Issyk Kul & Son Kul Tour

You will start to explore Kyrgyzstan with a drive towards Karakol city in the eastern part of Isssyk Kol Lake. As we make your way east out of Bishkek, we stop to visit the famous archaeological and architectural complex “Burana Tower“. Here you will learn about the history of the renaissance of Islamic culture during the Khara-Khanid Khanate that was a powerful state of Turkic tribes in Central Asia during the X-XII centuries. 

Then you will have a lunch at a local authentic café with a local famous food called “kattama”. We then continue our trip to the city of Karakol. After our arrival early in the evening, we check in to our yurt accommodation and spend the remainder of the day relaxing in Aksu hot springs near Karakol. The best way to finish the day is swimming in the geothermal springs. The first day will finish with a meal at a local restaurant.

Early in the morning, we leave Karakol behind and travel to the west along the shore of Ysyk-Kol Lake. Your destination for today is village of Bokonbaevo which is located on the south shore of the lake. On the way, you will visit the most beautiful places of the southern part of the lake:
• Jety-Oguz. The Jety-Oguz is one of the most gorgeous sites in Kyrgyzstan, a rich valley home to many impressive waterfalls and canyons. It is also a national zoological reserve, where many species of animals and birds live.
• Barskoon Gorge. Barskoon Gorge (also Barskaun) is one of the most beautiful gorges on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, famous for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests.
• Skazka canyons. Skazka canyons offer beautiful colors of red, yellow and ochre. Also called the Fairy Tale Canyons, they are made of a sequence of colored cliffs, nestled between high mountains and the largest alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan.
By the lunchtime, we will arrive in a local guesthouse for lunch and will then continue the drive towards the mountains to have a short hike to Shatyly Panorama from where you will have a great view of whole Ysyk-Kol Lake. Once back at the guesthouse, we can rest until dinner.

We start this day with an eagle hunting show organized by the local hunters. After an explanation of aspects of eagles hunting, you will see eagle hunting a rabbit. You will have a long but memorable driving day. You will stop for lunch at cafe on the way then continue driving to Son-Kol lake through Kalmak-Ashuu pass (3400 m). 

Son Kul is the second largest lake after Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan and the largest one with fresh water. Song-Kol lake sits at the height of 3016 m and it is surrounded by 3500 m peaks and yurts, which belong to herders from the nearby villages. When you arrive in the evening, check into your yurt accommodations and spend the remainder of the day walking on the shore at your leisure. Get ready to spend your first night at boz-ui, a traditional yurt of the Kyrgyz People.

Today we will have a smooth horse ride by the lake. In the morning, you will get on your horse and start riding towards the gently sloped mountains. The horse trail will bring you to Kerege-Tash mountains where you will have a panoramic view to whole Song-Kol lake. After a while enjoying the view and giving a break for the horses, we will slowly descent to the shore of Song-Kol lake where we will stop for some photos with the horses. 

Then we will continue riding towards yurt camp and enjoy a smooth riding alongside the lake. After lunch, we will say goodbye to the host family in Song-Kol lake and drive to remote, beautiful Kyzyl-Oi village through Tuz-Ashuu pass. After some photos on the pass, we will head further into Suusamyr valley driving along the Kokomeren River. In the evening, we will eventually arrive in the village and have a rest before dinner. If the time allows, we will have a walk on the streets of this remote, authentic and hospitable village. Dinner and accomdation for the day is in a guesthouse.

After breakfast, we make our way back to Bishkek across the beautiful and fascinating Too-Ashuu pass (3360 m). With its serpentine road, the pass is truly an amazing. After a couple of minutes enjoying the view from the pass, we will drive down and go further through the gorge to Bishkek. 

Finally, we are in Bishkek and will have a lunch. On the second half of the day it’s time to explore the capital by visiting Osh bazaar for souvenir shopping and main square where you will learn political history of the Kyrgyz people who love democracy and freedom and who have had 3 revolutions over the last 15 years. We we will end the journey in a restaurant with farewell dinner with your guide.