Your Itinerary
DAY 1 - WELCOME TO BISHKEK
Your private driver and local guide will give you a warm welcome when you arrive in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. This city lies at the foot of snow-capped mountains and you will go on a guided sightseeing tour, visiting the main sights of the city. See the main square called Ala Too (formerly known as Lenin Square) where you can watch the guard changing ceremony before moving onto the State History Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and Frunze House Museum. Frunze was the famous Bolshevik general after whom the city was named until Kygyz independence in 1991. You will also walk around the open-air art gallery in Oak Park and visit Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar
DAY 2 - WALKS IN ALA ARCHA NATIONAL PARK
Ala-Archa National park is situated south of Bishkek at an altitude of between 1600-4800m and as you can imagine, the scenery is stunning. Today, take a full day excursion into the mountains to Ala Archa National Park, with a mountain picnic. This is an area of great scenic beauty with green valleys, fir forests and high glaciers. Your guide will take you on walks along pristine trails by streams and waterfalls with magnificent views over Ala Archa Canyon. Return to Bishkek where you stay overnight.
DAY 3 - EXPERIENCE CHON KEMIN VALLEY
Leaving the busy city of Bishkek, drive overland with your guide to Burana Tower Historical complex near Tokmok, to stop and visit the minaret and ancient stone memorials. Continue to the stunning Chon Kemin Valley where you will spend the night and enjoy a cooking class. Along the gorges of Kyrgyz Ala-Too, in the Chon-Kemin valley, light forests of spruce, juniper, birch, maple and mountain ash are found. In the afternoon take a guided walking tour around the village to meet the local people and learn about their traditional village life – preparing food and tending to their cattle. Next head to the Kalmak Ashu gorge for a hiking trip or enjoy horseback riding (optional) through the beautiful Chon Kemin Valley and Kol Say Valley.
DAY 4 - SCENIC DRIVE TO TEPKE VILLAGE
Today’s drive is breath-taking as you follow eastern part of Lake Issy Kul with beautiful lake and mountain views. Along the way stop to see petroglyphs near Cholpon Ata with ancient drawings on the stones of ibex, goat and hunters. Carry on to the small village Tepke where you will spend the night at Reina Kench Eco-Farm. Go on a guided tour of the farm with its unique botanical garden, apple orchards, and horse stables – you will be able to see first hand what makes Kyrgyz horses so different. This evening a local family will prepare a flavoursome home cooked dinner, using mostly their own produce grown on site.
DAY 5 - RUSSIAN TOWN & BOKONBEYEVO VILLAGE
Leaving Tepke, drive along the edge of Lake Issyk Kul to the small town of Karakol. Explore the backstreets full of Russian Style cottages, the Chinese Dungan Mosque, Holy Trinity Cathedral built all of wood in 1985 and walk around the main bazaar. Next stop is the Skazka Canyon, a canyon filled with fantastical sandstone shapes which is known locally as Fairytale Canyon. Continue driving to your yurt camp located by Bokonbeyevo village
DAY 6 - KYRGYZ CULTURE & LAKE ISSY KUL
Today, explore the lesser visited southern shores of Lake Issyk Kul – a real highlight of your trip. Begin your day meeting with a local eagle hunter who will explain the importance of these majestic animals to nomadic survival and demonstrate the art of using these splendid raptors to catch hares and other small mammals. Later, visit a family run felt workshop in Bokonbayevo, where you will learn about this important craft in Kyrgyz culture. Finish the day with a trip to Barskoon Gorge where you can enjoy time relaxing in the gorge or walk to the waterfalls which are surrounded by dense forest of Tien Shan fir trees and high spruce trees.
DAY 7 - JOURNEY TO SON KUL LAKE
After breakfast drive through picturesque mountains to Son Kul Lake, stopping along the way in Kochkorka village to visit a small museum. On arrival in Son Kul Lake you will stay in a yurt, the traditional home of Kyrgyz nomads. Overnight in a basic yurt camp.
DAY 8 - ALPINE LAKES, MOUNTAINS & TRADITIONAL LIFE
Son Kul Lake is a mountain lake in the Central Tian Shan Range and is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan, lying at an altitude of 3016m above sea level with a total area of an incredible 275 sq km. Spend the morning exploring either on foot or horseback. There is plenty to see aside from the spectacular scenery, there are yurts in the summer pastures and you will have an opportunity to witness traditional Kyrgyz life. Visit a local family in their yurt and you may even help with the milking or making a batch of Kykyz which is a dairy product similar to Kefir. In the afternoon relax or continue exploring before finishing the day by an open fire beneath the stars.
DAY 9 - OVERLAND TO BISHKEK
This morning leave with your local guide and driver on a road trip through a huge landscape which will take up most of the day, as you drive north from quiet Son Kol to the relative metropolis of Bishkek through the vast Ala Too mountain range.
DAY 10 - DEPART BISHKEK
This morning we will ensure you are taken to the airport in plenty of time for your international flight.
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This itinerary costs from £1990 per person B&B based on 2 sharing and including all private transfers but not international flights.
You can get flights from as little as £570 per person return and do ask us for advice. Alternatively we can book the flights for you but a booking fee may apply.
What's included?
INCLUDED:
- Prices start from £1990 per person
- 9 nights accommodation on B&B basis
- Accompanied by an English speaking guide throughout.
- Private vehicle and transfers
- All entrance fees for excursions
- Lunch on Days 2, 7 & 8
- Dinner on Days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8
- Local taxes
- Meals for guides and drivers
- All trips are ATOL protected or ABAT bonded to you are financially protected
