Kel-Suu: The Hidden Lake near China

Overview

Kel-Suu lies in a remote corner of the Tian Shan near the Chinese border, a turquoise ribbon of water squeezed between sheer rock walls. Getting here is an adventure in itself — by 4×4, on foot and by horse — and the reward is one of the most dramatic landscapes in Central Asia.

Highlights

• Boat ride into the lake’s gorges
• Silk Road caravanserai Tash-Rabat
• Remote border-zone landscapes
• Nights in yurts and guesthouses

Day by day

1. Day 1

   Bishkek → Naryn

   Long scenic drive across two passes to the town of Naryn.

2. Day 2

   Tash-Rabat

   Visit the 15th-century stone caravanserai, night in a yurt camp nearby.

3. Day 3

   Kel-Suu

   4×4 to the border zone, hike or ride to the lake, boat trip between the cliffs.

4. Day 4

   Return

   Drive back to Bishkek with stops in the Kochkor valley.