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Route · Ala-Köl

Karakol gorge — Ala-Köl — Altyn-Arashan — Ak-Suu

Community reported Physical: Hard Technical: Moderate Surface: mixed
48,9 km
Distance
+2 047 m
Ascent
−2 089 m
Descent
3 898 m
Max elevation
16 h
Duration

Elevation profile

The most-walked route in Kyrgyzstan, usually three days: up the gorge to the camps near Sirota, then the lake, the 3,920 m pass and Altyn-Arashan, then down the valley to Ak-Suu village. It is not a loop — it starts and ends in different places. Geometry from OpenStreetMap relation 12350207 (ODbL), elevations from the Open-Meteo DEM; nobody walked it for us, so check the state of the path on the ground.

Points of interest

  • Trailhead · Karakol gorge entrance
    0,0 km · 1 923 m
  • Water · Spring
    OpenStreetMap node 6426188514.
    11,8 km · 2 331 m
  • Camp · Sirota: hut and yurt camps
    The usual first night. The hut (OSM way 1086761254) is free; the yurt camps charge — the price was not checked.
    19,1 km · 2 960 m
  • Camp · Camp by the lake
    21,2 km · 3 560 m
  • Viewpoint · Ala-Köl comes into view
    The lake itself is at 3,532 m; the path runs above it.
    22,1 km · 3 690 m
  • Junction · Ala-Köl pass
    OpenStreetMap node 796689419, ele=3920, graded 1A.
    23,4 km · 3 920 m
  • Danger · East side of the pass
    A steep scree descent, snow-covered until June.
    23,8 km · 3 760 m
  • Shelter · Altyn-Arashan: hot springs
    OpenStreetMap node 6598298086: free, open around the clock. There are huts and yurt camps in the valley.
    35,0 km · 2 482 m
  • Trailhead · Ak-Suu village
    48,9 km · 1 881 m