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Sary-Chelek to Bishkek

Posted on 13. Sep, 2009 by yoyo in Kyrgyzstan

After our trip to Arslanbob we decided to see one more thing in-route to Bishkek. Sary-Chelek, a holy lake near Tashkomur is not an easy place to get to, but was our only idea on the way. we spent a night in Jalal-Abad, in local motel, and the next day caught the 8:00AM bus to Tashkomur (3 hours, 110Som). getting up early enough was no easy task, but nobody said life is easy.

In tashkomur we caught the 12:30 bus to Kara-Jigat (2 hours, 70 Som). a small Chaikhana at the side of the parking lot used as a bus station filled our stomaches with plov and joy.

In Kara-Jigat, we were told to wait for the bus to Arkit, due at 17:15. be aware of the pool club near the bus stop, as iti is full of drunks. we missed the bus (or maybe it never came) as everybody there told us. not believing the taxi drivers, and not willing to pay 800 Som (!!!) for the ride we started walking along the 25Km road to Arkit. a very short truck ride (and the only free one we got so far) took us only a short closer to both Arkit and despair. finally, we found a local willing to take us for 400 Som. in Arkit we stayed in Mazetov’s homestay.

The next day we climbed the long way up to the lake, paying 400 Som to a drunk park ranger. the way up is beautiful and paved with fruit trees. and the inavitable hay gathering locals. natural reserve right?

Up at the lake we met a group of Russians living in Bishkek traveling for the weekend. one of them was due to return the following day to Bishkek and had, amazingly, 3 open seats. the price, 1000 Som, as in near-by Kara-Jigat taxi stand. a short nagotiation got us down to 2500 (for the 3 of us) and that is how we escaped the long and terrible way out from Sary-Chelek to Bishkek.

From what we gothered, public transport options are a bus from Arkit to Kara-Jigat at 7:30, and a taxi (1000 Som) to Bishkek. otherwise a marshutka from Tashkomur at 9:30 for around 600 Som.

The ride to Bishkek was no easy one, the driver, if you call him that, hardly tries to avboid accidents, and, as a plus has a right-sided car. which means he seats at the right and can’t really see the road. brilliant. the night we spent in th Nomad hostel.

Tags: blogsherpa, kyrgyzstan