Son-Kul

Son-Kul (also written Song-Kul or Song-Köl) is a high-altitude lake at about 3,000 m in the Naryn region, surrounded by wide grassy plateaus and gentle mountain ridges. In summer herding families from the surrounding valleys bring their horses, sheep and cattle here and live in yurts on the shore – for many travellers this is the most authentic image of nomadic Kyrgyzstan.

There are no permanent villages or hotels at the lake. Visitors stay in seasonal yurt camps with simple shared facilities, eat home-cooked meals with the families and spend the days walking, riding or simply watching the light change over the water. Nights are cold even in July, and the sky is full of stars.

Son-Kul is usually accessible from mid-June to mid-September. It can be reached by 4x4 via Kochkor, or – more memorably – on horseback over a pass from the village of Kyzart. We offer short horse-riding trips as well as longer tours that combine Son-Kul with Issyk-Kul.