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Turquoise Ala-Kul lake below rocky peaks with a hiker on the trail above it

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Karakol Nature Park, Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan · Kyrgyzstan

Ala-Kul Pass trek: grade, cost & permits

A 55 km, four-day crossing from the Karakol valley up to Ala-Kul, a turquoise glacial lake at about 3,530 m, over the Ala-Kul Pass (about 3,900 m) and down to the hot springs at Altyn-Arashan. Nights are in your own tent or simple yurt camps with meals, and a guesthouse at Altyn-Arashan. You get high-alpine lake-and-glacier scenery without a permit, guide or long approach. It's a raw, wild alternative to the managed hut treks of the Alps and Dolomites. Day three over the pass is the hard one: the gain is fast, so watch for altitude sickness.

Photo: Bruno Rijsman · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

GradeHard
Duration4 days
Highest point3,920 m
SeasonLate June to late September; July to early September is the safest window. Yurt camps close outside summer, and snow and cold nights are possible at the pass even in July and August.
Cost from base₹14,000per person
BaseKarakol town (about 1,750 m), at the east end of Lake Issyk-Kul

A 55 km, four-day crossing from the Karakol valley up to Ala-Kul, a turquoise glacial lake at about 3,530 m, over the Ala-Kul Pass (about 3,900 m) and down to the hot springs at Altyn-Arashan. Nights are in your own tent or simple yurt camps with meals, and a guesthouse at Altyn-Arashan. You get high-alpine lake-and-glacier scenery without a permit, guide or long approach. It's a raw, wild alternative to the managed hut treks of the Alps and Dolomites. Day three over the pass is the hard one: the gain is fast, so watch for altitude sickness.

Good for soloGood for couplesGood for groups
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Step 2 of 7Next: Route

The route

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On the map

Ala-Kul Pass · Open in Google Maps ↗

The climb

1749 m1929 m2972 m3532 m3920 m2522 m1817 m Start · 1749 mEnd · 1817 m 3,920 m

How to reach the start

From Bishkek, shared minibuses (marshrutkas) to Karakol take about 6-8 hours and cost around 500-600 som; they leave when full, from early morning. In Karakol, marshrutka 101 runs to the Karakol valley park entrance (a few tens of som). The trek ends at Ak-Suu (Teploklyuchenka) village, where marshrutkas run back to Karakol.

Directions to the trailhead ↗Open in Google Maps ↗
Step 3 of 7Next: Permits

Permits and rules

Permit: No trekking permit and no guide rule found. You pay a Karakol Nature Park entry fee at the gate in the Karakol valley, reported by recent walkers as 250-300 som per person, plus a tent fee (reported 100-150 som). The Altyn-Arashan side has its own entry fee (reported around 200 som). Keep every receipt: rangers check them further along. No official tariff is published; the park moved under the Administration of the President in December 2024 and an eco-post was installed at the entrance in November 2025, so check the current fee at the gate.
GuideRecommended
Seasonal closureNo official closure dates; yurt camps operate in summer only and the pass is usually snowbound outside late June to September.
Travel adviceUK FCDO (updated 14 Sep 2026) does not advise against travel to any part of Kyrgyzstan. It warns that trekking means very remote areas with high avalanche, landslide and rockfall risk, advises against trekking alone and lists the mountain rescue number +996 312 651 404.

Rules change. Check the park office or official booking system before you travel.

Step 4 of 7Next: Gear

What to carry

Step 5 of 7Next: Cost

What it costs

Your group, from the base₹28,000
Couple · from Karakol town (about 1,750 m), at the east end of Lake Issyk-Kul
Per person₹14,000

Covers local transport, permits or entry, a guide where needed and food on the trail. Getting to Karakol town (about 1 is extra.

Step 6 of 7Next: FAQ

Photos

Questions people ask

How hard is the Ala-Kul Pass trek?

