Song Kol is a lake on the roof of Kyrgyzstan, a broad sheet of cold blue water at about three thousand metres, surrounded by treeless grass hills and an enormous sky. It is the second largest lake in the country after Issyk-Kul, and in the short summer it is the heart of the nomadic world. Shepherd families move up from the valleys with their flocks, set up their yurts along the shore, and spend a few months on the high pastures, and the whole plateau is dotted with white tents, horses and sheep. In the evening, the herds come down to the water, the smoke rises from the yurt chimneys and the light turns the hills gold.
There are no villages and no roads in the strict sense, just gravel tracks that link the passes and the yurt camps. Getting here involves one of the high passes, from Kochkor in the north or the Naryn side in the south, and the tracks are rough, with washboard, sand patches and the odd stream to ford. The ride is demanding, particularly if it has rained, when clay surfaces become slippery. Distances are long and the altitude affects both bikes and riders. The lake is accessible only in summer, usually from June to September, and it is frozen for much of the rest of the year, with deep snow on the plateau.
The weather is the main hazard. Storms with hail and lightning can sweep across the open plain, and temperatures at night can fall below freezing even in July. Be prepared for all conditions and carry warm clothes, even if the afternoon feels pleasant. In the thin air, the stars at night are astonishing, with the Milky Way across the whole sky and no light pollution at all.
Staying in a yurt camp is part of the experience, and local families offer beds, meals and horse rides at modest prices, arranged by community organisations or simply by turning up. The food is simple, with bread, jam, cream, noodles and meat, and the drink of choice is kymyz, which is an acquired taste. Horse riding is a good way to explore the shore, and locals will happily lead you. Eagles and other raptors circle overhead, and in the marshes at the edge of the lake, waterfowl nest in summer.
Plan your tank and carry extra from Kochkor or Naryn, and bring spare tubes, tools and food. Phone signal is poor, so travel with others if you can.
The place is a window onto a way of life that is changing but still alive. Be respectful, ask before photographing people, and leave no trace.