Kyrgyzstan 2025 Day 5
From Kel-Suu Lake to Kochkor
The Kel-Suu Glaciar Lake and the Road to Kochkor 🇰🇬
Day 5 started early, deep in the Kok-Kyia Valley. There was a quiet sense of excitement in the air, as today we were finally going to see Kel-Suu Lake, one of the most remote and impressive places in Kyrgyzstan. After having breakfast at camp, we got ready for the final approach.
The Journey to Kel-Suu
Reaching Kel-Suu is an adventure in itself. Located at around 3,500 meters above sea level, close to the Chinese border, the lake is hardly accesible by motorcycle. We left the bikes in the yurt camp and jumped in a classic Soviet GAZ-69, a vehicle perfectly suited to the rough tracks and river crossings of this high mountain region. Some routes are still done on horseback (a reminder of how traditional and untouched this area remains).
The road was slow, bumpy, and amazingly beautiful. It felt less like a transfer and more like a small expedition.
First Sight of the Lake
Kel-Suu doesn’t reveal itself gradually. One moment you’re walking through a narrow valley, the next you’re standing in front of an intense turquoise lake enclosed by towering rock walls and glaciers.
The scale is overwhelming. The water is still, the cliffs rise almost vertically from the shore, and the only sounds are the wind and the birds (apart from us!). It’s the kind of place that makes you stop talking.
We took a small boat out onto the lake, gliding across the cold water to explore its hidden corners. From the lake itself, the landscape feels even more dramatic and remote, a rare feeling in today’s world.
Back to Camp, Back on the Bikes
After taking our time at the lake, we headed back to camp for lunch. The mood was relaxed, almost reflective. Places like Kel-Suu have that effect on people.
In the early afternoon, it was time to pack up and get back on the motorcycles. We left the isolation of the high valleys behind and began riding north, following wide open roads toward Kochkor, where we would spend the night.
The afternoon ride was smooth and flowing, a perfect contrast to the morning’s slow, rugged approach. Long stretches of road, changing landscapes, and that familiar feeling of settling back into the rhythm of the ride.
A Day to Remember
This was one of those days that stays with you long after the trip is over. Not because of distance or difficulty, but because of the variety: high mountains, remote tracks, a hidden lake, and a beautiful afternoon of riding through a country that still feels wild and open.
Tomorrow, the journey continues east.
Day 6 takes us from Kochkor to Karakol.
Stay tuned.
📸 All photos by @jakebaggaley.photographer