For those of you who have limited time in Kyrgyzstan but want to have the best experience you can get in this country, I have a suggestion for you. The Ala Kul trek was by far the highlight of my trip in Kyrgyzstan, and I would recommend anyone to do the trail if you are moderately in shape. The problem is that it requires at least 3 days to hike the entire trail, and this might turn some of you off a bit.
What if I told you that you can do the Ala Kul trail within 2 days, AND all you need is only a day pack to do so? Forget about carrying tents and food supplies (snacks are still required). Within this guide, I will show you exactly how you can do it without the burden of carrying all your stuff and within a weekend.
Ala Kul Trekking Map
| 🌤️ Best time: | July-August |
| 🚘 Get around: | Hiking |
| 🕓 Time to spend: | 2D1N |
| 🚶♂️ Difficulty: | Moderate to challenging |
How to get to Karakol?
You can fly into Bishkek and then, from Bishkek, go to the west bus station and take one of the many marshrutkas going to Karakol hourly. You should arrive at Karakol's bus station in 6 hours. For finding flights, I would recommend you to browse through Skyscanner or Expedia before comparing prices so you can get the cheapest flight possible.
The Trail
In order to get to the trailhead, you have to arrange a taxi from Karakol to where the trail begins. Leave as early as you can (9 AM), and pay the entrance fee when you get to the gate. Tell the taxi to take you further into the first bridge to cut around an hour of hiking time along the road.
From the first bridge, continue walking along the walking/jeep trail by the river until you reach the opening where you will see the Karakol Valley for the first time.
- Duet Hostel (Budget)
- Madanur Hotel (Mid-Range) 👍 Top Pick
- Matsunoki (High-End)
The entire first section of the walk will take you around 3 hours, and by 12 PM, you should reach the end of the first section. You will know you are at the end of the first section when you arrive at a sign near a small bridge on your left. The sign will say that straight on is the first camping ground. We will not go that way. We will continue the trail by taking a sharp left toward the small bridge and crossing the river.
From here, the trail will become tricky due to the thick forest and multiple intersections you will come across. Be sure to check Maps.me for the general direction you should take.
From here on out, it's all uphill until you reach the lake. This second section will take you about 5 hours through many different terrains, from thick forests to steep paths across a sea of boulders. In between, there will be camping grounds where you can refill your water and rest under shade.
Once you reach the lake, you will have to walk along the side of the rocky mountain on the left side of the lake. For around 30 minutes, you should notice a camping ground on your right, almost right down to the lake. This is where you will spend your first night.
At this camp, they will provide you with sleeping bags, tents, and fresh food at a reasonable price so you can rest comfortably. It is first come, first served, so the faster you get there, the better chance you will have to acquire good sleeping bags and tents. Sleeping bags are essential if you are sleeping near the lake, even in mid-summer, as it gets really cold and windy at night.
The following day, start your hike early at 8 AM and make your way up to the Ala Kul Pass.
This is the highest point on the trail, standing at 3800m, and the view from up here is why this hike is worth doing. It is one of the views you will see in Kyrgyzstan.
If you think going up was challenging, going down from this pass is 10 times more challenging. This is one of the steepest trails I have ever had the chance to descend. It was so steep that I had to literally crawl down with my hands out at the back and my butt as the foundation. I slid slowly down for 30 minutes as my feet buried in the half-gravel, half-rocky trail. It was a horrible experience.
Once you get down the steep part, you are only a few hours' stroll away from Altyn Arashan. At one point, you will have to cross a river with your bare feet to reach the other side and continue the trail, so look out for that crossing.
When you arrive in Altyn Arashan, you have a few options here. You can either spend an extra night here and relax in one of the hot springs, walk another 3 hours back to the end of the trail, or get a 5PM jeep back to Karakol. The entire jeep costs 4000 som, but if you find more people, you can split the cost. We paid 800 som each as there were 4 other people who wanted to go back to Karakol that day as well.
More Karakol Activities
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips:
Where to Stay in Karakol?
What to pack and things to prepare for Ala kul?
