Karakol: a first-timer's guide to Kyrgyzstan's trekking hub

Why visit Karakol

Karakol combines easy town comforts with some of the finest mountain scenery in Central Asia. Guesthouses, outdoor shops and trekking agencies make it simple to organise anything from a half day walk to a week in the high country, and the Karakol tourist information centre has helpful maps and advice.

Sights in town

The **Dungan Mosque** was built in the early twentieth century by Chinese Muslim craftsmen entirely of wood, without metal nails, and looks more like a Chinese temple than a mosque. The **Holy Trinity Cathedral** is a wooden Russian Orthodox church with golden domes. On Sundays, the **animal market** on the edge of town is one of the most authentic sights in Kyrgyzstan, with horses, sheep and cattle traded from early morning. The **Przhevalsky Memorial**, a short ride north, honours the Russian explorer who died here.

The great treks

**Ala-Kul** is the classic: a turquoise glacial lake reached by a strenuous climb through the Karakol valley and over a pass of nearly four thousand metres, usually done as a three day loop that ends at the hot springs of **Altyn-Arashan**. Altyn-Arashan itself can be visited on its own as a two day trip, staying in simple guesthouses with natural hot pools. The **Karakol Valley** has easy day walks through spruce forest, and **Jeti-Oguz**, the seven bulls, is a wall of red cliffs with the Valley of Flowers behind it.

These treks cross high, remote terrain. Weather changes fast, snow is possible even in August, and rescue is slow. Register your route with the tourist information centre or your guesthouse, carry warm layers and consider hiring a local guide for the passes.

Food

Karakol is famous for **ashlyam-fu**, a cold, spicy dish of starch jelly and noodles in a vinegar broth, served with fried bread at the stalls near the bazaar. Dungan families also offer home dinners with many small dishes, which some guesthouses can arrange. Cafés in the centre cater to trekkers with good coffee and hearty breakfasts.

Winter

The **Karakol ski base** in the valley above town is the country's main ski resort, with lifts serving pine forest runs from December to March. It is small by Alpine standards but uncrowded.

Where to stay

Guesthouses and small hotels are spread across the leafy streets of the centre. Many offer breakfast, laundry, gear storage and help with transport to trailheads. Book ahead in July and August.

Getting there

Marshrutkas and shared taxis run from Bishkek along either shore of Issyk-Kul, taking around six to seven hours. The north shore road via Cholpon-Ata is the faster and more common route.

Suggested days

A good first visit is one day in town for the mosque, cathedral, bazaar and an ashlyam-fu lunch, one day hike to Jeti-Oguz or the Karakol valley, and three days on the Ala-Kul loop to Altyn-Arashan. If you have less time, a night at the Altyn-Arashan hot springs is the easiest way to feel the high mountains. Rest days in town are welcome after the passes.

Practical tips

ATMs and money changers are in the centre, but carry plenty of cash before heading into the mountains, where nothing takes cards. Outdoor shops rent tents, sleeping bags and stoves, and guesthouses can sell gas canisters. Mobile signal disappears in most valleys.