Hiking to Jeti Oguz
Located a 30-minute drive from Karakol, Jeti Oguz is home one of the best one-day hikes in Kyrgyzstan. This is one of the best things to do in Karakol.
We visited the landlocked Central Asia nation in June 2018 and a harsh winter a few months earlier meant that many of the mountain passes used for the multi-day treks in the area were not yet open. Not to be deterred we headed to Jeti Oguz with a rough route planned out whilst being suitably prepared to change our plans.
Getting there and away
We hired a taxi from the centre of Kochkor. You don’t need to find them, they will find you. We negotiated down to about 40 som and arranged from him to pick us up from our guesthouse at 8:30 am. Unfortunately, he spoke no English, so my Russian came into use (check out our article on the usefulness of Russian in Central Asia). By 9am we’d arrived at the trailhead, ready to head down towards Jeti Oguz.
To get back you can take one of the cabs waiting at the trailhead after you return. In the event that there aren’t any take your taxi driver’s number so you can see if he is available. However, do be aware that going back may cost more as he’ll need to drive out to Jeti Oguz. We were able to get the same price driving back as we did coming from Karakol.
What is there to see
The scenery here is incredible. The beginning of the trail is nothing to write home about, however, after an hour and a half, a stunning mountain vista opens in front of you revealing lush grasslands and snow-capped peaks.
Keep following the path across the river and past the yurt camp, where you will most likely be offered a horse ride and a nights sleep for a rather steep fare. After walking through the yurt camp take a right and head down the hill crossing another river. From here its a steep climb that offers spectacular views over the valley below. The path eventually leads to a shaded waterfall that makes a decent place to stop for a break.
From here you can head back the way you came and explore a bit more of the valley below. Alternatively, you can find a spot on the hillside and spend a decent amount of time enjoying the view.
You can then head back the way you came to the red rocks at the entrance and find a taxi to take you back to Karakol.
How demanding is the hike
To be honest this is not a challenging hike. Whilst the section up to the waterfall is indeed steep and tiring the rest of the hike is a much more relaxed affair. We arrived at the trailhead around about 9 am and arrived back at the same point around 4 pm where they were a few taxi’s waiting for hikers heading back to Karakol.
It is possible to hike further and link up with various other mountain trails, however sadly at the time we visited, most of the mountain passes were closed.
