3 weeks in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, preliminary travel questions (page 5 of 12)

That said, to help the yak meat go down... I highly recommend vodka.

a good knife along with good teeth.

Well, it’s still a shame not to go up to Tosor Pass... having said that, at the time you’re planning, it might still be a bit tricky. I remember discussing it back in 2016 with Cécile and Laurent when we "crossed paths" on the trail along the Panj River in Tajikistan. They’d just come through the pass in mid-July (around then) and had to move rocks to get through. The track wasn’t very busy yet, so mid-June could be even worse.

In 2024, turning back wasn’t an option for us. Even smaller vehicles had to turn around. We met a local taking tourists for a drive—he made it through, but there were lots of rocks and stones to move, plus sections with a lot of water. They were happy to have made it, but... from what they said, it was intense, except for the water. After all, Attila has crossed quite a few mountains.

I think I'm gonna pack a bottle in my luggage... Beer isn't really my thing. Vodka isn't either...

(There's at least some in Bishkek...



Photo grabbed from Google)

A rental company provides a list of forbidden tracks for its vehicles. Tosor is on it (conditions too poor).

A rental company lists tracks that are off-limits to its vehicles. Tosor is one of them (conditions too poor).

When I passed through, I didn’t find anything too challenging—I’m used to mountain tracks, but honestly, there wasn’t any real difficulty to handle. I made a short video of the southern approach, then a few easy switchbacks to reach the pass, with a completely smooth descent. That said, the track is narrow, and the edges are tricky (small ditches hidden by vegetation). Check out the start of the climb here.

https://youtu.be/vmkFncElTnw?si=XmBwrKr7zDgy3cEt

I'm not really a fan of fords.

Your video still shows a poorly maintained 4x4 track. If the elements have been raging since then...

Here are the problem areas according to the rental company:

Certain areas of our country are off-limits to traffic for safety reasons:

Kok-Airyk Pass – the road no longer exists / map error Ton Pass – the road no longer exists / map error Tosor Pass – dangerous off-road conditions Arabel Pass – closed to traffic Altyn Arashan and Karakol Gorges – driving prohibited Chatyr Kol – Kel-Suu Road – all bridges damaged Lake Kel-Suu (after the yurt camp) – the last 8 kilometers to the lake must be walked Enilchek (after the Mayda-Adyr base camp) – no bridges over deep rivers Karkara Valley (after the base camp) – no bridges over deep rivers Sary-Jaz Valley – dangerous off-road conditions KyzylOi – Toluk – dangerous off-road conditions Turasu Valley – no bridges over deep rivers

In the end, you should probably try Tajikistan instead—gorgeous trails on the high plateaus 😉

In the end, you should try Tajikistan instead—gorgeous trails on the high plateaus ;)

This is a whole other level... both in terms of trails and landscapes ;)

Hi there,

So I dove back into my travel journal (budding travelers 😉) and looking at the photos, I really think it was absolutely gorgeous.

It’s true that Kyrgyzstan isn’t exactly a foodie paradise...

We were at a livestock market in Kochkor before heading up to Song Kul.

Generally speaking, I don’t remember any particularly tough roads. The only one to avoid is the riverbed track between Kel Suu and Chatyr Lake—it’s too risky with just one vehicle.

The road between Tash Rabat and Baetov is really stunning. In Kochkor and Baetov, we lucked out with great guesthouses.

We didn’t book any accommodations in advance, but honestly, there often aren’t many options anyway.

The southern approach in 2024.

You’ve got to know when to stop before a ford, otherwise you’ll end up walking with wet sneakers.

The hot springs at the foot of the pass—or what’s left of them—are freezing now. Top left is the track.

The overtourism so dreaded by Attila.

Priority for undisciplined tourists.

Dinner is being prepared for Attila.

No, no, Kyrgyzstan seems perfect for a first trip to the region!😛

Generally, I don’t remember any particularly difficult tracks.

Unless the track is wet.

The only track to avoid is the one in the riverbed between Kel Suu and Chatyr Lake, as it’s too risky with just one vehicle.

The ford is long, not very deep, and you have to zigzag to find the right route. Locking the differential makes the crossing easier.

The track between Tash Rabat and Baetov is really beautiful.

This route is amazing. www.lescs.fr/IMG/mp4/baetov_site_1.mp4

Generally, I don’t remember any particularly difficult tracks.

Perfect!

The only track to avoid is the one in the riverbed between Kel Suu and Chatyr Lake, as it’s too risky for a single vehicle.

That’s the one the rental company doesn’t want its clients to take.

We hadn’t booked accommodations in advance, but it’s true there often wasn’t much choice.

Things seem to have improved a lot! 😉

I’d already considered Kyrgyzstan a few years ago, and back then, the accommodation options were extremely limited (and very basic...).

Now, I’m finding quite a few places that seem decent or at least okay. Though when something looks really nice, the price matches. Still, it’s cheaper than a crappy room in the US...

Example1

Example2

I really hope to see yaks!

And somewhere other than on my plate!

For Lenin Peak. It's better to go here than to base camp and sleep in a yurt. There are plenty of options. In 2019, only one possibility, but in 2024, several options. The track is easy to access from Sary Moghol. 39.501408, 72.930100

You can go for a hike toward this point 39.453367, 72.927471 instead of being on the mountaineers' route. You can still cross the river via a bridge and check out the base camp, but watch out for overtourism on the summits.

I managed to fit in the market. I even got 2 for the price of 1...

This would give:

2 (or one depending on flight time) nights in Bishkek

1 night in Kyzyl Oy

1 night in Suusamyr

1 night in Toktogul

1 night in Arslanbob

1 night in Osh

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

1 night in Jalal-Abad

1 night in Baetov

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

1 night in Song Kol

1 night in Tash Bashat

1 night in Kochkor (via Jalah Bel and the end of the Bolgart Valley) Saturday market

2 nights in Karakol Sunday market

2 nights in Barskoon

For the end, two options:

1 night in Bokonbaevo

1 night in Chong Kemin

1 night in Bishkek

or

1 night in Chong Kemin

1 night in Ala Archa

1 night in Bishkek

Exemple1

The view from the dome hotel (which we saw on our last trip in 2024) is nothing like the view of Lenin Peak in the morning from the yurt camp I suggested in my previous post. You’ll see yaks in the meadow or on your plate. You can find the route description (K13) on the Overland Map app.

Correction: Our messages crossed—great that you stayed at Tupar-Kul, that’s exactly what I was suggesting above.

There’d be 2 nights in the area since this region is really remote.

One could be in a yurt, the next in comfort...

I don’t get these two stops: 1 night in Kyzyl Oy 1 night in Suusamyr

when these two places are really close to each other. Maybe you’re taking time to tackle Kojomkoul Kaba Ouulo?

I meant the other side of the Suusamyr Valley toward Toktogul.