Everything you need to know about the 3-day trek to Ala-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan. Which taxi to take from Karakol? Hiking maps? GPX-files to load on your watch, phone or GPS-device? Where to stay? How to get back to Karakol from Ak-Suu? Find ALL this information in this blog post.
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Table of Contents
Where to stay before and after the trek to Ala-Kul?
Most likely you will stay in Karakol before and after the trek to Ala-Kul lake. This city lies East from the Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan and is easily reachable by marshrutka (minibus) or shared taxi from the Western bus station in Bishkek. If you’re coming from somewhere else there’s a high chance you will have to make a transfer in Balykchy which is at the West of the Issyk-Kul lake.
During my time in Karakol I stayed at Madanur hotel which was only a 15 minute walk from the center and a had a delicious breakfast included. This hotel works together with Sierra restaurant which is a western style restaurant with delicious food. The service there however was terrible, they forgot to serve me dinner and then told me the kitchen was closed, after 1h30 waiting. If you order there make sure to remind them every 15 minutes that you’re waiting 😉
Check availability for Madanur hotel or any other accomodation below:
Preparations before leaving on the trek to Ala-Kul Lake
General tips
When it comes to preparing for the trek to Ala-Kul this is not very different than a trek anywhere in the world. The difference with other countries is that there are no mountain huts or chalets available. If you are not planning to camp with your own gear you can instead sleep in yurts or tents hosted by local families. They also provide breakfast and dinner.
Another very important item to bring is a waterfilter. I know in other parts of the world you could usually drink directly from mountain streams but in Kyrgyzstan there’s pretty much everywhere livestock so if you don’t want to get sick use a waterfilter.
Book your stay at Sirota Camp
If you decide not to carry your own camping equipment you can sleep in yurts or tents instead. For this trek things are slightly different than for Song-Kul trek. As the trek to Ala-Kul lake is one of the most popular in Kyrgyzstan I would recommend to reserve a spot in advance. You can easily do this at Meeting Point which is a bar/restaurant connected to Duet Hostel. I went there the day before the trek, paid 400 KGS as a downpayment and got a tiny paper as proof of payment that I had to show in Sirota camp. The remaining 2100 KGS has to be paid at the camp. When making this reservation I expected to sleep in a yurt but actually I spent the night in a tent instead. No problem for me but if you really want a yurt I think you should mention that in Meeting Point. Dinner and breakfast are included in the price and if you ask I’m sure they’ll prepare, for a small fee, a packed lunch for you as well.
Don’t worry about cold temperatures, the family provided a decent camping matress and several heavy blankets so I didn’t feel cold at all during the night.
Transportation to the Trail head in Karakol National Park?
When it comes to reaching the start of this trek there are basically 2 options:
The first option, and the cheapest (I think it costs 25 KGS), is by taking Marshrutka number 101 that leaves at Meeting Point (where you booked your yurt/tent stay) to the entrance of Karakol National Park. This means you have to walk about 7 kilometer (1,5h walk) on a dirt road where the views are not the most interesting. However the road is pretty flat so it’s not a huge effort.
The second option is to book a (shared) taxi, obviously this costs a lot more, 800-1000 KGS (10-12 USD/EUR) for the whole car to be exact. If you can split this between 4 it’s not that bad considering that this 4×4 car will bring you all the way to what they call the first bridge. I’m still confused why they call this the first bridge as there are at least 3 more bridges over the river before reaching this one. I would recommend to ask Jalil on Whatsapp at +996 551 932 681. He speaks great English (and Spanish) and knows exactly where to drop you off with his 4×4 jeep.
Don’t forget that with both of above mentioned options it is also required to pay the entrance fee of the National Park which is 250 KGS per person and 50 KGS per vehicle.
