Kyrgyzstan from Lakes to Yurts tour
Accommodation, guides, transport included.
Kyrgyzstan from Lakes to Yurts tour Highlights
This 7-day group tour takes you from Issyk-Kul to the yurt camps of Tash Rabat and Song-Kol Lake in the Tien Shan. Kyrgyzstan impresses with its variety of landscapes, mountain panoramas and alpine lakes, and its people still keep many traditions of nomadic life. After a city tour of Bishkek the route follows the Great Silk Road to the Burana Tower and on to Issyk-Kul, the second largest alpine lake in the world, with the open-air petroglyphs of Cholpon-Ata.
From Karakol, with its pagoda-style Dungan Mosque and wooden Orthodox church, you follow the south shore past the red Seven Bulls rocks of Jeti-Oguz and the colorful Skazka (Fairy-Tale) Canyon to a village guesthouse in Bokonbaevo, where an optional eagle hunting demonstration can be arranged.
Via Naryn the road leads south towards the Chinese border to the mysterious stone caravanserai of Tash Rabat at about 3,200 m, and then over the Moldo-Ashuu Pass to Song-Kol Lake (3,016 m), the best summer pasture of the Kyrgyz herders. Two nights in traditional yurts let you feel like a real nomad before the drive back to Bishkek past Kochkor and the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir.
Difficulty: Easy Sightseeing with short walks only (Jeti-Oguz gorge, Skazka Canyon). Long drives on four days (260–400 km, 5–7 hours), partly on mountain roads over passes above 3,000 m. Two nights in yurt camps at about 3,000 m (Tash Rabat and Song-Kol), where nights are cold even in summer.
Tour Itinerary
Arrival in Bishkek and transfer from Manas International Airport to the city (about 40 km, 30–40 minutes). Check in at the hotel (early check-in is not included) and take some time to rest. Later in the morning the sightseeing tour of the Kyrgyz capital begins: the monument to the national hero Manas, the changing of the guard of honor, the State Historical Museum, the Kurmanjan Datka and Lenin statues, the main Ala-Too Square with the government buildings, Oak Park and the Fine Art Gallery. The city tour ends at Victory Square. Overnight at the hotel in Bishkek.
Bishkek, Ala Too Square, Bishkek Oak Park, Bishkek Victory Square
- Manas International Airport → Bishkek (40 km)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
- Shower: Yes
- Toilet: Private (in the room)
- Internet: Wi-Fi
After breakfast we leave the city for the countryside. The first stop is the Burana Tower, an ancient minaret 12 km from the town of Tokmok. It stands on the site of Balasagun, a town of strategic importance on the Great Silk Road. A small museum shows finds from the excavations, and next to the tower stands a collection of balbals – old Turkic gravestones. Then we continue to Issyk-Kul. Of tectonic origin, it is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America: 182 km long, 58 km wide and up to 668 m deep, with water temperatures of 20–23 °C in summer. Enjoy the changing landscapes on the way. In Cholpon-Ata we visit the famous open-air petroglyph site, then drive on along the lake to Karakol, with a short stop on the shore for a swim. Evening arrival in Karakol and check-in at the hotel. The drive is about 400 km (6–7 hours).
Burana Tower, Issyk-Kul Lake, Cholpon Ata petroglyphs museum, Cholpon Ata, Karakol
- Bishkek → Karakol (400 km)
Overnight: Karakol (Hotel)
- Shower: Yes
- Toilet: Private (in the room)
- Internet: Wi-Fi
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning we explore Karakol. 12 km outside the town we visit the memorial museum of Nikolai Przhevalsky, the great Russian explorer of the Asian continent. In town you see the Dungan Mosque, built in the style of a Chinese pagoda and still in use today, and the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, built of wood without a single nail. Its iconostasis holds the famous Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God, painted in 1897. After the city tour we drive along the south shore of Issyk-Kul. The first stop is the Jeti-Oguz gorge for a short hike. Jeti-Oguz means "Seven Bulls" in Kyrgyz. Unlike the Fairy-Tale Canyon, this picturesque gorge has mountains covered with Tien Shan spruce. At its entrance you see the famous Broken Heart rock, and a walk up to the viewpoint reveals the Seven Bulls rocks – your guide tells you the legend behind the name. In Soviet times a sanatorium was built in the gorge, where people came for radon-water treatments; even cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin, came here to recover. We continue along the south shore to the Kadji-Sai area for a walk in the Skazka (Fairy-Tale) Canyon, then drive on to Bokonbaevo village. Accommodation and dinner at the guesthouse. The drive is about 180 km (3 hours).
