DEO GRATIAS. Got a direct ride to Osh for free ! Didn't expect that but hey, you never know. Hitchhiking is a rollercoaster 🎢 Thanks Boryo ! M33

Direction KYZART/OSH Not much traffic but Okay. Got a ride to Kyzart on a truck. M24

Got a ride further on the road to Osh. Deo Gratias ! M+50 and M+20

Direction OSH/KOCHKOR/BISHKEK Worked well, was taken by Christian Kirghiz to Kochkor. Thanks Tegiz M29

So I slept in this taxi's family hoise. He told me we will leave for Bishkek at 7/8. He was still sleeping at 8. Then we took breakfast and we went on the avtovogzal. He was waiting for clients to show up... So I told him I'm going to hitchike and he finally agreed to drop me in Kochkor for 1000 son even tho I said yesterday I don't pay for taxi... But he hosted me so fair enough. Then he said he's going to search for client in Naryn. I asked him just to drop me at the end of the city I am not waiting for him. God give me the patience to overcome my animal hatred against him

No traffic, kinda lost, needed to go back. A taxi driver stopped and brought me into his house with his family. He said he can bring me to Bishkek tomorrow but I told him I don't want to pay cause I lost my credit card. He accepted first but later still asked me how much I want to contribute for gas. Fair enough I will give him something. I will however go to Kochkor (it's on the way) and hitchhike there to Osh. Thank you Anarvik M54.

Was taken in 5 minutes to Ugut where I realised I cannot really go further West. Locals told me I should go back and take the road to Kochkor or trough the mountains. Taken by family with driver M60

DON'T GO HERE IF YOU WANT TO GO DIRECTION OSH. Or actually any other directions. I made this mistake thinking that a road was going all the way there (thank you Google Maps, idk why I did not use 2GIS). I'm not sure there is one after Ugut and anyway there is no traffic. Lost one entire day just for this but that's life lol However if for some reason you want to go that way, you can pay a taxi 100 SOM max to go to the university so you can hitchhike on the road. Traffic is very low, mostly local traffic and packed cars but you'll find someone. Thanks Islam M20 and Kalnur M24 trucks

Direction Naryn. Almost non existent traffic but got lucky with the car of Belgians that already took me yesterday! Thanks Michel, Baptiste, Julie and Juliette. MF23

Start early (max : 8AM). Most private buses and guides won't take you. There will be several people that rented car and they will be your best chance but you never really know. You don't have other options anyway. I was taken by a couple I met the day before directly to Ak-Muz. Thanks Giulio and Justine ! M+F30~

I was dropped here by the local UAZ-452. Traffic low so I thought about hiking and hitchhiking at the same time. Finally, after 3 cars, the 4th decided to take me. 4 young Belgians : Julie, Juliette, Baptiste and Michel. Directly to base camp. From there hiking to the lake is quite easy, 2 hours to go.

First of all it is important to remember that God is good. Hitchhiking to Söl-Kuul is completely doable. Was actually really easy for me. You could wait long time because it is mainly private taxis or full cars but will work in the end. Easier for sure if you're alone (in my case, I could not enter the two rides I had if I was with someone else. I woke up at 6AM at Ak-Muz, which is the last village where you can get internet, food, guesthouse. After that place, most cars that go on the way will go to Söl-Kuul. I was walking alone on the main road close to the center when I saw an old UAZ-452. I raised my thumb, he stopped. Thanks Bart, brought me for free 20km from the lake and 10km from base camp. I did again HH and was taken by the 4th car to base camp. As the other user said, try to do your best to be as close as possible to the base camp. There is an easy hiking trail to the lake and this is really stunning place to be. Also don't forget your permit. It should cost you only 30~€ to hitchhike there if you have food, tent and warm clothes.

Got offered several times rides but not to Ak Muzz where I wanted. Finally a taxi stopped and agreed to take me for free because he was going there anyway.

This the intersection where drivers will go South direction Naryn. Got a direct lift to Naryn in no time. Thank you Cuba. The way was so beautiful, he also offered me a apple and Komuz.

Yeah, there is rare traffic here so I wouldn't advise to take this road but maybe better to go to Balyktchy and then south. I waited 40 minutes but got a lift directly to Kochkor, thanks Asrat ! M36

Walked by after a night at the lake, truck saw me, used my thumb and he gave me a lift to the intersection to Kochkor. I however advise to not go to this one but going more up to Balyktchy because there is very low traffic. M~60

Got a ride further to Ottuk to camp for the day. Thanks Osun ! M40. He also took my friend Ilei

Hitchhiked with Élise and Noé. We paid 500 som total for a direct ride to the canyon. Thanks Arsan M50+

Taken in no time further thanks Azamat! M35

Got a direct lift to Karakol thanks to two Americans Eddie and Justin, and the driver Malik. I met them at the hot springs and they recognised me, otherwise it is very complicated to get a lift down. There are just taxi and private bus that are like very expensive. A guy asked me 20€ to go down, still an option if your knees are dying.

In my experience, it's better to get to this point as sometimes cars arrive from the small track instead of the main road. Not much traffic but eventually someone will take you. Almost everyone driving here goes to Kyrgyzstan, but if you find someone heading to Rangkul it can be nice to change of setting a bit !

Trucker from Kyrgyzstan took me all the way to the 80/84 split east of Salt Lake.

Take a bus until the final stop(terminal), escape the taxi drivers and go past the gate. If you walk a bit there is a bunch of great spots. Keep in mind, that the karamyk border crossing to kyrgyzstan is closed for foreigners (07.2025)

Not long before a Semi pulled over. Unfortunately he had to drop us off after a couple miles because of the weigh station. Weigh station turned out to be closed but it was too late. Trucker was a cool guy from Kyrgyzstan.

Outside the gas station. Thumb out directly on road using sign as well. Good spot for east towards kegen, kaindy lake and Kyrgyzstan. A bit messy with slip roads etc by the side of a fast 2 lane road, but it worked as people pulled over in the slip road. Drivers where a shared taxi, spoke zero English but basic Russian worked. They wanted 4000t (7.50 EURO) to legend. I could have rejected but as it was getting dark and in a hurry I paid. Driver was honest and fun and waited with the foreign idiot.

Crossed the border from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan in the middle of May. The guards were nice and chilling. We crossed at 2 or 3 pm and there was no traffic at all. Got the ride with the first passing car after 1,5h of walking. The landscapes are awesome.

nice spot to start your way to the south of Kyrgyzstan. waiting time less than 1 hour p.s. never refuse to h-hike to ecological checkpoint after Sosnovka siberian_explorer