In order to pull this off safely and responsibly, there are some prerequisites you have to follow:
- IMPORTANT! Timing: This guide is only possible during the summer season of July to August as the locals will be up there providing you food and tent rental only within those 2 months of the year.
- Hiking Shoes with good grip: The trail along Ala Kul can be extremely rocky and barely clear enough to be a path at times so you will need good shoes for the hike. This Timberland Shoes is my go-to hiking boots in most situations.
- Snacks: Even though you don't need to carry food and stove, be sure to pack lunches and enough snacks for 2 days of hiking.
- Money: You will be paying for the tent on the night at the lake and for dinner and breakfast so prepare some money before you start the trail. The tent cost me 900 som single or 1500 som for 2 persons.
- Maps: Download Maps.me app and make sure you have the region saved offline. The app has the trail mapped and it will give you accurate general directions of which you should take. It is not uncommon to get lost along this trail so be sure to check the app every now and then.
- Water: At least 2 liters of water for the hike. You will be able to refill your water at one of the many campgrounds available along the route. I always carry my 2 liters hydration pack which I recommend so you don't have to stop to stay hydrated.
- Latest Information: Last but not least, ask for latest status of the trail at your hostel (Duet Hostel is the best place for that). Things change often in the untamed mountain of Kyrgyzstan. For example in my case, one of the bridge was broken so I had to walk an hour extra. Be sure to ask if the lake camp is available for you to rent a tent.
- A Daypack: You will need a daypack to carry all your gear with you when you are out and about. During this trip, I use the classic Herschel Supply's Little America Backpack to carry everything with me. It is light with good capacity and stylish as hell.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Central Asia
Are you looking to dive deeper into Central Asia? Here are a selection of travel guides and itineraries for traveling in Central Asia.
- Looking for a complete one-month itinerary and a travel guide for Central Asia? One Month Itinerary For Central Asia
- For a complete itinerary to Kazakhstan, check out: 10-Day Backpacking Kazakhstan Itinerary.
- Looking for things to do in Almaty, Kazakhstan? Check out the 10 Best Things to Do in Almaty.
- If you are staying in Almaty for a while and want to explore the city's culinary delights, be sure to check out our 10 Best Cafes and Restaurants to Try in Almaty.
- Want to get off the beaten path in Kazakhstan? Shymkent is an awesome place to visit. Here are the 9 Best Things to Do in Shymkent.
- Want to visit Turkestan in Kazakhstan? Check out our Complete Travel Guide to Turkestan.
- If you want to witness the city of the future in Central Asia, Astana is definitely the place you want to be. Here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Astana.
- A great country to start your journey in Central Asia is Kyrgyzstan since it is the easiest country to enter the region. Here's a complete 3-week itinerary travel guide to Kyrgyzstan.
- Bishkek, the capital city, is a great place to use as a base for you to obtain all tourist visas for the surrounding countries like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and the city has a ton to offer. Here are the top 10 things to do in Bishkek.
- The Pamir Highway is one of the best road trips you can do in your life, and it begins in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and ends in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Here’s a complete guide on how to plan your Pamir Highway road trip.
- If Kyrgyzstan is known for its mountains, then Uzbekistan is known for its culture and architecture. With several ancient Silk Road cities, there is a ton to see in Uzbekistan. Here's a 2-week itinerary and a travel guide in Uzbekistan.
- Last but not least, one of the hardest countries to visit in Central Asia is Turkmenistan, and you will require a lot of planning before you can visit. Here’s a complete travel guide with a one-week itinerary for Turkmenistan.
- You can watch all my travel videos from Central Asia here: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
- Looking for more travel guides for Central Asia? You can find more on my Central Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit the All Destination Travel Guide page.
There you have it. Two days full Ala Kul hike with no compromise. Of course, the time it takes for you to hike the entire trail is up to how fast you hike, but I am not a super-fast hiker and I still made it to the end while having 2 hours to spare before the 5 PM jeep, so it is not impossible.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
18 Comments
Hi! :)
Do you remember who much cost transport from Karakol to bridge?
