Is Karakol safe? Kyrgyzstan travel risk
Is Karakol safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Karakol scores 39/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Kyrgyzstan Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 10 Feb 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Karakol scores 39/100 (Moderate). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Kyrgyzstan (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Karakol: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: security (44/100) and natural hazards (48/100).
A score of 39 is higher than the scores of 50% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Kyrgyzstan travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Geographic & Regional Coordinates
Geographically located in Ysyk-Köl (42.4906° N, 78.3936° E), Karakol sits 315.6 km W from Bishkek at 1770 m elevation.
Ysyk-Köl
42.4906° N, 78.3936° E
1770 m
Asia/Bishkek
85,588
Emergency & Aviation Access
Nearby Towns & Settlements in Kyrgyzstan
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most earthquake events within 100 km of Karakol happened in January (4 of 4 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
4 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M7.0 on 22 Jan 2024 (139 km away) — USGS details
- Most recent: M5.7 on 29 Jan 2024 (145 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Kyrgyzstan travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Kyrgyzstan entry requirements.
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