Grasslands Above the Clouds: Riding Kyrgyzstan

Song-Kul is a lake on a plateau above 3,000 m, surrounded by grassland as far as you can see. It is a summer pasture where herders stay only from June to September, so the yurt camps open only in those months. Ask people to name one landscape that sums up the country and many will say this one.

You reach the lake either from Kochkor in the north over the Kalmak-Ashuu pass (about 3,446 m), or from the south over the Moldo-Ashuu pass (about 3,346 m) with more than thirty switchbacks. On a regular bike that climb takes all day; on an e-MTB you can manage it comfortably if you pace the battery.

The lakeshore track has little climbing, so you can ride slowly and take in the view. Reach a yurt camp by sunset, have dinner, watch the Milky Way in a sky with no lights at all, and get up early to see the sun rise over the mountains across the water. That is where the route gets its name.

Issyk-Kul is a huge mountain lake about 180 km long. It never freezes, which earned it the name 'warm lake', and snow-capped Tian Shan peaks surround it on every side. The north shore is full of resorts and gets busy; the south shore has only scattered villages and is much quieter to ride.

The main lakeside road is mostly paved, so it is easy even for first-time e-MTB riders. Turn toward the mountains for a few kilometres, though, and you find red canyons and waterfalls — heading up a dirt track once or twice a day is the fun of this route.

Karakol at the eastern end is the regional hub, with bike repairs and places to stay, and it makes a good base for day rides into the surrounding valleys.

A good ride for your first or second day in the capital, to get used to the bike and the altitude. About 40 km south of the city, the valleys of Ala-Archa National Park begin, with juniper forest and glacier valleys below snowy peaks.

To the east stands the Burana Tower, a relic of the Silk Road era. Part of the tower, built around the 11th century, still stands, and stone figures (balbals) left by early nomads dot the field around it.

Both roads are in fairly good shape and you can be back in town for dinner, so this is a good day to check your gear and your legs before the high plateau.

Tash Rabat is an old stone caravanserai tucked into a deep mountain valley. It is thought to date from around the 15th century, and merchants travelling between China and Central Asia stayed here. Dozens of small rooms connect like a maze under its domed roof.

The valley road from At-Bashy village sees few cars; flocks of sheep and the odd yurt appear along the way. The climb is long but gentle, which suits an e-MTB if you want to enjoy the view on the way up.

With spare time and energy you can spend a night in a nearby yurt and ride up the next day to Chatyr-Kul lake (about 3,500 m) near the Chinese border. It is a border zone that needs a separate permit, so check ahead.

This is the road into the Pamir at the southern edge of Kyrgyzstan. From the southern city of Osh you cross the Taldyk pass (about 3,615 m) and the broad Alay Valley opens up, with the huge snow peaks of the Pamir — Lenin Peak at 7,134 m among them — standing like a wall beyond it.

This is the 'Pamir panorama' in the country introduction. From Sary-Tash village, head toward Lenin Peak base camp to reach Tulpar-Kul lake, where you can spend a night in a yurt looking at the peaks reflected in the water.

The altitude is high and the weather changes fast, making this the hardest of the five routes. Go after you have acclimatised, and preferably with a guide.