Sary Chelek Horse ride tour
Accommodation, guides, transport included.
Sary Chelek Horse ride tour Highlights
Nestled in the north-western corner of Kyrgyzstan along the Kazakh border, the Talas Valley is revered as the birthplace of Kyrgyz cultural heritage. Its mountains, rivers and alpine pastures echo the legendary tales of Manas, Kyrgyzstan's greatest national hero, and the region is also the homeland of the celebrated 20th-century author Chingiz Aitmatov, whose literary legacy continues to inspire generations.
This 9-day private tour from Bishkek crosses the Talas Range on foot and on horseback to Lake Sary-Chelek: a journey through turquoise lakes, dramatic gorges and scenic mountain passes far removed from the modern world. Five days on the trail with horses, horsemen and a cook take you through Besh-Kel Gorge, over Sabator Pass and down to the village of Kashka-Suu before you reach the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve, one of the most stunning natural landmarks in Kyrgyzstan. The trek ends with a boat trip on the small Kara-Suu Lake and a night with a local family in Arkit village, and the drive back to Bishkek follows the Naryn River and the Toktogul Reservoir.
Difficulty: Moderate Five days of trekking and horse riding (7–12 km and 4–7 hours a day) at 2,000–3,200 m, with Sabator Pass at 3,800 m, and nights in tents. Long drives on day 2 (291 km plus 60 km off-road) and day 8 (520 km, about 7 hours). Normal physical condition is enough; the walking is on easy and moderate terrain.
Tour Itinerary
Upon arrival at Manas Airport, you are greeted and transferred to your hotel in Bishkek for check-in. Accommodation is in a comfortable 3* hotel. After settling in, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Bishkek. You visit Ala-Too Central Square, the State History Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, Oak Park, Osh Bazaar, the Philharmonia Concert Hall and other notable sites around the city. Meals are not included today.
Bishkek, Ala Too Square, Bishkek Oak Park, Osh Bazaar (Bishkek)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
After breakfast, depart at 09:00 for Talas town, traveling 291 km (about 5 hours) over the scenic Too-Ashuu Pass (3,125 m). Enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Suusamyr Valley along the way. In the afternoon, arrive in Talas town around 15:30. Here you change to a special mountain vehicle for the 60 km off-road transfer to the camp, located at an altitude of 1,968 m. Enjoy dinner at the camp and an overnight stay in comfortable camp cottages.
Suusamyr Valley, Talas
- Bishkek → Talas (291 km)
- Talas → Besh-Tash Valley (60 km)
Overnight: Besh-Tash Valley (Mountain lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, begin your trekking adventure along the Kurai-Aryk Range, with the trail reaching altitudes of 3,000–3,200 m. Enjoy the stunning mountain scenery as you make your way toward Besh-Kel Gorge. A lunch box is provided during the trek. Upon arrival at Besh-Kel Gorge, settle in at the tent camp. Dinner is served at the camp, followed by an overnight stay in tents. Trekking distance: 12 km / 6–7 hours.
Overnight: Tent camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), Dinner
After breakfast, continue the journey from Besh-Kel Gorge at an altitude of 2,400 m. The riding trail follows the river and winds through fir forests, offering breathtaking views along the way. In the evening, enjoy dinner and an overnight stay in a tent camp at the foot of Sabator Pass.
Overnight: Tent camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, set off on horseback to Sabator Pass at 3,800 m. The ride takes approximately 6 hours. Enjoy lunch at a spot called Shantor, where local people live, and take in the amazing panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. After lunch, continue riding toward Chat-Kargai, arriving at an altitude of 2,300 m. Enjoy dinner at the camp and an overnight stay in tents.
Overnight: Tent camping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, set off over Chat-Kargai at an altitude of 2,200 m. Along the way, you may have the chance to see wildlife such as ibex, golden eagles, Tien Shan bears, snow leopards, lynxes and many birds. The horse riding distance for the day is approximately 12 km and takes around 6 hours. In the evening, arrive at Kashka-Suu village, where you enjoy dinner and spend the night.
Overnight: Homestay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, ride on from Kashka-Suu toward Sary-Chelek Lake on a trail at altitudes between 2,000 and 2,300 m. The ride covers approximately 10 km and takes 4–5 hours on horseback. After lunch, continue to the small mountain lake Kara-Suu, where you enjoy a 30-minute boat trip. In the evening, visit a local family in Arkit village for dinner and the overnight stay – a wonderful opportunity to learn about local customs and traditions.
Sary Chelek, Kara-Suu Lake (Sary-Chelek), Arkit
- Sary Chelek → Arkit
Overnight: Arkit (Homestay)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, meet your driver, load all equipment and begin the drive back to Bishkek. The route follows the Naryn River, which forms the Toktogul Reservoir, offering magnificent scenic views along the way. The drive covers approximately 520 km and takes around 7 hours. In the evening, dinner at a local restaurant, followed by an overnight stay at a 3* hotel in Bishkek.
Toktogul Reservoir
- Arkit → Bishkek (520 km)
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast and transfer to Manas Airport for your departure.
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
- Transportation as mentioned in the program
- Accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- Meals as mentioned in the program
- Excursions and entrance fees as specified in the program
- Full board during the horse trek
- Letter of invitation for the Kyrgyz visa
- Horses for horse riding (5 days, including return)
- 2 horsemen for groups of up to 6 people (5 days, including return), including their meals
- Tents on a double-sharing basis during the horse trek
- Portage by horses to carry food and equipment
- All kitchen and dining utensils
- Cook during the riding trek
Not included
- International flights
- Kyrgyz visa
- Medical insurance (a valid policy with coverage of EUR 30,000 is required)
- Meals on day 1
- Alcoholic beverages
- Extra services at the hotel
- Early check-in at the hotel (charged as an extra night: 35 USD per person in a twin room)
- Sleeping bag and sleeping mat
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
3* hotel in Bishkek or similar
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Night 2
Besh-Tash Valley
Mountain camp (cottages) or similar
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Night 7
Arkit
Local family in Arkit village or similar
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Night 8
Bishkek
3* hotel in Bishkek or similar
Good to know
- Hotel check-in: Standard check-in time is 13:00 and check-out is 11:00. An early check-in is charged as an extra night (35 USD per person in a twin room).
- Single accommodation: Available in Bishkek only.
- Medical insurance: All travelers must have a valid medical insurance policy with coverage of EUR 30,000.
- Altitude: The altitudes on this program rarely cause problems, as the trekking is gentle and without major altitude differences. We recommend walking at a steady pace and staying well hydrated.
- Responsibility and safety: Participants should be aware of and accept the possible risks of personal injury. Trekkers are responsible for their own actions and involvement.
- Flexible program: The itinerary can be adjusted or individualized according to your interests, and shortened or extended depending on your travel dates.
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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