You accomplish your Pamir Highway trip from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Then you want to proceed to the northeast of Kyrgyzstan- Issyk Kul region and Karakol. And you discover on most websites that you must make a large “arc”, traveling first to Bishkek, and then to Karakol. But can you cross directly from Osh to Issyk Kul Lake? Moreover, there are some amazing destinations in the middle like Lake Song Kol, the area around Kazarman, and Naryn!
Table of Contents
Short geography of Kyrgyzstan
Let’s open the physical map of Kyrgyzstan. Most of the country’s territory is mountainous, and the locations of the largest cities—Bishkek, Osh, Karakol, and Naryn—are separated by mountains.
Between Osh and Bishkek, we can see at least three mountain ranges. The situation between Bishkek and Karakol is better—there is a valley connecting the lowlands of Central Asia with the area around Lake Issyk Kul. There is another mountain range between Karakol and Naryn and another between Osh and Naryn.
Yes, there are mountain passes through the ranges, as well as long valleys but the terrain is still difficult.
Road connections in Kyrgyzstan
This type of geography makes building the road network a real challenge. The mountainous terrain means endless curves, ascents, descents, sometimes landslides, road closures in winter snow, and, in general, slow speed and many hours of driving. Tunnels under the mountain passes improve the situation, but not too much.
The easiest long-distance road connection is between Bishkek and Karakol. Here is the best road in Kyrgyzstan, and this road is also the busiest one, because it follows the northern shore of Lake Issyk Kul- a popular tourist area, with Cholpon Ata as the main town-resort.
Bishkek and Osh are the two largest cities in Kyrgyzstan. But the mountains between them make the road connection very difficult. Yes, there is a road but you need more than 12 hours of driving (in summer) until you reach from Bishkek to Osh or vice versa.
The road between Karakol and Naryn is better and shorter- there is only one mountain pass and large sections of the road goes on flat high altitude grasslands.
But how about the connection between Osh and Karakol, or between Osh and Naryn? Until 2025, it was the most difficult road connection- some road sections were actually dirt roads!
The good news is that there is a brand new road with perfect quality scheduled to be open at the end of 2024 (the road was ready before that but the only detail to be accomplished was the tunnel beneath Koldomo Pass. However, due to some difficulties (like too soft ground, etc.), it was postponed for 2025, probably springtime. It is going to be the best connection between Osh and the rest of the country.
Intercity transportation in Kyrgyzstan
The main public transportation around Kyrgyzstan is by marshrutka (minibus). There are a lot of regular marshrutkas on the road Bishkek – Cholpon Ata – Karakol, and a lot of marshrutkas between Osh, Uzgen, and Jalal-Abad. But there is only one marshrutka daily between Karakol and Naryn, and an overnight marshrutka between Osh and Bishkek. And there are no marshrutkas on the dirt road between Jalal-Abad and Kazarman (on the old road between Osh and Karakol or Naryn).
Of course, it is expected to be changed after opening the new South-North road. Still, for now, the only way to reach the northeastern part of Kyrgyzstan from Osh using marshrutka is to travel overnight to Bishkek, then find another marshrutka to Karakol or Naryn. That’s why many travelers prefer taking a flight from Osh to Bishkek- it is fast but more expensive (and you miss the fantastic landscapes on the ground).
Shared taxis
Another option is to travel by shared taxi. It is more convenient, shared taxis travel on more roads where marshrutkas don’t go, but it is more expensive, especially if you want to travel on a long-distance route where local people seldom go.
Currently, there are shared taxis on the old road from Jalal-Abad to Kazarman, and from Kazarman to Kochkor and Balykchy. The taxis from Jalal-Abad to Kazarman travel on the dirt road section across Koldomo Pass and if you are alone (very likely because only a few people travel in this direction), expect something like 4000 som for the trip.
So, if you are in Osh and want to travel to the northeast of Kyrgyzstan only on land (without using air transportation), what is the best way to do it? The answer is: first go to the New Avtovokzal in Osh and check if the new South-North road is open and if there are marshrutkas to Kazarman, Naryn, or Karakol (if you can’t speak Russian, use Google translate, because, most probably, the drivers don’t know English).