Transportation from Ak-Suu back to Karakol
After the 3-day trek to Ala-Kul lake you will arrive in the town Ak-Suu. Most likely you left some luggage in Karakol so you’ll want to get back there. You can either take a Marshrutka or a shared taxi. When we arrived walking into Ak-Suu there was already a taxxi driver that greeted us and wanted to drive us to Karakol. I kindly refused because I knew the Marshrutka would be much cheaper.
If you use the GPX-file I provided you will end the hike right next to the bus stop of Marshrutka #350 that will bring you to Karakol for 25 KGS (0.30 USD/EUR). If you’re not using my GPX-track, this is the exact location of the bus station, in front of a small supermarket.
As usual on these kind of adventures I also filmed the whole experience for my Youtube channel, check out the video below and let me know what you think in the comments!
Day 1 : Karakol NP to Sirota Camp
Hiking Details
Distance: The total distance for this hike is 14 kilometers (point-to-point hike)
Elevation gain: The total incline was 905 meters
Moving time: According to Strava my moving time was 3 hours and 50 minutes (total time was 6 hours 3 minutes)
Difficulty: I would rate this as an easy/intermediate hike.
Address start: Start trail in Karakol National Park
Price:
-Entrance Karakol NP: 250 KGS (+/- 3 USD/EUR) per person.
-Transportation to the 2nd bridge in Karakol NP: 800 KGS (+/- 10 USD/EUR)
-Staying at the Sirota: 2500 KGS (+/- 30 USD/EUR) with breakfast and dinner included.
Water: Refilling is mostly possible during the first 10 kilometers. Also around 10 km is the first camp where you can buy drinks (soda/ water/beer)
Use the pinned location below so you can navigate straight to where the hike starts.
Hiking map and GPX-File
Generally speaking for all hikes, the easiest way is to download a GPX file that you can view on a gps device, a smartphone or smartwatch. It will tell you step-by-step how to walk. It also includes an elevation profile of the hike which can help you to decide if this hike is for you or not.
Click through to Strava to see all the details:
Download the GPX file right here: 1-3-Ala-Kul-trek-Karakol-NP-to-Sirota-Yurt-Camp.gpx
Karakol National Park
Karakol Nature Park is one of the largest national parks in Kyrgyzstan with an area of approximately 38 000 hectares. It is located 6 km from the center of the city Karakol. The Karakol river flows through it creating the beautiful Karakol gorge.
Sirota Camp
Camp 2 or Sirota camp is situated at an altitude of about 2950 m and is approximately 3 km from the Ala-Kul lake which lies at 3532 m. The name Sirota actually comes from a small concrete cabin that is build there. Most trekkers with own tents camp around this cabin. The actual ‘yurt/tent’ camp where you will stay is a bit lower in the valley (you will walk right through this camp).
How I experienced Day 1 of the trek to Ala-Kul
As I knew day 2 of the 3-day trek to Ala-Kul lake would be pretty hard I decided to take it super slow the first day. That’s also the reason that I took the taxi instead of the Marshrutka. It saved me some kilometers but especially some energy that I would need on the second day. Looking back now I definitely think that was a good move.
The hike was pretty easy for the first 10 kilometers. Mostly I walked on a dirt road where jeeps and even some kind of ruggedized buses drive up and down. Sometimes the river overflowed the trails which meant I had to take alternative trails to avoid getting wet feet. Tricky but not impossible.
Just about 2 kilometers into this hike the view opened up over the whole valley. The river became wide and was even spread out over different streams. I was amazed by this a gorgous landscape. My expectations for day 1 were pretty low but when I reached this beautiful Karakol river valley I was truly amazed.
After following the Karakol river upstream for almost 10 kilometers the Karakol river started cascading down huge boulders with quite a signifcant drop. You could hear rocks moving in the water. Imagine how powerful it was!
Only a few minutes after this waterfall was the second bridge and right next to it camp 1. Here you could spend the night and buy some supplies if you wanted to. I didn’t waste much time here because I knew camp 1 marked the start of the hardest part of the day.
