Issyk-Kul holidays: north shore or south shore

Issyk-Kul is one of the largest alpine lakes in the world — about 180 kilometres long and at roughly 1,600 metres. Its water is slightly saline and never freezes, hence the name usually translated as the warm lake.

North shore: beaches and comfort

Cholpon-Ata and the nearby villages are the resort side of the lake: guesthouses and hotels, sandy beaches, cafés and things to do. Good for families and anyone who wants comfort. Sights include an open-air petroglyph museum and views across the water to snowy ranges.

South shore: nature and quiet

The south shore is far quieter — yurt camps, empty beaches and mountains running down to the water. Don’t miss Skazka (Fairy Tale) canyon with its strange red rocks and the Jeti-Oguz gorge with the Seven Bulls cliffs.

The east: Karakol

Karakol is the main town of eastern Issyk-Kul and a base for mountain hikes. Visit the wooden Holy Trinity cathedral, the Dungan mosque built without nails, and try ashlan-fu, the famous cold noodle soup.

When to go

• July–August — beach season, the water warms to about 20–22 °C
• June and September — fewer people, cooler water, great for walks
• Winter — skiing near Karakol, and the lake still doesn’t freeze

Combine it with the mountains

A week works best: a couple of beach days, a night in a yurt, a canyon trip and a day hike into the mountains. You’ll see both the resort and the nomadic sides of Kyrgyzstan.

Snowy peaks on the horizon in the morning, a swim in a warm lake in the afternoon — few places in the world offer both.

Issyk-Kul is part of several of our Kyrgyzstan tours — see the next dates below.