# Kok-Kiya & Kel-Suu Road Trip - 8 Days A quick loop by road: one night at Song-Kul, off-road to the Kok-Kiya valley, the walk to Kel-Suu and a night in Naryn. Then you cook lagman in Kochkor, sleep in a yurt by Issyk-Kul, see the south shore and go off-road to Altyn-Arashan. - Duration: 8 days - Type: Road trip - Best season: May to October - Starts and ends in: Bishkek - Pace: Fast-paced - Activities: Horse riding - optional - Accommodation: 2 nights at guesthouse, 2 nights at yurt, 3 nights at hotel - Total driving: 1660 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/kok-kiya-kel-suu-road-trip-8-days/ ## Highlights - A yurt night at Song-Kul - Off-road to Kok-Kiya and the walk to Kel-Suu - Cooking lagman in Kochkor - South shore of Issyk-Kul and off-road to Altyn-Arashan ## 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 the road carries on south. Over the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass at 3400 m, the high plateau of Song-Kul opens out, the grass running flat to the horizon. You settle into a yurt for the night in a setting that has belonged to herders for generations. - Transfer: 320 km · 5-6 h - Meals: Lunch at guesthouse, dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt (3100 m) ### Day 2: Ride at Song-Kul, drive to Tash-Bashat The morning is for an easy ride around Song-Kul, the lake on one side and grazing herds on the other, a gentle way to feel out the saddle, with a longer mountain option for those who want it. In the afternoon you climb the Terskey-Torpu Pass, a famous run of switchbacks, and drop down through Naryn on the way to Tash-Bashat. A comfortable hotel in this quiet village waits for the night. - Transfer: 170 km · 3-4 h - Meals: Breakfast & lunch at yurt, dinner at hotel - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 3: Off-road to Kok-Kiya Valley Today the asphalt gives way to dirt as you drive deep into the At-Bashy region toward Kok-Kiya, gateway to the hidden Kel-Suu Lake. Small villages give way to open country, with a riverside picnic in the Bosogo Valley along the way. You cross the high Kyndy Pass at 3900 m into the wide Ak-Say pastures, where yurts and herds dot the grassland, and reach your guesthouse in Kok-Kiya by evening. - Transfer: 180 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse (3200 m) ### Day 4: 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 alpine country, past horse and yak herds, with the mountains closing in around you. The final stretch by the lake is a little more demanding, but the reward is a sheet of water hemmed by sheer cliffs. 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: Off-road to Altyn-Arashan gorge This morning you climb into a Soviet-era UAZ truck for the bumpy, beautiful run up to Altyn-Arashan. The track follows a sparkling river through dense pine forest, and the rattle is part of the fun. You reach the gorge in time for lunch among the peaks. The afternoon is yours: soak in the hot springs, walk the trails, or simply rest with Peak Palatka rising at 5200 m above you. Dinner and a quiet night under the mountains round out the day. - Transfer: 30 km · 30 min - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 8: Return to Bishkek A slow morning in Altyn-Arashan, with the mountains all around, before the UAZ carries you back down to Karakol for a last local lunch. From there the road runs the length of the northern Issyk-Kul shore, the lake glinting beside you the whole way. You reach Bishkek in the evening, the close of a trip stitched together from horseback days, off-road tracks, hidden lakes, and nomad hospitality. - Transfer: 440 km · 6-7 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch at restaurant ## Common questions **How long is this tour?** It runs 8 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 fast-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: 2 nights at guesthouse, 2 nights at yurt, 3 nights at hotel. ## How to book Send your dates and group size and we confirm availability and a tailored price within 24 hours: https://azattours.com/tours/kok-kiya-kel-suu-road-trip-8-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