Forest houses “Tokoydogu Uy”
Houses among the trees
Price on request
Ala-Archa
Photo: @kgznk
Ala-Archa State Natural Park
Less than an hour from Bishkek and you are in the mountains: spruce forest, a mountain river, the Ak-Sai waterfall and peaks up to 4,895 m.
Photo: @kgznk
2,494 m, upper station
Khan-Tengri cable car
Up to the snow peaks
Doppelmayr gondolas lift you from 2,166 m to 2,494 m. Return ticket 600 som, children 400 som.
4,895 m, highest point of the park
Protected by the state since 1976
Above the forest: snow leopard country
Wolves, roe deer, marmots and rare birds live here, and many species are in the Red Book. Seeing a snow leopard takes real luck. Hunting is banned.
A-frame cottages
A cabin in the snow
Cottages with a steep triangular roof on the slope of the gorge, inside the park.
11 000 som / night
Photo: @kgznk
A night in the mountains
Stay the night
Places to stay and a banya with a pond inside the park, and the Teplye Klyuchi complex nearby, in the neighbouring Alamedin gorge. Check the prices, pick your dates and send the request on WhatsApp.
Ala-Archa Hotel
Four room types
from 4 000 som / night≈ $46
No breakfast
Ak-Bata Hotel
Suites and junior suites
from 5 000 som / night≈ $57
Adygene Hotel
Standard double rooms
3 000 som / night≈ $34
No breakfast
Banya with a pond
By the hour, up to 5–6 people
1 500 som / hour≈ $17
up to 5–6 people
Teplye Klyuchi health complex
Radon-water pool, cottages and rooms
Price on request
Dollar amounts are approximate, at the National Bank rate of 15.10.2026.
4.7
How visitors rate Ala-Archa
Tripadvisor: 808 reviews, #1 of 143 things to do in Bishkek. Figures from October 2026.
Read the reviews on TripadvisorWhat visitors praise most:
Less than an hour from Bishkek
40–50 minutes by car, or bus No. 1 from Old Square. Half a day is enough for a first visit.
The Ak-Sai waterfall
The trail starts at Alplager, about 2 hours one way to the falls. Higher up is the Racek Hut.
Free rides inside the park
Cars stay at the checkpoint, and about 80 free electric cars run inside the park.
Clean air and a mountain river
Spruce forest, the sound of the river and quiet far from the city. It is why people come back.
Plan your visit
What to know before you set off: the way here, entry fees, hours and what to pack.
Full visitor guide
Getting here
40 km
40–50 minutes by car from Bishkek
- Bus No. 1 from Old Square: 08:00–19:00, every 20–30 minutes
- Petrol and diesel cars stay in the car park at the checkpoint (700 places); electric cars can drive in
- About 80 free electric cars run inside the park
Bus data from May 2025
Entry
250 som
adult ticket≈ $3
- Children aged 7–14180 som≈ $2
- Children under 7Free
- Entry by private electric car880 som≈ $10
Payment is cashless: payment terminals at the checkpoint, QR code or bank card.
Source: 24.kg, 11 June 2026 (the park’s new price list)
Dollar amounts are approximate, at the National Bank rate of 15.10.2026.
All pricesHours
- Bus No. 1
- 08:00–19:00
- Park office, Mon–Fri
- 09:00–17:30
- Khan Tengri cable car
- check by phone
The park does not publish its own opening hours. Call the office before you go.
Office phone
+996 (312) 883 204What to bring
- Warm layers: it gets cooler further up
- Water and sun cream
- Shoes you can walk a trail in
- Tick repellent in spring and summer
Getting around
Go up the gorge by electric bus, bike, e-scooter or cable car.
Hiking trails from Alplager
Electric buses
White electric buses run along the park road.
Bikes and e-scooters
For hire at the visitor centre.
Khan Tengri cable car
Doppelmayr gondolas climb from the lower station at 2,166 m to the upper station at 2,494 m. Return ticket: adults 600 som, children 400 som, cashless only. Call ahead for opening hours.
More about the cable carSafety in the mountains
An early warning system watches the gorge for mudflows. Read the guidance before you go.
112Emergency services