Made on
Tilda
Time of year: June to September
Tour category: Most popular. Road trip
Duration: 7 days
PRICE
The price is influenced by various factors such as group size or season. The accessability of some places can change during the year. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a fixed price.
Itinerary
Accommodation
Useful info
Why you will love this tour
Day 1. Bishkek – Song-Kol
This morning, you will start explore the country with a drive to alpine Song-Kol Lake – a cradle of Kyrgyz nomadic tribes. The first stop on the map is archaeological and architectural complex "Burana Tower" registered on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. Founded in the 11th century, the Burana tower was the minaret of a mosque in the city of Balasagun, the capital of the once largest empire – Khara-Khanid Khanate of local Turkic-speaking tribes in Central Asia. While except of the tower none of the original city stands above ground today, there is a museum onsite that explains the history of this important site and showcases some of the archaeological discoveries. Take a tour of the ruins in the surrounding hills and then visit the top of the tower with a view of Chui Valley. Next, you will have a lunch at the local authentic café with a local famous food “kattama” and continue your trip driving a couple more hours to Song-Kol Lake. On the pass of Kalmak-Ashuu (3400m) you will get the first view of this alpine lake. After a while enjoying the view and stretching your legs, the drive continues across grassy hills, home to grazing herds of sheep, goat, horse, and cattle. In the warm summer months, nomad families will be busy with daily chores including milking cows and horses. You will arrive in yurt camp by the lake and the remainder of the day you will spend strolling around or by the water. For horse riding lovers, the shore of the lake provides a perfect place with grassy landscape. Enjoy a supper at yurt under a starry night sky in this beautifully wild landscape and get ready to spend your first night at boz-ui – a traditional yurt of the Kyrgyz people.
Day 2. Free day in Song-Kol Lake
Wake up at yurt ready for horseback riding! Today, you'll enjoy a peaceful horse riding along the lake. Your smooth horse riding allows for better enjoyment of the lake's tranquility and observation of the peaceful animal's life, including dozens herds of horses - a forever partners of nomads. During your horse riding, you’ll visit family of nomads who will welcome you with a bowl of kymys – a traditional drink made from horse milk. Come back to the yurt camp for lunch. The second half of the day you’ll spend as you like: you can go for another couple of horse riding to the mountains or just relax by the lake. Notes: Wake up at yurt ready for horseback riding! Today, you'll enjoy a peaceful horse riding along the lake. Your smooth horse riding allows for better enjoyment of the lake's tranquility and observation of the peaceful animal's life, including dozens herds of horses - a forever partners of nomads. During your horse riding, you’ll visit family of nomads who will welcome you with a bowl of kymys – a traditional drink made from horse milk. Come back to the yurt camp for lunch. The second half of the day you’ll spend as you like: you can go for another couple of horse riding to the mountains or just relax by the lake.
Day 3. Off-road drive to Tash-Rabat
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at yurt and continue your journey through Kyrgyzstan, traveling south to Tash-Rabat caravan saray. This off-road route takes you through the immense mountain ranges and breathtaking passes of the central part of the country. Split up the six-hour drive with a lunch prepared in the local restaurant of Baetov village. After a cup of tea at yurt and some rest, you will embark on a short guided tour to Tash-Rabat caravan saray. Founded at the XIV century and translated into English as ‘Stone palace’ Tash Rabat is what is known as a ‘caravan saray’, the name given to a sort of roadside in where travelers could stop for the night or a few days to rest. They catered for both the humans and the animals that were travelling along the Silk Road and, as well as having accommodation and food facilities, often provided some opportunities for trade and religious rituals. In addition, you will stroll in the mountains around the caravan saray and come back to the yurt for dinner. Notes: at guesthouse
Day 4. Off-road drive to Kel-Suu Lake
Kyrgyzstan is famous for spectacular scenery, and today's drive doesn't disappoint. Head out early in the morning for another drive through some of the country’s wildest regions. Today you will drive to the valley of Kok-Kiya to visit one of the most beautiful alpine lakes of Central Asia – Kel-Suu Lake. The scenery along the drive is spectacular with views of the mountains along the way. Stop by the river for a picnic lunch before heading through Kyndy Pass (3600m). On the pass, you will go through a police checkpoint then you will drive two more hours and arrive in yurt camp near the lake. Check into your yurt accommodation in the late afternoon and the rest of the day is yours to spend as you choose: You can spend relaxing at yurt after 6-7 hours on car or go for short hike in the valley.
