Help!! -- Kyrgyzstan in May for 7 days

[BarnCat]

Hello fellow travelers,

I'll be in Kyrgyzstan for a week in the second half of May and am trying to figure out the best way to use my time. Will either hire a car or a car with driver. Not crazy about doing horse trekking so that's probably out. May want to do an overnight hike into the mountains, but that would be about it in terms of trekking.

I'm also having a bit of a hard time figuring out if just being in the mountains anywhere will be too cold for that time of year. Primarily interested in seeing gorgeous mountains and scenery/experiences that are unique to this part of the world.

Given the brief thoughts above -- is it worth starting in Bishkek and then heading out to Karakol, by way of Issy-Kul and then getting out into the mountains there, or is it too early in the year for either?

Alternately, would it be better to stay in the South and do the Bishkek to Osh route where it's warmer?

Any thoughts or suggestions to narrow down my choices and focus on a proper itinerary?

Thanks!

[willemspie]

Too cold maybe not, but snowbound trails, impossible pass crossings at higher altitudes.
Check out Song Kol, a yurt camp there, that's different from what you see in the Alps, ... but I don't know how it is in May.

[BarnCat]

Thanks, @willemspie. Do you mean anywhere in the mountains will be too cold/snowy in late May or a particular region of the country?

[rryb3]

I visited Kyrgyzstan in the second half of May last year and for me the weather was perfect, not too hot in Bishkek while also not being too cold elsewhere in the country. I have a fairly similar interest in hiking etc as you and all of the things I did around Karakol were great weather-wise.
@Willemspie I visited Song Kul May 30th-31st last year and while there was no snow at the camps, the main pass from Kochkor was impassable and the 4x4 had to take a very circuitous route via another pass.

[Clabbe]

Just came back from Kyrgyz.

1) The road to Song-Kul is currently blocked by snow/ice and haven´t been cleared. (this was the situation 11th May)

2) The weather last week was sunny and +20-25 but very hot