# Kel-Suu to Chong-Kemin Road Trip - 10 Days Two nights at Song-Kul, off-road to Kok-Kiya and the walk to Kel-Suu, a lagman cooking stop in Kochkor, the south shore of Issyk-Kul and an off-road climb to the Altyn-Arashan hot springs. A last night in Chong-Kemin breaks the drive back to Bishkek. - Duration: 10 days - Type: Road trip - Best season: May to October - Starts and ends in: Bishkek - Pace: Moderately paced - Activities: Horse riding - optional - Accommodation: 3 nights at guesthouse, 3 nights at hotel, 3 nights at yurt - Total driving: 1710 km - Price: on request (depends on group size, season and options). Free quote, no prepayment to enquire. - Group: small group or fully private, with a local English-speaking guide - Page: https://azattours.com/tours/kel-suu-chong-kemin-road-trip-10-days/ ## Highlights - Two nights in a yurt at Song-Kul - Off-road to Kok-Kiya and the walk to Kel-Suu - Cooking lagman in Kochkor, then a yurt by Issyk-Kul - Altyn-Arashan hot springs and a last night in Chong-Kemin ## Itinerary ### Day 1: Road trip to Song-Kul Lake You leave Bishkek behind and head into the mountains, with a first stop at the Burana Tower, a leftover from the old Silk Road. A little further on, a Dungan family welcomes you to help shape the dough and share their cooking before you push on through Kochkor. The road climbs over the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass and drops you onto the high plateau of Song-Kul, where the grass runs flat to the horizon. You settle into a yurt for the night, with time to walk by the water before dinner and a sky thick with stars. - Transfer: 320 km · 5-6 h - Meals: Lunch at guesthouse, dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt (3100 m) ### Day 2: Day by Song-Kul Lake A full day to slow down at the lake and step into nomad life. You can ride out along the shore with a guide, drop in on a herder family, and try a bowl of kymys, fermented mare's milk, the taste of summer up here. The afternoon is unhurried: walk the shoreline, watch the herds move across the pasture, or simply rest. As the light fades the lake turns silver, and after dinner the stargazing is some of the best you'll find anywhere. - Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt (3100 m) ### Day 3: Road trip to Tash-Bashat Village You trace the lakeshore one last time, then take on the Terskey-Torpu Pass, a wall of switchbacks that unwinds slowly to reveal the valleys below. The descent leads to Naryn, where you stop for lunch and a stretch of the legs. By late afternoon you reach Tash-Bashat, a quiet village largely untouched by tourism. Check into a comfortable hotel, wander the streets, and gather round a bonfire in the evening as the stars come out. - Transfer: 170 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Breakfast at yurt, lunch at restaurant, dinner at hotel - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 4: Off-road to Kok-Kiya Valley Today the asphalt gives way to dirt as you drive deep into the At-Bashy region, passing small villages framed by serious mountains. A riverside picnic in the Bosogo Valley breaks the journey before the track begins to climb. You cross the high Kyndy Pass at 3900 m into the wide Ak-Say pastures, where yurts and herds dot the grassland. By evening you reach your guesthouse in Kok-Kiya, with time for a slow walk before dinner. - Transfer: 180 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse (3200 m) ### Day 5: Trek to Kel-Suu Lake, drive to Naryn After breakfast you set out on foot toward Kel-Suu, one of the most hidden lakes in the country. The trail follows the river through open valleys, past grazing horses and yaks, with the mountains closing in around you. Roughly two hours in, the lake appears, ringed by sheer cliffs, a place that feels far from anywhere. A short boat ride is possible before you walk back, then drive to Naryn for a hotel bed and a hot dinner in town. - Transfer: 150 km · 4-5 h - Activity: Trekking · 14 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast & lunch at guesthouse, dinner at restaurant - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 6: To Issyk-Kul, cook lagman in Kochkor You head north over the Dolon Pass at 3030 m, then stop in Kochkor to visit a Dungan family and learn to make lagman, the hand-pulled noodles they're known for. The reward is the meal you helped cook. Driving on east to Issyk-Kul, you reach a lakeside yurt camp with time for a swim in the warm water. In the evening, head out to the Ak-Say canyons to catch the sunset before returning for the night. - Transfer: 190 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch at guesthouse, dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt ### Day 7: South shore: eagle hunter, canyons & Jety-Oguz The morning opens with an eagle-hunter demonstration, a glimpse of a tradition passed down through generations. From there you wander the colour-streaked Fairy-Tale Canyons and stop in Tamga for lunch at a mountaineer's home. In the afternoon you take in the Barskoon Waterfalls and the red sandstone ridges of Jety-Oguz before reaching Karakol, time for a short tour of town before dinner. - Transfer: 150 km · 3-4 h - Meals: Breakfast & lunch at guesthouse, dinner at restaurant - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 8: Off-road to Altyn-Arashan hot springs This morning you climb into a Soviet-era UAZ truck for the bumpy, beautiful run up to Altyn-Arashan. The track follows a river through pine forest, and the rattle is part of the fun. You reach the gorge in time for lunch, then the afternoon is yours: soak in the natural hot springs, wander the trails, and rest in the quiet. Dinner and a night under the mountains round out the day. - Transfer: 30 km · 2-3 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 9: Back to Karakol, drive to Chong-Kemin You ride the UAZ back down to Karakol in the morning and stop for lunch in town. From there the road runs the length of the northern Issyk-Kul shore, through Cholpon-Ata and Balykchy, with the lake on one side and mountains on the other. By evening you reach a guesthouse in the green Chong-Kemin National Park, a softer, forested landscape after the high passes, and a calm place to spend your last night on the road. - Transfer: 300 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Breakfast & dinner at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 10: Return to Bishkek A final drive carries you from Chong-Kemin back to Bishkek, with a stop at the Burana Tower to close the loop where the trip began. After lunch in the city, a short tour takes in Ala-Too Square, the Osh Bazaar, and a few of the landmarks that give the capital its character, a fitting end to ten days on the road. - Transfer: 170 km · 3-4 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant ## Common questions **How long is this tour?** It runs 10 days, starting and ending in Bishkek. **When is the best time to go?** The season runs May to October. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open. **How fit do I need to be?** It's moderately paced, with Horse riding - optional. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing. **Where will I stay?** A mix over the trip: 3 nights at guesthouse, 3 nights at hotel, 3 nights at yurt. ## How to book Send your dates and group size and we confirm availability and a tailored price within 24 hours: https://azattours.com/tours/kel-suu-chong-kemin-road-trip-10-days/#book - WhatsApp and phone: +996 502 888 001 (https://wa.me/996502888001) - Email: azatbeyshenaliev1@gmail.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azattourskg/ - Enquiry form: https://azattours.com/#plan - Based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan