This is the beautiful lake and mountain region with lots of great views. We were up by the mountain ridge and the view looking down to the town is so peaceful. The view from up there reminded me part of Switzerland.

Boat ride on lake was just so so. Lake is beautiful from a distance with its turquoise waters but up front view is an anti climax

It's beautiful lake from a distance, but not that much to do. It's not recommended to come from almaty only to visit the lake, you must have at least one night to try everything around it like sleeping in yurts, hot springs, boats tour, authentic restaurants, and other experiences.

Oh boy was it ever cold. (And I'm quite used to Canadian cold weather.) On such a beautiful day, the scenery was stunning.

My visit to Issyk-Kul Lake was nothing short of magical. As I approached the lake, the first thing that struck me was the sheer expanse of its crystal-clear waters, shimmering under the bright Kyrgyz sun. Parasailing over Issyk-Kul Lake must have been an incredible experience. The bird’s-eye view of the vast, shimmering lake surrounded by majestic mountains must have been breathtaking. Tubing was so amazing and thrilling. I would suggest all to go for tubing parasailing in Issyk-kul lake.

The best stays best in spite of the second visit. Stayed at Solemar recreation centre with full board. Pure vegetarians will face some challenges for food. Still, the staff at the restaurant did their level best to serve us the best. I felt like a detoxification process for us.

Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan is one of the world’s largest alpine lakes, located high in the Tien Shan mountains. Despite freezing winters, it never freezes due to its salinity. The lake is over 170 km long and offers warm summer waters, sandy beaches, and beautiful mountain views. It’s rich in birdlife, endemic fish, and ancient Silk Road history, including petroglyphs and sunken ruins. Popular for swimming, hiking, and visiting hot springs, Issyk-Kul is both a natural wonder and a cultural treasure.

The cathedral was originally built in 1872 as a replacement for an earlier church destroyed by an earthquake. During the Soviet era, the cathedral was repurposed for secular use, serving as a school, gymnasium, and even a dance hall. In the 1990s, after Kyrgyzstan’s independence, it was restored to its original religious function and reopened for worship. Built entirely of wood, including its intricate framework, with no nails used in its construction. The architecture blends traditional Orthodox Christian features, such as onion domes and ornate carvings, with local influences. The cathedral is painted in soft tones, and its lush green surroundings add to its serene ambiance. The interior features beautiful icons, religious frescoes, and sacred artifacts, although many were lost during the Soviet era. Visitors are welcome but should dress modestly and behave respectfully. Women are encouraged to cover their heads when entering. While exterior photography is generally permitted, you may need permission for interior photos.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is one the recommended place to visit in karakol. Its significant architectural design constructed in wood is an amazing work and art of construction. The place is calm and surrounded by vibrant in colors of trees. Its is rich by its history . Well maintained and prayers are still active. Always respect the the place and their culture . Visitors and tourist are welcomed A Short time visit place, you can spent a 15mins to 30mins.

Amazing building and peaceful place. It's first church I entered with plants inside, and they look amazing and well taken care of 😊 Entry is free and it's open daily 8:00-17:00, except for lunch break 12-13. On Sundays and public holidays it's open 7:00-17:00. Visitors can enter for free, but you can donate inside if you like (it'll be nice to support them).

It’s a very old wooden church right in the centre of karakol. Since it’s in the centre there a lot of things to do In and around the church as well. The wooden architecture is beautiful and they also have garden and a sit out area.

Very beautiful cathedral which is free to look around. It took me around 15-20 minutes to complete a loop and look inside. No photos are allowed inside. - Matt | @mattsnextsteps

Splendid cathedral made of wood without nails, very unique church with rich history.

Golden domes, green walls, and mountain air — Karakol’s Holy Trinity Cathedral is a postcard come to life. 💚✨”

Lovely place in the lap of kyrgyzstan. It's beautiful mesmerizing. The efforts to reach the top pays off. However, have a few suggestions. There are 3 ways to get up there: 1. Horseback- very expensive 2. Russian vans- takes a toll.in the back since the jeep is moving over rocks only It takes 2 hrs of bumpy ride to travel the top. 3. Spend 2 days here.. if you are young and fit start your day trekking.. the terrain is quite simple and takes 5 hrs to reach the top depending on speed. Reach the top, relax and stay in the guest house or yurts at the top. Next day starts trekking down early morning n you should reach the starting point by noon. I would recommend this way personally.

Magnificent place. We hiked 35 km there and back from yurt camp near the city. The hike was medium by difficulty but the scenery along the way is worth it

Beautiful valley from which you can hike to Ala Kul lake. It’s about 15km from where the bus/taxi drops you off. We walked on the way up and it took us 4.5h. The trail is mostly flat with two steeper parts, one in the middle and one in the end. On the way down it’s about 3.5h of walking. You can also go with old russian bus, but the ride is extremely bumpy. We took it on the way down for the last 6km and it was so stresaful and uncomfortable. There are no seatbelets, so we were jumping almost to the roof. If you have back or neck problems I would avoid this! From the valley you can walk to Ala Kul lake, but it’s a long and very steep hike all the way. It’s 10km to the pass. We tried walking there but after 5km we realised we’re very tired from the previous day so we gave up and walked on a nice path more into the valley. You can also ride a horse to the lake, which I think is better if you’re not used to hiking a lot, but even that way there is a very steep part that you have to walk in the end. There are some hot springs in the valley, we went to private one which was 250 som per person, for 30min, but there are also free ones. Springs are very hot so 30min is more than enough.

Spectacular place. It was an amazing experience, Nature there was amazing, locals were very kind. We were there in end of September, weather was a bit cold but sunny during the day. Truly beautiful place. I definetely recommend visiting.

Attempted the hike towards Altyn Arashin Valley on a Sunday morning after some torrential rain and hailing earlier that morning. We drove slightly pass the 14km sign and found a spot to mark before embarking the hike towards AAV by foot. It would be a 13km+ hike which we expected to take 4-5hrs one way. Along the way we passed by multiple 4WD as well as minibuses which were able to navigate the rough rocky terrain. There’s an entry point where you have to pay a small fee. For foreign tourist it’ll be 220som. From here if you decide to skip the hike and go via vehicle it’ll depend on which vehicle you use and if you have people to share with, more on this later. There’s less incentive to use horses as it is almost as pricey per pax as compared to vehicle as it is compulsory to pay for a guide and their horse. However some of them are really young (I’m guessing 10 years old) and I’ve seen some of them share the horse with the customer. From there most of the way is relatively flat with only a slight elevation, going through the same way as the vehicles and horses. About 4.5km in my guide managed to strike a deal with a 4WD heading towards AAV with an empty vehicle as he was going there to pick up his customers. We ended up taking it the rest of the ~9km. At around the 10km mark there’s a very steep uphill climb, this will probably be the most draining part of the hike. After that it is flat all the way to AAV. The ride itself took 40mins, and I would estimate it to be 1hr if we took it from the start point. Anyway, we ended up paying 3000som for 4 pax, granted 2 pax were locals (my guide and his brother). At AAV, there’s not that much to do except explore the village and sit and have a picnic. While exploring the village a lady came up to us and offered 2000som for dinner, breakfast and a night’s stay at her yurt. We had no plans to stay so we declined the offer. There’s also a small natural hot spring area when you go downhill towards the stream. It is a short hike from the end towards the hot spring with pretty narrow passageway. The hot spring itself is tiny, so if it’s crowded it’s best to wait till it’s emptier. There’s 2 hot springs but the one at the end is warmer. Each hot spring probably can comfortably fit 4-5 pax at most. We didn’t stay for long and attempted the hike back after soaking ourselves in the hot spring. From there we took roughly 3.5hrs to our car with minimum rest stops, just in time as the sun was setting. All in all, if you’re attempting a day hike to and fro AAV, I would recommend catering a 4.5hrs to, 3hrs fro and 1.5hrs for hot spring and lunch.

Scenic 15-km hike passing through valleys and rivers. Easily one of the most enjoyable nature activities near Karakol.

Amazing place, paradise, took millions of postcard” photos. I am in mid 60s, took 5 hours to walk up the 15 km, the last 7 km are very steep. I am quite fit. My wife took the bouncing old Russian taxi for 2000 som but we came down together in 4.5 hours. It’s very cold up the top, be prepared

Old and beautiful mosque with different architecture like Chinese construction. The Mosque is well maintained and beautiful with colors. Entry for tourist is allowed. Still worship and prayers are ongoing. Don't forget to respect their culture.

Very nice mosque. We prayed Jummah, even though I don’t understood the speech, but the general environment is great. Clean mosque.

Also known as the Ibrahim Aji Mosque. Cousin to the Leaning Tower, this mosque leans heavily on wood, faith, and a dash of Qing Dynasty flair. Built without a single nail back in 1910 by Chinese artisans for the Dungans (Chinese Muslims), the structure looks more like a Buddhist temple on the outside.. surprise, it’s a functioning mosque. Located in the heart of Karakol, Issyk Kul’s moody town that feels like it missed the industrial revolution memo, the mosque stands calmly amidst Soviet blocks and sheep traffic. Inside? No minarets, no domes, just creaky timber beams and peace thick enough to slice with a prayer. A sign in three scripts, Kyrgyz, Arabic, Russian, greets you like a trilingual gatekeeper. If you don’t understand any, you’re still welcome. On my visit, a flyer announced a group circumcision event. Don’t worry, tourists not required to participate. A place that blends cultures, confuses expectations, and remains surprisingly serene. One of Kyrgyzstan’s quirkiest religious gems.

The Dungan Mosque in Karakol is one of the most unique and beautiful sites I’ve visited in Kyrgyzstan. Built entirely of wood in 1910 by the local Dungan community, it has no nails in its construction — which is incredible when you see the size and detail. The colorful exterior, painted with rich reds, greens, and yellows, makes it stand out from any other mosque I’ve seen. Inside, the atmosphere is serene and calm, with delicate woodwork and cultural details that reflect both Islamic and Chinese influences. It’s not just a place of worship, but also a glimpse into the history of the Dungan people who settled here. The mosque is still in use today, was able to pray Asr prayers. Lots of fellow brothers even at this time.

It's so pretty with all its colors, and the imam(?) working there seemed so nice and was welcoming. Entrance is only 50 soms

Hidden in the heart of Karakol, the Dungan Mosque is a wooden marvel built by Chinese Muslims in the early 1900s — no nails, just pure craftsmanship and culture.

Nice, colourful mosque - took me around 15-20 minutes to look around. You need to cover up, and they have robes and scarves if required. Slightly crowded when I visited despite going on a weekday morning. I suspect because it is on a tour route of Karakol. - Matt | @mattsnextsteps

It isn't really catered around English speaking tourist, most of the operators don't speak English but would try to use a translator app on their phones. Anyways, the stunning views you could see lies at the peak of the chair lift number 2. But it only operates from 12pm till 2.30pm (not sure) for those who wish to only enjoy the view. After the time, they would not allow anyone without gears to use the lift. Additionally, if you wish to travel down the lift don't bring any snow gear with you. As in, don't bring your snowboards if you wish to use the lift down, there is a storing space at the entrance of lift number 2. They will not allow you to do so, therefore your only option is to ski down from the peak, which there's no posted signage (heads up), if you brought your gear along. Anyways hoped this helps~

Pretty good place to ski for a cheap price but from the summit its a bit hard to ski sometimes since some places have less snow covered and you can rocks pointing out

I visited there last week of March, the ticket guy charged 300 som pp for the ticket to let our taxi in and asked us too many questions. When we went up , nobody was there and the ski Base had been closed a week before. Came downstairs to the ticket guy and asked him why he charged us for ticket and didn't tell us that the base was closed . Finally, he agreed to refund half of the ticket price. Very typical of Central Asian countries , not to give necessary info in order to charge the tourists.

I was there on a hike in summer. Really steep hike, so my knees did hurt. But definitely worth it.

It was a good experience and beautiful view of mountains.

We went there in summer and wanted to go up with the lift and hike down, since it was 4pm when we arrived. They told us we cannot go, so we hiked up. On the hike up we saw people going down even at 5pm so we really didn’t understand why we couldn’t go, we also had cash. The hike is very challenging since the last 200m up there is no path and it is very steep. Anyway, it was still worth it since the views are incredible from up there!

