The city of Karakol in eastern Kyrgyzstan has been named among 25 Best places to visit this year a must-visit destination in the world by the American magazine Conde Nast Traveler. The magazine's authors call Karakol "the adventure capital of Central Asia."
The distance from Bishkek to Karakol by car is 400 km or 250 miles to the east along the largest lake Issyk-Kul and located at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level with beautiful views all around. The trip takes about 7 hours.
"Karakol is undeniably remote - about 93 miles from the Kyrgyzstan-China border—but the December reopening of Karakol International Airport is set to make it more accessible than ever. The area has traditionally been a draw for intrepid adventurists. From the rugged Tien Shan mountains to the expansive Issyk-Kul lake, hiking, horse riding, kayaking, and paragliding are just some of the activities on offer here. In addition, Karakol Ski Base is the highest ski resort in Central Asia, at an altitude of 1.8 miles. A new ski resort, Three Peaks, will debut in 2026, in partnership with French ski specialist Société des Trois-Vallées, drawing even more winter sports enthusiasts to the region.
But adventure is only part of Karakol’s appeal. The city is home to Uyghur, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Kalmak, Dungan, and Russian communities, translating to unsung cultural treasures like wooden “gingerbread” houses, cold ashlan-fu soup, and the architecturally wondrous Dungan Mosque, which reflects the Buddhist roots of the Chinese artisans who built it in 1907, with a pagoda in place of a minaret", magazine reports.
The Karakol International Airport already receives flights from Kazakhstan and Russia, in addition to the country's capital Bishkek. Another international airport, Issyk-Kul, 120 km from Karakol, operates on the shore of the non-freezing Lake Issyk-Kul, which has been receiving airliners from other countries for several years.
Thus, Karakol is becoming more and more accessible to all adventure lovers from all over the world.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
January 9, 2025