– story and photo by Justine
Lying at an altitude of around 3000m, and surrounded by jagged peaks, Song Köl (or Son Kul) is an alpine lake in northern Naryn Province of Kyrgyzstan. With an area of 270 sq km, It is the largest freshwater lake and the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan after Issyk Kul Lake. Spending a night in a yurt (traditional round tents found in Central Asia) is part of the reason why many people visit Song Köl.
“After the five hour horse-trek which took us upto 3,500m high we arrived at Song Köl, which was covered in pristine white snow. It was beautiful. Along the way we saw free roaming horses and yak. In the evening we ate Pelmeni, a Russian ravioli soup. One yurt 0was for the kitchen and one was for sleeping. We only had the bare amenities but the landscape was really beautiful. And since winter is the off-season for tourists, there was no one else around. The next day we woke up early and went back to the village. I initially wanted to visit Song Köl in the spring season but couldn’t make it. I don’t regret visiting in the winter because the snowy landscapes were just stunning! It felt like we are tiny compared to planet Earth.”
