Classic tourist circuit through Kyrgyzstan
Beautiful hikes in the north of the country
The classic tourist circuit through Kyrgyzstan will take you to the most beautiful places in the north of the country in the form of several daily treks. You will visit, for example, lakes Sonkol, Köl Ükök and the largest Issyk-kul. It is an ideal circuit for those who have only about two weeks of time and still want to experience a varied and diverse program.
1 day
Moving to Kočkor
If you arrive in Bishkek early in the morning or in the morning, it is ideal not to stay here and go on your next trip. You will enjoy the city itself before departure. It is ideal to set off on a marshmallow to Kočkor, which is a starting point for two beautiful trips. Upon arrival, check in, replenish supplies and arrange a trip to Lake Sonkol
2nd to 4th day
Trip to Lake Sonkol
Lake Sonkol and its surroundings is a great example of Kyrgyz life. Definitely do not stay in a yurt town, but set out to explore the surrounding mountains and lake shores. It is also possible to take a bath in the lake if you can tolerate a little colder water.
A classic trip to Lake Sonkol
A trip to the magic lake
One of the most classic, but still very nice, trips in Kyrgyzstan is to Lake Sonkol. The very road there, through canyons and mountain passes, is very nice, but the lake itself and its picturesque surroundings is the imaginary icing on the cake. Yurt herders, huge herds of horses, cows and sheep await you here, and most importantly a huge lake where you can even bathe if you are just a little hardy. In addition, the surrounding landscape full of flowering meadows and easily accessible mountains absolutely attracts exploratory walks. continue reading
5th to 7th day
Trek to lakes Köl Ükök and Köl Tör
The hike to the beautiful lakes Köl Ükök and Köl Tör is the second trip you can take from Kočkor. In nice weather you can enjoy a really beautiful mountain landscape. Expect this trip to be more challenging than to Lake Sonkol.
Trek to Lake Köl Ükök
March to the amazing lake
The trek to Lake Köl Ükök is one of the most picturesque in Kyrgyzstan. From the semi-desert area around the regional town of Kočkor, you can reach a beautiful lake surrounded by flowering pastures full of horses and sheep and glaciated 4,000-meter mountains within a few hours of climbing. In addition, from the lake you can take a number of star trips to unnamed hills or to another beautiful lake Köl Tör. continue reading
Day 8
Moving to Karakol
At the beginning of the second week of the journey, it is necessary to get from Kočkor to Karakol. If there are more of you in the group, it is ideal to arrange a private taxi and go to Karakol on the southern side of Lake Issyk-kul (about 250km). You can visit fairytale rock formations – Skazka. If you are traveling alone or in two, it is a cheaper option to take a shared taxi to Balykcha and from there by train to Karakol. In the afternoon you can still explore the city with several attractions.
City tour of Karakol
Former imperial settlement
Tourists, like most Kyrgyz cities, do not go to Karakol because of the sights, but because it is an excellent starting point for the Tera Alatoo Mountains – a beautiful and very accessible part of Tian Shan. Even so, you will find a few interesting monuments, mainly in the form of relatively picturesque houses from the imperial era. The most important monuments are the wooden cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the Dungan Mosque. continue reading
9th to 11th day
Karakol trek
The town of Karakol is located just a short distance from the Tera Alatoo Mountains, which is one of the most visited mountain areas in Kyrgyzstan. The length of the trek here depends on your time and physical possibilities, how many valleys you will cross here. Classic itineraries oscillate between 3–7 days. As part of our two-week trip, we will choose the shortest three-day option.
Karakol trek
The center of the national park
Karakol trek is the shortest variant of trips to the Těrský Alatoo mountains. You will head directly to the main valley, which falls into the national park. From here you can ascend to Lake Ala kol and the next day you can go directly below the highest mountain Karakol. Even during this short march, you will get a nice idea of the nature in the Tian Shan Mountains. In addition, there are a number of options where you can extend this march for more than a week. continue reading
12th to 14th day
Cholpon Ata and Issyk kul
It is not wrong to relax after previous hikes and short frictions. In addition, the ideal resort of Cholpon Ata on Lake Issyk Kul. The beaches are both by the sea and the water is very clean. In addition, a beautiful backdrop of mountains. There is heavy traffic between Karakol – Cholpon Atou and Bishkek, so you don't have to worry about not getting to Bishkek Airport in time. If you are pressed for time, it is enough to be here one day, if not, then it is ideal to stay here longer and visit even the famous petrglyphs or go to the mountains north of the lake.
Swimming in Cholpon Ata
Pohoda u Issyk-kulu
Kyrgyzstan has a reputation as a tourist country for most tourists, but there are also many people (mostly from Kazakhstan or Russia) who spend their summer holidays by the water. No wonder – the waters of the lake are clear and moreover not too cold after the high altitude of Issyk-kul. The largest swimming center on the shores of the lake is Cholpon Ata, where you will find several very nice beaches. continue reading
A trip to the petroglyphs in Cholpon Ata
Interesting hiking north of the lake
Cholpon Ata is famous mainly for swimming in the Kyrgyz Sea – Lake Issyk-Kul, but you can also take an interesting tourist walk here, in addition to the largest historical landmark – ancient petroglyphs. If you have more time to explore the mountains north of Cholpon Ata, this is the first and easiest stage of this trek to the Kungean Alatau. continue reading
15th to 16th day
Bishkek tour
Just before departure, walk through Bishkek with its socialist monuments and the bustling Ošský Bazaar.
Bishkek tour
A show of socialist architecture
The center of Bishkek is located around the main square of Ala-Too on both sides of the wide boulevard Chuy. Here you will find practically only monuments of socialist realism in the form of massive cubic buildings and countless statues. Architecturally, it's probably not very valuable, but it serves very well to soak up the atmosphere of times past. continue reading
Oš bazaar in Bishkek
The most famous shopping center
The Osša Bazaar, located almost three kilometers west of the center of Bishkek, is one of the traditional tourist stops that reduce the time before traveling to the mountains or before leaving back home. It is a classic Central Asian bazaar with a large selection of dried fruits, nuts, spices, breads and meat. Unfortunately, the quantity of Chinese goods is increasing here as well. More than a tourist attraction, it is simply a great shopping place for locals, of whom thousands take turns here during the day. continue reading
Circuit around Bishkek
Interesting place around the capital of Kyrgyzstan
If you have to stay in Bishkek for more than a day (one day I think is enough to see the attractions of this city) and you have nothing planned, then here are a few tips on how to shorten the wait, for example, to process permits, waiting for the plane, etc. The best option is to get a taxi and get a ride because there are no marshals going to the given places (except for Al Arch, but it is also complicated there). continue reading
Extension of Al Archa
Mountains above Bishkek
If you have three weeks of time, then extend the previous itinerary with another trek to the national Al Archa package just a short distance from Bishkek.
