Karkara valley (Kegen – Tup/Kensu) border

[broncoinberlin]

We crossed the border yesterday from Karakol to Almaty. I'll share my experiences, as some of the info on Caravanistan didn't quite match our experience.
From Karakol, there are no marshrutkas to Karakara that we could find. You have to hire a driver. A marshrutka dropped us by a "market" where apparently long distance taxis hang out. We hired someone to take us to the border for 1200 Soms. If we spoke Russian or were in better moods to bargain, we might have gotten that price down. Another driver acted like he might take us all the way to Kegen. I have no idea if that is possible, but someone with better language skills than me could probably find out. On the way to the border, we saw absolutely no form of public transport, only one or two other cars. Therefore, if there used to be marshrutka to Karakara, it doesn't seem like that is the case anymore.
The border was one of the easiest I've crossed overland. Border guards were incredibly helpful and friendly. We were quickly stamped out of Krygyzstan and stamped into Kazakhstan (the guards did search our bags on both sides, apparently looking for drugs, but they were nice about it and they weren't taking it that seriously). Unlike what is written on Caravanistan (I know things can change quickly), there was no one on the Kazakh side willing to drive us to Kegen. In fact, there is NOTHING at this border so come prepared with cash, water, food, whatever you need (a woman who lives in the only house within sight of the border sold us some sort of dry cheese concoction, which alleviated our hunger but didn't taste good at all). Because there was absolutely no driver in sight, the border guards called a "friend" from the nearest village to drive us. The one guard with some English explained that the price is $15 for the whole car. We waited for around 40 mins and three Finnish backpackers showed up, so all five us took the car to Kegen. (BTW, we are two Americans). There was some confusion when we reached Kegen about the price, we wanted to pay him in Tenge because we didn't have any small US bills, and he was upset we didn't pay him in dollars. He dropped us in front of a gas station where a bunch of drivers offering rides to Almaty were hanging out. This part of Caravanistan's report was completely accurate: they wanted $45 for the whole car, we bargained them down to 10,000 Tenge (about $30).
This taxi dropped us someone on the outskirts of Almaty, where there was no obvious buses or taxis into the city center, so we approached someone who took us to the city center for 2000 Tenge. We were fairly certain this was a giant ripoff, but we were tired of negotiating. We have been told by our AirBnb host that most taxi rides in Almaty shouldn't cost more than $1.
All in all, I think it cost a total of around $50 for the two of us to get from Karakol to Almaty, and around 10 hours. I think it is actually much cheaper to go through Bishkek, but would probably take much longer.
Hope this helps for any future travelers on this route...

[cmaylnd]

As most post seems quite misleading, I figured I'd write down our experience getting from Almaty to Karakol via the Karkara border-crossing in mid Juli 2016.

Almaty: We took a cab down to the Sayakhat Bus Station (around 400 Tenge) - from where it is possible either to take a bus or a shared taxi. It is easy finding a shared taxi as the taxi drivers will approach you at the entrance to the bus station. We came quite early, around 7am and decided to go with a shared taxi. Difference in price is:
Shared taxi 2.000 tenge pr. person
Bus: 1.000 tenge pr. perosn

After a little bit of waiting time in the taxi, the driver took off, only with us in the taxi. As we don't speak Russian and the drivers english was non-existent, he explained by hands, that he had to pick someone up. After a little detour in Almaty, picking up an older man, off we went. When we reach the Almaty ring-road, the driver made a phone call, and a guy standing at the side of the road jumped in with us. I am writing this, so you don't expect that a shared taxi will drive if it isn't full. Eventually it'll get full. We were probably on the road around 9am.

From Almaty, it was a smooth ride east. After a few hours we did a Sashlyk-stop for about 30 minutes, before heading south towards Kegen, which took additionally 2 hours or so. We arrived in Kegen around 1pm. The taxi driver, did a great job asking around for the taxis, that would take us to the border point.

With a little help from the driver we easily found a taxi, willing to take us to Karkara. Price 4.000 tenge. Driving time around 15 minutes on not the best road in the world, but neither the worst - at least a standard car can easily do the trip.