Over a distance of about 3 kilometers I had to climb about 500 m. Usually I tend to do these climb pretty fast and just take breaks every once in a while but I decided to use a different strategy which was actually way more effective. I took it slow but kept going with a few breaks but less than usual.
It was around 4 PM when I had reached Sirota camp. First I walked all the way to the Sirota cabin to then realize that I had to go back because the camp where I was staying was actually a bit lower in the valley. Don’t make the same mistake as I did.
I refreshed myself a bit at the cold lake next to the camp and relaxed for the rest of the night with some new friends. Dinner was served at 6 PM and consisted of a salad and a soup (usual meal in yurt camps). A few beers and cognacs later I decided to call it a day.
Day 2 : Sirota Camp to Altyn-Arashan
Hiking Details
Distance: The total distance for this hike is 18 kilometers (point-to-point hike)
Elevation gain: The total incline was 1125 meter
Moving time: According to Strava my moving time was 6 hours and 20 minutes (total time was 10 hours 50 minutes)
Difficulty: I would rate this as a hard hike.
Address start: Sirota campsite
Price: Staying at the guesthouse called Altyn-Arashan was 2100 KGS (+/- 26 USD/EUR) with breakfast and dinner included. This was for a private room. Dorms are cheaper.
Water: Recommended is to refill your bottles just before the last climb to Ala-Kul, this is where you see the big waterfall at 2,5 km. Only at 9 km which is after the Ala-Kul pass there will be an accessible river again.
Hiking map and GPX-File
Generally speaking for all hikes, the easiest way is to download a GPX file that you can view on a gps device, a smartphone or smartwatch. It will tell you step-by-step how to walk. It also includes an elevation profile of the hike which can help you to decide if this hike is for you or not.
Click through to Strava to see all the details:
Download the GPX file right here: 2-3-Ala-Kul-trek-Sirota-Yurt-Camp-to-Altyn-Arashan.gpx
Ala-Kul Lake
The Ala-Kul lake is the gem of the Karakol Nature Park and lies at an altitude of 3532 m. It is 2.8 km long and 600–700 m wide. With it’s gorgeous turquoise color it attracts trekkers from all over the world every year. If you trek with your own gear you could pitch your tent next to it and if you’re really courageous you can take a dip in the ice cold glacial lake. There are no yurt camps next to the lake but I did see quite some tourism organizations that pitched their tents next to the lake and possibly leave them there all summer. So if you book through a tourism organization you could perhaps sleep next to the lake as well.
Altyn-Arashan
Altyn-Arashan is a resort town based around the valley of the Arasan river and many hot springs. The town consists of a few guesthouses and yurt camps and that’s pretty much it. Most guesthouses have their own private hotspring which you can use. The entrance to these private hot springs usually comes included in the guesthouse’s price but not always. I decided to skip these manmade hotsprings and wait for the next day to try the natural hotsprings.
Natural HotSprings of Altyn-Arashan
The natural hotsprings of Altyn-Arashan are situated just outside of town. Follow the Arasan river for about 1.5 kilometer and you will find them. Keep in mindthat you don’t pass the hot springs on the way to Ak-Suu. A small detour is required. If you use the GPX-file I provide from day 3 you will find them.
When you reach the hotsprings you will see a frog-like bath where you can sit in with 2 or 3 people. The water is not super hot, my guess would be around 30 degrees Celcius. There is a second natural hotspring just around the corner. Keep in mind that these hotsprings look much nicer on pictures and are quite frequently used both by locals and tourists.
How I experienced Day 2 of the trek to Ala-Kul
Day 2 of this trek to the Ala-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan was the hardest one. Everybody warned me about it and when I saw the elevation graph and distance I knew it would be a challenge. So I decided to leave at 7 AM and get an early start.
Over the first 3 kilometer I had to gain an altitude of 500 m, that is pretty damn steep! I decided to take it slow and because the sun didn’t rise over the mountains yet, it was a nice and cool climb up.
