It was a short ride from Karakol to Kochkor via marshrutka, around 3 hours. Kochkor is a really small city, with only a few cafe and shops. After we arrived, we directly went to CBT to look for homestay. Both CBT and Shephered’s Life are close to the bus station, around 2 min walk. CBT homestay is around 500 – 700 som per person depends on the distance to city center. We chose the nearest homestay and the room is warm and nice with the bathroom inside the house. CBT can also help to arrange a car to Song Kul and yurt accommodation. The yurt is 500 som per person, excluding lunch and dinner. The car to Song Kul cost around 1,000 som but it’s too expensive if the driver stay one night with us and take us down the next day, so we decided to find a car around Song Kul the next day.

從Karakol 到 Kochkor 搭乘小巴大概需要三小時，Kochkor 真的是超小的小鎮，而且我們到的時候一直下雨，又凍又冷! 一下小巴我們就直奔CBT 找住宿，CBT 和 Shephere’s Life 都在公車站的附近，非常方便! CBT Homestay 價位都在500-700之間，我們選了一個最近的，另外請他安排明天到頌湖的蒙古包住宿和車，住宿一人500 餐費另計，一趟車上去1,000 但如果要包司機兩天費用太高，我們決定到時候再想辦法下山。

It is estimated to be a 3 hours drive from Kochkor to Song Kul, but our driver was really good and we arrived within 2 hours! On our way up, we saw many horses, sheep, cows. The view was nice and we felt excited when we finally see the lake in front of us. There were many yurts around the lake and the driver dropped us in one of them and left. We had a walk around the lake in the morning and the weather was pretty good.

3個小時上山的車程我們的司機兩小時就把我們載到了! 路上看到好多馬牛羊在吃草，風景很美，終於看到湖的那一瞬間尤其興奮。司機把我們再到其中一個蒙古包旁邊就開走了。沒想到我們不到十一點就到了，所以就趁著早上天氣好在附近散步欣賞風景。

Song Kul is at the altitude of 3016 m, and it’s the second largest lake after Issyk Kul. I felt so close to the cloud when I stood here. The water in the lake is ice cold and the lake is surrounded by endless pastures and beautiful mountains. After lunch, the weather changed rapidly, and it started to rain heavily with thunders so we had to go back to our tent. Finally it was sunny again and we had the chance to ride the horse. This was the first time we ride horse so we hired a guide to lead us. “Chu!” means “go” and “rrrrrr” means “stop”. My horse was eating grass all the time and refused to walk. Mr Smile’s horse was naughty and always went to the other direction haha. It was an exciting one hour ride with sun, snow, rain and rainbow! There is actually a good view point to see the lake but it’s too far and we can’t ride the horse that fast to get there!!! Anyway, it is a good time to relax, walk around and ride the horse during the stay and enjoy the view and the changing weather!! When we were having dinner, it started to rain and snow again and the mountain behind us suddenly became all white after we walked out of the tent! That was super beautiful and amazing. The sky in the evening was also stunning. Luckily we met two professors and family who are willing to give us a ride the next day down to Kochkor.

頌湖位在3016公尺的高度，是吉爾吉斯的第二大湖 (第一大湖是伊賽克湖)，到了這麼高的山上，感覺離天空和雲朵好近，湖裡的水好冰，就算是大太陽，山上也好冷。湖的四周都是綿延的山和無盡的草原，增添了它的美麗。山上依舊是如此的變化多端，早上的好天氣在吃完午餐後消失殆盡，瞬間的狂風暴雨，嚇得所有人躲回自己的帳篷去。過了兩小時走出來又是晴朗的好天氣，帳篷的主人老太太家的馬匹回來了，她就說我們可以騎這兩匹馬自己去逛，殊不知沒騎過自由的馬的我們，怎麼敢自己上馬就走，趕緊找了一個附近的導遊陪我們。”啾啾” 是前進的意思，搭配用腳踢馬的肚子，”兒~~”的顫抖音則是叫馬停下來。我們的馬一個貪吃草不肯走，一個喜歡唱反調走不同的方向，一個小時下來根本沒走多遠，更別肖想要騎馬奔到遠方的眺望點了! 而這一小時內，經歷了大太陽、下雨、下冰雹、和彩虹，也是挺辛苦的。對於第一次騎馬的我們，一小時也差不多了，我們的導遊都放棄帶我們前進了哈哈! 吃晚餐的時候又是一陣狂風暴雨，吃飯的地方是一個簡單的帳篷不是堅固的蒙古包，所以深刻感受到可怕的天氣，老太太用一種憂愁的臉坐在一旁看著我們吃飯，看著它滄桑的臉和充滿皺紋的手，真的是經歷了各種天氣的風霜才有的啊! 因為不懂語言，沒辦法多做交談，只簡單的聊了家裡的孩子。吃完飯後一出帳篷，遠方的山竟然都變成白色的雪山了，好美麗啊!!!! 晚上天氣晴朗看到閃亮的星空和銀河也是超感動的，可惜天氣真的好冷沒辦法久待，不然真想就躺在草地上。

Now it’s around end of Sep, a lot of locals are starting to move the yurts and animals (even yaks!!) down to Kochkor. The old lady in our yurt said that his two sons are now taking the animals down and it will take 3 days. Then they will come up and pick her up and remove the yurts. 3 hours drive become 3 days for them, it’s tiring to be the Nomads. I am truly impressed!

我們幸運地在山上認識了一對做遺傳基因研究的教授和家人，願意讓我們一起搭車下山。第二天看到好多人家都在收拾蒙古包準備下山，九月底山上的天氣越來越差，大家都要趕快下山到村莊裡準備過冬，山上放牧的牛馬羊甚至是氂牛(真的有氂牛!!) 都要慢慢地趕下山。老太太說他的兩個兒子們現在就在把這些動物趕下山，我們這3小時 100公里的車程，他們帶著動物需要2-3天，中途要在附近的村莊借住，之後再上山接她還有蒙古包。果然我們一路上看到人騎著馬，一個人在最前面拿著小旗子，一個人在中間控制動物的方向，一個人殿後，看著動物們緩緩地前進，覺得當遊牧民族真是辛苦，真的就像是書上說的逐水草而居。