Przhevalsky Museum, Karakol Dungan Mosque, Karakol Orthodox cathedral, Jeti Oguz, Kadji-Sai, Skazka Canyon, Bokonbaevo
- Karakol → Bokonbaevo (180 km)
Overnight: Bokonbaevo (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Optional in the morning: meet a local eagle hunter near Bokonbaevo for a demonstration of hunting with and training birds of prey. Today we head south via the town of Naryn to the Kara-Koyun gorge and the Tash Rabat caravanserai. Naryn is a long, narrow town along the Naryn River, the main source of the Syr Darya and one of the largest rivers in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. About 90% of its population is Kyrgyz – more than in any other town in the country. We make a short stop to see the Central Blue Mosque and the small central square. Then we drive further south towards the Chinese border, turn into the Kara-Koyun gorge and reach the yurt camp. The Tash Rabat caravanserai stands at about 3,200 m above sea level, not far from the Torugart border crossing to China. Its origin is a mystery, but it may have been built in the 10th century. Some researchers think it was a Nestorian monastery, others a resting place for trade caravans or a defensive post – most likely it served different purposes in different eras. Dinner and overnight at the yurt camp. The drive is about 360 km (5–6 hours).
Bokonbaevo, Naryn, Tash Rabat
- Bokonbaevo → Tash Rabat (360 km)
Overnight: Tash Rabat (Yurt camp)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
In the morning we visit the Tash Rabat caravanserai, close to the camp. After the excursion we drive back to Naryn and on to Song-Kol Lake over the Moldo-Ashuu Pass, arriving in the afternoon. The alpine Song-Kol Lake lies in the Tien Shan at 3,016 m. In summer its shores are considered the best jailoo (summer pasture) in Kyrgyzstan, where herders from Kochkor, Naryn and the Jumgal region graze their livestock. The road to the lake crosses windy mountain passes that seem to vanish into the sky, and the name Song-Kol is translated as "last lake". Accommodation in a comfortable local yurt camp, where you can feel like a real nomad and get to know Kyrgyz culture. The yurt is the traditional dwelling of the nomads of Central Asia: a wooden frame covered with several layers of felt, quick to set up and practical for herders, and decorated inside with felt carpets and traditional embroidery. Dinner and overnight at the yurt camp. The drive is about 260 km (5 hours).
Tash Rabat, Naryn, Moldo-Ashuu Pass, Song-Kul Lake
- Tash Rabat → Song-Kul Lake (260 km)
Overnight: Song-Kul Lake (Yurt camp)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast we drive back to Bishkek. The long drive crosses the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass, passes Kochkor village and the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir, and continues over the Kuvaky Pass and through the Boom Gorge to the Chuy Valley. In Bishkek you still have time for unfinished business or to buy souvenirs and gifts for your family and friends. Overnight at the hotel in Bishkek. The drive is about 360 km (6–7 hours).
Kalmak-Ashuu Pass, Kochkor, Orto Tokoy Reservoir, Boom Gorge, Bishkek
- Song-Kul Lake → Bishkek (360 km)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
- Shower: Yes
- Toilet: Private (in the room)
- Internet: Wi-Fi
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel, then group or individual transfer to Manas International Airport (about 30 km, 40 minutes) for your flight home. The guide does not accompany the tour on this day.
Manas International Airport
- Bishkek → Manas International Airport (30 km)
Meals: Breakfast
What's included
Included
- Accommodation on a double/twin sharing basis – 6 nights (3 in 3* hotels, 1 in a guesthouse, 2 in yurt camps with 2 persons per yurt)
- Meals as listed in the itinerary: 6 breakfasts and 3 dinners
- Entrance tickets and ecological fees according to the program
- Transport according to the program from the start to the finish in Bishkek, including the airport transfers (jeep for 1–3 travelers, Mercedes Sprinter for 4 or more)
- English-speaking guide on days 1–6 (no guide on day 7)
- Mineral water (1 liter per person per day)
Not included
- International flights
- Single supplement (80 USD per person, single rooms in the hotels only)
- Early check-in at the hotel in Bishkek on day 1
- Lunches and other meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional eagle hunting demonstration near Bokonbaevo
- Tips for the guide and driver
- All personal expenses
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Where you'll stay
-
Night 1
Bishkek
B Hotel or similar
-
Night 2
Karakol
Green Yard Hotel or similar
-
Night 3
Bokonbaevo
Guesthouse in Bokonbaevo or similar
-
Night 4
Tash Rabat
Yurt camp at Tash Rabat or similar
-
Night 5
Song-Kul Lake
Yurt camp at Song Kol or similar
-
Night 6
Bishkek
B Hotel or similar
Good to know
- Group size: The tour runs on fixed dates from 1 participant, with no upper limit on the group size.