Just before reaching the lake you will see a waterfall, this is where you get the last chance to refill your water until after the Ala-Kul pass. I would recommend you do so.
After the last but steep climb I had reached the lake, it was even more beautiful than I had imagined. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
I didn’t stay too long at the lake as I knew there was another hard climb to come: the Ala-Kul pass. Slowly I made my way up to 3900 m and honestly it was not as hard as I had imagined it would be. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty hard still but when I climbed the Moldoveanu Peak in Romania I suffered more!
Little did I know that the most difficult part of this whole trek would be the steep downhill section right after the Ala-Kul pass. Descending several hundred meters on a slippery slope was definitely not my favorite thing to do. I had to sit down once in a while to regain my confidence. Usually I never use hiking poles but on this section they would’ve been very welcome!
Glad that I survided that slippery slope I continued hiking in another beautiful valley which looked completely different than the previous one. If you would want to you could sleep in the yurt camp after the Ala-Kul pass. I decided to continue all the way to Altyn-Arashan.
For about 6 kilometers I walked downhill in this valley and at around 13 km there was a river crossing. I had brought my flipflops which were handy to walk steady through the cold river.
After this river crossing I walked in zombie mode for about 5 km more until I finally reached Altyn-Arashan. It was a very long and hard day but I was satisfied!
I stayed in a ‘VIP’ room in Altyn Arashan guesthouse for 2100 KGS (+/- 26 USD/EUR) and had salad and grilled chicken with bread for dinner.
Day 3 : Altyn-Arashan to Ak-Suu
Hiking Details
Distance: The total distance for this hike is 19 kilometers (point-to-point hike)
Elevation gain: The total incline was 182 meter
Moving time: According to Strava my moving time was 4 hours and 43 minutes (total time was 6 hours 15 minutes)
Difficulty: I would rate this as an easy/intermediate hike.
Address start: Anywhere in Altyn-Arashan
Price: Marshrutka (minibus) was 25 KGS (0.3 USD/EUR)
Water: Recommended is to start with full bottles in Altyn-Arashan but for a big part of the trail you will walk next to a river.
Hiking map and GPX-File
Generally speaking for all hikes, the easiest way is to download a GPX file that you can view on a gps device, a smartphone or smartwatch. It will tell you step-by-step how to walk. It also includes an elevation profile of the hike which can help you to decide if this hike is for you or not.
Click through to Strava to see all the details:
Download the GPX file right here: 3-3-Ala-Kul-trek-Altyn-Arashan-to-Ak-Suu.gpx
Ak-Suu Valley
On the third day of the trek to Ala-Kul lake you will walk most of the time thorugh the Ak-Suu valley. It is a gorgeous valley, I felt like I was in Canada or something. The wild white-water-river surrounded by pine trees sure made for beautiful views along the way. The advantage as well was that most of the way it was downhill so not hard at all.
How I experienced Day 3 of the trek to Ala-Kul
As the climax of the trek to Ala-Kul was reached, which was the Ala-Kul lake itself obvoiusly, I didn’t expect much anymore. I just knew it would be a fairly easy downhill hike.
I knew that I couldn’t leave Altyn-Arashan before trying the natural hotsprings so I went for a quick session with my new French friends before we embarked on the longest (in distance) hiking day of this 3-day Ala-Kul trek so far. There were some stunning viewpoints along the way.
Pretty much the whole route I hiked next to the Arashan river that eventually merges with the Ak-Suu river right before reaching the end of this route.
After already hiking for 2 days this, pretty easy and mostly downhill 19 kilometer long, route felt pretty heavy near the end.
I’m not going to deny I was pretty damn excited to buy a fresh drink when reaching the town and getting on the 25 KGS marshrutka back to Karakol.
The end of one of my favorite adventures in Kyrgyzstan.
Let me know in the comments or through my Instagram if you enjoyed this hike!
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