Chatyr Kul
Chatyr-Kul is a salt lake at 3,530 m in south-eastern Kyrgyzstan, a few kilometres from the Chinese border. It covers about 160–170 km², is up to 16.5 m deep, and has been protected since 1972; today it is part of the Karatal-Japyryk State Nature Reserve and, since 2005, a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Many migratory birds stop at the lake and the wetlands around it, and you may also see big marmots dashing away from the road and yaks, which live only above about 3,000 m. If you want to see rare mountain birds or birds migrating between Siberia and the south, Chatyr-Kul is definitely your place – and it is a beautiful, unspoilt alpine lake with no outflow, surrounded by arid mountains.
Over recent decades a negative water balance has made the lake shrink, and white patches of salt mark the ground around it. The shores are mostly swampy and very shallow, with plenty of invertebrate life but no fish. The lake is about 23 km long and 10 km wide.
Chatyr-Kul at a glance
- Altitude: 3,530 m, a few kilometres from the Chinese border.
- Permit: you need a border-zone permit (see below).
- Best time: June to September; the lake is frozen from October to April.
- How to visit: by 4×4 from Tash-Rabat, on horseback over the pass above Tash-Rabat, or on the way to the Torugart pass.
Tours to Chatyr-Kul
We don’t have a fixed tour to Chatyr-Kul yet: contact us and we will arrange the permit, a driver and a yurt night in the Tash-Rabat valley. The tours below visit Tash-Rabat, the usual starting point for the lake.
The Best of the Five Stan Tour
Embark on a 22-day journey through all five countries of Central Asia, beginning in Bishkek and ending in Ashgabat. In…
Traditions of Kyrgyzstan Tour
A 6-day group tour through Kyrgyz nomad traditions, from birth to old age, via Issyk-Kul, Tash Rabat and Song-Kol…
Kyrgyzstan from Lakes to Yurts tour
This 7-day group tour takes you from Issyk-Kul to the yurt camps of Tash Rabat and Song-Kol Lake in the Tien Shan…
Border permit for Chatyr-Kul
Chatyr-Kul is in the border zone, so foreigners need a permit from the State Border Service, which is checked at the checkpoint on the road. Officially a permit takes a few working days, but allow about two weeks before your trip. We arrange it as part of your trip; see our Kyrgyzstan border permit page.
Birdlife
Chatyr-Kul is a Ramsar wetland: bar-headed geese breed here, and many migrating waterbirds stop in spring and autumn.
Chatyr Kul water & mineral spring
There are numerous rivers feeding water to the lake, the main one being the Ak-Sai river but there is no river for the water to leave the Chatyr Kul meaning the water only evaporates further increasing the salinity of the lake. There are also some cold mineral springs in the area most likely originating from the mountain range towards China.
The water from the mineral springs has a strong mineral taste to it and colors the soil reddish around in on its way to the lake. The taste somewhat resembles Narzan or Borjomi. Have a go and judge by yourself, the mineral springs are located not far from the road, on the southwest side of small chatyr kul lake, which is 1,5 meters higher than the actual Chatyr Kul and therefore it runs into the actual Chatyr Kul through a small brook.
Chatyr Kul area and & nomad life
The area near Chatyr Kul is very desolate, only few yurts now and then show that the area is populated by nomad animal herders and their families in the summer time with sheep and yaks mostly. There are no trees in the area so the animal herders collect and dry the dung of the animals and use it as a fuel.
In the Torugart customs area just nearby the lake there are few buildings but otherwise there are no permanent buildings in the whole plateau. The nearest settlements are At Bashi and the other villages nearby on the North side of the At Bashi mountain range which is on the North side of the lake itself. The lake is also surrounded by mountains on the South side by the Torugart-Too mountains and on the other side there is already China and the road to Kashgar climbing through the Torugart pass.
There are also reports of old caravanserai ruins in the Chatyr Kul area but we have not been able to confirm their location. The area is anyway part of the silk road network that used to pass through this area, meaning there have mostly like been some buildings during the history.
The Ak-Sai valley towards east rises even higher to more than 4 kilometers meaning that in many places even grass does not grow. There are some mountain lakes in the area but the area is not populated by people at all. The area is known for wildlife like marco polo sheep, yaks and other animals that live in high areas.
How to visit Chatyr-Kul
- Day trip by 4×4 from Tash-Rabat: the simplest option; from Naryn the drive takes at least 3–4 hours.
- On horseback: over the pass above Tash-Rabat, 2 days.
- On the way to China: the road to the Torugart pass runs past the lake.
- With Kel-Suu: Kel-Suu is also in the border zone, so you can plan both in one trip and one permit application.
There is no public transport, and a military checkpoint on the road checks permits. The lake is frozen from October to April, so visit from June to September. Bring everything you need: there are no shops for many hours, and the sun at 3,500 m burns fast, so pack strong sunscreen, and take your rubbish with you.
Other destinations and sights near Chatyr-Kul
Written by Anssi Karppinen, Central Asia Guide · Page updated