If the answer is still “no”, then you have to go to Jalal-Abad. Btw, if you have more time, don’t go to Jalal-Abad directly but stop in the town of Uzgen in the middle- it is famous for its Medieval Minaret and the Mausolea of the Karakhanid rulers, worth visiting.
If you leave Osh in the morning, you can’t find a shared taxi from Jalal-Abad on the same day anyway, so better first take a marshrutka to Uzgen, explore the Minaret for 1-2 hours, have some lunch, and proceed to Jalal-Abad with another marshrutka.
Exploring the Earth is fantastic! However, there are various hidden dangers that may ruin your journeys. Don’t allow that to happen, or at least reduce the consequences as much as possible!
Include a travel insurance as a part of your trip preparation by pressing the button below:
The city of Jalal-Abad
Jalal-Abad is one of the largest cities in Kyrgyzstan (although not the largest one). It is a relatively new city. Besides the modern city lifestyle of the locals, there is nothing special to see in Jalal-Abad. However, at least for now, it is an important logistic destination for travelers who want to cross from southwestern to northeastern Kyrgyzstan.
Your time goal is early morning (but no need too early, about 7:30-8:00 is ok), and the place is called Avtobeket. It requires a one-night stay in Jalal-Abad from the previous day. This Avtobeket is a marshrutka terminal but to find a shared taxi to Kazarman, you have to go to the northern part of the place.
Keep in mind that this is a quite messy place, without signs like “Kazarman taxi” or something like that. And the taxis are just ordinary cars. So, instead, you better ask “Kazarman taxi”? Although locals most probably don’t know English, they will understand. Many of them wouldn’t know but they can help you and ask the drivers nearby.
Another option is to try hitchhiking (for that, you have to go to the northeastern exit of the city). But again, since the trip on the old road to Kazarman is long, at least 5-6 hours or more, you have to do it in the morning.
Staying in Jalal-Abad
So, in such a scenario, you would most likely arrive in Jalal-Abad on the previous day and would stay one night there. It not only will fit your itinerary but also the local hotels and guesthouses would probably help you to find a good shared taxi to Kazarman and beyond.
Some of the best places to stay in Jalal-Abad include:
- Hotel Good Night. A cute boutique hotel with great service quality but a bit far from the center.
- Hotel Qaragat. Located next to Hotel Good Night. More luxurious and more expensive.
- Hotel KOK-ART. Very good location. Guesthouse style.
- Hotel Zhyldyz (Отель Жылдыз). A nice and cozy place in the northern part of the city.
- “Simbad” Guesthouse. Good location. Excellent service, but a bit expensive.
- Etno Dom Guesthouse. In the northern part of the city. A cozy place with helpful staff.
Check for hotels in Jalal-Abad on Booking!
Check for hotels in Jalal-Abad on Agoda!
From Jalal-Abad to Kazarman
When you leave Jalal-Abad, first you travel on a normal paved road- the new Southern-Northern road. But before it is fully open, the driver will turn left on the old road at the village of Taran-Bazar, and a few kilometers further, it turns into a dirt road. What follows is endless slow curving and ascending to Koldomo Pass (2979 m), then slow descending to the area around Kazarman. Only a few kilometers before Kazarman, the road gets paved again and joins the new Southern-Northern road.
At least, the traveling on the old road is very spectacular. It crosses the Ferghana Range of the Tian Shan Mountains through steep and picturesque mountain pastures with fantastic panoramic views. When the new road is open, you will no longer see this beauty (unless you travel with your own proper vehicle) but will significantly cut the travel time and distance.
Kazarman
Kazarman is a small town like a big village. There is nothing special in the town itself. Just like Jalal-Abad, for travelers, it can serve only as a middle-stop on their journey to further destinations. That’s why there are some good guesthouses like in a tourist place. Probably they will decline when the new road is fully open and tourists start to travel directly from Osh or Jalal-Abad to the northeast, skipping Kazarman.
Some good guesthouses in Kazarman include:
- Gulmira Guesthouse. A cozy guesthouse, right beside Kazarman Airport.
- Guesthouse Baktygul. A nice, clean guesthouse in the southwestern part of Kazarman. It has a yurt as a dining place.
