Madler
Ala-Kol (often spelt Ala-Kul) is a glacier lake high in the Tian Shan mountains near Karakol, in the east of Kyrgyzstan. I got there on day four of a five-day horse trek that started in Bishkek and went through Song-Kol, Issyk-Kul, the Fairy Tale Canyons and the Altyn-Arashan valley. It was the hardest day of the five, and the best.
How the day works
You start from the guesthouse in Altyn-Arashan, where you slept the night before.
- Three hours on horseback through the mountains
- About 800m of climbing on foot to the viewpoint at 3,900m
- Lunch at the top, looking down on the lake
- The ride back down to the same guesthouse for the night
The climb is steep scree and loose rock, about 800 vertical metres over 2 to 3km. There's no scrambling and nothing technical. It just doesn't let up.
The altitude
At 3,900m even fit people get out of breath, and headaches and a bit of nausea are normal. Go at half your normal hiking pace and don't try to keep up with your guide. Stop every 15 to 20 minutes to breathe and drink water.
By day four you've had a night at Song-Kol (3,016m) and a night in Altyn-Arashan (about 2,700m), so it isn't your first time up high.
If anyone in your group gets confused, can't walk in a straight line or can't keep water down, that's serious altitude sickness. Tell your guide and go down straight away.
What you see from the top
The lake sits below the viewpoint at 3,532m. It's fed by glacier melt, and that's what makes it turquoise. Permanent snowfields, scree slopes and rock peaks over 4,000m surround it, and on a clear day the Tian Shan keeps going all the way to the horizon behind it.
The colour of the water looks fake in person, and my photos still don't get it right. You can't swim in it either. The water is close to freezing all year.
Getting the photo
The classic shot is sitting on the ridge looking down at the lake. It's the photo on the cover of my Kyrgyzstan guide. Cloud builds later in the day, so mid-morning gives you the clearest view, and the turquoise looks brightest in strong midday light. Go wide to show how big it all is.
What to bring on the day
- Your warmest layers, at the top of your bag
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and lip balm, because the UV above 3,500m is extreme
- Water, and plenty of it
- Trekking poles if you have them
Eat a proper breakfast before the ride. You'll need it.
Coming back down
Eat your lunch at the top before you head down. Go down at the same slow pace you went up, because the scree is hard on your knees. Stretch properly back at the guesthouse and get to bed early. Day five is a hike out of the valley and a six-hour drive back to Bishkek.
When to go
The trek only runs from June to September. The rest of the year the passes are snowed in. July and August are peak season, and treks book out weeks ahead, so lock in your dates early.
How to do it
I did Ala-Kol as part of a five-day horse trek with a local operator. Operators usually sort the horses, the guide, transport, meals and where you sleep. The easiest way to find one is to search "Kyrgyzstan horse tour" on Instagram or TikTok, then message two or three on Telegram before you pick. A five-day trek like mine costs about USD 150 to 300 all-inclusive, depending on the operator and the group size.
I wrote up the rest of the trek in the five-day horse trek in Kyrgyzstan: what to expect.
