Ulush Yurts

About Ulush Yurts

Ulush sits about a kilometre from Song-Köl and is pitched at travellers who want privacy: each yurt has its own detached private bathroom, which is a different proposition from the shared blocks most camps here run. Four configurations are offered — a single, a double for single use, a twin, and a quadruple with four twin beds — with heating, free toiletries and a buffet breakfast served between nine and ten. There is a 24-hour front desk, daily housekeeping, free parking, a firepit, an outdoor entertainment area, a dock and, unusually, a telescope: at 3,000 m with no light pollution the night sky here is exceptional, and it is the one amenity on this list that is genuinely specific to the place. Archery, horse riding, hiking and biking trails, eco tours and caving are all offered, and pets stay free. Watch the extras, which are itemised in a way that is rare in Kyrgyzstan and adds up: wi-fi is charged at US$3 per stay, a rollaway bed at US$30 a night, and firewood at US$15 a day — which at this altitude is not optional. Caveats: no headline nightly rate is published, the review base is two, and neither the yurt count nor the season window is stated anywhere we could verify.

Highlights

• Detached private bathroom per yurt
• Telescope for the night sky at 3,000 m
• Buffet breakfast included
• 24-hour front desk and daily housekeeping
• Pets stay free

Getting there

On the waterfront near Song-Köl, about 1 km from the lake. Check-in from noon; check-out by 12:30. 24-hour front desk.