Only rating the experience during the offseason, which is pretty dull

Free online Audioguide provided a great English tour! Glad I went!

Before I paid, I asked what I could wear inside. The woman immediately called me Jewish, which was a very racist act. It was very surprising. I don't even understand why she asked that. I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. So she doesn't even know the Jewish dress code.

Very nice small museum. Entrance 100 som pp,photo 20,video 50

it’s not expensive (200 som ≈ 2 €) and gives you nice insights in kyrgyz culture from stone age til now :) can recommend!

Nice museum with local history and a permanent exhibition of swiss photographer Ella Maillard.

Small, but very nice museum. 45 minutes is enough to see all expositions.

I have to say, not so impressed. It is in a nice building, the staff is kind, cheap and small. The majority of things have description in Kyrgyz and Russian.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PLACE Climbing the pass from Ala Archa side was a bit scary but I made it!

Beautiful high turkiz lake

Stunning view at the top of the lake. We rode horse to get here which took around 3 hours to reach the top. It was then around 40 minutes to hike up to the very top. It’s steep and rocky and easy to slip. In total the hike is 2km return journey but steep. Very worth it to reach the 3960m viewpoint

Absolutely amazing! Highly recommended! You will never regret this very hard but extremely beautiful hike. You need ca. 4 hours from Karakol Base Camp to the lake and another 2 hours to the Ala Köl Pass. Be sure you have good weather, otherwise it can be dangerous and unpleasant. Do not go alone on this track, it is very difficult. This destination is only for people in good health condition.

It is an excellent experience hiking to Ala Kul. We go without guide and take the camp and supple for 3 days 2 night. You need to check the route and the condition of yourself and the weather carefully. The hiking trail started from karakol to Arashan where you need to pass through 3900m pass and get ready to descend at the slope cover with snow. When you see the breath taking view, it worth everything.

Stunning location!

One of the most beautiful lake I've ever seen! Love this place. even way to get there is an adventure. you can reach it from 3 places: Altyn-Arashan, Karakol gorge, Jeti-Oguz valley. in all 3 directions you would have to hike for looong time. but place is just unbelievable and so stunning! easiest way is to hire old soviet car to get to Altyn-Arashan hot springs, it takes about 3 hours on realy shaky road(it is hard to call it road), after you can get a horse there and it will take 3.5 hours and scenery is so great that you have to make sure you will not fall from a horse, and last and hardest part is 1.5 hour hike or better to call it climbing or gravel road with extreme degree. after all you'll be very tired and exhausted. But... whenever you reach the top and see all the beauty made by nature you will just have no other words than "WOOOOWW". from local language it is translated as Great Lake or God's Lake. in general Kyrgyzstan is country of "Wow's" I call it cause work as a tour guide and driver every new corner of my country is making people to say this magic three letters. sometime they even start to be shy cause of that but nature is not giving any chance to stop saying it. Keep travelling, have a safe trips, make sure you'll visit this lake and a lot of positive moments on tours! your best local tour guide, Maks

Free online Audioguide provided a great English tour! Glad I went!

Before I paid, I asked what I could wear inside. The woman immediately called me Jewish, which was a very racist act. It was very surprising. I don't even understand why she asked that. I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. So she doesn't even know the Jewish dress code.

Very nice small museum. Entrance 100 som pp,photo 20,video 50

it’s not expensive (200 som ≈ 2 €) and gives you nice insights in kyrgyz culture from stone age til now :) can recommend!

Nice museum with local history and a permanent exhibition of swiss photographer Ella Maillard.

Small, but very nice museum. 45 minutes is enough to see all expositions.

I have to say, not so impressed. It is in a nice building, the staff is kind, cheap and small. The majority of things have description in Kyrgyz and Russian.

Wonderful tour guide who was efficient and knowledgeable. I would recommend to a friend visiting Karakol to use them!

