Stage 109: From Toktogul Reservoir to Toktogul

The next morning it was still raining lightly, but the thought of a hostel in Toktogul motivated us to continue. It remained overcast all day and the 80 kilometers felt quite long. The reservoir also had less water than expected, we only saw the lake about halfway through the route, although according to Google it should have been visible almost everywhere. Apart from a few accommodation options, Toktogul didn't really have much to offer. We spent the first night in a 'hostel' for 400 som per person (about 5 dollars). It was a very friendly place to stay, albeit with a cold shower in the garden and a hole in the ground as a toilet (as often in Central Asia). Outside, we had a hot plate and treated ourselves to dumplings. Unfortunately, because of the weather, our tents couldn't dry properly overnight. Aman was satisfied with the accommodation, but I would have liked a bit more 'comfort' (especially a hot shower!). Because of the weather, we agreed to spend another night in Toktogul. I was able to convince Aman to switch hostels for the next night, even though the family was very nice. A few hundred meters away, we found a slightly more expensive place, but it had a beautiful yurt, a good shower, and even breakfast included. I was very happy with that and was able to recover properly. In the afternoon, we went to the small bazaar in Toktogul to buy camping gas and other supplies. In the evening, we cooked again in the hostel. I didn't take any photos of the city, there just wasn't much to see. Toktogul seems to only serve as a stopover between Bishkek and Osh for most tourists.