Experience the best of Karakol

Karakol lies in the Tian Shan range of eastern Kyrgyzstan, close to the eastern end of Issyk-Kul, one of the largest mountain lakes in the world. It began as a Russian garrison in 1869, and its wooden Holy Trinity Cathedral dates from the 1890s. The Dungan Mosque, built between 1907 and 1910 in Chinese style by Dungan Muslims, is one of the town's best-known buildings. The grave of the Russian explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky, who died here in 1888, lies on the lake shore nearby.

Karakol Gorge leads to the valley of Altyn Arashan, where hot springs sit among spruce forest, and a trek leads to the turquoise Ala-Kul lake at about 3,500 metres. At Jeti-Oguz, red sandstone cliffs rise above a valley of pastures, and a ski base above the town serves skiers in winter. Yurt camps and villages dot the lake shores.

Dungan cooking is the town's speciality: ashlyan-fu, cold noodles with starch jelly in a spicy vinegar broth, and laghman, hand-pulled noodles with lamb. The bazaar sells dried fruit, honey, manty dumplings and plov, and kumis, fermented mare's milk, is a summer drink. June to September suits trekking, winters bring deep snow and skiing, and Issyk-Kul itself never freezes.