Köl-Suu — Attraction in Naryn Region

Visited 30th July 2025.

We engaged a local guide for our entire trip and included a stop to this location.

As many have pointed out, it is difficult to get to. From Naryn town which is the closest town it is still a good 4.5hours one way to reach Kok Kiya Valley. You will go pass the border permit which acts as a protection zone for the area. It is not an international border. Our guide helped us with applying for the border permit.

We stayed overnight at a yurt camp at Kok Kiya Valley that’s one of the closest to Kol Suu lake.

We arrived around 230pm and set off for Kel Suu lake. There are various options to get there.

1. Hiking took about 1.5hrs one way, mostly on flat ground except towards the end where there’s an incline. Some parts are pretty narrow and can be challenging if you’re not nimble. Some considerations in mind would be that sometimes the route may be too muddy or flooded and become impassable.

2. By horse. My friend took this route and as she was alone she paid 2000soms for her horse and 2500 for her guide and his horse. I’m not sure how consistent the prices are so do your research.

3. By the ex soviet army truck. These are vehicles with big wheels that are built to cross small rivers and rough terrains. I’m not entirely sure how to get about using this but I had the chance of riding it on the way back thanks to some quick thinking and liaising by our guide. I had to pay a token sum of 1000som but this is definitely not a usual option.

One important thing to note is that the route by hiking and horse is slightly different. The hiking route follows the right side of the stream all the way. The main reason is because the stream is impassable by foot only till the very end where now there’s a plank placed so you don’t even have to get your shoes wet. The horse route crosses the stream at various points but eventually both converges at the end.

The view of the lake changes over season and even weeks. This will affect the amount of water and color as well. The water collected is mainly from the melting of the glacier rather than rainwater which gives it the unique turquoise color.

As for the boat ride, it’s another touristy thing that at this point feel like a rip off. There’s various price point offered by our boat operator. Come to think of it, I would think different operators might offer different price as they seem independent. Ours offered 3000som for a 1hr return journey to the halfway point and 5000som for a 2hr return journey to the end. It’s one of those since we are there we might as well experience it kind of decisions. The cheapest option was 1500som iirc which is a 15mins ride one way.

The boat ride was nice, bringing us to see various parts of the lake which we would not have seen via foot. Many unique rock formations. We also alighted at one part where we could hike up towards a cave if we wanted, but we chose not to.

It’s also worth noting that it gets cold deeper into the lake and especially when the wind starts...

From Kyrgyzstan Kel-Suu Yurt Camp (closer than most to the trail head), I reached the lake in 1-hour exactly at a very fast walking pace with a sub 2kg shoulder bag. There are two dozen boats,two toilets and a single Yurt serving drinks at the lake shore. 20 minute boat tours were 1,500, a 2 1/2 boat tour was 3,000, I was told. 5+ hour boat tours to the end of the lake are also available. Breakfast in the Yurt camps is generally served between 07:30-08:00am. I departed at 08:30 and by 09:30 there were 20+ people, mostly journeying with horses and SUVs which can ascend to the lake shore. An hour later there would be at least 100 people. I didn't appreciate the boats and over tourism, but that is to be expected and can be avoided if you leave earlier. The landscapes are well worth the trip, regardless. I hitchiked there and back with 1 night and paid a return transport total of 170som ($2). Ak-Muz is the last stop with mobile internet reception. The road from Tourgart is much worse, and navigating across multiple rivers is necessary, whereas the road from Ak-Muz has no river crossings and is only a few years old and in generally good condition. You do not need a 4x4; plenty of low suspension old regular vehicles, from lada's, Audi's and Daewoo's were seen in Kel-suu; you'll just have to be more competent and slower with your driving with such vehicles. The head of the regional military drove me at lightening speed from the Kel-suu ridge to Naryn in less than 3 hours in a Toyota landcruiser. I think 5+ hours, however, is expected for most...

Kel-Suu Lake is a geological wonder, nestled between two high mountains. Its color shifts with the weather — sometimes grey, sometimes a brilliant blue, and occasionally it even disappears completely. You can reach it after a 7 km hike, a horseback trek, or a ride in a Soviet-era GAZ-66 truck from the nearby yurt camps.

To get to the yurt camps, plan for a 4 to 5-hour 4x4 drive and be sure to request your border permit at least two weeks in advance. The round trip from Naryn costs around 15,000 soms, which can be shared among several people.

The hike itself is stunning, taking you through a vast valley where rivers cross and merge. You follow the Kel-Suu River all the way up to its source at the lake. Truly unforgettable.

Note: if you want to preserve this pristine environment, please avoid taking the boat on the lake. It’s noisy, pollutes the water, and spoils the tranquility of this incredible place, a real shame for such a unique natural gem. Same for...