Arslanbob vs. Kara Alma vs. Kyzyl Ünkür

[LaRubia]

We (2p) were planning to spend 1-2 nights in Arslanbob at the end of August to experience the walnut-forest.
However, I read that many trees have been cut and that it gets quite crowded during peak season.
So I'm wondering if Kara Alma or Kyzyl Ünkür might be better options, assuming that either one can be reached by public transport and that they offer homestays.
Has anybody been there and can give some advice?
Thanks!

[steven]

I've never been to Kyzyl Unkur, but I loved Kara Alma. We arrived there one rainy afternoon, wandered around the village, into the forest. Wonderful place. They told us they had a tourist there some years back, German girl, did we know her? But no public transport there AFAIK.

We wanted to get to Ortok, which I had read about in Roger Deakin's Wildwood, but didn't get there.

Kyzyl Unkur and Ortok are best reached on foot. Kara Alma perhaps as well, or otherwise by car en route from Jalalabad to Kazarman.

[LaRubia]

Thanks Steven, sounds like Kara Alma would be a great choice!
We'll check out transport options once we get to Jalalabad...

[rhinomaxil]

Hi guys,

Did you figure out the best way to get to Kara Alma by public transport in the end? We’re thinking of going there in the next few days.

Thanks!

[rhinomaxil]

I’ll answer my own question. We took a shared taxi from Kazarman to Jalalabad and convinced the driver to drop us in Kara Alma. It’s a small detour for him and he may or may not agree/charge you extra for this (after some negotiating he did not for us).

Make sure you know where to be dropped at Kara Alma before you get there (it’s a very spread out village and it will not be easy to find the homestay you necessarily arranged beforehand if you do not have the exact location or a meeting point).

Also, I definitely recommend Kara Alma end-September/beginning-October for the walnuts harvest season. It was one of our best experiences in Kyrgyzstan. We were the only foreigners in the village, we stayed with the nicest family and they took us to the mountains where their eldest son was staying with his wife and children camping in a tent for a few weeks to collect walnuts.

Then from Kara Alma to Jalalabad we were lucky to be driven by our hosts who needed to go there eventually but in any case this part of the trip should not be a problem since the two cities are fairly close and there will necessarily be someone doing the trip from Kara Alma

[steven]

I’ll answer my own question. We took a shared taxi from Kazarman to Jalalabad and convinced the driver to drop us in Kara Alma. It’s a small detour for him and he may or may not agree/charge you extra for this (after some negotiating he did not for us).

Make sure you know where to be dropped at Kara Alma before you get there (it’s a very spread out village and it will not be easy to find the homestay you necessarily arranged beforehand if you do not have the exact location or a meeting point).

Also, I definitely recommend Kara Alma end-September/beginning-October for the walnuts harvest season. It was one of our best experiences in Kyrgyzstan. We were the only foreigners in the village, we stayed with the nicest family and they took us to the mountains where their eldest son was staying with his wife and children camping in a tent for a few weeks to collect walnuts.

Then from Kara Alma to Jalalabad we were lucky to be driven by our hosts who needed to go there eventually but in any case this part of the trip should not be a problem since the two cities are fairly close and there will necessarily be someone doing the trip from Kara Alma

Very happy to read this! Brings back warm memories.

[Peregrinations]

Any recent experiences here? Looking for a lest-touristed feel than Arslanbob. Ortok, Kara-Alma and Kyzyl Unkur are mentioned in the article. Of course, I will just show up and hope for the best, but maybe someone has some input

[willemspie]

Kyzyl Unkur doesn't look at all like Arslanbob. Not such a good base for hikes ... Locals go to this valley for fishing.
Kyzyl Oi is a possible choice.

[steven]

There are two Kyzyl Oi's, I guess willemspie is talking about the one near Chaek. It's not near the walnut forest, though. I haven't been to any of the other villages. I still recommend following rhinomaxil's travel, I am sure not so much will have changed there.