- Transport: Groups of 1–3 travelers travel by jeep, groups of 4 or more by Mercedes Sprinter minibus.
- Single rooms: The single supplement covers single rooms in the hotels only; in the yurt camps 2 persons share one yurt.
- Arrival day: Early check-in at the hotel in Bishkek is not included, but there is time to rest before the city tour starts.
Kyrgyzstan travel information
Practical essentials for travelling in Kyrgyzstan. Open a topic to read more.
Visa policy
Find your country from the list and check possible visa requirements for Kyrgyzstan before booking.
The official currency is the Kyrgyz som (KGS). Bishkek has plenty of ATMs, but outside the larger towns and the northern shore of Issyk-Kul cash is how almost everything is paid.
ATMs and cards
Some ATMs in Bishkek dispense US dollars as well as som. Beyond the capital, ATMs are found in the few largest towns but mostly not in smaller ones, except on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. Mastercard works in all ATMs, but Visa is still the more widely accepted card. Demirbank's red ATMs have lately been the best option for foreign cards, with moderate fees.
Exchanging money
Exchange offices in the major cities change US dollars, euros and roubles into som. Notes must be clean, fresh and without any signs of wear. Exchange offices prefer larger notes from 50 USD and 50 EUR, and sometimes give a better rate for them.
Paying by card
Cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, large supermarkets and some museums in Bishkek and Osh, and occasionally even in taxis. Elsewhere, apart from the northern shore of Issyk-Kul, paying by card is not practical.
Kyrgyzstan is generally safe for travellers and tourism is growing fast, but the usual precautions matter.
Documents
Always carry your passport or a notarised copy. Without proper identification you can be detained by the police.
In towns
- Robberies, some of them violent, and thefts happen especially in crowded places such as the bazaars. Take care after dark.
- Sexual harassment has been reported on public transport. Avoid walking or travelling alone, especially at night.
- Book taxis in advance from established services.
- Stay away from crowds and demonstrations.
- Watch where you step: some streets have large holes and pavements are often uneven.
Laws and customs
- Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religious practices.
- Possessing or using narcotics is strictly prohibited.
- Do not photograph anything related to the armed forces or security services.
- Same-sex relationships are legal but not widely discussed or publicly recognised.
Border areas
Smuggling makes the southern border zones with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan unstable and best avoided.
Kyrgyzstan is visa-free for travellers from many countries. Others can apply for an electronic visa or through an embassy.
Visas
For a tourist visa, most passport holders need an invitation letter from a tourism company. Kyrgyzstan has had an electronic visa system since 1 September 2017.
Border regions
Visiting border regions requires a special permit.
The best times to visit Kyrgyzstan's lower areas are May–June and September. In the high mountains, July and August are best.
Lower areas: May–June and September
In late spring and early autumn the valleys, Issyk-Kul's shores and the towns are green or golden, days are pleasant rather than hot and there are fewer visitors.
High mountains: July and August
This is when the high pastures, yurt camps and mountain passes are open, and trekking and horse-riding routes that are under snow the rest of the year can be reached. Days in the valleys can reach about 30°C, and nights at altitude can still be close to freezing. Summer is also the time of festivals celebrating Kyrgyz traditions.
Winter
Winters in the highlands are long and close the high passes, but it is still a captivating season. Hiking, horse riding and skiing are all possible, and yurt stays are available too.
Healthcare in Kyrgyzstan is basic and medical facilities are scarce, so comprehensive medical and travel insurance is essential.
Medicines
If you rely on regular medication, bring enough for the whole trip: it can be hard or expensive to find locally.
Insurance
Arrange comprehensive medical and travel insurance before you arrive. A serious accident or illness may mean emergency air evacuation to a neighbouring country.
Food and water
Treat tap water and other local water as contaminated and boil it before drinking; bottled water is the safest choice throughout your stay. Be careful with unpasteurised dairy and other animal products.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations against polio and tuberculosis are recommended before entering the country, and others may also be advisable. Ask your doctor or travel clinic.
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