Tulpar Kol Lake

Tulpar-Kol Lake

Tulpar Kol (or Tulpar Köl) is one of the several small but amazing alpine lakes south from Sary-Mogol village in the Alai valley at an altitude of 3500 m in the mountains of the Trans-Alai Range and one of the highlights of this high valley in the most southernmost part of Kyrgyzstan, near to the of Tajikistan and the Pamir. The lake’s maximum length is 1030 m, width about 200 m and has a coastal line of 3125 m. Tulpar-Kul is a favorite destination for tourists and climbers visiting the Alai Valley.

On clear days (especially mornings), the panorama of one of the highest peaks of the Pamir-Alai – Lenin Peak – is reflected on the water surface of the lakes. Thanks to this, the lake is very much loved by photographers. For the best photos, it is best to get up early before the clouds get formed over the mountains by the heat of the sun.

As the largest of the string of 42 small lakes, Tulpar Köl stays in between the last small foothills and the first major ridge of the Trans-Alai range. The lake contrasts very strongly with the surrounding landscapes. The soil and hills around the lake are made of red soil along with green grass growing around and white caps of peaks of the Trans-Alai Range and all together an amazing combination of colors is formed.

Tours including Tulpar Kul

South Kyrgyzstan Tour

South Kyrgyzstan Trekking Tour

Hiking to Traveller's Pass from Tulpar Kul

The best day hike in the Alai starts directly behind the yurt camps on the southern shore of Tulpar-Kol. The trail climbs past the Lenin Peak base camp at Achik-Tash and up to Traveller’s Pass at around 4,150 m, where the mountain and its glaciers open up directly in front of you. It is a walk rather than a climb — no technical skill or equipment needed — but the altitude makes it hard work, and you should have spent at least a night at the lake beforehand.

Allow a full day, start early, and turn back if the weather closes in. At the pass you will often meet mountaineers acclimatising for the ascent of Lenin Peak itself, at 7,134 m one of the highest mountains in Central Asia and a classic first seven-thousander.

A second option from the same trailhead is the walk towards Kosh-Kol and the Kara-Shagyl Pass at just over 4,100 m, looking down over the lakes and the glaciers above them.

Visit Tulpar-Kol Lake

Tulpar lake is located south from Sary Mogul village on the way to the Lenin peak and is a great place to observe the mighty peak from afar. Residents of Sary Mogul offer activities like horseback riding and cycling services, so you may take a horse or ride a bike to get to the lake or hire a driver to take you there and back. There are about a dozen of yurt camps next to the Tulpar-Kol lake where you can stay overnight with meals served as well. The amount of camps changes rapidly at the start and end of the visitor season. In the surrounding fields, the rare edelweiss flowers thrive with other rare species of plants and animals.

Note: Since summer 2026 there are reports that a border permit might be asked for by the officials in the area even if there is no exact official information stating it. Therefore, we recommend to get the permit even if you only plan to visit the Tulpar Kol lakes even if you don’t plan visiting the Achik-Tash base camp of Lenin Peak where the permit has already been needed earlier.

The Tulpar Kol and Alay valley area is best visited during the warmest summer period (from June to September) as otherwise it can get quite chilly here, especially in the night times.

Tulpar Kol Altitude

Altitude deserves respect in Tulpar Kol. Tulpar-Kol sits higher than almost any settlement in Europe, and the Traveller’s Pass hike takes you another 650 m above that. Come up from Osh with at least one night’s stop, drink far more water than feels necessary, and give yourself a night at the lake before attempting the pass. Mobile coverage is patchy to non-existent. If you arrive from Pamir, you are already well acclimatized.