- Guesthouse Roza. Another cozy guesthouse with a yurt, and helpful staff.
- Hotel Bilim. It is more like a hostel, located in the center.
Check for hotels in Kazarman on Booking!
From Kazarman to Kochkor and Balykchy
Once you reach Kazarman from Jalal-Abad, it is much easier to proceed further to the northeast. Your next goal would be Kochkor- the first town on this route where you can find marshrutkas (but if you can’t find them, at least there are a lot of shared taxis). Then, for less than an hour, you can reach Balykchy- an important transportation hub with a marshrutka (Avtovokzal) station.
Balykchy is located at the westernmost end of Lake Issyk Kul, on the road connecting Bishkek with Karakol- the busiest road in Kyrgyzstan, with a lot of marshrutkas traveling on it, as well as to some additional directions (including the marshrutka to Naryn). Once you reach this place, the transportation further is easy.
As mentioned above, when the new Southern-Northern road is open, it is very likely that there will be a lot of shared taxis and marshrutkas traveling directly from Osh to Karakol, Bishkek, and Naryn on this route. You would no longer need to stop in Kazarman in the middle of the route.
However, there is something special, not far from Kazarman that would always attract travelers- Lake Song Kol.
Lake Song Kol and how to reach it
Lake Song Kol is one of the main jewels of Kyrgyzstan. It is the second largest lake in the country, with fresh water, at 3016 m altitude, surrounded by fantastic grasslands covering the mountains nearby. It is a symbol of the Kyrgyz nomadic life- there are no stone constructions around the lake (except for an ancient tomb at the northern shore) but only yurts. And horses.
However, Lake Song Kol is still very difficult to access. There is no public transportation to the lake. There are no good roads to the lake- only SUV jeeps normally go there. If you are an independent traveler and don’t want to join an organized tour, the local yurt camps can arrange transportation for you, from a certain point where you can reach but the price is like the price for an air ticket (unless you are a group of people who can share the price).
Try a Kyrgyzstan Tour including Lake Song Kol!
Hiking from Kyzart
If you are more adventurous, there is a cheap way to reach the lake. If you travel to Kazarman or Kochkor, you can easily find a shared taxi between these two towns and stop in the middle, in a village called Kyzart. From Kyzart, there is a 28 km dirt road that leads to the lake.
You can cut a part of it by a local taxi and hike the rest 16 km. You can do it within one day- just depart from Kazarman or Kochkor early morning, or stay for one night in Kyzart (there are a few guesthouses).
Once you arrive at the northern shores of Song Kol, you can easily find a yurt camp and stay there- preferably for at least two nights, so you can enjoy the lake activities and landscapes between the first and the second night. After that, there is a chance of finding cheaper transportation from the yurt camp if there is a free seat in a car with other passengers. If not, you just go back to Kyzart in the same way.
Lake Song Kol is a highly recommended destination in the middle of Kyrgyzstan, where you are between the two “crowded” regions- southwest (Osh) and northeast (Karakol), or east (Naryn and the ancient Tash Rabat caravanserai), so you can make your crossing more attractive, more meaningful, and more exciting.
Yes, very soon, the new Southern-Northern road will be open and you can cross the middle of Kyrgyzstan for one day. But the middle is not “empty”, and there is not only Song Kol but a vast area of authentic, incredibly beautiful nature and unique local culture.
Take a look at the videos about crossing from Jalal-Abad to Issyk Kul below:Â
Check some travel books about Kyrgyzstan:
 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: Journey Beyond the Horizon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites at no additional cost to you.
Like it? Pin it here⇓! Follow us in Facebook, X and Instagram!
You may also like
Hi, we are Krasen and Ying Ying. Krasen is from Bulgaria, and Ying Ying is from China. We are passionate about geography and history, and we believe that the best way to experience it is by exploring the Earth in reality, not in a school, and not virtually.
So, we created this blog Journey Beyond the Horizon, where we share geographical knowledge, travel guides and tips how to experience it when you explore our planet, and a lot of inspiration.
And we wish you a happy journey, not just virtually, but most of all- in reality.
Enjoy!
