5 days winter horse riding tour to Son Kul

Let’s explore the country! This morning you will drive to Kyzart village. The drive time is five hours, so you will arrive in the village by the lunchtime. Before you will get on your horse, you have a lunch in local guesthouse. After a brief demonstration of horse riding from your guide, you will set off on journey on horse towards to Kilemche pasture. As you will leave the village behind, follow the trail as it gradually climbs up the west bank of the stream of Chaar-Archa river. Then you will break off to the right towards the valley of Kilemche – a summer pasture of the local nomads.

After your arrival and cup of tea, get ready to enjoy the smooth atmosphere of the valley with a sweeping views. Keep your camera handy to catch beautiful sunset over the mountains. Release the horses for overnight with your guide and go for the dinner at boz-ui – a traditional dwelling of the nomad Kyrgyz people.

Fast facts: 280 km ttansfer – 4-5 h. 18 km of horse riding – 4-5 hours. Overnight at yurt

After breakfast in Kilemche, you will continue the journey on horse towards to Jalgyz-Karagai pass (3400 m) on the way to Song-Kol Lake. The pass provides a great panoramic view to both – Song-Kol lake and Kilemche valley on other side. After a while enjoying the view and giving a break for the horses, the ride continues across grassy hills, home to grazing herds of sheep, goat, horse, and cattle. 

In the warm summer months, nomad families will be busy with daily chores including milking cows and horses. You will arrive in yurt camp by the lake for lunch and fuel up with a hearty lunch before hitting the road again. You will have about two hours more of horse riding on the trail by the lake until you reach the Tuz-Ashuu pasture, where the local shepherd’s family will cordially welcome you with a bowl of kymyz – a national Kyrgyz drink made from horse milk. 

The remainder of the day you will spend with the family watching their daily life. For hiking lovers, the valley is a great place to stroll over the mountains around.

Fast facts: 23 km of horse riding – 6-7 hours. Overnight at yurt

Take some extra time to enjoy the scenery of Song-Kol lake before you start the journey. With mountains in the background, the lake looks even more beautiful in the morning sunlight. 

Once you get on your horse again, choose the upper trail for better views of the lake and make your way towards Kara-Kiya pass. From here, the ride is fairly moderately strenuous as you will descend towards the village, then spend the last hours of smooth riding until you will reach the village. 

On arrival, you will have a lunch at guesthouse and continue your journey east driving to Bokonbayevo village, taking in stunning views of Ysyk-Kol Lake and enormous mountains of Terskey-Ala-Too. In the village of Bokonbaev, you’ll meet eagle hunter for eagle hunting show.

The last stop of the day is Skazka (Fairy-Tale canyons). The red and yellow cliffs here, towering above a lunar-like landscape, are immense, and the area is perfect for some easy hiking. After you will check-in at the guesthouse, you can rest until dinner.

Fast facts: 20 km of horse riding – 4-5 hours. 250 km transfer – 5 h. Overnight at guesthouse.

After a 40-minute drive to Tuura-Suu village in the morning, it’s time to hit the trails on horseback. Start with a ride along the river – a quiet, crystal clear water with a stony bottom and a backdrop of rolling mountain peaks. From there, follow the trail up to Karaly-Archa (2900m) pass with a majestic view of Ysyk-Kol Lake and snow-cupped Teskei-Ala-Too mountains on the other side. 

After picnic and rest, continue your trek to Boz-Salkyn pasture where yurts sit on calm valley surrounded by the forest. Here, you’ll overnight at a yurt. And if you want to see sunset? Boz-Salkyn is a great place to see sunset over Ysyk-Kol Lake.

Fast facts: 21 km of horse riding – 5-6 hours. Overnight at yurt

Following your trip itinerary, grab your whip and start your last horse riding day.  Today’s trail takes you to Shatyly viewpoint with a majestic view of Ysyk-Kol Lake surrounded by the canyons, villages and snow-capped mountains on the horizon. Afterward, you’ll drive back to the village for lunch in guesthouse.

Finish up your Kyrgyzstan experience with a driving day back to the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek city. The last stop on your travel map is an archaeological and architectural complex “Burana Tower”, registered on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. Founded in the 11th century, the Burana tower was the minaret of a mosque in the city of Balasagun, the capital of the once largest empire – Khara-Khanid Khanate of local Turkic-speaking tribes in Central Asia. While except of the tower none of the original city stands above ground today, there is a museum onsite that explains the history of this important site and showcases some of the archaeological discoveries. Take a tour of the ruins in the surrounding hills and then visit the top of the tower with a view of Chui Valley.

After arriving in Bishkek in the late evening, your guide will take you for farewell dinner.

Fast facts: 10 km of horse riding – 3-4 hours. 270 km – 4-5 h.