Hard grade. It takes 4 days and climbs to about 3,920 m. A 55 km, four-day crossing from the Karakol valley up to Ala-Kul, a turquoise glacial lake at about 3,530 m, over the Ala-Kul Pass (about 3,900 m) and down to the hot springs at Altyn-Arashan. Nights are in your own tent or simple yurt camps with meals, and a guesthouse at Altyn-Arashan. You get high-alpine lake-and-glacier scenery without a permit, guide or long approach. It's a raw, wild alternative to the managed hut treks of the Alps and Dolomites. Day three over the pass is the hard one: the gain is fast, so watch for altitude sickness.

Do I need a permit for Ala-Kul Pass?

No trekking permit and no guide rule found. You pay a Karakol Nature Park entry fee at the gate in the Karakol valley, reported by recent walkers as 250-300 som per person, plus a tent fee (reported 100-150 som). The Altyn-Arashan side has its own entry fee (reported around 200 som). Keep every receipt: rangers check them further along. No official tariff is published; the park moved under the Administration of the President in December 2024 and an eco-post was installed at the entrance in November 2025, so check the current fee at the gate.

How do I reach the Ala-Kul Pass trek?

From Bishkek, shared minibuses (marshrutkas) to Karakol take about 6-8 hours and cost around 500-600 som; they leave when full, from early morning. In Karakol, marshrutka 101 runs to the Karakol valley park entrance (a few tens of som). The trek ends at Ak-Suu (Teploklyuchenka) village, where marshrutkas run back to Karakol. Base: Karakol town (about 1,750 m), at the east end of Lake Issyk-Kul.

What is the best season for Ala-Kul Pass?

Late June to late September; July to early September is the safest window. Yurt camps close outside summer, and snow and cold nights are possible at the pass even in July and August..

How much does the Ala-Kul Pass trek cost?

From about ₹14,000 per person from the base, covering local transport, permits or entry, a guide where required and food. The journey to the base is extra.

What should I carry?

Warm sleeping bag, down jacket, waterproofs, sturdy boots and trekking poles (the descent from the pass is steep loose scree), sun protection, a water filter (streams run past yurt camps and livestock), and offline maps (Maps.me or similar). Buy food in Karakol. Tents and gear can be hired in Karakol if you camp.

Step 7 of 7Next: Sources

Sources and last check

Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.

  • gov.uk OfficialTrekking hazards, don't trek alone, mountain rescue +996 312 651 404
  • gov.uk OfficialOnly Kyrgyz-Tajik border flagged (exercise caution); nothing on Issyk-Kul; FCDO page updated 14 Sep 2026
  • 24.kgKarakol State Nature Park transferred from the Ministry of Natural Resources to the Administration of the President, December 2024
  • ru.sputnik.kgEco-post installed at park entrance Nov 2025; planned vehicle entry 200 som (cars) / 800 som (trucks, passenger transport); no per-person fee stated
  • visitkarakol.comPark fee 250 som; Ala-Kol lake 3,532 m; marshrutka 101 to the valley (private tourism-association site, not government)
  • beyondwildplaces.com55 km, 4 days; pass about 3,920 m; season late June-late Sept; park fee 300 som, receipt checked; yurt camps ~US$50 pp with meals; Altyn-Arashan guesthouses from ~US$45; guide not required; scree descent
  • theplanetedit.comStages and distances; lake 3,560 m; pass 3,890-3,900 m; park 250 som + tent 100 som; guide optional US$15-30/day; June-Sept season
  • visitkyrgyzstan.orgSeparate Altyn-Arashan entry fee of similar amount to Karakol valley fee
  • backpackmoments.comBishkek-Karakol marshrutka about 500-600 som, 6-8 h, departs when full

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Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.

By Gokul · Updated 11 October 2026 · Photo: Bruno Rijsman · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · Photo: Ondřej Žváček · CC BY 2.5 · source · Photo: Bruno Rijsman · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · Photo: Adam Harangozó · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Adam Harangozó · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

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