Winter adventure to the Song Kul Lake

Kochkor is a town of shepherds located in Naryn oblast 200 km from Bishkek. It is located at 1800m. alt. The city has 17,000 residents. Most of them are shepherds or farmers. With the Kyrgyz hospitality, tourism is an increasingly important for economy. It is a starting point to reach the sights as Lake Song Kul, Sarala-Saz pastures, Lake Koelykoek, the salt mine Chong Tuz, and also the crossroads between Issyk Kul lake and City Naryn. Places for visiting: the women cooperative "Kochkor Kutu" which develops Kyrgyz crafts. Opportunity to see a demonstration of the production of livestock market mouton. The cattle market held each Saturday is always a colorful and lively event,don't miss it.

The pass between Kochkor and the Jumgal valley. Open all the year around. In summer, you can observe some yurt camp around this region. In winter is windy and snowy.

Kilemche valley is situated in Jumgal region, at an altitude up to 3240 m., where some nomads families stay even in farms during the winter. It does not have steeps rapids, so it is more like a mountain valley and river flowing quietly and steadily. Kilemche jailoo has amazing beauty of meadows, where it grows a lot of herbs and flowers to delight the eye, like arnica, edelweiss and gentian. Mostly shepherds of the Kyzart village, are covering the Kilemche valley by their yurts and cattle. For some nomads is a 2 steps transhumance before to pass the summer at the Song Kul lake. 

In winter, to get there is an epic adventure, with Nomad's Land you can enjoy horseback riding, shnow-shoeing, ski-touring or just hiking. The snow makes an beautiful contrast with red south side mountain of Kyzart Toer. The life there is hard, and mostly yaks will pass the winter there. To make your trip more adventurous, you can enjoy a night under yurt at the Song Kul's lake.

One of the lowest pass to reach the Song Kul lake, the whole year around. There is a dirty road, but it's risky to cross it by car. The pass is linking the Kilemche valley to the Song Kul's lake.

The scenary Song Kul (or Song Kul) lake is the main pasture of nomads. Hundreds yurts are built during summer. The beautiful lake large of about 25-35 km is a natural reserve. Many species of birds are stopping during their long migration. Some tombs from Sakh times and petroglyphs are most ancient traces of live. Different trekking or horseback riding roads are joining the place.

North part of Song Kul's lake. Translated from the Kyrgyz means “Straight Pass” In summer it is a real paradise for nomads and livestock. In addition to traditional countless flocks of sheep, goats, cows and horses, we can see also yaks.