Issyk Kul Six-Day
Challenge

Nestled in the northeastern part of Kyrgyzstan and surrounded by the Tien Shan mountains, Issyk Kul is the largest saline mountain lake in the world. It is located at an elevation of about 1,600 m above sea level. The lake is more than 180 km long and about 60 km wide. The whole Issyk Kul Region is covered by the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Travel from the western end of Issyk Kul to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan that is connected to multiple destinations around the globe by international flights, is approximately 200 km.

Kyrgyzstan has nothing in common with, say, Afghanistan, except for the similar word ending. One of the safest countries in Central Asia, it is extremely dependent on tourism, so the locals are very friendly and accommodating towards foreigners.

Moreover, the ultramarathon around Issyk Kul is organized with the full support of the country’s authorities, and during the race itself, participants will be accompanied by local police officers.

Citizens of more than 60 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and all of Europe, do not require a visa to enter Kyrgyzstan. Everyone else can easily apply for an e-visa.

Here is where you can read more about entering Kyrgyzstan in English.

Here is a link to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the introduction of a visa-free regime (the text however in Russian, the official language of the country).

And here is the website where you can apply for an e-visa. 

There are no strict qualification requirements for participation in the Issyk Kul Six-Day Challenge, but we strongly recommend that you enter if you have already completed at least one 6-day race like the Marathon des Sables or a road race over 200 km (such as Spartathlon, Badwater, etc.)

In any case, if you are in doubt whether you can handle it or not, drop us a message at welcome@runningexpert.com to request consultation from Running Expert coaches with their extensive experience in preparing for the most challenging ultras in the world.

Definitely! This is what we, at Running Expert, do: preparing seemingly ordinary people for what appears to be, at first glance, insane ultrachallenges around the world, as well as organizing our own challenges that are even more nuts. So we know for sure that the real limits of human capacity lie far beyond anyone’s imagination.

Want to talk about it? Contact us via email at welcome@runningexpert.com.

There are many direct flights to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, from Dubai and Istanbul – the world’s largest hubs – as well as other cities. You can get to Bishkek with just one (!) layover from New York and Los Angeles, Tokyo and Singapore, and from most of the major European cities.

It must be mentioned that, just 35 km away from the starting point, there is the Issyk Kul International Airport (Tamchy). However, only a few flights from the neighboring countries go there, so the main air gate of Kyrgyzstan is the Manas International Airport in Bishkek.

From Bishkek, you can get to the start of the race by comfortable GoBus coaches. The trip takes 4 hours, and the ticket costs less than $5. The only thing to keep in mind is that there is only one bus per day, and it only has 50 seats. Of course, it is always possible to take a taxi: the trip costs about $50. You can always turn to us for further advice regarding all the travel options: just drop us a message at welcome@runningexpert.com.

If you don’t want to trouble yourself with the transfer at all (as well as accommodation, meals, etc.), you are welcome to purchase the All-Inclusive Package on top of the Entry Fee. It includes airport pickup and transfer back after the race. The package covers 9 nights of accommodation, full board, and all the transfers (including between stages), as well as massage services and personal attention from the Running Expert team.

In the Route section of our website, you will find not only the general race layout, but also the detailed descriptions of each stage with comments on available accommodation. The problem is that Issyk Kul is huge, and overnight stay options for tourists are distributed around it very unevenly. Now, accommodation at the start and upon finishing the race won’t be an issue at all, including a good selection available on Booking.com. In between other stages, however, camping is perhaps the only viable option. Anyway, you have three alternatives to choose from.

1. Design your itinerary on your own or with the help of local travel agents, whose contacts we can provide.

2. Opt out for tents. (We can help you rent one.) Transfer of tents between stages, as well as sufficient supply of water for camping, are included in the Entry Fee.

3. Purchase the All-Inclusive Package, which covers 9 nights of accommodation, full board, and all the transfers, as well as massage services and personal attention from the Running Expert team.

There are no restrictions on support or the use of pacemakers. Moreover, it is the perfect opportunity for taking your friends and relatives with you; they can accompany you by car while enjoying the stunning nature of Issyk Kul. Having a personal car will also greatly facilitate your accommodation matters.

There are many car rental services in Bishkek, and you can always ask us for further help or advice by sending a request to welcome@runningexpert.com.