Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to 3040m). While obviously weather-
dependent, the season usually runs from
late November to mid-March. Relatively
new rental equipment is available for hire
right beside the
lift¨base
(
%
077-253 4081,
514 94; www.karakol-ski.kg; lift pass adult/child
700/500som, ski kit & snowboard rental 400-
600som)
where there are two similarly
priced hotel complexes.
The ski-lift base is about 8km from the
southwestern terminus of marshrutka 101.
Go through the national park barrier (out-
side ski season you'll have to pay the 250som
park fee), then fork left after 3km beside the
isolated
Jaisan¨Hotel
(
%
055-001 4400; Kara-
kol Valley; dm/tr/q 2000/2400/3200som;
h
vari-
able)
. A taxi to the lift station costs 500som
up, 400som back.
4
¨Sleeping
Of the two hotel complexes located at the ski-
life base, the better option is
Kapriz
(
%
055-
190 5175; www.kapriz.kg/kapriz-karakol; d/ste from
US$55/110, peak season US$110/160;
h
Nov-Mar
& Jun-mid-Sep)
. It has unexpectedly stylish
rooms in a 21st-century pyramid building
accessed through a tunnel beneath the main
piste-end. One cheaper guesthouse,
Goste-
voy¨Dom¨Tumar
(
%
055-522 2576; Karakol Ski
Resort; tw/tr from 1200/1800som)
, is around
1km back down towards Karakol at the first
hairpin.
Karakol¨Ski¨Lodge¨
SKI LODgE $$
(Korpus 1 d/ste US$70/100, apt/villa US$100/520;
h
Nov-Mar & Jun-late-Sep)
The ski-lift owners
also operate a multi-building lodge with
a range of standard rooms plus four-room
chalet-style luxury villas tucked into the for-
est right behind the ski lift. Korpus 2 has a
billiard room and restaurant.
0
10 km
6 miles
Kegen (35km);
San Tash
Karkara
Almaty (175km)
Valley
San-Tash
San-Tash
Pass
Char-Kuduk
Jyrgalang
Ashuu Tör Pass
(3648m)
Echkili
(3723m)
Tash Pass
Chong Ashuu
Pass (3822m)
Keng-Suu
Echkili-
Tash (10km)
Inylchek
(40km)
a day's hiking before the valley reveals its
charm. Up the main valley, at the junction of
several valleys and trekking routes is the Ai
Tör camp, run by
Alp¨Tour¨Issyk¨Köl
, with
shower,
banya
(US$3), tent sites (100som),
mountain rescue, radio service and park
permit check.
From May to mid-October you can make
a strenuous day hike (or better yet, an over-
night camping trip) to a crystal-clear lake
called Ala-Köl (3530m). You can also reach
this lake in four hours over the ridge from
Altyn-Arashan.
Marshrutka 101 from Karakol takes you
almost to the park gates.
Skiing
One of Central Asia's top winter-sports play-
lands has over 20km of pistes and trails,
mostly running through coniferous wood-
lands. The resort has a sledge drag and
three decent (second-hand) French chair-
lifts providing a 740m altitude gain (2300m
Jeti-Öghüz Джети
-
Огуз
Counterpointing striking red-rock bluffs,
pine forests, upland
jailoo
meadows and
a soaring alpine backdrop, the Jeti-Öghüz
area makes a charming day trip from Ka-
rakol or a good starting point for summer-
only hikes including taxing multi-day treks
to Altyn-Arashan and Ala-Köl (p269).
1
¨Sights¨&¨Activities
For a quick, easy excursion, come and point
your camera at the Seven Bulls for which the
whole area is named. To make the experi-
ence last a day or two, head up to Kök-Jaiyk
by 4WD or on foot.
