Among the many typical treks of the "trekking paradise" Kyrgyzstan, Ala Kul is the most chosen trek, Ala Kul lake is also considered a beautiful rough gem of this country.
Ala Kul is a mountain lake east of the Terskey Ala-Too range, located at an altitude of 3,530 m. There are two routes to Ala Kul Lake: One starts from the Karakol Valley and goes up to the lake; the other goes from the village of Altyn-Arashan, over the Ala-Kul Pass at an altitude of 3,900 m and is quite difficult.
Normally, people spend 3-4 days trekking from Karakol town to Karakol Valley, climbing another 17 km to reach the lake. Due to time constraints, I rented a car and drove straight to Karakol Valley, spending a full day climbing to Ala Kul Lake and returning to town. The one-day trek is suitable for non-trekkers who still have enough energy to enjoy the nature and scenery.
The path of magnificent nature
I started my trek early in the morning. The mountain vehicle took me to the Karakol valley as the sun was just rising from the mountains and casting a warm glow over the valley. The morning in Karakol was fresh and chilly, I slung my backpack over my shoulders, tightened my shoelaces and eagerly crossed the emerald green stream to begin my journey.
From Karakol, through the tall and green pine forests. Rays of sunlight filtered through the branches and onto the ground. The air was dust-free and occasionally I could hear birdsong, insects chirping, or the rustling of squirrels jumping through the leaves looking for food. I kept walking until I saw a vast green valley stretching out before my eyes.
The pure white dandelions on the green grass, the wild flowers of all colors, blue, red, purple, yellow, blooming brilliantly under the sun, on both sides were rows of pine trees interspersed with rocky mountains. I immediately lay down on the grass, pillowed my head to look at the blue sky and inhaled the pure scent to feel the cool breeze, to listen to the sounds of the mountains and forests.
From the green valley, the mountain passes start to climb one after another. I climb along the mountain slopes and along the banks of the Karakol River. On both sides of the road are bushes of sea buckthorn, barberry, especially red-fruited rosehips. Green, red, yellow, emerald green, light purple… are the main colors on this route. In addition, there are many unique alpine plants. In the summer, you can see primroses, heather, maples, edelweiss and even tulips blooming, turning the high slopes into a rich wild botanical garden.
Every now and then I stopped to take some pictures and enjoy the moment with nature. It was rare to have such leisurely moments. After climbing the first mountains, there was a campsite set up to accommodate long-term climbers.
The tents are fully equipped with necessary items such as sleeping bags, mattresses, blankets, and pillows. Next to them is a wood stove to boil water for coffee, cooking, and making tea, and also for everyone to gather around the fire in the evening to chat.
I also stopped for a few minutes to chat with the friends who were staying here. We talked about the route, the unforgettable experiences and the beautiful country of Kyrgyzstan. They all exclaimed: “Ala Kul is so amazing!” which made me even more excited. Saying goodbye to the enthusiastic young friends, I continued along the mountainside and stopped for lunch right at the river at the foot of the mountain. This was the closest lunch to nature I have ever enjoyed. If you are thirsty, drink the cool, fresh stream water.
The “King” of Mountain Lakes
The last 3 km of steep, slippery gravel was a real challenge. I had to feel my way through each step, leaning heavily on my walking stick and stopping many times to rest.
Although it was only a short 3 km, it took me more than two hours to complete. However, after I crossed the mountain top, all the fatigue disappeared and I thought all the effort was completely worth it when the magnificent emerald green Ala Kul lake appeared before my eyes. It was also a feeling of self-conquest and pride that I did not give up in the end.
Ala Kul Lake is not too large, with a surface area of about 9.46 km2, 2.3 km long and 0.7 km wide. The lake is fed by snow and melted glaciers from the surrounding mountains of over 4,000 m. Many people bring tents and sleep right on the edge of the lake to fully enjoy this wonderful scene. Before my eyes is the unreal blue lake water, incredibly quiet. Surrounding the lake are white snow mountains and the blue sky, making the lake even more blue and magically beautiful. The location of the lake on the top of the mountain and the difficulty that visitors have to go through when wanting to reach Ala Kul has given the lake the title "king of mountain lakes". Locals also call Ala Kul "the pristine diamond of the Karakol Gorge" because of the magical color of the lake water.
I left my backpack, stick, hat at the top and walked down to the lake, touched the clear and cold water, sat on a rock and quietly watched, taking in the blue lake in my eyes and mind. When the sun gradually disappeared behind the mountains and the lake turned dark blue, it was time for me to return. Still the same mountains, the same trees, the same bushes but under the golden afternoon sunlight, the scene was more shimmering and magical than the morning sunlight. That made the way down not boring and monotonous.
I have been to many mountain lakes and lakes at an altitude of over 3,000 m, but all of them were taken by car. Ala Kul is the first lake that I had to walk 18 km to with so much hardship and fatigue. But everything has its price and this is truly an unforgettable experience. The journey to conquer Ala Kul with mountains, hills, grass, flowers and leaves is like a colorful and vivid picture. Ala Kul is truly a rare diamond and it is not easy to see it. This experience is truly worth trying once in a lifetime!
More information
Visa: Kyrgyzstan exempts visa for Vietnamese citizens if you have an original invitation letter from a Kyrgyzstan landtour company. If you do not have an invitation letter, you will get a visa at the airport for 50 USD/person.
Trip:
There are no direct flights from Vietnam to Kyrgyzstan, you will usually have to connect in a third country such as Thailand, Korea, China... There are many airlines for you to choose from to suit your schedule and time such as Air Astana, Uzbekistan Airlines, China Southern, S7, Turkish Airlines... You can also enter by land from China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan.
Transportation:
From the capital Bishkek or the city of Osh, you can use public transport Mashrutka - a small minivan (or rent a private car if traveling in a large group) to get to Karakol. The starting point of the Ala Kul trek is about 17 km from Karakol, you can walk or rent a high-chassis vehicle to save time on this route.
Best time:
July and August are the best months to trek in this area because the weather is not too cold, there is little rain, and flowers are everywhere. September and October have pleasant weather, with chilly nights and early mornings, and daytime temperatures around 10-15 degrees Celsius.oC.
Skin:For September-October weather, you should wear a thermal shirt inside and a 2-3 layer jacket outside; bring comfortable pants for easy movement.
Luggage:
If you are going on the Ala Kul trek for more than a day and want to do it all by yourself, you will need to prepare tents, food and drinks. Essential items include: trekking poles, sunscreen, baseball cap or wide-brimmed hat, backpack, at least 3 liters of water, energy bars, lunch, specialized trekking shoes with good grip, gloves to protect against cold weather and when you have to hold on to rocks to move.
If you don’t want to bring a tent and food, there is a campsite set up halfway up the Ala Kul Lake. The price for a tent, dinner and breakfast ranges from 20-25 USD/person.
Money:The currency of Kyrgyzstan is the Som and 1 Som is worth approximately 332 dong.
Other notes:
You should hire a local guide to show you around and assist you when needed.
Kyrgyz people are very good at preserving nature and are careful. So, if you have any trash on the way, put it in your backpack and throw it in the trash when you get down the mountain.
If you have time, you can go from Karakol to Ala Kul, cross the Ala Kul Pass and reach the village of Altyn Arashan, however this route will take at least 4 days.
