Firstly, for all Central Asia information, check out Caravanistan | The Silk Road Travel Guide which is the best resource by far for the region. You can also book accommodation and things like horse treks through the website.

If I had just a week, I would check out Song Kul which is perhaps the most scenic spot in the country. There are three access roads to the lake, one from Kochkor which is fairly dull, but the roads which approach from the south and the south-east are both pretty spectacular, with long gravel switchbacks. None of the access roads are paved of course.

From the Taraz border crossing you can drive up into the mountains through Talas. When you reach the M41 you could either turn left and drop down through the spectacular Suusamyr Valley, turning east near the village of Suusamyr and riding through Kyzyl Oi, then to Song Kul.

Alternatively, you could turn right when you reach the M41 from Talas and drop down to Jalalabad, which is not an interesting place, but you can then cross the Kazarman Pass high above the Fergana Valley, which is also spectacular. From here you drop down through nice and pretty remote scenery and can pick up the spectacular switchback track from Ak Tal up to Song Kol. I did however read that this road was blocked a few weeks ago, so it might be a good idea to check on the Caravanistan forum.

Hope this helps,

EO

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.