Thinking to travel to Kyrgyzstan during the fall season September – early November? I personally love the fall time in Kyrgyzstan because I’m able to experience the changing seasons and typically dry/warm weather. Don’t miss out on the most underrated time of the year to visit Kyrgyzstan.
How is the weather?
Kyrgyzstan has a continental climate and countless microclimates across the country. If the weather is poor in one area no problem to take a short drive to another region and the climate will be completely different. It’s recommended to stay below 3,000 m where the weather is more predictable. Let’s look at the facts regarding the average temperatures in Bishkek and Naryn areas.
Bishkek Average temperatures at ~900 m
Naryn Average temperatures at ~2,000 m
Thanks to https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/kyrgyzstan
What are the best destinations to visit?
On every trip to Kyrgyzstan, you have many choices of places to visit, but during the fall time, I would recommend focusing on two different regions.
The classic trip:
The Issyk Kul region is the most popular place to visit in Kyrgyzstan and there are even a few nice coffee shops to visit. During the fall time, it’s recommended to spend at least 2-3 days in the cozy town of Karakol to enjoy the changing colors and visit the comfy coffee shops across the small town. If you're looking to do an overnight hike it’s always a great idea to head deeper into the mountains on foot to Altyn Arashan. It’s a great place to sleep in a Russian-style log cabin house and enjoy the hot springs with great views all around. Once you head out of Karakol then make your way to Fairytale canyon to experience its sandy canyons and dry climate. Then make your way to the Naryn region where you can find the heart of Kyrgyzstan. Make sure to visit the small farming town of Kochkor and don’t forget to visit the Animal bazaar that starts at sunrise every Saturday. Then make your way through the potholed roads to Kyzyl-Oi where you can enjoy a day of horseback riding, a day trek behind the village, or getting to know the locals in this authentic Kyrgyz village. Then you can complete your trip by crossing the wild Too Ashuu 3,180m mountain pass on your way to Bishkek.
The adventurous trip:
Heading out Bishkek you will cross the biggest mountain pass on your trip the Too Ashuu 3,180m mountain pass. Make sure to put on your warm jacket if you wish to take a few great pictures from the mountain pass. Then I would recommend wild camping at the shores of the Toktogul Reservoir or stay get to know the locals at a guesthouse in town. The next day enjoy the long drive from Toktogul to Arslanbob. Arslanbob is known for having the words largest walnut forest and it’s worth spending a few days in during the fall season to see the locals harvest the walnuts from the forest. It’s really an event to see and it’s recommended to volunteer to help a local family for a day to get the best experience. Then make your way on the path of the silk road traveler through Jalal-Abad with lunch in Uzgen and arriving in Osh city. You will feel the temperature has turned up and you will understand Osh is nothing like Bishkek. It’s a very diverse city with a large Uzbek population. Don’t miss out on the Uzbek Plov and Shashlik in the city. A nice day hike is to reach the top of Sulaiman-Too mountain and enjoy the panoramic view of the whole city. Next, make your way to the grand bazaar in Osh and pick up a few locally made souvenirs for friends back home. It’s possible to fly from Osh to Bishkek and then abroad or it’s possible to drive from Osh back to Bishkek in two days.
When do the high mountain roads close?
Song Kol: The shepherds typically leave Song Kol in late September and the road closes in early October due to snowfall.
Kol Suu: The shepherds typically leave Kol Suu the second week of September and the road from Bosogo typically closes in mid-October but it’s quite unpersuadable due to the snowfall in the area.
Kazerman pass: It’s the main summertime mountain pass between the Osh region and the Naryn region. The road can be quite difficult for some guests to drive on their own and it’s almost impossible to find a shared taxi over this mountain pass in the fall season. I believe the road closes around the last week of September due to snowfall.
Tosor pass: Taking the mountain roads from Naryn to Issyk Kul is always a bit risky due to the large stones on the road and the very unpredictable weather. I believe the road closes around the last week of September due to snowfall.
What should you bring with you?
Dress for all weather conditions it could be very sunny and there could also be fall-like weather in the high mountain regions. If you plan to do wild camping or sleeping in yurt camps make sure to take a -10 C sleeping bag with you. As always make sure to take a first aid kit and lots of extra sun cream because the sun is quite strong here in Kyrgyzstan.
Where are the best accommodations?
Fall time many yurt camps are closed in the high mountains, but it’s still possible to sleep in yurts. For example, in Karakol, you can spend a night at the Happy Nomad’s Village Yurt Camp, or in Jyrgalan you could spend the night at the Jyrgalan Yurt Lodge. Another nice place to spend the night in the mountains would be at the Russian-style log cabin houses in Altyn Arashan with hot springs nearby. In the south of Kyrgyzstan, you can also find many comfortable Uzbek-style guesthouses in Arslanbob.
If you have any questions about coming to Kyrgyzstan feel free to write to me and I would be happy to build you a great trip / help you build your own self-guided 4x4 adventure as well.
