Travel from Ferghana Valley to the Song-Kul Lake

• Category: auto & horseback riding or trekking
• Duration: in total 5 days (3 days horse riding or trekking)
• Level of difficulty: Medium (one pass over 3500 m)
• Destinations: Kara-Alma Village, Kazarman Village, Song-Kol Lake.
• Best season: mid-June to mid-September
• Requirements: trekking boots, weatherproof warm clothes, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, torch, tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad

Itinerary: Jalalabat – Kara-Alma – Kazarman – Nasan Bulak – Bala Tapan – Kadu pass – Ashuu Tor – Song-Kul lake

Kazarman is the capital of the Toguz-Toro district and is situated in the Jalal-Abad oblast. Through this region runs the Tien-Shan mountain range, which makes it an excellent starting point for adventurous travel. The area consists of many nomadic settlements and accessible mountain areas. The mountain range, however, also limits accessibility and shortens the tourist season.

Lake Song-Kul — in Kyrgyz language it means “the final lake”.  Song-Kul gleams like a brilliant sapphire on it’s lush green mountain plateau.  At 3016 m it is inaccessible during winter months, and even in summer weather conditions can change rapidly. “The Last Lake” is considered one of the most beautiful areas for summer pasturing with an area of 270 km sq.  In winter the lake freezes over with ice more than a meter thick.  Nomads have been making the upland trek to this 3016 m asl lake since ancient times with their livestock.  Some left mysterious “standing stone” arrangements. Lake Song-Kul is a beautiful place to experience life on a  jailoo – summer pasture.  Ride horses in the surrounding mountains, or stay in a yurt and experience an old-fashioned Kyrgyz summer.

Day 1: Morning drive from Jalalabat to Kazarman village. On the way visit Kara-Alma village. This quiet and undiscovered village is a good alternative for people who want to avoid the crowded village of Arslanbob in the peak season. Kara-Alma is situated in the middle of a huge walnut forest and is famous for its wild apples. Have homemade lunch with Kyrgyz family. After lunch continue drive to  Kazarman, which is located behind Fergana Valley. By dinnertime, arrive in Kazarman village. Dinner and overnight in a homestay.

Day 2: After breakfast in a homestay transfer from Kazarman village to Nasan Bulagy (a source) – the starting point of your horse riding or hiking. It is a small waterfall with a long string of cascades of water. Here you can have a picnic-lunch with beautiful view of the source and meet with your guide team. After short break start ride through the gorge. Along the way, on a jailoo called Bala Tapan, we will see an interesting natural object – a stone on which there is a depression similar to the imprint of a children’s foot.  By dinnertime arrive to shepherd’s hut and have a rest. Dinner and overnight in hut or yurt.

Day 3: Today will be a challenge day for you. You will have the opportunity to reach two beautiful passes with completely different landscapes. The first pass is Kadu Pass (3394 m), these are flower fields with tall coniferous trees, and the Ashuu-Tor Pass (3615 m), which are rocky mountains where you can meet wild goats and golden eagles soaring above your heads.

Day 4: Today your horseback riding or hiking will end on the southern shore of Song-Kul Lake in a yurt camp. Here you will have dinner and spend the night.

Day 5: Spend the day enjoying a refreshing and well-earned rest at the lake-side. Watch and/or participate in the everyday life of the shepherds: milking mares; making traditional Kyrgyz milk products like kymyz (fermented mare’s milk) or airan (a sour, dense milk product); tending cattle. Eat a delicious lunch here, stroll along the lakeshore, and hope the legendary Song- Köl weather is kind. Dinner and overnight stay in a shepherd’s yurt.

Day 6: After breakfast transfer to Kochkor Village. End of the tour.