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Hiking to Ala-Kul Lake is one of the most famous treks in Kyrgyzstan. Everything that I had read about this hike stated that it will take a minimum of two days to complete. However, I was determined to hike all the way up to Ala-Kul Lake and back in one day without a tour guide.
Here is how I did it.
Table of Contents
My Recommendations for Hiking to Ala-Kul Lake
Do not attempt to do this by yourself. There were a couple of times where I almost slipped on the steep gravel trail near the lake.
This hike was extremely difficult to do in one day. I am pretty fit, and this was definitely one of the most difficult hikes that I had ever done.
Bring plenty of food. I had enough water, but not enough food. By the end of the hike, I had a pretty bad headache.
Hike Stats
I hiked a distance of 34 kilometers. The elevation increase was 1.5 kilometers, and the elevation decrease was 1.5 kilometers.
It took me 13 hours to do. I started at 6:30 AM and finished at 7:30 PM.
The maximum elevation was 3650 m above sea level.
Video of Hike
What You Will Need For This Hike
Get Google Maps and download an offline map of the area. This will help in finding the entrance to the park, the main road, and a general map of the area.
Get the MAPS.ME app and download an offline map of Kyrgyzstan. This will be helpful to make sure you stay on the correct path, as some trails can be hard to find.
Bring plenty of water and food. Bring more than you think you will need.
Bring money in case of emergencies. There is a small store where Masaliev St meets the wooden bridge. You can buy water here.
Don’t bring too much stuff to carry. I brought a sweatshirt, water, food, and a warm hat. If you bring a lot of equipment, you will be weighed down and not make it back before sundown.
Bring a portable charger. Your phone is your lifeline out here. You do not want to run out of battery.
How to Hike to Ala-Kul Without a Tour Guide?
First, you need to go to Karakol. Check out my guide for traveling from Bishkek to Karakol on a budget!
You will need to get a taxi driver to drop you off and pick you up from the Fourth Bridge.
That is the fourth bridge you come across after the entrance to the National Park.
After the Fourth Bridge, you will need a vehicle with 4WD. That will be pretty expensive. A normal vehicle can take you as far as the Fourth Bridge.
You can ask around to find a taxi driver who will take you and pick you up from the bridge. I paid a taxi driver about 1600 KGS (about $18 USD).
If you want to reach out to the taxi driver who took me, message him on Whatsapp at +996-707-137-447.
Why Choose a Taxi Over a Marshrutka?
Marshrutkas are a great way to get around Kyrgyzstan. However, the marshrutka that goes toward Ala-Kul (Marshrutka 111) will only take you to the entrance of the National Park. You will have to walk 6.5 km to get reach the Fourth Bridge.
In addition, the marshrutka only runs in the day time. So you will arrive later, have to walk longer, and won’t be able to get picked up by the last marshrutka of the day.
If you want to walk to Ala-Kul Lake and back in a single day, you will need to take a taxi.
The First Part of the Hike
Entering the National Park
You will need to depart your residence around 6 AM. The taxi drive will take about 20 minutes. The entrance to the National Park is called Shlagbaum (шлагбаум) on Google Maps.
You are supposed to pay an entrance fee here, which is about 300 KGS, plus 100 KGS for the vehicle. However, you will arrive before the worker arrives, so you won’t have an opportunity to pay.
Arriving at the Fourth Bridge
After you pass the entrance to the National Park, you will drive down an unimproved road for a few kilometers. Once you arrive to the Fourth Bridge, you will notice that there is no cell service.
I recommend telling the taxi driver to be waiting at the Fourth Bridge starting at 7 PM. This is important even if he will have to wait for an hour or two. I recommend offering him more money (paid upon arrival) to do so.
I recommend doing this because once I finished my hike, I had no cell service to text my taxi driver. I had to walk back almost to the third bridge before he was able to communicate with me.
Hours 1-3
For the first part of the hike, it is pretty flat. You are in the valley of the Tien Shan Mountains. This first part of the hike took me 3 hours.
You will be walking south on Masaliev St. During this time, you will mostly walk alongside a stream. Horses and cows are very common here, and they usually hang out right on the trail!
After a couple of hours, you will start to see a couple of cabins. Eventually, you will find a gate (Forest Gate Karakol on Google Maps) and a small cabin selling refreshments.
Second Part of the Hike
Hours 4 and 5
At this point, you should start using MAPS.ME, as you will be leaving the main road and starting on the trail.
Cross the wooden bridge to end up east of the stream. Then, you will start the climb up the mountain.
It is pretty steep, so find a good walking stick to help you out. You will see CDs tied to strings hanging from tree branches to let you know that you are on the right path.
This is where the hike starts to get difficult, so make sure you are drinking and eating enough!
You will continue walking until you find the Sirota Yurt Camp. It appears on Google Maps as Sirota Camp.
Hours 6 and 7
At this point, you will be walking over large rocks and gravel. The closer you get to Ala-Kul Lake, the steeper the trail will be.
I highly encourage you to either find a hiking stick or to bring hiking poles. There were a couple of times where I almost slipped on this part of the trail.
Continue to use MAPS.ME to ensure that you are on the correct trail.
Arriving at Ala-Kul Lake
When you make it to Ala-Kul Lake, you will first notice a signficant drop in temperature. In addition, it is very windy here. I found a spot behind some rocks that protected me from the wind. I took a 30-minute nap here.
I recommend spending at least an hour at Ala-Kul Lake. It is an amazing sight. Plus, you will need to get your strength back to prepare for the hike back down!
The Final Part of the Hike
Hours 9 - 11
I left Ala-Kul Lake around 2 PM. The next part of the hike was pretty easy. What took me 4 hours to reach climbing up the mountain, only took about 2.5 hours climbing down the mountain!
You will also get to admire some amazing views looking west as you climb down!
Finishing Up
I crossed back across the wooden bridge at 5 PM. I noticed that there was a 4WD vehicle with a driver waiting to take people back to Karakol.
The driver quoted me 3000 KGS to take me back, before eventually reducing the price to 1000 KGS. Knowing what I know now, I should have taken the offer. However, my pride pushed me to complete the hike.
Once I finally reached the Fourth Bridge, I had to walk a little further to get cell service to message the taxi driver. He eventually came, took me to a restaurant where I bought some horse soup, and then dropped me off at my hostel.
Final Thoughts
This was an extremely difficult hike, and I was pretty unprepared. All I took for food was bread and nuts. I should have taken much more than this!
Also, the reason that I wanted to do this hike in a single day was so that I could travel the next day. Ironically, I spent the entire next day recovering in bed! Make sure that you have a comfortable place to spend the night after your hike.
Only attempt this hike if you are very physically fit and have somebody to go with you!
Where to Stay in Karakol
If you are staying in Karakol on a budget, I highly recommend staying at The Nest Hostel. This is a family-run hostel that will provide the most bang for your buck! The hosts are very friendly and will make your stay enjoyable.
If you are looking for something more private, I recommend checking out the Ordo Hotel. This is the highest rated hotel in Karakol. It is conveniently located in the center of town.
For a truly unique experience, check out Yurt Stay in Downtown.
Check out the map below to see available accommodations.
