Driving the road to Altyn-Arashan is not a piece of cake
Altyn-Arashan is an alpine meadow at an elevation of 2.528m (8,293ft) above the sea level, located in Ak-Suu District, in the Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan. The road is very bumpy and can be a scary experience.
Can you drive to Altyn-Arashan?
Set high in the Altyn Arashan Valley, within a picturesque wildlife reserve, the dirt road to the meadow is very challenging. It’s totally unpaved with extremely poor conditions. An experienced driver is required. The road is not an easy one, very steep in places, and requires special heavy-duty 4WD vehicles.
How long is the road to Altyn-Arashan?
Running along a narrow gorge carved by the Arashan River, the road is 16.7 km (10.37 miles) long, starting at Teploklyuchenka. The drive is pretty steep. Over this distance the elevation gain is 682 meters. The average gradient is 4.08%.
How long does it take to drive to Altyn-Arashan?
Located to the south of Karakol, in the eastern part of the country, to drive the road without stopping will take most people between 2 and 3 hours due its horrible condition. The path can be blocked by snow until summer is well advanced. The summit hosts a mountain resort.
Pic: Andrey Deveykin