and the Burana Tower, remnant of a caravan city, about 80 km east. The Kazakhstan border is only half an hour away, and Almaty about four hours by road.

Lake Issyk-Kul and Karakol

About 180 km long and set at around 1,600 metres, Issyk-Kul never freezes in winter. The north shore, around Cholpon-Ata, has the busy beaches in July and August; the wilder south shore leads to Skazka canyon and the red cliffs of Jeti-Oguz. In the east, Karakol, six to seven hours from Bishkek, is the base for treks to Altyn-Arashan and the Ala-Kul pass. Allow three to five days around the lake.

The high pastures of Song-Kul

Lake Song-Kul, at around 3,000 metres in the centre of the country, is only accessible from about June to September, when herding families set up their yurts there. You sleep with them, often after a two-day approach on horseback from Kochkor, or by car on a mountain pass track. Nights stay cold even in August, sometimes close to freezing: a good sleeping bag and a warm layer are essential.

Naryn and the Torugart road

South of Naryn, the road climbing to the Torugart Pass and China crosses almost empty high plateaus. The Tash Rabat caravanserai, a lone stone building in a valley at around 3,200 metres, makes a day trip from Naryn or an overnight stay in a yurt on site. Lake Chatyr-Kul, higher up, requires a border permit obtained before departure. The road is passable from June to September.

Osh and the Fergana Valley

The country's second city, Osh spreads at the foot of Sulaiman-Too, a sacred UNESCO-listed mountain you can climb in about an hour. Its great bazaar ranks among the liveliest in Central Asia. The city is a little over an hour's flight from Bishkek and opens onto Uzbekistan, a few kilometres away. The Batken border areas with Tajikistan, scene of recent clashes, are advised against by the French foreign ministry: stick to the Osh to Bishkek axis.

Cities to visit in Kyrgyzstan

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Must-sees in Kyrgyzstan

Seven sites among lakes, passes and Silk Road remains, to combine over two to three weeks.

Skazka Canyon

An eroded sandstone canyon of surprising shapes and colours, nicknamed fairy tale canyon, on the south shore of Issyk-Kul, explored on foot in one to two hours.

Jeti-Oguz Gorge

Red rock cliffs nicknamed the Seven Bulls, at the start of a green valley leading to pastures and hot springs, south-west of Karakol.

Altyn-Arashan

A high valley with hot springs reached in half a day's walk from Karakol, starting point of the trek to Lake Ala-Kul.

Ala Archa Park

An alpine national park less than an hour from Bishkek, with trails to waterfalls and a glacier, ideal for acclimatising before a longer trek.

Burana Tower

An eleventh-century truncated minaret, last remnant of the city of Balasagun, surrounded by a field of balbal grave stones near Tokmok.

Tash Rabat Caravanserai

A domed stone building hidden in a high Naryn valley, once a caravan stop between the Fergana Valley and Kashgar.

Sulaiman-Too

A sacred mountain overlooking Osh, UNESCO-listed, dotted with caves, prayer sites and a museum carved into the rock.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sleep in a yurt at Song-Kul without booking?
In July and August it is better to book, at least the day before, through a Kochkor agency or a community-based tourism network, as camps are scattered and the track is long. In June and September it is easier to find a place on arrival, but some camps close with the first snow.
Can the Ala-Kul trek be done without a guide?
Yes for experienced hikers, in about three days from Karakol via Altyn-Arashan, with a pass at around 3,900 metres. The trail is busy in summer, but the weather changes fast and the descent is steep. Beginners are better off hiring a local guide.
Can you swim in Lake Issyk-Kul?
Yes, in July and August, when the water becomes pleasant. The lake is slightly salty and never freezes. The north shore has developed beaches and guesthouses, the south shore wilder coves, such as around Bokonbaevo or Tamga.
How to get from Bishkek to Osh?
The flight takes a little over an hour. The road, about 600 km, crosses two passes above 3,000 metres and Toktogul reservoir: allow ten to twelve hours by shared taxi. It is spectacular but long, best for those who want to stop along the way.
How long for a first trip to Kyrgyzstan?
Two weeks let you circle Issyk-Kul, do a three-day trek from Karakol and spend two nights at Song-Kul. Three weeks add Naryn, Tash Rabat and Osh. With less than ten days, focus on Bishkek, Karakol and Song-Kul.
Can you reach Tajikistan and the Pamir Highway from Osh?
Yes, Osh is the traditional starting point for Tajikistan via the Kyzyl-Art pass. Part of the Pamir Highway then runs along the Afghan border, advised against by the French foreign ministry: check its up-to-date map and the regional permit required before setting off.
Where to see nomad games and eagle hunting?
Displays of horseback games, including kok-boru, and eagle hunting take place in summer on the south shore of Issyk-Kul and at local festivals, often in August and September. Agencies in Karakol and Bokonbaevo can arrange meetings with falconers.

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