Kyrgyzstan Lake Tour
Accommodation, guides, transport included.
Kyrgyzstan Lake Tour Highlights
A private tour from Bishkek to Kyrgyzstan’s two great mountain lakes, Issyk-Kul and Song-Kol, with nomadic culture on the way.
You will see Issyk-Kul, the “Pearl of Central Asia” and one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, and the high Song-Kol Lake at about 3,016 m, where herders spend the summer with their families and you sleep in a yurt. On the way are the Ala-Archa gorge, the 11th-century Burana Tower, a horse ride in the Chon-Kemin valley and countless rivers, passes and mountain roads with views of glaciers.
From Bishkek the route follows the north shore of Issyk-Kul to the petroglyphs of Cholpon-Ata and through the Semenov and Grigoriev gorges to Karakol, with its Dungan mosque built without a single nail and an old wooden Orthodox church. The red rocks of Jeti-Oguz, a meeting with an eagle hunter near Bokonbaevo and a felt-carpet workshop in Kochkor complete the loop back to Bishkek over the serpentine “33 Parrots” pass.
The tour can easily be adapted to your wishes, from a shorter trip to up to 10 days, and shows such as a horse game, a boat trip on Issyk-Kul, an eagle hunting demonstration or a folklore show can be added.
Difficulty: Easy Mostly sightseeing by car, with drives of up to about 300–370 km a day (some on dirt roads to Song-Kol). A 3-hour horse ride in Chon-Kemin (no experience needed), optional short walks in Ala-Archa and Jeti-Oguz, and one night in a shared yurt at Song-Kol at about 3,016 m.
Tour Itinerary
Your guide picks you up at Manas International Airport and accompanies you to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, about a 30-minute drive away. In the morning you visit the Ala-Archa gorge, a national park on a spur of the Tien Shan, just 45 km from Bishkek – in Soviet times only VIPs were allowed to walk here. A short hike takes you to a panoramic view of the gorge before you return to Bishkek. The second half of the day is a guided tour of Bishkek with Victory Square, the Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, the Old Square, the National Philharmonic and other places of interest. Overnight in a hotel in Bishkek.
Ala Archa, Bishkek
- Manas International Airport → Bishkek (30 km)
- Bishkek → Ala Archa (45 km)
- Ala Archa → Bishkek (45 km)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
Today you drive to the Chon-Kemin gorge. On the way you visit the Burana Tower, an 11th-century minaret, and the open-air museum of balbals (stone warriors); you can climb to the top of the tower. In Chon-Kemin a friendly family welcomes you at the guesthouse where you spend the night. In the afternoon you go horse riding for about 3 hours. The trail climbs high into the mountains and even leads through a mountain forest; from the top you have a panoramic view of the gorge. No riding experience is needed. Overnight in a guesthouse.
Burana Tower, Chon Kemin
- Bishkek → Burana Tower (80 km)
- Burana Tower → Chon Kemin (95 km)
Overnight: Chon Kemin (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast
Today you travel to the celestial Issyk-Kul Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world at 1,608 m above sea level – 180 km long and 60 km wide, it is called “the Pearl of Central Asia”. On the way you stop at the ancient stone inscriptions of Cholpon-Ata, petroglyphs made by shamans more than 2,000 years ago. Then you drive through the picturesque Semenov and Grigoriev gorges. The two gorges are connected at their upper ends, so you drive in through one and out through the other. Along the northern shore of the lake you continue to the town of Karakol. Here you visit the Dungan mosque, built in Chinese style without a single metal nail, and the old wooden Orthodox church. Overnight in a hotel.
Issyk Kul Guide, Cholpon Ata petroglyphs museum, Semenov Gorge, Grigoriev Gorge, Karakol, Karakol Dungan Mosque, Karakol Orthodox cathedral
- Chon Kemin → Cholpon Ata petroglyphs museum (150 km)
- Cholpon Ata petroglyphs museum → Grigoriev Gorge (80 km)
- Grigoriev Gorge → Karakol (135 km)
Overnight: Karakol (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Today you drive to the Jeti-Oguz gorge, famous for its red rock formations called the Seven Bulls (Jeti-Oguz) and for the Broken Heart rock. If you like, you can walk up a hill (about 20 minutes) for a panoramic view of the gorge. The journey continues along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul to Bokonbaevo village, where you can meet a local eagle hunter who hunts hares and foxes with his eagle – a traditional nomadic way of hunting (the eagle hunting demonstration is an optional extra). In the evening you reach Kochkor. Overnight in a guesthouse.
Jeti Oguz, Bokonbaevo, Kochkor
- Karakol → Jeti Oguz (28 km)
- Jeti Oguz → Bokonbaevo (150 km)
- Bokonbaevo → Kochkor (140 km)
Overnight: Kochkor (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning you set off for Song-Kol, the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan and its highest large alpine lake, surrounded by mountains at about 3,016 m above sea level. Kyrgyz nomads come to this wonderful place with their families in summer, and the herders of the Naryn region use its shores as pastures. After your arrival you are free to explore and enjoy the untouched nature around the lake. Overnight in a yurt camp – the traditional collapsible dwellings of the nomads, built from a wooden frame covered with felt.
Kalmak-Ashuu Pass, Song Kul
- Kochkor → Song Kul (90 km)
Overnight: Song Kul (Yurt camp)
Meals: Breakfast
After saying goodbye to the herders you drive back towards Bishkek. The road leaves the lake over the “33 Parrots” pass (3,133 m), named after its many hairpin bends. In Kochkor a local family shows you how the Kyrgyz felt carpets (shyrdaks) are made, and you visit a small handicraft museum with silver jewellery, coats made of wolf fur, decorated horse saddles, carpets and more. Afterwards you are transferred to Bishkek. Overnight in a hotel.
Song Kul, Terskey-Torpok Pass (33 Parrots), Kochkor, Bishkek
- Song Kul → Kochkor (125 km)
- Kochkor → Bishkek (210 km)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Share this tour privately
Travelling alone or as a couple? Join other travellers who want to take this tour privately, or post your own request. The private price per person drops as the group grows.
No open requests for this tour yet. Post the first one and we'll show it here and on the group requests page.
What's included
Included
- Transport for the whole tour: Toyota Sequoia for 2 travelers, Mercedes Sprinter for 4–10 travelers, including the airport pick-up on day 1
- Accommodation as listed in the itinerary: 3* or 4* hotel in Bishkek, guesthouses in Chon-Kemin and Kochkor, a boutique hotel in Karakol and a yurt camp at Song-Kol (up to 4 people per yurt)
- Breakfast (days 2–6)
- English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees to all museums
- Mineral water during the tour
- Horse riding in the Chon-Kemin gorge (about 3 hours)
Not included
- Lunches and dinners – half board 90 USD or full board 180 USD per person for the whole tour
- Single rooms (single supplement 100 USD)
- Early check-in (55 USD, single 90 USD)
- Travel insurance
- Visa and visa support
- Optional shows: horse game (270 USD per group), 1-hour boat trip on Issyk-Kul (120 USD per group), eagle hunting demonstration (120 USD per group), folklore show (120 USD per group)
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Where you'll stay
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Night 1
Bishkek
Garden Spa Hotel or Plaza Hotel Bishkek or similar
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Night 2
Chon Kemin
Jekshen Guesthouse or similar
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Night 3
Karakol
Green Yard Hotel or similar
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Night 4
Kochkor
Mira Guesthouse or similar
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Night 5
Song Kul
Nomad’s Dream yurt camp or similar
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Night 6
Bishkek
Garden Spa Hotel or Plaza Hotel Bishkek or similar
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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