ALA-KUL TREK - KYRGYZSTAN

Experience Kyrgyzstan’s Pristine Glacial Lake

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Trek Difficulty

Moderate - Difficult

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Trek Duration

6 Days

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Highest Altitude

12,750 ft

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SUITABLE FOR

13 to 62 years

Trek to Kyrgyzstan’s Pristine Glacial Lake

The Ala-Kul or the Ala-Kol trek in Kyrgyzstan is a grand crossover trek that takes you close to the most beautiful glacial lake we have seen outside India, the Ala-Kul. Kul or Kol in Kyrgyz means a ‘lake’, hence the name means the ‘Ala Lake’ trek.

The milky-blue Ala-Kul lies at approximately 11,580 ft in the Tien Shan mountain ranges of Central Asia. You’ll have to cross the thrilling Ala-Kul Pass at 12,750 ft to get to this lake.

This challenging trek takes you through the most beautiful coniferous forests and grasslands of the Altyn Arashan and Karakol Valleys, where the landscape is dotted with wildflowers of varying colours and gushing rivers.

As you gain altitude, the lush green valley opens up to alpine meadows sprinkled with juniper shrubs, moraine and scree. This combination of scenery is rarely seen elsewhere. It’s like a combination of our treks from Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand, where you get to walk on the green carpet of meadows lined with coniferous trees, and see snow-capped mountains, witness a glacier, and camp next to a glacier-fed lake.

Kyrgyzstan also has a striking resemblance to India. So much so that when our founders and the rest of the team landed in Bishkek, they felt like they were in a city that is much like Srinagar in India. They felt welcomed in a land that is so far away from home.

Not just the city, it has a rich culture and tradition, and the people are very approachable. Just like shared taxis here in India, Kyrgyzstan has ‘marshrutkas’ (maxi-van type shared taxis) and buses that keep you well connected across cities. Whether it is stays, food or travel, everything is pocket-friendly.

The Ala-Kul trek is suitable for trekkers who have experienced high-altitude treks before. And if you are a beginner, you’ll have to be in the best of fitness to do this ‘moderate-difficult’ level trek.

Please note that the experience of this trek will be different from a typical Indiahikes experience:

  • The trek will be run in an assisted Do-It-Yourself (DIY) style: This means we are going to be doing the trek all by ourselves, without the regular Indiahikes support team. In terms of safety, our highly trained Trek Leaders will be with you. You will not have to carry any tents or sleeping bags but you have to help with cooking meals and pitching tents, including toilet tents.
  • The food will be different: You may not find your usual Indiahikes food. Instead, you will be served good local cuisine. On camp days, the food will be Indian.
  • Apart from these, you can expect to see our own tents, our toilet tents and our Green Trails practices.

The Ala-Kul or the Ala-Kol trek in Kyrgyzstan is a grand crossover trek that takes you close to the most beautiful glacial lake we have seen outside India, the Ala-Kul. Kul or Kol in Kyrgyz means a ‘lake’, hence the name means the ‘Ala Lake’ trek.

The milky-blue Ala-Kul lies at approximately 11,580 ft in the Tien Shan mountain ranges of Central Asia. You’ll have to cross the thrilling Ala-Kul Pass at 12,750 ft to get to this lake.

Watch these videos to get a glimpse of the trek

About The Ala Kul Trek
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How to Prepare for the Ala Kul Trek
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Ala-Kul - Complete Trek Information

We have always wanted trekkers to be well-informed before they go on a high altitude trek. Knowledge is the difference between a safe trek and a dangerous one. It’s also the difference between a wholesome experience and a superficial experience.

Use this section to learn about the Ala-Kul trek. It has in-depth information about each day of the trek, what to expect, and how you need to prepare for it. Many years of expertise have gone into this content. Trekkers find that extremely useful.

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Have questions about the trek? Fill this form to schedule a call

Expert Speak

Head of Digital Content - Marketing Team

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Head of Digital Content - Marketing Team

Swathi Chatrapathy heads the digital content - marketing team at Indiahikes. She is also the face behind India's popular trekking video channel, Trek With Swathi. Unknown to many, Swathi also writes a weekly column at Indiahikes which has more than 100,000 followers. A TEDx speaker and a frequent guest at other events, Swathi is a much sought after resource for her expertise in the digital content world.

What We Like About the Ala-Kul Trek

Here, Swathi Chatrapathy is in conversation with Arjun and Sandhya about one of the 'Best Treks for Summit Views in Kyrgyzstan'.

