7-Day Issyk-Kul & Ala-Kul Lake Trekking Tour

Your adventure begins with an early departure from Bishkek heading east along the northern Issyk-Kul shoreline. The drive itself is a journey — passing through the dramatic Boom Gorge, where the Chu River has carved a spectacular canyon between towering cliffs, and offering your first sweeping views of Issyk-Kul, the world's second-largest alpine lake.

As you continue east, the Tian Shan mountains grow larger on the horizon. By evening you arrive in Karakol, the adventure capital of Kyrgyzstan and your base for the four-day trek ahead. Use the evening to rest, explore the town's lively cafes, and prepare your gear for tomorrow's start.

Pick-up from your guesthouse at 08:00. A short 30-minute transfer brings you to the Karakol Valley trailhead, where your trek into the Tian Shan begins.

The valley unfolds ahead of you — a wide, green corridor flanked by steep ridges and threaded by the clear Karakol River. The trail follows the river upstream through Tian Shan spruce forest, climbing gradually as the valley narrows. The pace is steady and the scenery is constantly changing: open meadows, cool forest shade, and the first glimpses of glacier-capped peaks appearing above the treeline.

A packed lunchbox on the trail. By late afternoon you reach the forested Sirota Camp at 2,700 m — a classic high-mountain yurt camp where the family will have dinner ready and a fire burning. Tonight you sleep to the sound of the river and the occasional bell of grazing horses.

Meals: Breakfast (guesthouse) · Lunchbox on trail · Dinner at yurt camp

Overnight: Yurt camp at Sirota (2,700 m)

This is the heart of the tour — the day most people come to Kyrgyzstan for. The climb from Sirota is demanding but every metre earns its reward.

The trail rises above the treeline into high alpine terrain. Boulderfields and glacial moraines replace the forest. And then, rounding a final ridge, you see it: Ala-Kul Lake, spread below in an impossibly vivid shade of turquoise-emerald at 3,532 metres, cupped between walls of rock and permanent snow. Take time here — this is one of the great mountain views in Central Asia.

From the lake, the trail continues upward to the Ala-Kul Pass at 3,860 m. The final push to the pass is steep and requires care on loose rock, but the view from the top is extraordinary — glacier peaks of the Terskey Ala-Too stretching in every direction, the lake shimmering below, and the descent into the remote Keldike Valley ahead of you.

The descent into Keldike is long but satisfying. The valley is peaceful and rarely visited. Your yurt camp awaits with dinner and well-earned rest.

Meals: Breakfast · Lunchbox · Dinner

Overnight: Yurt camp, Keldike Valley (3,200 m)

After the intensity of Day 3, today is a gradual, beautiful descent — a reward day. The trail drops from the Keldike Valley down into the Altyn Arashan Gorge, one of the most beautiful valleys in the Tian Shan. Pine forests close in as you lose altitude, the air warms, and the smell of sulphur tells you the hot springs are near.

Altyn Arashan ('Golden Spring' in Kyrgyz) is a gem of a place — a wide valley at 2,400 m with a small cluster of guesthouses, wild horses in the meadows, and natural thermal springs fed by a geothermal source deep in the mountains. After four days of climbing and crossing passes, lowering yourself into hot spring water with a view of snow-capped peaks is a feeling you will not forget.

Spend the afternoon at your own pace — soak, rest, walk along the valley, and talk to the local families who call this remote place home.

Meals: Breakfast · Lunchbox · Dinner

Overnight: Guesthouse or yurt camp, Altyn Arashan (2,400 m)

The final morning in the mountains. The trail follows the Arashan River downstream — a gentle, forested valley walk that feels almost easy after what came before. The 14 km descent to Aksu Village at the valley mouth takes around 3 to 3.5 hours and gives you time to absorb the last of the mountain scenery at a relaxed pace.

Your driver meets you at Aksu Village for the short transfer back to Karakol. The afternoon and evening in town are yours — treat yourself to a hot shower, a proper restaurant meal, and a walk through the local market.

Meals: Breakfast · Lunch (Karakol)

Overnight: Guesthouse, Karakol

Trading trekking boots for a comfortable vehicle seat, today you trace the scenic south shore of Issyk-Kul — a landscape completely different from the high mountain valleys of the past four days.

Jeti-Oguz Gorge: Begin the day at one of Kyrgyzstan’s most photographed landscapes. The 'Seven Bulls' — seven monumental red sandstone peaks rising from the valley floor — and the sweeping 'Broken Heart' cliff make for striking early-morning light. The gorge is a popular local picnic spot but remains beautiful and uncrowded at this hour.

Barskoon Gorge: Continue west to Barskoon, where a series of powerful waterfalls cascade through a narrow gorge. Near the upper falls stands a monument to Yuri Gagarin, who recuperated at a sanatorium on Issyk-Kul after his 1961 spaceflight — a piece of Soviet history in a spectacular mountain setting.

Skazka Canyon: After lunch, visit Skazka (“Fairy Tale”) Canyon — a labyrinth of eroded clay cliffs in shades of orange, red, and ochre that the wind has sculpted into shapes resembling castles, dragons, and sleeping giants. Short walk through the formations. Sunset light here is spectacular.

Overnight in a guesthouse on the south shore

The return journey to Bishkek has one more surprise in store. On the western end of Issyk-Kul, the Kok-Moinok Badlands are a hidden gem — a moonscape of eroded clay hills and miniature canyons painted in shades of grey and rust, often photographed but still largely unknown to international visitors. A short 1 to 1.5 hour walk through the formations is a memorable final act before the highway.

From Kok-Moinok, it is a 4-4,5 hour drive back to Bishkek. Your driver will drop you at your hotel or a central point in the city. 

End of tour

AFTER THE TOUR: If you have an evening flight from Bishkek (Manas Airport), you will have plenty of time. For a late flight the following day, we recommend Bishkek's Osh Bazaar and the lively Ala-Too Square area for your final evening in Kyrgyzstan.