Song-Köl
A shallow lake on a treeless jailoo at three thousand metres — Kyrgyzstan's largest freshwater lake, ringed by shepherds' summer camps and some fifteen yurt camps. You come for the sky and the pasture life, not for a walk: there is no path round the shore and the real passes are a day away. Four roads lead in, all gravel.
Weather
At 3 016 mNow: -4° · Clear · Wind 4 km/h
Updated: 8 min ago · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0)
Trail conditions
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Discussion
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How to get there
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Tashkent — Bishkek busTwo departures a day from the bus station by Almazar metro, through Kazakhstan, 601 km, 12 h 40 min. The 2022 price was 250,000 UZS — old, to be checked. · 601,0 km · 12 h 40 min250 000 UZS · 250 000 UZS · at the 2022-04-15 rate
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By car via KochkorKochkor is the staging town. All four roads are decent gravel; a 4WD is not necessary but clearance is. The price of a vehicle was not checked.
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Kochkor — Kyzart, for the walk-inFor the two-day walk-in, a shared taxi from Kochkor to Kyzart: 200 som a seat.27 000 UZS · 200 KGS · at the 2026-09-16 rate
Questions and answers
Do you need a permit?
Yes. This is a protected area: entry needs permission, or a fee at the gate. A Song-Köl reserve and the neighbouring Karatal-Japyryk reserve surround the lake, so protected-area rules apply: a visit is agreed with the administration and may be charged. No tariff is published. No border permit is needed.
How do you get there?
Tashkent — Bishkek bus: Two departures a day from the bus station by Almazar metro, through Kazakhstan, 601 km, 12 h 40 min. The 2022 price was 250,000 UZS — old, to be checked. There are 3 ways in altogether.
Which months are best?
Jul–Aug — that is when people go.
What does it cost?
Yurt camp per person/night (meals included) — 177 000 UZS (per person, 15 USD @ 2026-09-16). The prices are estimates and can differ on the day.
Is there water on the way?
The lake is fresh. There is no shop and no cash machine — bring food, water and small notes.
Is there phone signal?
No. Save the map beforehand and tell someone at home where you are going.
Photos
Photos by Wikimedia Commons contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0