If you’re planning to head to Karakol, Kyrgyzstan and trek to Ala-Kol & Altyn Arashan without a guide, you’ll find these tips helpful. This guide will help you explore the beautiful Karakol Valley on your own.
For 2018, the trek is available on the Maps.me app. Simply download the app, search for “Atlyn Arashan Trek,” and save it for offline use. It’s very accurate.
Local guides can offer valuable insights, showing you shortcuts, viewpoints, flora, and fauna, and sharing information about the local culture. Paying for a guide also supports the local tourism economy and helps bridge the gap between Kyrgyz culture and foreign travelers.
If you decide you want a guide or some tips, visit the Tourist Information Office in Karakol, or the new Destination Karakol office (CBT & Eco-Tours are less helpful). If you go through CBT, the Tourist Information Office, or any other local company, expect to pay about $30 per day, which includes food for the guide.
If you’re trekking to Ala-Kol and Altyn Arashan on your own, your costs will be limited to food and entrance fees. Entrance fees are 250 som per person at the gates, and a ranger will later collect an additional 100 som per tent. If you camp near a guesthouse in Altyn Arashan, it’s around 100 som per tent, and a private hot spring cabin costs 200 som. The taxi back from Ak-Suu is 400 som for the entire vehicle.
While a guide can be useful, you don’t necessarily need one for this trek if you’re prepared and attentive. During the peak season (July-August), there are many tourists, so you can follow others. Even in late September and early October, it’s possible to do the trek without a guide. If there’s snow on the pass, however, it’s wise to take a guide for safety.
For a more off-the-beaten-path experience, consider trekking in the Jyrgalan Valley, just a 45-minute ride from Karakol. It’s a stunning area with trekking on foot or by horse available. To read more about this route, check out our posts on Jyrgalan and the Keskenkija Trail.
Once you’ve decided to trek on your own, buy a map from any local agency for 150 som. Ensure you have enough food supplies, a tent, a torch (flashlight), and a warm sleeping bag, even in the summer. You can buy instant soup, mashed potatoes (if you have a stove), sausage, cheese, bread, and other essentials from local markets. There are also two outdoor stores in town stocked with trekking equipment, including stoves, gas canisters, and warm gear.
We recommend starting the trek from the park entrance just south of Karakol. That way, you can enjoy the hot springs of Altyn Arashan after the hike over the pass.
Take Marshrutka 101 directly to the trailhead for 8 som. You can catch it almost anywhere along Toktogol St., near most guesthouses. Take it to the last stop, near the park gates.
The initial part of the trek is easy. Within an hour, you’ll reach a small village and a few yurts with the river always on your right. Cross a bridge where the road ends, and the trail starts. The trail follows the right side of the river, passes a wide summer pasture, and leads to a beautiful waterfall. Cross the bridge at the top of the waterfall, then head straight up into the valley. Follow red-painted rocks or rock towers as trail markers.
After about 2 hours, you’ll reach a small river and a wooden cabin where most people camp the first night. The next day will be long, so start early. Follow the trail with the river on your right toward a big waterfall between two peaks. Continue following the markers until you reach Ala-Kol Lake.
Fill up your water at the lake, as there won’t be water for the next 4 hours. Follow the north shore trail, not the shoreline directly. As you continue, you’ll see two peaks to your left; these are not the correct peaks. Instead, follow the trail downward and swing around to the far northeast part of the lake. You’ll see a faint trail leading to a clear pass—this is your path.
The climb up to the pass is challenging but manageable for those in reasonable shape. The slope down to the Odeke Valley can be tricky. Choose between a rocky trail or a steep shale slope. We recommend the rocky trail. From the pass, follow the path downhill into the valley. You’ll follow the river and trail markers to Altyn Arashan.
In Altyn Arashan, you can camp near a guesthouse (100 som) or hike further to camp for free. The guesthouses offer good food, and you can rent a hot spring cabin for 200 som.
From Altyn Arashan, the trek to Ak-Suu is mostly downhill. Follow the obvious road, taking shortcuts where possible. Locals can help direct you if needed. From Ak-Suu, hire a taxi back to Karakol for 400 som or take a Marshrutka.
Now you know how to trek to Ala-Kol and Altyn Arashan without a guide. You don’t need to be an expert trekker for this hike, so pack your gear and get ready for an amazing adventure!