Overview
Kel-Suu lake is one of the most remote and striking places in Kyrgyzstan: a long, blue lake at about 3,500 m that fills a narrow canyon of sheer rock walls in the Kakshaal-Too range, close to the border with China. This five-day tour takes you there by 4×4 and on foot, and back via Tash-Rabat, a stone caravanserai on the old Silk Road.
Permits and the border zone
Kel-Suu lies inside the border zone, so every visitor needs a permit. We apply for it for you with your passport details, which is why we ask you to book at least three weeks before the trip. Carry your passport at all times on this tour; there are checkpoints on the way.
The road to Kel-Suu lake
This is an adventure trip, not a comfortable one. The last part of the road is a rough track that only a 4×4 can drive, and the final stretch to the shore is a walk of about an hour, or a ride on horseback if you prefer. In return you get a landscape very few travelers see, and if you are lucky, the lake almost to yourself.
Tash-Rabat caravanserai
On the way back we stop at Tash-Rabat, a stone caravanserai at about 3,200 m that sheltered traders on the route between the Ferghana valley and Kashgar. It is usually dated to the 15th century, though the site may be older. We stay overnight in a yurt camp in the valley below it, with time to walk up the side valleys.
Where you sleep
Nights are split between guesthouses in villages and yurt camps. Facilities are basic: shared rooms or yurts, outdoor toilets and limited hot water. Food is simple and filling, cooked by the families who host us.
Who this trip suits
Travelers who enjoy long drives through empty landscapes and do not mind basic conditions. The walking is easy to moderate, but altitude is high throughout: most nights are above 2,000 m and the lake is at about 3,500 m. Read more about the region on our Naryn and Kel-Suu page.
Booking the Kel-Suu lake tour
There are three ways to join this Kel-Suu lake tour: pick an open date on this page, propose your own dates and let other travelers join you, or book this Kel-Suu lake tour privately for your own group. On a shared date the price per person drops as the group grows. Nothing is paid on this website: a manager confirms the dates, the price and every detail of this Kel-Suu lake tour with you first. See all open group departures.
