Search hotels in Karakol

Karakol is a small, charming, village-like town located at the foot of the mountains. The views are spectacular, the air is tasty-fresh, the food is diverse and as organic as it gets; most importantly, people are open, welcoming, a little reserved at first, but ready to help once you approach them. Infrastructure and buildings are decayed, but it only adds to the charm of the town if you are open to go through a little hardship here and there, especially if you are arriving from a megapolis. Karakol offers a few interesting museums and galleries, but the main attraction is that it is an intermediary place to starting your journey exploring peaks, gorges, vallies, hot springs and all the other natural gems that Kyrgyzstan offers its guests. The town itself has very interesting history and a crazy mix of many ethnic groups (Kyrgyz, Ukrainian, Dungan, Russian, Korean, German, Uzbek, Uyghur, Tatar, etc). Find yourself a local friend (easier to do in Kyrgyzstan) and he/she will open up doors to many other amazing sides of Karakol.

You can easily stay one week or longer in this destination. There is everything you may expect from Kyrgyzstan: lake Issyk Kul just a few Km from Karakol, amazing mountains with lost od different treks: one-day or multiple-day. I suggest to definitely climb to Ala Kol lake, visit Teleti valley or go up to the pass, immerse in hot springs in Altyn Arashan, or if you need a modern structure go to Ak-Suu thermal pools. Jeti-Ögüz is a 100% must see, or go to Jargalan valley and admire dozens of semi-wild horses, rent one of them and enjoy the view to the world from horseback. Buy some local hand-made products e.g. shirdak carpets, taste awesome local cuisine (esp. lamb, plov or manty) and don't miss local market in Karakol, wooden Holy Trinity Cathedral, unusual architecture of Dungan mosque or Sunday animal market in the town suburbs.