We’ll meet at the Bishkek airport and drive to the hotel to have some rest after the flight. In the evening we’ll take a walk along the green streets of Bishkek. If we have enough time, we’ll visit all the iconic places of the city: the central square of Ala-Too, a 100-year-old Oak Park, the Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abdylas Maldybaev, a Kyrgyz composer and singer. We’ll finish the walk with dinner at a traditional restaurant.

Note: If you arrive after 16:00, you’ll take a walking tour around the city on the last day of the program.

In the morning we’ll say goodbye to Bishkek and drive along the Chüy valley to the Too-Ashu pass, whose name in the Kyrgyz language means “the camel pass”. We will drive up the pass, winding along numerous serpentines, and then descend into the Suusamyr Valley. Suusamyr is an absolutely fabulous place with endless meadows, where herds of horses graze, and rivers shimmering in the sun like crystal.

Here in the valley, in the village of Ken-Suu, the famous Kyrgyz hero Kozhomkul was born. We’ll visit a mausoleum, where the imprint of Kozhomkul’s huge hand remained on a clay wall.

We’ll stay for the night in a local guest house.

After breakfast we’ll head to the large alpine lake Song-Köl, nestled between two mountain ranges. The road passes along the beautiful Kökömeren River and through the picturesque Kara-Keche pass, overlooking the majestic peaks of the Tian Shan.

At the lake, we will stay for one night in a colorful yurt camp to feel like real nomads.

In the evening we’ll take a short walk along the shore to enjoy the crystal clear air and bright landscapes of alpine meadows surrounding the lake. Depending on the weather, the water of Song-Köl changes color from turquoise to dark purple.

In the morning we’ll take a horse ride along the shore (optional, for an extra charge) to enjoy the crystal clear air and bright landscapes of alpine meadows surrounding the lake. In the afternoon we’ll say goodbye to Song-Köl lake and go to the village of Kochkor, where we’ll stay for the night. To get there, we’ll overcome another breathtaking mountain pass. In the evening we’ll get to Kochkor. Here we’ll attend a creative master class on making felt crafts.

Today we have a tight schedule. We’ll dedicate the morning to the famous Issyk-Kul, one of the deepest and largest lakes in the world. Then we’ll have an opportunity to watch one of the most unusual and spectacular traditions of Central Asia — hunting with a golden eagle. The eagle hunter (berkuchi) teaches the bird to attack the prey, and the training period may take several years and requires a lot of patience. One of the berkuchi will tell us more about this ancient tradition. 

Further, we’ll continue our way to the Fairytale Canyon, which is famous for its red rocks turned by the wind into magical castles. The color in the valley changes depending on the lighting, so at different times of the day it can look completely different. Then we’ll spend time on the shore of Issyk-Kul lake, enjoy the views of snow-white peaks encircling the lake and fresh aroma of coniferous forests and mountain herbs.

We’ll spend the night in a cozy guest house in the village of Tamga.

Today our 3-day hike along the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan starts. We’ll pack all the necessary things to take with us, and send the rest to the hotel. We won’t have to carry group equipment and food by ourselves — the porters will accompany us throughout the route.

But first we’ll visit the Barskoon waterfall, one of the most famous in Kyrgyzstan. We’ll get to the spot by minibus, and then take a short walk. Then we’ll go to Jeti Oguz — a picturesque gorge with red rocks and lush vegetation. This name, which means “seven bulls”, was given to the gorge for the seven majestic rocks standing here side by side. From the red rocks of Jeti Oguz we’ll go to the western part of Irdyk Gorge. We’ll stop for the night above the gorge, which resembles the famous Grand Canyon.

Today we’ll walk along a picturesque path through the forest and flowering meadows. On the way, we will enjoy an impressive view of the turquoise surface of Issyk-Kul.

After setting up a camp, if there is enough time, we will take a light walk to a small mountain lake.

Today we’ll take a fascinating hike to Karakol Gorge — one of the most popular among tourists. Our route will go through a relic forest of 300-year-old juniper and slopes covered with Tian Shan fir trees. In Karakol Gorge, a car will meet us and take us to the city of Karakol.

In the afternoon we’ll walk around the city, visit one of the first Orthodox churches built in Kyrgyzstan — the Church of the Holy Trinity, and see the Dungan mosque resembling a Tibetan pagoda.

In the evening we’ll immerse ourselves even deeper in the culture of the Dungan people and have traditional Dungan dinner. The Dungans are people who moved to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan from China at the end of the 19th century, preserving their traditions and customs. Their cuisine is quite an original mix of Chinese and Central Asian dishes.

After breakfast we’ll have an exciting kayak trip along the Przhevalsky Bay of Issyk-Kul. The bay, as well as the village on its shore — Pristan-Przhevalsk — are named after the famous traveler and geographer Nikolay Przhevalsky, who was buried in this village. We will visit a memorial museum established here in his honor.

After lunch we’ll go to Ak-Suu hot springs, where you can relax and swim or spend time walking around the area. We’ll return to Karakol before dinner to buy souvenirs for our loved ones.

In the morning we’ll say goodbye to Karakol and head to the city of Cholpon-Ata, situated on the northern coast of Issyk-Kul. It is famous not only for its resort opportunities, but also for its huge open-air archeological complex. On its territory, ancient ruins, burials, and about a thousand stones with petroglyphs have been preserved. The oldest drawings are over 2,000 years old!

The next stop is the Burana settlement. This is the place where the medieval city of Balasagun, the main capital of the Karakhanid state, was located. Burana Tower, rising above the ruins, is in UNESCO World Heritage List and shrouded in many legends.

In the evening we’ll check into a hotel in Bishkek.

After breakfast the group will be transferred to Bishkek airport. Before that the participants who arrived after 16:00 on the first day of the program will go on a sightseeing tour around Bishkek.