Kyrgyzstan Lake Tour

Kyrgyzstan Lake Tour

TOUR DETAILS

LAKE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

During the Kyrgyzstan Lake tour, you will visit the Issyk Kul, the second largest alpine lake in Central Asia, the famous Son Kul lake at the altitude of 3016 meters above sea level, where you will meet real nomads, Tash Rabat caravanserai, a medieval center of pilgrimage and trade and many other sites together with countless rivers, passes, roads with stunning views and mountains with glaciers.

The tour can be easily modified according to your preferences: from 4 days tour plus 1 day to 10 days. Moreover, the guide and food are given optimally as well as a variety of additional show programs such as horse game, steamboat, eagle hunting, and folklore show. 

Kyrgyzstan lake tour Issyk Kul
Kyrgyzstan Lake Tour Son Kul

Tour Itinerary

Your guide will pick you up at Manas International Airport and accompany you to the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, just a 30-minute drive from the airport. In the morning we will visit Ala Archa gorge. It is a Natural Park. At the Soviet Time only V.I.P. people had permission to go for a walk here. The Ala Archa gorge is on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is just 45 km from Bishkek. You can have a short hiking tour to see a panoramic view of the gorge. Afterwards we return to Bishkek.

The second half of the day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square, National Philharmonic, and many others places of interest. This overnight will be in a hotel.

Today you will be transferred to Chon Kemin gorge. On route to the gorge you will visit Burana Tower (an 11th century minaret) and an open air museum of Balbals (stone warriors). After an interesting excursion and climbing on the top of the tower is transfer to Chon Kemin gorge. Here you will meet a nice family in the guesthouse that you will overnight. 

In the afternoon we will have 3 hours of horse riding. Your route will go high in the mountains and you will even ride horses through a mountain forest. On the top you will see the panorama view of the gorge. The night will be in a guesthouse.

Today you will be transferred to the celestial Issyk Kul Lake, the second largest alpine lake in the world (1608 m above sea level). Its length is 180 km and it is 60 km wide. The lake is called “The pearl of Central Asia”. On the way, we will take a short break to give you the opportunity to visit ancient stone inscriptions (dating back to 800 B.C.). These petroglyphs were made more than 2000 years ago by shamans.

Then we will drive along Semenov gorge and Grigoriev gorge! These two picturesque gorges are connected at the end. It means you will start driving in at one gorge and will drive out through the other one!

Then we continue our way along the northern shore of the lake to the town of Karakol. You will visit the Dungan mosque. One of its highlights is the fact that it was built in a Chinese style without using a single metal nail. The mosque will be followed by a visit to an old wooden Orthodox Church. Night is in a hotel.

Today we will drive to Jeti Oguz gorge. It’s famous for its red rocks formations that have a name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. Also you will see there the Broken Heart Mountain. If you want it is possible to go on a top of a mountain (20 minutes) to see a panorama view of the gorge.

Then we continue our trip, breaking in Bokonbaeva village, where we will meet a local eagle-hunter. He hunts hares and foxes with the help of eagles (a traditional way of nomadic hunting). We will drive there along the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake to Kochkor and overnight there. Night is in a guesthouse. 

In the morning we start our drive to the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan – Son Kul Lake. This lake is surrounded by mountains and it is the highest alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan, situated at an
altitude of 3013 meters above sea level. Kyrgyz nomads started to come to this wonderful area with their families for rest and relaxation. Herders of the Naryn region come to the lake to use it
as a pastureland. 

After our arrival, you will be free to explore and enjoy the virgin nature of the lake and its surroundings. Overnight is in nomadic collapsible dwellings – yurts. They are made of a wooden skeleton, covered with felt coverings.

After meeting with locals, we will drive to the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek city. The road to the city goes through 33 parrots pass (3 133 m).

In Kochkor village you will spend some time with a family that will show you the way our national felt carpets are produced. Also you will visit a small handicraft museum there. They have many examples of silver decorations, coats made of wolves, horse saddle decorations, carpets and more. Afterwards you will be transferred to the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek city. Night is in a hotel.

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Book your tour here

If you would like to customize your tour please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are happy to organize a custom tour or to provide a modified itinerary based on one of the tours provided by the tour operators.

Kyrgyzstan travel information

Other Tours in Kyrgyzstan

Tour updated 27.1.2024

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