Ala Kul Lake Trek

DAY 1: HIKING TO KARAKOL GORGE

Trekking distance/time: 10km / 5-6 hours,   Ascent: 440 meters,    Accommodation: tents

Transfer from Karakol city to the starting point through lush Karakol Valley with gushing rivers along. Drop off near the bridge where our hike starts towards the lunch spot. Enjoy walking in this gorge with green slopes decorated by evergreen trees. Spot grazing herd of horses beautifying nature. After lunch, we hike in this serene environment up to Campsite standing at 2550 meters. After camping, take a walk around the area and relax in this solitude area surrounded by spruce trees.

 

DAY 2: TO ALA KUL LAKE VIA SIROTA HUT

Trekking distance/time: 10 km, 6-7 hours,   Ascent: +1030m,   Accommodation: tents

This day challenges you with strenuous walking through screws and boulders before you get to the lake, 3 hours. After few hours of demanding ascent, be rewarded with the jewel of Ala Kul Lake standing at 3500 meters and fed by glaciers around. The view of this turquoise alpine lake takes your breath away. Arrival in the campsite. Be accommodated in tents. Free stroll around the lake. Dinner and overnight.

 

DAY 3: TO ALTYN ARASHAN VALLEY AND HOT SPRINGS OVER ALA KUL PASS

Trekking distance/time: 13 km, 6-7 hours,    Ascent: – 340m,  Descent: – 1400m,  Accommodation: yurt camp

After breakfast, we head on to Ala Kul Pass standing at 3950 meters. Craggy and glaciated peaks of Terskey Ala-Too open on top of the pass. Give a time to gaze at these towering peaks of great Tian Shan Range. Descend the steep path towards campsite at beautiful Keldyke Valley at (3200m). Have some lunch. Then we head on to our yurt camp along lush green pastures with gently flowing rivers of Altyn Arashan Valley, 3-4 hours. At some point, you will cross one of the streams, but the level is low. Arrival at our yurt camp standing at 2450 meters. In fact, Altyn-Arashan means ‘Golden Spa’ and this valley is famous for its hot sulfur springs. We take a bath in hot spring pools after three long days of hiking to relieve muscle pains.

 

DAY 4: TO AK SUU VILLAGE – KARAKOL CITY

Trekking distance/time: 10 km / 4 hours, Descent: – 450m, Accommodation: hotel

We take a hike around the area to visit wild springs before leaving the campsite at lunchtime. You will never be able to forget the sight of the snow on Peak Palatka at 5260 m or “Swallow’s Nest Pool”, nestling beneath the open sky. Afternoon, we hike to Ak Suu village (4 hours) where we will be picked up by our driver to get to Karakol city (30 minutes). The trail goes most of the time along a beautiful river gushing through the valley. Accommodation at your hotel.

Price for the Ala Kul Lake Trek

Number of people	1	2	3	4	5
Price per person	950	675	580	530	510

Included:

English-speaking guide with intermediate level

Meals: B, L, D

Meals of personal

Transport to the trailhead and back to Karakol City after the trek

Porter (luggage person who will carry your lunches, you will carry your own clothes)

Entrance tickets

Comfortable pre-arranged camps – 2 nights (Two person tents + sleeping mats are provided)

Private yurt camp – 1 night 

Not included:

Accommodation and meals in Karakol City before and after the trek

Services out of the program

Tips

Bottled water

Insurance

International/country tickets

Sleeping bags (Available at 6 USD per day/person)

Tablets to purify the water

Extra porter to carry your personal items like clothes, camera, sleeping bags (Available at 45 USD per day/person)

*Please let us know in advance if you are vegetarian/vegan or if you have food allergies.

Join the following groups for summer 2025(If the dates do not suit your travel plans, please contact us, we will post a new tour with your dates and try to collect more people to join you)

Difficulty

The trek is quite challenging in parts: climbing up rocks/gravel before and after Ala Kul Pass at 3950 meters. You have to be reasonably fit. It can be a moderate trek for experienced and physically fit trekkers. Consider it a difficult trek for those who are not physically fit and have not done a trek for a long period.

Ala Kul Trek Guide

You always have a guide if you join a group. It can be nice to have a guide especially if you are trying to do this with limited time, as they will know where the better trails are and can point out other sites along the way that you might not know the name for or are looking for. There will likely be places where you run into snow this year as it’s been a much colder, snowier year than last year.

Ala Kul Lake Weather

You should take warm jackets and good trekking shoes. The weather changes frequently.

What you need

The hike is steep and the altitude might impact you. If you are in a group, your group will have porters who carry all food and tents. You should bring with you backpack to carry sleeping bags that can keep between 0 and -5 comfortable temperature, proper hiking boots, hiking trousers + rain cover for them, rain cover for bags and yourself, wind stopper jacket, and many thermal layers – NO cotton as if you sweat you remain wet.

Water for Ala Kul Lake Trek

There are springs and streams throughout the journey. We recommend bringing some water purification. Water coming from springs is pure and cold, you can drink if your stomach is not sensitive. In the worst case, you can ask your guide to boil water for a drink.