What short hikes can I do around Karakol?

Hi there,

I’m looking for half-day hikes near Karakol (not Jety-Oguz, since I’ll be heading there separately—max 30 minutes’ drive to the trailhead).

I can find longer treks, but nothing for a short outing!

So, if you’ve got any ideas...

Thanks! :)

Hi there!

Here are two ideas:

1) You can head to the national park entrance (10 minutes by bus from the city center) and hike up to the Karakol ski resort by following the stone road—it’s a bit dusty due to a few cars. Plan for about 2 hours of climbing to reach the base of the resort.

2) A little farther but wilder and (almost) car-free: you can take a bus to the nearby Ak-Su Valley. I can’t remember the exact bus time, but it’s less than an hour, I think. From there, you can just follow the path along the river (lots of trekkers pass through here), and turn back whenever you want...

Don’t hesitate if you need more details ;)

Hey Nicolas,

I forgot to mention that I rented a car.😉

Do you know if there are any hiking options from the ski resort?

Your suggestion about Ak Su—is that following the river toward Altyn Arashan? Is it really nice even if you don’t go very far?

Hi Agnes,

At the foot of the ski resort, there were quite a few cars, but mostly locals out and about with family. From what I remember, there weren’t any trailheads there.

About Ak-Su: I didn’t note the name of the river, but the path followed it going south (so turning right from the main road coming from Karakol), which seems to match the direction of Altyn Arashan. Let’s just say it’s classic alpine scenery, but still really nice 🙂

Hello If you have a 4x4, you can easily take the track up to Tosor Pass. Stop when you feel you've gone far enough, then hike up to the pass on foot.

Hey Perju!

My rental company forbids this track! And we’re getting pretty far from Karakol... 😇

Tell me, did you take the Arabel Pass track? It’s also off-limits, but the pass isn’t too far from an allowed track. I could walk to the pass on foot. But is it worth it??? About a dozen kilometers round trip.

Actually, you were talking about Karakol and I thought of Lake Issyk-Kul... Weird that the climb to Tosor Pass is off-limits—there’s nothing special if you don’t cross the pass. It’s just a quiet mountain track, though it’s narrow and you’ve got to watch the edges... the vegetation hides the ravine. Also, don’t meet another vehicle without planning for it—though there’s nobody around in that area. I haven’t done the other pass, so I can’t give advice on the scenery... but I’d guess it’s similar. You can easily drive up to the highest point allowed by your rental company, then hike from there. Do you have a satellite phone?

You have a satellite phone?

Nope, never. 😛