Sary Tash (Yellow Stone in Kyrgyz) is a village on the Kyrgyz side of the Pamir Highway on the important crossroads between Osh, Kashgar, Murghab and Sary Mogol.
At an altitude of 3163 m, the setting is lovely, with a backdrop of high mountains to the south and west. It’s a good place to stop over for tea, or possibly a plate of lagman, but it is not a destination in its own right (although there is some hiking to do nearby – consult the Trekking in Alay map).
Osh, Karakul and Tulpar Kol all have more to offer, we recommend you stay overnight there. Especially Tulpar Kol is a great place to acclimatise if you are coming up from Osh before heading on the Pamir Highway.
The only reason to stay over would be if you are a backpacker going directly between Kashgar and Karakul over the Irkeshtam Pass. In that case, see the “stuck in Sary Tash?” paragraph in the Pamir Highway by public transport chapter.
Food and supplies
Altynbek and Akun both serve food. Neither will blow your mind. Someone renamed Kafe Akun in the English version of Maps.me/OSM to ‘got food poisoning here’, Altynbek is a marginally better choice. Perhaps best to cook yourself here if you have the option.
If you are driving yourself and have just crossed the Pamir Highway, petrol is a lot cheaper and better quality here. But if you can, wait until Osh. Prices and quality are even better there.
Do not expect much from the shops.
Accommodation
Pamir Extreme is the best place to stay in Sary Tash: hot water, working wifi, good food and a great host in Shamurat.
It is the priciest option in town, though. If you are looking for something cheaper, Hostel Muras seems like a safe bet.
There are a bunch of other options, but none that we can heartily recommend: Anita and Eliza have both had negative reviews.
Read more and add your own experiences at the Sary Tash guesthouse reviews forum thread.