And how much cost accomodation in Ala Kul ?:)
Hi Sandra, if I remember correctly, the taxi from Karakol to the bridge should be no more than 30 USD and the tent for rent should be somewhere around 30 USD per night as well with dinner.
Not the cheapest option but it sure is the easiest and fastest :)
Hi there,
Are there many locals that live in the area year-round? Just wondering if there are people located in the area to double check the directions your going, or if you have to solely rely on your own navigation of the area.
Also, if I brought my own tent and food, do you think this hike could easily be attempted in September? (Since you said tents and food are only provided in July/August).
Cheers!
Hey Arden,
Thank you for the comments.
To answer your question, there is no one living along the trail unless they set up camps to serve hikers but that is only during the 2 months summer period so you will have to rely on yourself to find the trail most of the time. You can use Maps Me to see if you are going in the right direction. The trail is pretty clear on the app. Otherwise, I'd recommend asking for a map from your hostel, or visit Duet Hostel as they often help travelers making the trek every day.
If you are unsure, it is also recommended to talk to the CBT (Community Based Tourism association) in Karakol before you embark on the journey and they can give you information of the current state of the trail.
September with your own gear might still be ok but it may rain and the temperature up at the lake may drop below 0 so prepare your gear accordingly. I've met several people who did it in September and they all enjoyed it.
Just to be sure, when you arrive in Karakol, ask around (CBT, duet hostel etc.) to see if your plan is plausible. They should be able to tell you how the trail is like now and what you will need to accomplish it. :)
Safe travels!
Incredible video, I must admit! It only made me even more determined to do this trek. After reading in your post that this trek can be done without dragging all the gear along with you I am really looking forward to it! I just wonder how to find these guys with tents and sleeping bags. Is it something I need to check in Karakol before leaving and making sure there would be someone up there? What are the chances the camping gets full before I arrive, is there a way to "book"? I am planning to do this hike at the very end of August (31 Aug - 1 Sep). And what is interesting that after reading several stories, I realised that some people do the trek the way and direction you did, while the other do the reverse (starting in Altyn Arashan). Is there a preferred one, in terms of how steep it is, or in terms of getting back to Karakol after the descend? Thanks, for all these answers :)
Amazing video!
Have 2 questions about the video above:
1. @1:46 I'm pretty sure that's the Konorcheck canyon right? Where is this narrow gorge exactly in the canyon? Never seen this part of the canyon on the internet and looks like an amazing spot to walk through :)
2. @2:38 is this giant lighted Kyrgyz flag in Bishkek? And can you see it al year long?
Regards and big up for the vid!
Floris
Hi Jimmy, thank you for the comments and for my late reply but yes, it is best to check if they are still operating. They only operate in the summer months and something might change in between so it is good to ask for some info either from the CBT office or the hostel I stayed at. No way to book it, unfortunately. There were a few tents left when I was there but this could change depending on the traffic the trail is getting. Asking the CBT or the people that work at the Duet hostel before you start the trail is your best bet.
Doing from the direction I did gives you more time to acclimatize the first day before you go up to 3800m the second day but the other way around, you will be going up to 3800m on your first day so it is not ideal IMO. In terms of going back, it is pretty much the same. :)
I hope this helps! Safe travels!
Hey Floris,
Thank you for the comments! Yes, I believe that is the Konorcheck gorge, unfortunately, I'm not sure where exactly it was. My friends went and hiked separately and with his drone, he captured that. And yes, that was the decoration of the Ala Too Square during autumn time. They set it up around August and took it down in late October if I remember correctly. They often have events on the Ala Too Square throughout the year so you might be lucky to see something even more epic next year. :)
Hi,
Judjing by the pictures I suppose you didn't do it alone. Do you think it would be possible to do it alone ?
Do you know if there are any tours I could join to do trekkings in this area ?
Thank you
Hi Joao,
Haha, I do get that a lot with my photos but I did do the entire trek solo and independently 😅 so yes, to answer your first question, it is possible. 😉
This guide is written exactly for those who wants to do it independently like I did without carrying camping gear.
For the tours there are many travel agencies in Karakol you can organize with, namely CBT (community based tourism organization).
I hope this helps!