A very relaxed border crossing from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. I don’t have to wait, I’m even served right away! The car is briefly searched, and everyone is friendly. It sounds like someone is saying “money, money,” but I don’t understand him immediately, and he lets it go.
Karakol city
Rain, rain, rain, rain all day. I park in Karakol at André’s guesthouse. A friendly Dutch man who’s lived here for 15 years.
It’s dry in the morning, so we’re going for a walk around the city, very nice! We see large monuments, people in traditional costume and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Unfortunately, I can’t get cash from an ATM on Sunday, but I’ll try again tomorrow.
Jeti Oguz & Seven Bulls Rocks
Karakol National Park is unfortunately inaccessible without a 4×4 due to a broken bridge. You can check the most up-to-date status of the roads and bridges, etc., on the iOverlander app.
The road to Jeti Oguz has turned into a mud pit after the heavy rain. The roads are also incredibly bad, I hadn’t expected that. I get quite far but eventually turn around because there’s too much mud and water on the road. On the way I admire the Seven Bulls Rocks, the scenery is stunning!
I drive on to the nature reserve near Chong Kyzylsu for a walk and a place to sleep. It’s 5:30 p.m., and even this road becomes impassable after a while. Deep potholes full of water and far too much mud.
The surroundings are truly beautiful! But here too, I turn back again. I can’t park for the night because the grass is also too muddy. Now I have to find a good spot for the night!
Issyk Kul
Finally, I find an amazing spot near Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s largest lake. It’s nice to park on the grass among a few grazing cows.
What a gorgeous lake! Small private beaches, no tourists, and hardly any locals in sight! The sand and pebbles are almost white, and the water is crystal clear. And the snow-capped mountains in the background, I love it!
Leo is going for a swim in the lake, so much fun! And they sell fresh bread in the village, perfect we’ll stay another night.
Barskoon Waterfall
Barskoon Waterfall is accessible by car, yes! There’s a short walk to the waterfall. The surroundings are simply stunning! The river, mountains, meadows, and cows, it feels like Austria!
On the way, I have to ride past a flock of sheep. First, I wait a bit, and then the road is cleared for me. I enjoy this! Check out the video!
Bad roads…
There’s a lot of roadwork along the way, and the surface is generally bad, terrible to drive on. Bad asphalt, but even more often, no asphalt at all. I really don’t want to drive like this anymore…?
Fairytale Canyon
Fairytale Canyon is our next stop. A colorful gorge where Leo and I enjoy wandering around. The colors of the mountains go from almost white to deep red, wow 😍
I find another nice spot to spend the night near Lake Issyk Kul with a view of the lake and the mountains!
Issyk Kul Lake
Relaxing morning! First, a quick hand wash; I could hang up a clothesline here. The locals are fishing, swimming, and relaxing by the lake.
After a good night’s sleep, I continue my journey in a good mood.
It’s 40 degrees in the middle of the day and we’re at an altitude of 1,000 meters!
Burana Tower & Balbals
The Burana Tower is a historical monument dating back to the 11th century. This archaeological site also features Balbals and rock art. Balbals are ancient Turkish stone carvings found in Kyrgyzstan and often served as tombstones.
The rock carvings are a collection of petroglyphs dating from various periods, from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. I rarely encounter Europeans in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but here I met four Dutch people, how nice!
We’re traveling for another week in Kyrgyzstan, will you join us?
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