2025 Ak-Su Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in March)

I came to Altyn Arashan in Kyrgyzstan. This place is absolutely stunning! I've traveled to many places around the world, but this might be the most beautiful! In Altyn Arashan, you can stay at a yurt camp and enjoy hot springs. You can also ride a horse to Lake Ala-Kul, and the journey there is breathtaking! You should definitely visit! 📍Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ffC51yABUnHuwqgP6

#europetrip Reaching Altyn-Arashan is an adventure in itself. The rugged terrain tests your spirit, whether you opt for an old Soviet van, a scenic hike, or a horseback ride through pristine landscapes. Nestled in Kyrgyzstan’s mountains, this hidden gem rewards the effort with breathtaking alpine meadows, hot springs, and towering peaks. The serenity here is unmatched—nature whispers all around you. The warm hospitality of locals adds to its charm, making Altyn-Arashan not just a destination but a soul-stirring experience of untouched wilderness.

Traveling to Kyrgyzstan is the best place for nature lovers because in villages in karakol you can see most beautiful cherry blossoms, hot spring, river and background of the mountains from your guesthouse. That time we also eat the local food in Kyrgyzstan. Our tour guide cook for us and serves us with the local cuisine 😋 Actually our tour guide is muslim and their all family members is very kind. Before we leave their house we took pictures together with the family🥰 it’s a good experience for me travel feeling like a local in Kyrgyzstan ☺️ #travel #naturalwonders #myitinerary #favouriteitinerary

Probably the most famous lake and hike in all of Kyrgyzstan. To get here, it sure can be tough, but well worth it in the end. 🏠 Where to stay? Karakol is the second biggest city in Kyrgyzstan, and is the best base of the Ala Kul Hike. 🥾 The Hike It can easily be done in 3 days Day 1: Karakol National Park to Sirota Camp Distance: 14km with 905m elevation gain Difficulty: Easy to moderate. To get to the starting point, you can either get a Matshruka (which will drop you off 2 hour walk away from the “broken bridge”) or organise a taxi (2000soms) to take you all the way to the broken bridge. Walking along Karakol Valley is so beautiful, straight out of the stock photos! The last hour is probably the toughest, where the majority of elevation gain is here. Day 2: Sirota Camp to Atlyn Arshan Distance: 19km with 1125m elevation gain Difficulty: Hard to moderate hard. Start your day early after eating breakfast for the initial 3km incline to the Lake. You will be walking along the waterfall so you can fill up your waterbottle along the way. Once you reach the lake and for a few photo ops, continue along the side of the mountain until Ala Kul pass. This is the highest point of elevation you will reach at 3920m. Oxygen does definitely get a bit thin up there. Once you pass the Ala Kul pass, that is where the real fun begins. 1000m descend over 1km, very very steep slope to come down. We recommend hiking poles! And taking it slow after the steep slope, it is quite a nice but very long walk down the Atlyn Arshan river valley to Atlyn Arshan. Day 3: Atlyn Arshan to Ak Suy Distance: 19km with 182m incline Difficulty: easy to moderate After 2 days of hiking and the the beautiful sights already seen, day 3 was a bit of a drag. Although the sites were just as beautiful, it was a long slow 19km down to the bus stop. 🏕️ Tent or Yurt Camp? There was a lot of people that did both. But due to the steep incline and decline and elevation, why not just go as light as possible! 🦮 Do I need a guide? No! This is one of the most popular hikes in Kyrgyzstan , and you’ll definitely see people along the way. Download offline maps.me and follow the trail. Although it is not exactly “marked” the path will take you to the right place. 🏕️ Sirota Camp Camp at 3300m, was more on the expensive side. I would advise you to book in town at one of the tour agencies. Different tour agencies will have connections of the different tents - all 4000 soms pp. Will be shared yurts and sleeping on the floor - but enough bedding to keep you warm. Includes simple breakfast and dinner. But you’ll definitely make a few friends at the campfire. 🏕️ Atlyn Arashan There are a few yurt camps around the area, so. I would say no need to prebook. We rocked up and got a private room for 1800 soms pp + 700 soms for dinner. Included breakfast and natural hot spring. #kyrgyzstan #karakol #AlaKulLake #AlaKul #travelguide #traveldiaries

Visiting Altin Arashan was a unique experience. This beautiful place boasts stunning landscapes surrounded by mountains and hot springs. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, so I enjoyed a walk through the valley. Swimming in the hot springs was a healing experience for both body and mind. We stopped by a local camp where the traditional food was delicious and full of flavor. I recommend everyone to visit Altin Arashan to enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility of the place. It's an unforgettable travel destination! 🌄💧

Kyrgyzstan Altyn-Arashan Arrival by 3-4 hour one way course Caution, no internet or communication!!

3500m above sea level… beautiful nature 🥰

Kyrgyzstan is one of the emerging travel destinations these days. Known as the Switzerland of Central Asia, Altyn Arashan offers breathtaking natural scenery. Located in the Tien Shan mountain range, this yurt village requires about 5 hours of trekking. Besides trekking, you can also reach it by jeep or horseback! How to get there Start trekking from Karakol or Ak-Suu village (There is only one route.) Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Altyn Arashan is a valley and mountain resort near Karakol and Issyk Kul Lake, northeastern Kyrgyzstan. It lies along the trekking route from Teploklyuchenka. It is a hot spring development set in an alpine valley, containing the 5020 metre Pik Palatka in its southern part. Staying Altyn Arashan Guesthouse is the best option with good facilities and warm staff welcoming guests.

A viewpoint where you can see Altyn Arashan (Altyn Arashan), 2,600m above sea level, which you arrived at in about 4 and a half hours. A river crossing the snow-capped mountains, forests, and plains 🏔️ Altyn Arashan (Altyn Arashan), located on the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan, is famous for its green meadows, wild flowers, and perennial snow, and is loved by backpackers. They say you have to come during peak season to enjoy it 100%, but in April in Kyrgyzstan, the snow had not yet melted, so we decided to go to the base camp for 2 days and 1 night, instead of the 4-5 day full course that passes through Ala kul lake (Arakol Lake), located at 3,900m above sea level. #Kyrgyzstan #Altyn Arashan #Trekking #Backpacking #Hot Place

Altyn Arashan (알티니 아라샤ン) means golden hot spring in Kyrgyz. It is said that this hot spring was built for tourists during the Soviet era. The hot spring water is rich in radon, which is good for your bones, but I was a little scared. ㅎㅎㅎ There were three hot spring rooms, and you could choose which one you wanted to go into because the water temperature was different. I paid 3,000 won and rented it ♨️ Altyni Arashan Base Camp Hot Spring 200 Som #Kyrgyzstan #Altyni Arashan #Hot Spring