Day 1
Arrival in Almaty
Airport pick-up and the rest of the day off.
Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan in 15 Days: Lakes, Karakol & Song-Kul
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Two countries by road in 15 days: Almaty, Charyn and the Kolsai lakes, then Karakol, Altyn-Arashan, Issyk-Kul and a yurt night on Song-Kul.
Built on the trip we ran for a group of twelve from Malaysia in May 2026. The first week stays around Almaty and the lakes. Then you cross into Kyrgyzstan by road near Karakol, spend two nights in the Altyn-Arashan valley, drive along Issyk-Kul and sleep in a yurt on Song-Kul before coming back to Almaty through Bishkek.
There are no flights inside the region. The longest drives are about six hours. The hardest day is the walk or ride towards the Ala-Kul lake, and you can turn back whenever you like.
Highlights
- Two countries by road, no internal flights
- A night in a yurt camp on Song-Kul at 3,016 metres
- Hot springs and a mountain day in the Altyn-Arashan valley
- Based on a route we have run end to end with a group of twelve
Itinerary
Day 2
Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Tobe
The Medeu ice rink, the cable car up to Shymbulak, and the city from Kok-Tobe at sunset.
Day 3
Huns ethno-village and the Arbat
Yurts, horse games and a beshbarmak lunch at the Huns ethno-village outside the city, then an evening on the Arbat. In May the poppy fields on the way are in flower.
Day 4
Lake Issyk and Turgen gorge
Lake Issyk, then a short walk to Bear Waterfall in Turgen gorge and a trout lunch by the river. Back to Almaty for the night.
Day 5
Assy plateau and on to Charyn
Up Turgen gorge by 4×4 to the Assy plateau at about 2,500 metres, where herders graze horses in summer. Down past the Bartogai reservoir to Charyn. Night in the cottages of the eco-park by the canyon.
Day 6
Charyn, Kaindy and Kolsai
An early walk through the Valley of Castles in Charyn before the heat. Then on to Kaindy, the lake with drowned spruce trunks, and the first Kolsai lake. Night in Saty.
Day 7
Into Kyrgyzstan
Across the border at Karkara and on to Karakol, about four hours. In the afternoon, the Dungan mosque, the wooden Holy Trinity cathedral and the bazaar.
Day 8
Altyn-Arashan
A rough 4×4 track up the valley to the hot springs at about 2,500 metres. Night in a mountain guesthouse.
Day 9
Towards Ala-Kul
The hardest day: on foot or on horseback up to the Ala-Kul lake at 3,532 metres and back to the springs. Nine to eleven hours. You can turn around at any point.
Day 10
Jyrgalan valley
Back down to Karakol and east to the Jyrgalan valley. Short walks in open meadows. Night in a guesthouse in Jyrgalan.
Day 11
The south shore of Issyk-Kul
The red cliffs of Jeti-Oguz, the Barskoon waterfall and the eroded clay of Skazka canyon. Night in a yurt camp by the lake.
Day 12
Song-Kul
Five to six hours by road through Kochkor and over the pass to the lake at 3,016 metres. Night in a yurt camp.
Day 13
Down to Bishkek
A morning at the lake, then the drive to Bishkek with a stop at the Burana tower, an 11th-century minaret.
Day 14
Ala-Archa and back to Kazakhstan
A walk in Ala-Archa National Park in the morning. Then the Kordai border and the road to Almaty, about five hours with the crossing.
Day 15
Almaty and departure
Panfilov Park, the Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and the Rakhat chocolate shop, then the airport.
Want to change a day? The guide adapts the pace and stops to your group.Ask the guide →
What’s included
Included
- Private transport with a driver for the whole route
- English-speaking guide
- 4×4 on mountain tracks (Assy, Kaindy, Altyn-Arashan)
- Help at both border crossings
- Accommodation: 3★ hotels in Almaty, Karakol and Bishkek, cottages at Charyn, guesthouses in Saty, Altyn-Arashan and Jyrgalan, yurt camps on Issyk-Kul and Song-Kul
- Breakfast every day, full board in the yurt camps
- Park fees and entrance tickets on the programme
- Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Tobe cable cars
Paid separately
- International flights
- Horses on the Ala-Kul day
- Lunches and dinners in towns
- Visas, if your passport needs them
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour starts — full refund. After that — according to the operator’s rules.
Reviews
Questions & answers
Have a question about this tour? Ask us — a local planner will answer in the chat.
Practical info
Good to know
- Meeting place
- You choose the meeting point: an address, hotel or airport in Almaty, arranged at booking
- Suitable for
- Travellers with two weeks · Active families with children from 10 years · Small groups of friends
- Not suitable for
- Travellers who need a private bathroom every night · People who should avoid altitude above 3,000 metres
What to bring
- Identity card or passport
- Trekking shoes with good tread
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+), sunglasses, and a hat
- A warm jacket or fleece — it is cool in the mountains even in summer
- A light raincoat or membrane jacket in case of mountain rain
- A water bottle (refill in villages and hotels) and a light snack for the road
Safety notes
Please follow the guide's instructions, check the weather forecast before departure, and bring appropriate clothing and footwear.
Tour season: May 1 – October 30 (Season: May 1 – October 30 (mountain roads closed in winter))
Not sure? Ask a local expertDates, a different hotel, a child seat, another day order — we’ll reply within 2 hours.