Treks / Cities
Hikes and treks near Bishkek
3 routes are within reach of Bishkek: 3 multi-day treks. The gentlest is Song-Kul Lake Trek (demanding); the toughest is Ala-Kul Trek (hard, 2,000 m of climbing). The highest point is 3,900 m on Ala-Kul Trek.
Compare the routes
| Route | Type | Distance | Days | Highest point | Difficulty | Best time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song-Kul Lake Trek | Multi-day | 40 km | 2–3 | 3,400 m | Demanding | June to September |
| Ala Archa: Ratsek Hut and Ak-Sai Glacier | Multi-day | 16 km | 1–2 | 3,350 m | Hard | June to September |
| Ala-Kul Trek | Multi-day | 50 km | 3–4 | 3,900 m | Hard | July to September |
The routes in detail
2–3 days
Kyrgyzstan · near Bishkek
Song-Kul Lake Trek
A walk or horse trek over high pastures to Song-Kul, a lake at 3,016 m where herders set up yurt camps each summer.
≈ 40 km
3,400 m high
1–2 days
Kyrgyzstan · near Bishkek
Ala Archa: Ratsek Hut and Ak-Sai Glacier
A steep climb from a national park just outside Bishkek to a mountaineers' hut below the Ak-Sai glacier and the peaks of the Kyrgyz Range.
≈ 16 km
3,350 m high
3–4 days
Kyrgyzstan · near Karakol
Ala-Kul Trek
Kyrgyzstan's most famous trek, from the Karakol valley up to the turquoise Ala-Kul lake, over a pass at about 3,900 m and down to the hot springs of Altyn-Arashan.
≈ 50 km
3,900 m high
Before you go
- Check if you're fit enough with the two-minute readiness quiz.
- Travel insurance for trekking: altitude limits and what rescue really costs.
- Packing list and the gear budget calculator.
- Trekking in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: where to start.
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