Walnut Harvest Tour
Accommodation, guides, transport included.
Walnut Harvest Tour Highlights
Every year from September to October, Arslanbob residents leave their homes and head up to the largest natural-grown walnut forest in the world to harvest the ripe walnuts. For the next two months, most Arslanbob resident families live in modest tents, mud huts and towed wagons, like their families have done for hundreds of years, to collect and clean the precious walnuts.
During this trip, you can learn about walnut harvesting, cleaning methods, and walnut oil production. In addition to the walnut forest, you observe diverse scenery and nature of Southern Kyrgyzstan, from the low altitude Fergana Valley to the high alpine valleys and huge Chon Alay mountain range.
This tour can be also organized starting in Bishkek and ending in Osh and also with the return trip included.
Difficulty: Easy This tour requires normal physical condition. There will be some walking in easy and moderate terrains. The pace of this tour is relaxing. There is plenty of time to focus on what you are interested in and even to make some extra stops on the way.
Tour Itinerary
We will pick you up from the Osh airport and drive you to your hotel in Osh. You can rest and have some free time exploring the town, for example the Sulaiman Too mountain and the local bazar along the river. Dinner at 19:00
Osh, Sulaiman Too
Overnight: Osh (Hotel)
Meals: Dinner
Breakfast at 7:30. At 8 in the morning we depart to Sary Mogul. Sary Mogul is located at 3 200 meters above sea level and surrounded by towering snow-capped Pamir Alay mountains in the distance. Along the way, you can see multicolored alpine meadows and gorges. We will stop for lunch on the way. Dinner at 19:30 and overnight at the Sary Mogul guest house.
Sary-Mogol
- Osh → Sary-Mogol
Overnight: Sary-Mogol (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast at 7.30. In the morning, right from the homestay yard, you can observe Peak Lenin 7134 meters above sea level, if the sky is clear. Today you will visit the stunning lakes of Tulpar Kol. You can have a light hike around the lakes and even see the Lenin peak base camps on the other side of a gorge. Lunch break and free time till 17:00, then back to the guest house to have dinner at 19:00.
Tulpar-Kol Lake
- Sary-Mogol → Sary-Mogol
Overnight: Sary-Mogol (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we will start the long journey to the world's largest natural walnut forest called Arslanbob. On the way, we will stop to have lunch. Upon arrival, we will change our car to the local Soviet jeep to visit the remarkable forest full of walnut and fruit trees. In the evening we will return to the local guesthouse to have a delicious dinner with our host family.
Arslanbob
- Sary-Mogol → Arslanbob
Overnight: Arslanbob (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast at 8:00. The day will start with sightseeing: visiting small and big Arslanbob's waterfalls. Then we will meet with locals to see how they harvest walnuts and learn about the walnut harvest processes. Lunch will be prepared in the forest by the locals. In the evening, we arrive back to the guest house to have dinner and overnight.
Arslanbob
Overnight: Arslanbob (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast at 7:00 and preparing for departure to Toktogul town. Along the way, you will enjoy unrepeatable agricultural fields and colorful hills and mountains. Accommodation in Toktogul guest house and dinner at 19:30.
- Arslanbob → Toktogul
Overnight: Toktogul (Guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Breakfast at 7:30. From Toktogul we will continue the journey to Bishkek through the Suusamyr valley. You will enjoy picturesque views of the high mountains and alpine meadows. We will stop on the way to have lunch. Check-in to the hotel in Bishkek. Free time, you can see for example the Osh bazaar, which is a good place to buy some authentic souvenirs. Farewell dinner at 19:00.
Bishkek, Osh Bazaar (Bishkek)
- Toktogul → Bishkek
Overnight: Bishkek (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast in the morning and departure to Manas airport.
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
- Accommodation
- 3 meals per day
- Transportation
- Guide Service
- Folklore show
Not included
- Personal expenses
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Where you'll stay
-
Night 1
Osh
-
Nights 2–3
Sary-Mogol
-
Nights 4–5
Arslanbob
-
Night 6
Toktogul
-
Night 7
Bishkek
Travel options
It is also possible to organize this tour starting from Bishkek (by car through the Suusamyr Valley) and to fly back to Bishkek at the end of the tour, or to fly both ways to save time. If these options are not ideal for you, please contact us and we will adjust the itinerary.
This tour can also be organized outside the walnut harvesting season, from May to September, with a shorter stay in Arslanbob.
What to bring
- Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
- Warm clothes
- Rain clothes
- Sunscreen
- Cap for the sun and sunglasses
- Personal medications
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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