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Head of Digital Content - Marketing Team

Swathi Chatrapathy heads the digital content - marketing team at Indiahikes. She is also the face behind India's popular trekking video channel, Trek With Swathi. Unknown to many, Swathi also writes a weekly column at Indiahikes which has more than 100,000 followers. A TEDx speaker and a frequent guest at other events, Swathi is a much sought after resource for her expertise in the digital content world.

1. The mountains and their proximity

“Bishkek, as you know, is the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. It is a busy city with students, people, bazaars, and cars. And yet, it is not as crowded as other European or Asian cities. In the backdrop are these beautiful snow-capped mountains,” Sandhya UC shares her first impression of the capital city. 

 This is not just in Bishkek. Go almost anywhere in Kyrgyzstan, and the Tian Shan range accompanies you. “We start our trek from Karakol, where again the mountains are by our side,” says Sandhya. 

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2. The unique setting of the landscape

“This trek was like no other trek I’ve done,” starts Arjun. "You may find some mild resemblance to the mountain scenery of Kashmir, with wide valleys and meadows. Yet, the valleys of Kyrgyzstan are very different,” says Arjun.

When I ask him to elaborate, he says, "See, most valleys we trek in are very narrow. The mountains are almost on you. It makes you feel closed and shut out. But in Kyrgyzstan, the valleys are nearly half a kilometre wide. They gracefully clamber onto a mild height, giving you a sense of openness even though you’re in a valley.

“Rarely do you see such wide valleys, not even while trekking in Kashmir, known for wide valleys. I loved this aspect of trekking in Kyrgyzstan. We could walk endlessly just staring at the scenery. I've never seen such unique settings,” adds Arjun. (You'll find a lovely photo gallery from their trek here.)

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3. The milky-blue Ala Kul Lake

“Right from the beginning of the trek, we were anticipating the view of the Ala Kul lake. That’s the biggest attraction; it is what everyone is talking about. And the lake did not disappoint,” shares Sandhya.

When I ask her how it compares to the lakes we see in J&K, she says, “It was much grander than any of the lakes we have seen in Kashmir, because the Ala Kul Lake has a big glacier feeding the lake. You see the whole glacier tumbling down into the lake. You get to camp with this view!" Trekkers don't know that you can also walk on the banks of the lake and touch the water. 

Curving alongside the face of the mountain at above 13,000 feet, this is among the most photogenic lakes we have seen. It stands out in a greenish-blue shade any time of the year, giving it its name, “Ala-Kul”, which means “Colourful Lake” in Russian.

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4. Meeting Russian, Polish, and many other international trekkers

The Ala Kul lake is among the most popular treks in Kyrgyzstan. While local Kyrgyz people don’t trek, the trail attracts keen European trekkers. “We saw Russian, Polish, Israeli trekkers, and many others from Eastern Europe. Throughout our 4-day trek, we may have seen around 75 trekkers on the trail in total,” recalls Lakshmi.

“You will especially love the liveliness of the Altyn Arashan camp. It’s the penultimate camp before you cross the pass. It is a junction of sorts. Trekkers crossover onto several trails from here.  You also see yurt camps and shepherds going from one trail to another. You can spend an entire day just sitting there and observing a different kind of life in the mountains,” shares Arjun.

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5. The must-see Issyk Kul Lake that Kyrgyzstan is known for

While Ala Kul is a beauty on its own, there's another lake that you must see in Kyrgyzstan: the Issyk Kul Lake. “Issyk Kul feels like the sea. We drove for over three hours with the lake continuously glimmering by our side, there was still no end in sight. There were waves in the lake like the sea,” shares Arjun.

Issyk Kul is a major attraction in Kyrgyzstan, stretching over 180 km in length and 60 km in width. On the Indiahikes trek to Ala Kul, we start driving on one side of the lake, reach the Karakol base camp, and complete the loop on the other side of the lake once we have finished the trek. “It’s one of the most pleasurable drives I have done,” exclaims Arjun.

 “I loved staying for a night at a cottage by the lake. We were in the middle of an orchard of apricots and blueberries. Apricots were on the ground in heaps. You could pluck the tastiest fruits off the trees. And in front of our cottage was Issyk Kul, as far as our eyes could see. We couldn’t see the shore on the other side. You can step into the cool water, dip, or spend time by the shores. It’s a beautiful experience,” he shares. 

