Destination 》Asia 》Central Asia 》Kyrgyzstan 》Issyk-Kul
Year Visited: 2019 – August
I visited Issyk-Kul region during my three plus weeks backpacking across Kyrgyzstan. After spending few days in Bishkek, the capital city, I took a train to visit Issyk-Kul, the largest lake of Kyrgyzstan. An early morning train from Bishkek will bring you to Balykchy, a town at the western end of Issyk-Kul. From there I took a marshrutka to Karakol, the capitol of Issyk-Kul region.
The lake Issyk-Kul is the 2nd largest alpine lake in the world. It is completely surrounded by the massive snow-capped peaks of Tian Shan mountains. Issyk-Kul means “warm lake” in the Kyrgyz language because the lake never freezes even though it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The lake is so huge, looking across to the other side, it seems like an ocean. The Issyk-Kul Lake was a major stopover on the the Silk Road,
The central Tien-Shan mountain region around the Issyk-Kul lake is one of the last harmonic cultural landscapes in the Central Asia preserving habitats close to nature in combination with traditional culture. Since 2001 Issyk-Kul is recognized as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve.
I spent a week along the south shore of the Issyk-Kul. The south shore does not have nice hotels or resorts like on the North Shore. Though, small villages along the south shore do offer some guest houses and Yurt camps. There might not be any restaurants in the villages, but you can enjoy a good home-cooked Kyrgyz meal at your local guest house. Spend evenings at lake, with a cold Arpa beer, the sunset from the lake shore looks amazing.
Photos below are from my week long stay along the south shore of the lake Issyk-kul.
After few days at the Lake, I took a shared taxi from Karakol to Bokonbaevo to attend an annual Birds of Prey festival.
Window on the World 