Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tour groups. These, like the NoviNomad
camp (p245) at Jamanechki, might include
a sit-down toilet shack rather than a long-
drop and could offer 'private' yurt facilities.
Dostlugu; and Talai Saralayev with Talgart
in Kyzart.
Although not on the lake itself, sleeping
or arranging lunch at Kilemche makes an
excellent addition to the Song-Köl experi-
ence. To walk to the lake from here, take the
side valley that leads south around 10 min-
utes' walk east of Marat's yurts. The path
seems to fade at first but becomes clearer
up higher as you approach the impressive
Jalgis-Karagai pass. The lake is visible from
the top. Continue straight ahead into the
gulley for Tuz-Ashu, or contour diagonally
left on the bigger horse-trail for Jamanechki
(around four hours' walk from Kilemche).
To reach Kilemche from Kyzart or Jumgal
takes between four and five hours on foot
or horseback along a well-worn motor-track,
or is an 800som taxi ride. Alternatively from
the Kochkor-Chayek road at km46 (around
3km east of the Kyzart Pass), there's a de-
lightful if more strenuous five-hour hiking
alternative. Head diagonally following tyre-
tracks inexorably upwards towards the ob-
vious zig-zags of the sheep-scuffed 3525m
Chaar-Archa pass. The pass is topped by a
stone inscribed Chölbay Bulagy. The road
and path (better) diverge here but later re-
combine. Follow the obvious trail down to a
small metal bridge, cross that, then contour
up and around a high bluff on the far side
of which you get views over the splendid
Kilemche Valley to Tynai's yurts, but first
you'll need to veer slightly eastward to cross
the river at the valley bottom by the Tash
Saray stable complex. One short section of
the descent can turn to mud in heavy rain
but otherwise the trek is pretty straightfor-
ward and magnificently peaceful.
4
Batai
-
Aral
The biggest concentration of yurtstays is
at Batai-Aral, very close to the water's edge
starting around 5km off the Sary-Bulak-
Ak-Tal road. Turn off at Ak-Tash Jailoo,
km47/43 and cross the muddy ford. The first
cluster of yurts is Shepherds' Life affiliated,
then come two trios working with Plus Eco,
then a kilometre further seven families each
with three or four yurts comprise the rela-
tively tight-packed CBT-Kochkor group. At
the third-to-last of these, Mirlan Kasmali-
yev's wife, Cholpon, speaks some English.
4
Jamanechki
Three hours dawdling anticlockwise along
the lakeside from Batai-Aral you'll spy a
lonely
stone¨tomb-tower
across a mean-
dering stream. Following that stream for
around a kilometre up into the Jamanechki
valley you'll discover many yurts. The first is
CBT affiliated. It's just across an ankle-deep
ford on the west side of the stream, and be-
longs to Birdbek Karayev, whose daughter
Kanikey speaks some English. On the east
side of the stream, just beyond, is the eight-
yurt NoviNomad (p245) camp.
4
Tuz-Ashu
There are five guest yurts around half an
hour's walk clockwise around the lakeside
from the point at which the Tuz-Ashu 4WD-
road descends to the lake. Further west
there are reportedly yurts in the Kyzyl-Kyya
and Uzbek-Ashu valleys that will accept
passing guests.
4
South Coast
Directly accessible from the Kochkor-Ak-Tal
road is the ITMC-Tien Shan camp plus a se-
ries of yurts affiliated with CBT-Naryn.
5
¨Eating
Some yurtstays can whip up a 200som lunch
(
tushku tamak
) for passing hikers if you're
not in a hurry. All yurtstays offer dinner
(
kechki tamak
) to their guests for a simi-
lar price. There are absolutely no shops nor
anywhere else to purchase food supplies.
When trekking to the lake there are some
drinkable streams but few springs, so bring
water purifying gear.
4
Kilemche
Steep-sided green
jailoos
fill the Kilem-
che (Klemche) Valley, which runs parallel
to the north shore of Song-Köl. There are
three small family yurtstays well up on the
south side of the valley, each about 25 min-
utes' walk from the 'road' from Kyzart, but
up separate side valleys. Each is associated
with a different base homestay. West to east
there's Tynai Asalbekov with Avaz in Kyzart;
Marat Japarov with Stalbek in Jumgal/