“Isn’t all this going to be expensive?” I ask our founders, and Sandhya says, “The best part is that none of this is expensive. Kyrgyzstan is easy on the pocket for Indians. It might be a tad more expensive than India, say, by around 15-20%, but you can easily afford these places of stay.”

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6. Going back in time, yet with the comforts of the modern world at Bishkek

Bishkek, which is almost representative of the rest of Kyrgyzstan’s city-life, is a place that our team fell in love with. “We were wondering if it would be too religious, but it was nothing like it,” shares Arjun.

“Bishkek is a beautiful blend of history and modernity. You’ll see iconic Russian-style architecture with austere columns and domes. Trams still run on the streets (like in old Kolkata). At the same time, you’ll see Chevrolets ruling the roads, giving the city a swish of modernity. The whole country has a unique blend of Chinese and Russian influences, which give it its unique flavour,” shares Arjun.

“On the other hand, I did not see many multinational chains in the city. The local markets rule the roost. I like that even though there is a good amount of influence from the west, the city has maintained its culture,” says Lakshmi.

Which brings us to another thing that our team absolutely loved about Kyrgyzstan. 

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7. 7. The vibrant bazaars of Kyrgyzstan!

Interestingly, this is among the first things that all three spoke about in our conversation. Their visit to Osh Bazaar, in the heart of Kyrgyzstan, left a deep impression on them, showing them that Kyrgyzstan was warm, lively, welcoming, budget-friendly, and very much like India!

 “These bazaars had everything. From hardware to carpets to crockery to clothes to vegetables and dry fruits, name it, and you’ll find it here,” says Sandhya. They particularly went gaga over the dry fruits, which were locally grown, available in plenty, and at ridiculously low prices. “We saw apricots, walnuts, dates, raisins, and nuts. You can live on just dry fruits here,” shares Sandhya.

Arjun pips in, saying, “Additionally, this is where we got introduced to the real Kyrgyzstan. Talking to the shopkeepers, bargaining with them, tasting things before buying them, we didn't feel like outsiders for a second. The locals are very welcoming and warm to any visitors. You can sense it here." 

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Trek Trivia

Things Nobody Tells You About Ala-Kul

Did you know how old Russian military trucks can make for the best roller-coasters?

On the first and the last day of this trek, you get a chance to spot old Russian military trucks here. Russia and Kyrgyzstan’s military relations go back to the first world war. What is special about these vehicles though, is their unimaginable ability to traverse difficult terrains. What most other vehicles cannot do, these can. No road is too uneven or too rough for them and that makes these vehicles an incredible sight.

If by chance you can get a lift in one of these, it’s an experience in itself. It is like a free roller coaster ride for you! Even through the roughest roads, it will take you to your destination. The ride is a ‘try not to laugh’ challenge but the thrill of sitting in one of the toughest military vehicles makes it worth it!

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Yurt Camps and their Nomadic Roots

On the vast green meadows and in the forests of Ala-Kul, big circular structures can be found. These are the Yurt camps. Belonging to the nomads in early days, they were made out of natural material sourced locally. This nomadic lifestyle can be seen and felt in them. Using animal skin, mud, wooden frames and other such items, the nomads built neat and comfortable shelters for themselves.

Not unlike Indian huts, the space inside used to be cleared out and daily utilities were arranged there. With a small sleeping nook in one corner, a cooking area in another, they made for minimalistic yet warm residences.

Even today, these shelters are used as camps for tourists. We need to remember not to expect our city luxuries in them, but we can definitely find a nice, warm stay. This stay in these cozy Yurt camps will take you to simpler, quieter times.

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The Bustling Markets of Kyrgyzstan

The cities of Bishkek and Karakol are a trove of surprises. Despite being the capital city, in Bishkek, you get to spot unexpected snow clad mountains. And nestled among those, you can experience the interesting Bazaars and churches of the city soaked in its western asian culture.

The markets, such as Osh Bazaar among others, are vast expanses of kiosks and shops, all put up one after the other. These are all inside a huge building, and contain a variety of products and eatables. Like our markets in India, they are bustling spaces with a number of sections for different kinds of items.

You have your wet market and dry market, your sections for fruits, for vegetables, for dry fruits (which are a must-buy!), and for meat, spices and what not. Most of the locals shop here and can obtain a majority of things they need on a daily basis - and not just food products, but even essentials like clothes for that matter!

We could compare them to the markets seen at every corner in India, except that the Kyrgyzstani markets would measure up to be about ten times larger in size!

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