3 weeks in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, preliminary travel questions (page 3 of 12)

A few additional points in Kazakhstan near your itinerary.

43.372188, 78.527164 43.356331, 79.054014 43.269287, 78.972755 43.281954, 79.002332 43.247334, 78.897055 42.939281, 78.325188 43.030273, 78.833667 43.806683, 75.543010 Thanks to Perju 😉

I haven't even left yet and my Maps.me map is already full of bookmarks! !😉

I’ll let you figure out the trails or paths (hiking routes) to reach those spots.

They’re on Maps.me. It’s really comprehensive.

The only thing is, it doesn’t show the condition of the track/road.

But it does know when it’s unpaved!

Way more reliable than Google Maps, which sends you down improbable—even dangerous—routes...

I’ll give you some spots you can reach with a 4x4 without too much trouble if the tracks are dry. Road/track conditions... with lots of potholes. One of the spots is a hike to a lake above Kolsay Lake—only doable in dry weather, trekking poles recommended.

Are you planning to leave Kazakhstan via the Kegen border crossing to get back into Kyrgyzstan?

Yes, that’s the one (Kpp Karkyra-Avtodorozhnyy).

Okay. From that little border post, which for us was a very quick crossing in both directions because there were so few people, I think you’ll head straight to Karakol. Reminder about land border crossings: the passenger crosses on foot and the driver with the vehicle. You’ll want to avoid one of you getting ahead into the next country before the other.

After the border, a little curiosity at this spot: 42.747001, 78.995925

And there, you can take a bath to cool off and, most importantly, wash off the dust that’s given you a nice coating. 42.372472, 77.911649

One of you should avoid getting a head start entering the next country before the other.

How do we handle that???

From what I understand, one person gets their passport stamped at the same time as the car, while the other has to go to a different counter person?

Okay, after some thought and reading the feedback from participants in this discussion, I'm leaning toward a Kyrgyzstan-only trip now ! Kazakhstan could easily be a separate trip for 2-3 weeks.

Here’s what I’m considering:

2 (or maybe just 1, depending on flight time) nights in Bishkek

1 night in Ala Archa

1 night in Chong Kemin (Burana Tower)

1 night in Bokonbaievo

2 nights in Barskoon

2 nights in Karakol

1 night in Kochkor (via the north shore of the lake)

1 night in Tash Bashat (via Jalah Bel and the end of the Bolgart Valley)

1 night in Son Kul

1 night in At Bashy

1 night in Baetov (via Tash Rabat and the Mels Pass)

1 night in Jalal-Abad

2 nights in Sary Tash (Tulpar Kul - Lenin Peak base camp)

1 night in Osh

1 night in Arslanbob

1 night in Toktogul

1 night in Kyzyl Oy

1 night in Bishkek







Does this make sense and is it doable in a basic 4x4?

Hello,

From my little perspective, I think it's better to focus on just one country—fewer administrative hassles.

The itinerary looks good to me, though I’d happily swap one night near Lake Issyk-Kul for an extra night around Kyzyl-Oy.

Happy planning! JF

Hey Jef, 🙂

It’s only when you start planning trips elsewhere that you realize how lucky we are to live in the Schengen Zone!

For Lake Issyk-Kul, my issue is the Karakol market, which only happens on Sundays.

And international flight schedules that aren’t the same every day... Some are better than others for the total duration from Lyon.

I’ll check if there’s a similar market in another stopover "city." We really want to experience one.

Ok, that’s why you "drag your feet" at first to speed up later

Yeah .😉

I also struggled to put together an itinerary that doesn’t retrace the same roads—except around Lenin Peak, where there aren’t many options...

Livestock market: Ouzgen Kochkor

I also found Tokmok and At Bashy. But I won’t be there on a Sunday.

Kochkor would’ve been good for a Sunday if I skipped the night in Bokonbaevo, but it’s the only market that takes place on Saturday according to my research! 🥴‍♂️

Tokmok might work if I move Ala Archa to the end and if the market doesn’t finish too early (I’d then leave Bishkek with the vehicle pickup the night before).

You can skip the northern part of the lake unless you're into mass tourism and all the beachside activities that come with it. You could also learn Russian and how to sip vodka properly. The north of the lake doesn’t have much to offer except Cholpon-Ata, but you can find other spots like Saimaluu-Tash that are way more off the beaten path.

Going to Karakol via the south and returning the same way will let you visit some really interesting places. For me, that’s the way to go.

Uzgen might be a good choice. Back in the day, I noted that this town could be interesting—there are a few monuments, and it's well located after the big descent into the Ferghana Valley.

The little I saw of Lake Issyk-Kul didn’t impress me much—between old Soviet industries and beach resorts... I’m talking about the northern part of the lake

I recommend getting this app on the Apple Store. You buy the Kyrgyzstan section. You’ll be able to prepare your trip more easily. Once there, you can reconfigure it if the weather plays tricks on you. I find it really easy to use and super helpful.

This app is also available on Android. Read the help section before you go to navigate it better.

https://apps.apple.com/fr/app/overland-map/id6741202903

True, the northern part is a no-go. In the southern part, choosing the right places and activities is key.

The northern route is just to avoid backtracking. It's a transit day—I don’t plan to linger along the way except for a lunch stop.