Dropped off at the border, we cleared immigration on the Kazakhstan-side which was really easy. Friendly guys, who took a quick look into our luggage.

Having cleared the Kazak-border point, we walked to the Kirghiz side, which was just as easy. The guy in the booth asked if we had transportation. We said no, and he offered to arrange transportation for 70 usd to Karakol. We declined as it was about 2 pm, so there was plenty of time trying to hitch a ride. The guards on the Kirghiz side of the border seemed really nice - and I am sure if we didn't find a ride, we could have slept at the border-post.

We decided to walk to the nearest village after the borderpoint - while trying to hitch a ride from the traffic passing us. We figured if we didn't find a ride, we could either ask for a taxi at the village or a place to sleep.

We never made it too the village though, as after around 45 minutes a Kirghiz family picked us up. Around 5 cars had passed us up until, all being full - and the drivers making the 'I am sorry' gesture with their hands. Meaning that the first car with space, will most likely pick up any person trying to hitch a ride.

The Kirghiz family was nice and dropped us of at the junction in Tjub (or something like that) as they were going towards lake Issyk Köl and we were heading to Karakol. The first 30 km or so were on good gravel road - and the last 20 km was on fine paved road.

We tipped the family a little.

At the junction, we waited around 5 minutes and a marshrutka came going to Karakol. We arrived in Karakol around 4 pm.

It was a very scenic route - especially the last hour in Kazakhstan before reaching the border and the first hour in Kyrgyzstan. And a very easy route/crossing to take.

[Humandavid]

anyone know border Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan "Karakara" is open?

[Uazdan]

It was open when we crossed on the 15th of september.

[aleckii]

We crossed the border on the 29th September. Online sources were saying it closes on 1st October. But when I asked the guards they confirm that this year they are closing on the 30th October. Working hours are from 9am to 6pm. We took a taxi driver for 3000som from Chopon Ata right to the border, which we thought were a good deal. From online blogs and trip report some reported paying more than twice that price. For the kazakh side the border guards called their friend to pick us up for a drop off at Kegen for 20usd.

If anybody needs a contact for drivers from Cholpon Ata to the border do send me a PM, I saved the guy's phone number.

[Jasmin]

Hello together,

I am going to visit Kyrgyzstan this summer and am flying to Almaty. From there I can get a share taxi to Kegen and from there another taxi to the border. But how do I get from the border to Karakol? Are there shared taxis? Also, with shared taxis, is the "matrushka" meant by this?

From Almaty, where to those shared taxis usually hang around? Are there driving off usually in the morning?

Thanks for the help!
Jasmin

[steven]

Hi Jasmin,

you will have to hitchhike to Karakol, or book a taxi in advance with a tour operator in Karakol.

Shared taxis in Almaty to Kegen hang out around Sayakhat http://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty/bus-stations/

https://www.google.be/maps/place/Sayakh ... 76.9515225

see for more http://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kyrgyzstan/

[Solsticio]

Since almost no one uses this border, finding transportation might be hard. I guess you will be able to find a taxi in Kegen, but don't expect to be able to share it with anyone else. I came from Karakol in September and had to negotiate quite a lot. If you speak neither Russian nor local languages, expect only quite high offers, I think. I waited about 1,5 hours for another car to pass that could take me. The border guard offered to call a taxi to Kegen, but this wasn't necessary in the end. I don't know if they would do the same on the other side, as Karakol is quite far away.

[zuzuli]

Hi, we plan to cross this border late August this early by a self-drive. I heard from a local that it is a problem to have a self srive car from Kyrgyzstan driving in Kazahstan and such cars can only cross the borders near Bishkek, is it true? Does somebody know please? We would like to do a round trip bishek - almaty - karakol and back. Thanks a lot!

[steven]

I heard from a local that it is a problem to have a self srive car from Kyrgyzstan driving in Kazahstan and such cars can only cross the borders near Bishkek, is it true?

Not true.

Don't trust locals, unless you can get other (non-local) sources confirming the rumour. Post-Soviet people are some of the most gullible people on earth. They have no critical thinking skills and will believe anything you tell them.