Visit Lake Song-Kul in Kyrgyzstan
The different access routes (4×4, motorcycle, van and bike) and our tips for organizing a horseback ride to Song Kol Lake.
Perched at an altitude of 3,016 m, in a green setting surrounded by mountains, Lake Song-Kul is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful lakes in Kyrgyzstan. Prized by visitors for its turquoise-blue waters and shores invaded by horses and yurts in summer, Lake Song-Kul is now one of the country’s must-sees.
In this article, you’ll find valuable information on how to get to the lake: by road (van, 4×4, motorcycle or bike), on horseback or on foot.
- If you’re planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan by van, 4×4, motorcycle or bicycle, our book EXPLORE KYRGYZSTAN will be a great help.
- If you’d like to rent a vehicle (4×4, van, motorcycle or bike) or find a guide for a horseback ride in Kyrgyzstan, here are our recommendations.
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Over the years, our passion for adventure has led us to create original travel guides sold in over 70 countries worldwide. Our mission is to spread a travel philosophy based on adventure, freedom, improvisation and exploration. Our guides inspire travellers to explore the world’s forgotten paths, encountering wilderness and civilization.
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Lake Song-Kul, a must-see in Kyrgyzstan
Surrounded by lush green pastures and snow-capped peaks, the azure waters of Lake Song-Kul are breathtakingly beautiful. Lake Song-Kul also offers a truly immersive experience of Kyrgyz culture. Here, pastoral life can be experienced in vast expanses of grassland surrounded by mountains. The Song-Kul lake is one of Kyrgyzstan’s most popular destinations for hiking, horse trekking and encounters with nomadic life.
At 29 km long and 18 km wide, Lake Song-Kul is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan. The marshy and peaty areas surrounding the lake’s fresh waters are precious for many bird species. Some migratory birds, like the bar-headed goose, come from the Himalayas and stay for a short time. Even if the development of tourism brings a significant new source of income for semi-nomadic herders, the lake and its verdant meadows still play an important role in their livelihood. For thousands of years, and still today, the lake has also been a spiritual Mecca. Considered sacred, many Kirghiz go to the lake to pray.
Song-Kul lies in a sedimentary basin surrounded by mountain ranges. The lake is fed by rivers flowing down from the mountains, and at its south-eastern tip empties into the Kokjerty River, along which is the eponymous waterfall.
Access to Lake Song-Kul by road (van, 4×4, motorcycle or bicycle)
Suspended at an altitude of 3016m, Lake Song-Kul is surrounded by mountains. If you want to reach the lake by road, there are several routes through the mountains. These trails are more or less well-maintained and pass through mountain passes above 3000m altitude. The lake is therefore rarely accessible before June, when snow blocks access to the passes!
A trail leads around the lake. On the south-eastern shore of the lake, this is a corrugated iron track in very good condition. On the northwest side, on the other hand, the track is dirt and can quickly become muddy and difficult in bad weather. Only off-road vehicles will have access.
The map below shows the various roads around Lake Song-Kul, including the tracks in the book EXPLORE KIRGHIZISTAN. The complete A2 folding map of Kyrgyzstan is available here.
