Yurt Camp Zalkar

About Yurt Camp Zalkar

Zalkar is a small camp on the southern shore, roughly two hundred metres back from the water, and it is the traditional end of the Song-Köl spectrum. Eight yurts, coal stoves for heat, beds with blankets, and interiors that are frankly spartan — this is a place to sleep and eat, not to linger indoors. The outhouses do at least offer a sit-down option rather than the usual squat, which at this altitude in the small hours is not a trivial detail. What consistently lifts it is the kitchen: meals are served in a heated yurt and the food is good, plentiful, varied and nutritious, which is not a given up here. Horse riding tours, traditional horse games, hikes and swimming in the lake are all arranged. There is no wi-fi and no mobile signal, so tell people at home you will be off the grid for the duration. The nightly rate is best confirmed directly. The season isn't confirmed, so assume the usual June-to-September window for the southern shore and check before you travel.

Highlights

• Sit-down outhouses rather than squat
• Food singled out by every reviewer
• 200 m from the southern shore
• Horse games and riding arranged
• Genuinely off-grid — no signal, no wi-fi

Getting there

Southern shore of Song-Köl at Kaindy, about 200 m back from the water. Roughly 129 km from Manas International.

Frequently asked questions