Day 5. Visit Kel-Suu Lake. Drive to Kochkor
Lace up your hiking boots this morning for a half-day trekking to Kel-Suu lake. Explore the valley's beauty with a 4.5-hour hike against a backdrop of stunning scenery and sweeping views of the gorgeous mountains of Kok-Kiya valley. The path to the lake is picturesque: alpine pastures, rivers, herds of yaks, horses and peaks of glaciers on the horizon do not disappoint anyone. There is another option to get to the lake – on a horse. Kel-Suu Lake is a high-altitude lake of glacial origin, located in the southeastern part of the country, near the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, at an altitude of 3,500 meters. Enjoy the breathtaking view, for photography enthusiasts the lake is the right place so snap some great photos against the background of this stunning lake, then make your way back to the yurt camp. On the second half of the day, you will drive to Kochkor. Luckily, it is also one of the most scenic. You will head north and east through impressive mountain terrain, passing pastures with a yurts of nomads. After cup of coffee and some rest in the city of Naryn, you will further drive north, cutting through beautiful Kara-Unkur gorge then Dolon pass until you reach the town of Kochkor where you will stay in local guesthouse for overnight.
Day 6. Explore the south shore of Ysyk-Kol Lake
Early in the morning, leave Kochkor behind as you travel to the east along the south shore of Ysyk-Kol Lake. Your destination is a city of Karakol – the most touristic city of the country. In the village of Bokonbaev, where you’ll meet eagle hunter. After some explanations of the peculiarities of golden eagles and hunting with them, he will demonstrate hunting to fox and rabbit. If you do not want to see how the eagle hunts the wild animals, then the hunter will use the skin of a fox. After the demonstration, there will be many opportunities for you to snap some great photos with the eagle on your wrist You’ll drive further afyer lunch in the village. On the way, you will discover some of beautiful and popular sites on the southern shore, starting with a transfer to the canyons Fairy-Tale. The red and yellow cliffs here, towering above a lunar-like landscape, are immense, and the area is perfect for some easy hiking Then it's on to Barskoon gorge. Barskoon Gorge (also Barskaun) is one of the most beautiful gorges on the southern shore of Ysyk-Kol, famous for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests. Here, you will go for a short hike to the first waterfall. Continue to Jety-Oguz mountains. Jety-Oguz is one of the most gorgeous sites in Kyrgyzstan, a rich valley home to many impressive waterfalls and canyons. It is also a national zoological reserve, where many species of animals and birds live. Snap some beautiful pictures in front of Jety-Oguz red Rocky Mountains, then continue the journey towards Karakol city. Founded in 1869 by Russian settlers, now Karakol is the most popular tourist city. Finish up your day with a dinner in restaurant Notes: at hotel
Day 7. Way back to Bishkek
Finish up your Kyrgyzstan experience with a driving day back to the capital of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek city. You will drive on the main coastal road with Ysyk-Kol Lake on one side and the Kungey Ala-Too mountain range on the other. Along the way, you will stop to visit the famous Kyrchyn (Grigorievka) valley, where the World Nomad Games were hold. You will be able to hike around the area and there will be many opportunities for you to snap some great photos. Once you're back on the road, make a stop in Cholpon-Ata city which is on the lakeshore and have a lunch at restaurant. After arriving in Bishkek, you'll have the late afternoon for short sightseeing. Highlights include The main square Ala-Too, the Houses of Parliament, White House and vibrant market Osh bazaar. Top off the day at restaurant with the farewell dinner with your guide team.
Good to know
Horse riding experience not required
We have from 8 to 10 days tour options following this itinerary
If you would like information regarding the price of this tour please send us a request