Things To Do In Karakol

Things to do in Karakol

Karakol, at the eastern end of Issyk-Kul, is Kyrgyzstan's trekking capital, with valleys and glaciers of the Terskey Ala-Too range rising just south of town.

In town, see the Dungan Mosque, built in 1910 by Chinese Muslim craftsmen in the style of a Chinese temple, without a single nail, and the wooden Holy Trinity Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church with golden domes. On Sunday mornings, the animal market on the edge of town is one of the most memorable sights in Central Asia: horses, cattle and sheep traded in a field from dawn; go early.

The classic trek goes to Ala Kul, a turquoise lake at about 3,500 metres, over a pass of about 3,900 metres, and down to the Altyn Arashan hot springs, usually over three days. Altyn Arashan alone is a day's walk or a bumpy jeep ride up the valley, with natural hot pools.

Jeti-Oguz, about an hour away, has red sandstone cliffs, the Seven Bulls, and the Broken Heart rock. Skazka, the Fairytale Canyon, on the south shore of Issyk-Kul, is a maze of red and orange eroded rock. Jyrgalan, a quieter valley, is good for trekking and horse riding.

In winter, the Karakol ski base, about half an hour away, has some of the best skiing in Central Asia, at low prices.