Nestled in the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, located in the Kok-Kiya Valley, you can find the most beautiful lake I might have ever seen: Kel Suu Lake (or Köl Suu). One thing is for sure, you will be rewarded with a great adventure and breathtaking scenery when you decide to visit Kel Suu Lake. Firstly, this remote alpine lake has the brightest turquoise water and is surrounded by dramatic cliffs and mountains. Secondly, similar to Kyrgyzstan in general, you won’t have to share your experience with many other travellers. When we visited the lake, we were the only tourists there. Lastly, the route from the Kok-Kiya Valley to the lake, which can be done horse back riding or hiking, is stunning as well. With this travel guide, I’ll show you visual materials that will convince you to visit this beautiful place and I’ll explain to you how you can embark on a journey to the beautiful Kel Suu Lake.
Read about the 10 reasons why you should visit Kyrgyzstan now here!
Kel Suu Lake is located in the Kok-Kiya Valley, which is in turn located in the Naryn region, near the Chinese border. Reaching this secluded spot is part of the adventure, but requires some planning. Also, a border permit is needed to access this area of Kyrgyzstan!
I visited Kyrgyzstan on a planned tour of 14 days, due to the travel complexity in the country. However, it is possible to plan parts of the trip yourself.
From Bishkek to Naryn: Start your journey in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. You can either rent a 4×4 vehicle or take a shared taxi to Naryn, which is about 350 kilometres away. The drive takes roughly 5-6 hours, passing through picturesque landscapes and small villages. Daily shared buses are leaving from the western bus station in Bishkek. However, you might have visited other beautiful sights in Kyrgyzstan first, such as Son Kul Lake, in that case, you might need a private driver to get to Naryn.
Naryn to Kok-Kiya Valley: Once in Naryn, you’ll need to head towards the Kok-Kiya Valley. This leg of the journey covers about 130 kilometres and also takes around 5 hours. The roads here are more rugged, so a sturdy 4×4 is essential. If you don’t have your own vehicle, local guides and drivers can be hired in Naryn (for example at your guesthouse or through CBT Naryn). However, if you want to be on the safe side, I wouldn’t recommend driving yourself. The roads are difficult to navigate, they are bumpy and there is no phone signal available. A private driver, will drive you to the valley, stay there for 2 nights and take you back to Naryn.
Kel Suu is located in a border zone, due to the close proximity to China, so you’ll need a special permit to visit. These can be arranged through travel agencies in Bishkek or Naryn. The easiest way is to get in touch with CBT Naryn, who can arrange the permit for you.
Make sure to request the permit at least 1 week in advance, however, it is always better to be on the safe side. Also, bear in mind you need to official permit to make it to Kok-Kiya. Therefore, you should include some time in your itinerary to pick up your permit in Naryn (if you buy the permit only for this border region). The price of the permit is €20. If you are planning on visiting more border regions, it is possible to buy a permit for multiple regions for €30. Note, that this permit has to be picked up in Bishkek.
The Kok-Kiya Valley is the best base for a day trip to Kel Suu Lake. Therefore, it is advised to stay in one of the yurt camps in the valley for 2 nights. In total, 3 yurt camps can easily be booked, even through the known booking sites.
Staying in the valley is a real treat, as the yurt camps have the most beautiful backdrop you might ever see. I was so impressed by this stunning place and couldn’t stop enjoying the amazing views.
Yurt Camp Kolsuu at Bashy (€80 for 5 persons), Yurt camp visit Kol-Suu (€30pp), Bars Yurt Camp (€40)
Due to the climate in Kyrgyzstan, many destinations and sights are only accessible in summer. Therefore, the best months to visit Kel Suu lake are July, August and early September. Outside the summer season, the commercial yurt camps can’t be found in Kok-Kiya valley and temperatures can drop to -30 degrees in winter! Therefore, I would highly recommend to visit in peak summer. As Kyrgyzstan is not yet discovered by larger crowds, you don’t have to be afraid of mass tourism in peak season.
Although it is also possible to go horse back riding to Kel Suu lake, I highly recommend doing the great day hike to Kel Suu lake. The scenery is amazing and the level of fitness required is lower than when hiking Ala Kul for example. You can start hiking to Kel Suu Lake straight from the yurt camp where you are staying.
The hike includes varied terrain including river crossings, grassy meadows and rocky paths. The final stretch involves a gradual ascent, with stunning views over the surroundings. In total, the hike is around 8 kilometres out and 8 kilometres back.
Make sure to have sturdy hiking boots, take plenty of layers for clothing (the weather can change quickly in the mountains) and plenty of water. The hike is not marked, however, is generally easy to do as you are focusing on following the river towards Kel Suu Lake. As always, it is advised to download maps.me offline for some understanding of the trails.
During the entire hike, it is not possible to see anything yet of Kel Suu Lake. Only at the last minute and steps of the hike, the beautiful alpine lake pops up in front of you. Even though I’ve seen plenty of stunning lakes in my life, Kel Suu was so impressive. I think it is the bluest lake I’ve ever seen.
Kel Suu was formed by a landslide blocking the Kurumduk River, which created a natural dam. The lake is located at an elevation of 3400 meters. Also, the water levels of the lake differ extremely per season. In summer and spring, the water levels can rise due to melting snow, while the lake might even disappear in winter. That’s also how Kel Suu got its name, as it translates to “Coming Water”. The lake stretches over 12 kilometres and the maximum depth can reach 80 meters.
It is also possible to take a short boat tour of the lake, with one of the little boats and drivers present during your visit. As it is such a secluded destination, I would highly advise to get the most out of your visit and take this opportunity. The boat ride lasts around 20 minutes and costs around €10 per person.
