Pearls of Kyrgyzstan: Song-Kol & Issyk-Kul Lakes

Trip Essentials

Tour Type: auto/trekking

Total Duration: 8 days

Best Season: mid-June – end of September

Level of Difficulty: medium

Maximum Altitude on the Trip: 3 500 meters ASL

Start and End Point: Bishkek

Transport: jeep/minivan/minibus depending on the size of the group

Best group size: 2- 12 persons

 

Trip Highlights

Burana Tower – Balasagun was a city in the Chuy region during the Karakhanid Khanate.  Excavations have revealed that the double walls of the settlement enclosed 30 sq km, including a fortress, many workshops, bazaars, a bathhouse, and a plot of arable land.  Water brought by a large pipe from a neighboring canyon.  As the Karakhanid rule was shaken by Mongol invasions, Balasagun began a slow decline, eventually becoming a ghost town in the 15th century.

Burana Tower is the most visible remnant of the old city.  Built in the 11th century, the tower is thought to have been a minaret.  It was originally double it’s current height of 24.6 meters. Historian’s believe the top half to have been destroyed in a 15th century earthquake.

Chong-Kemin Valley – In the Chuy region this small 500 hectare park covers an incredible range of terrain, from semi desert to glacier.  Trek the gorge and check out the extreme landscapes, and unique animal and plant life including the Tolai Hare, pheasant, and fir-needle ephedra.

Issyk-Kul Lake – the crown jewel of the Tian Shan, Lake Issyk-Kul is 6232 sq m of sparkling blue paradise.  The second largest saline lake in the world, its name in Kyrgyz means “hot lake”– though surrounded by spectacular snow capped peaks, the water never freezes.  Silk Road traders stopped here to recover from the grueling trek over the passes of the Tian Shan, and it is still the most popular destination in Kyrgyzstan to relax for both tourists and locals.

Lake Son-Kul – in Kyrgyz “the final lake”.  Son Kul gleams like a brilliant sapphire on it’s lush green mountain plateau.  At 3016 m it is inaccessible during winter months, and even in summer weather conditions can change rapidly. “The Last Lake” is considered one of the most beautiful areas for summer pasturing with an area of 270 km sq.  In winter the lake freezes over with ice more than a meter thick.

Nomads have been making the upland trek to this 3016 m asl lake since ancient times with their livestock.  Some left mysterious “standing stone” arrangements. Lake Son-Kul is a beautiful place to experience life on a jailoo – summer pasture.  Ride horses in the surrounding mountains, or stay in a yurt and experience an old-fashioned Kyrgyz summer.

 

Services Included

Price includes: 

• Accommodation according the program at home stay, guest houses and yurt camps
• Meals during tour (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners), except alcoholic drinks
• Transport services
• English speaking touring guide
• Visiting cultural/historical places and entrance fees
• Cultural events and show according to the program
• 2 days trek from Kyzyl-Suu to Jety-Oguz gorge
• 2 days trek to Song-Kol lake

Price doesn’t include: 

• accommodation in Bishkek;
• meals at cafes;
• single supplement;
• personal expenses;
• activities out of program;
• travel insurance;
• tips;
• international air fare;
• boat trip and rafting

 

Trip Itinerary

Bishkek – Chong-Kemin Valley – Karakol Town – 2 days Trek from Kyzyl-Suu to Jety-Oguz gorge – Bokonbaevo Village – Kochkor – 2 days trekking tour to Song-Köl Lake – Bishkek

 

Day 1

This day drive to Chong-Kemin Valley. Visit the Burana Tower architectural complex (10th-11th century, an important point on the Great Silk Road) on the way (15 km from the main road, 1 hour). Upon arrival to Chong-Kemin have a lunch at home stay.  Accommodation in a local guesthouse. Optional: horse riding or walk around the village.

Day 2

After breakfast drive to Karakol (about 5-6 hours). On the way make a stop in Cholpon-Ata to visit an open-air petroglyph (rock painting) gallery (5km from Cholpon-Ata, heading to the mountains). Continue your way to Karakol, make another stop for lunch at cafe. Upon arrival to Karakol, visit Dungan Mosque and Russian Ortodox Church. Dinner will be at café, overnight at guest house.

Day 3

Morning after breakfast transfer from Karakol town transfer to Kyzyl Suu valley (40 km from Karakol). Trekking towards Jeti Oguz valley via Jeti Oguz pass – 18 km walking distance, max elevation 2800 m. Lunch on route, on the way visiting: waterfall in Kok Jayik gorge. Overnight and diner in the yurt camp

Day 4

After breakfast make a short hike to the view point of Oguz Bashy Peak (5180 meters elevation) you will have amazing view of beautiful snowy mountain, back to the yurta, make lunch. After lunch walk down by Jeti Oguz mountain range towards 7 Bulls rock, finishing trekking at Panoramic view point. Next our stop will be at Skazka canyons. Upon arrival to Yurt camp, dinner and B&B will be provided.

 

Day 5

Afternoon transfer to Jaychi yurt camp, where you will see eagle hunting show. Then continue your way to Kochkor village, have a lunch at home stay at Kochkor village.

Day 6

Transfer from Kochkor to Kyzart pass.  Arrival at Kyzart pass, meet your guides team and start the tour. Within sight of the road, cross Kyzyl-Kiya jailoo, an enormous, relatively flat sea of grass.  Continue over the Chaar-Archa Pass (3 061 m) into the Chaar-Archa Valley and eat a tasty lunch by the racing river, with views of holy 4400 m Baba-Ata Mountain.  Sated, ford the river and follow the trail over verdant hills to Kilemche Jailoo.  The name means “like a carpet,” and this swathe of grass covers whole mountain ranges, with shadings as subtle as any shyrdak (shyrdak is a Kyrgyz felt carpet).  Dine and sleep in a yurt, naturally.

Day 7

After breakfast at Kilemche, spend the morning climbing to Jalgyz Karagai pass (3400 m), over the Song-Kol Mountains and into the lake’s basin. The morning climb affords wonderful views of Kilemche jailoo, and the pass itself is rocky and exciting.  From the pass, Song-Kol is still distant, but as you traipse down the slopes, it gets larger and larger; the mountains on the other side get higher and higher, until finally the lake fills most of your field of view and the southern mountains tower above it.  After lunch at Jaman Echki, transfer the lakeshore east to the yurt at Batai-Aral.  Upon arrival meet your host family of Kyrgyz shepherds. Meals and overnight are in a yurt of shepherds.

Day 8

After breakfast transfer to Bishkek, via Kalmak-Ashuu pass. Upon arrival to Bishkek, end of the tour.