At the eastern tip of Lake Issyk Kul, Karakol is a fertile garden town of wooden chocolate-box cottages and shady, poplar-lined avenues. Fringed to the east by the Terskey Ala-Too Mountains, which tower dramatically over its low-rise skyline, Issyk Kul ripples 10km to the
west. Karakol is the best base from which to explore the lakeshore and Central Asia's prime trekking and mountaineering routes. With the most spectacular parts of the Central Tien Shan right on its doorstep and newly open to foreign visitors, the town attracts trekkers, hikers
and climbers from all over the world.  Karakol and its surroundings have just as much to offer their less energetic visitors. Besides one of Kyrgyzstan's largest and most colourful bazaars, a nomadic livestock market and several good museums, its
spectacular environs boast an endless array of truly unique day trips. Blood-red cliffs, hot springs, Scythian burial mounds, nomad camps and sandy beaches thousands of miles from the sea are all within easy reach.
Despite Karakol's status as the administrative centre of the Issyk-Kul region,
it has only 75,000 residents and a gentle, small town atmosphere. Founded by the Russians in 1869, a European-style chequerboard of streets belies the fact that China lies only 150km over the mountains. The eclectic multi-ethnic mix of Karakol's citizens, however, keeps visitors firmly anchored in Asia.
Karakol's History
| What to see in Karakol | Day trips from Karakol | 
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