We had an amazing time getting a true Dungan experience with Destination Karakol. Our guide, Nagima, was a treat to have on this tour as she outlined ancient stories and and cultural heritage about Dungan traditions. Her English was fantastic and she is certainly worth requesting if you decide to take the Dungan tour. The experience involves a quick stop-over in a village just outside of Karakol to see a Dungan museum, followed by an eight course feast at a local family’s home! The main chef helped us put our Ashlanfoo (cold noodles) together and it was certainly our favourite dish of the night! Other notable homemade dishes served include Ganfan, Manti, and various versions of soup! I highly recommend this three hour immersion experience if you are in Karakol- it’s a filling, hearty meal that hits the spot especially after a long day on the slopes!

Friendly and helpful. But that's it. Went there to book the accomodation and the transfer for the Ala-Kul trekking. Information could have been more complete (difference between camps, distances, etc). The camp we booked was by far our most expensive night in Kirghizistan. And we were told there were sleeping bags and that we don't have to bring our own ones. Small surprise when we arrived at the camp: there weren't enough for all guests. Not funny at 3500 meters altitude. One of the other guests had to convince the host at the camp to walk with him to one or the other camps in the area to get sleeping bags - and had also to pay extra money for this

I came here in May, which is just outside of the high season in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, there were nearly no things to do here which is a shame. I think that it should be possible to have something arranged even outside high season so a tourist can enjoy something at least here through this agency. This office is in a building with multiple businesses onsite.

We arranged two tours through Destination Karakol – a walking tour plus a Dungan Village visit & family dinner. The tour guides for both were very informative, especially Saverra who was also bubbling with enthusiasm. Definitely recommend! One tip – my wife and I had to chase a few times by email/WhatsApp to receive confirmation, so a quicker response would have been appreciated.

At first, it looked like the building was empty and locked. We asked the opposite office if we could get some tourist information. After a half-hour wait, unclear if someone was going to come, someone turned up. He helped us in excellent English. We were able to get a hiking map and good advice about where to stay. So, a bit unexpectedly, this was a good experience after all.

Tourist Information Center that knows everything about Karakol and its surroundings. Ask for Free Walking Tours. Dungan Dinner was a hit! Trekking maps, souvenirs, cultural tours, treks and more! Highly recommend!

Lovely hostel for backpackers. The dorm beds are quite comfortable. Toilets and shower rooms are regularly cleaned. They have a restaurant which serves quite good food. The owners are lovely too.

We stayed at Duet before and after doing the Ala Kul 3 days hike. Private room are well decorated and spacious, the restaurant and bar menu have plenty of choices and the coffee is great! The staff is really nice and can help you book yurts and guest houses for your hikes. They also have a lovely gift shop.

Loved my time here! Room was clean and cleaned quite often during midday. Bed was comfortable. They have a restaurant too so that helps although food quality can be improved for the price. Quite a social-able hostel considering the big lounge and kitchen area. Can book horse riding here but do note is about 2k more expensive vs booking directly with operator. Service was helpful though.

880 Som for a dorm buuuut the restaurant is crazy expensive for Kyrgyzstan... Plus they add an additional 15% onto your bill.... Laaaaaaaaame 🤦 If you are budget traveling there are better options in Karakol 💯 12 bed small room dorm with no ventilation and only one toilet and shower working 🙈 The hostel itself is pretty nice but I found the bed to be very uncomfortable and the room with no airflow to be more than a little stuffy. I've been traveling full time for 10 years and living in hostels most of the time. I was not a fan of this place and won't be coming back when I visit this region again next spring.

Great stay at duet hostel! We changed our booking a bit when we arrived as we changed plans for our multi day trek. It was super easy and good communication. Very friendly staff. You can buy the sofest shawls at the souvenir shop!

Perfect place to stay if you want to meet people to go on trips with/gather information/book trips/etc. Lovely cafe attached which makes meals super easy. Only negative was that our water never got properly hot for a shower.

The hostel’s website boasts about being able to assist with tours (especially beyond Karakol), but I spoke to at least 2 male staff members that gave me a simple ‘I have no idea’ response to my tour questions. One senior member of staff tried to cut all conversations early by walking away and gave minimal answers. Also, the massage was bad and overpriced. The lady put way too much pressure and did not understand my requests to go softer. 4 weeks on and I am struggling with continued pain from that massage. This hostel is overhyped and not as good as they make out. Extremely disappointing.