Trekking, on foot and on horse

Your driver will pick you up at the airport and drive you to your hotel, where you can rest.

We stop to visit the ruins of the Burana Minaret, a Jami mosque destroyed in the 13th century during invasions. The monument is rich in history, archeological findings and legends, and belongs to the Unesco world heritage. We can climb at the top of the tower to get a beautiful view on the valley and the mountains. We’ll also visit the museum on site.

We arrive in the green Chon Kemin Valley, a natural park rich with an impressive diversity of landscapes: pine forests, pastures, gorges, glaciers and lakes. We go for a short walk in the surroundings to enjoy this calm environment. We’ll get to watch how Kyrgyz women make the traditional felt rug, shyrdak.

We start our horse adventure and gallop through fields, before getting into the Toru-Aygyr Gorge. We enter into a forest of pines and streams. Then, we slowly gain in altitude towards a pass.

Today, we climb this pass, which gives us a splendid view on the snowy mountains of Ala Too. We have lunch, and head towards the glacial lake of Kol Tor, at 3000m altitude. We set our camp on the shores of the lake for the night.

We get back on our horses towards Jeltyibes, via the Kol Tor Pass (2200m). We cross a river, and meet a few shepherds who came here with their herds for the summer. On our way, we’ll have a beautiful view point on the Issyk-Kul Lake.

In Jeltyibes, we say goodbye to our team, before driving to the village of Tamchy, where we’ll be able to rest and relax near the lake shore for the rest of the day.

We get back on the road towards the village of Kochkor, known for its local development initiatives. We visit a felt fabric held by local women who make traditional felt rugs, the shyrdak, and other handicrafts.

In the evening, we’ll get to see a traditional Kyrgyz music concert. The program includes the performance of a Manaschi, as well as national instruments and songs.

Early in the morning, we drive to the small village of Isakaev where our hike will start. We meet our local guide, who will accompany us on this two-day trek.

After putting our equipment on the horses, who will carry it, we start walking on a small trail. We walk through fields, cross a few small streams, until we finally gain in altitude. New landscape appears before us, rocky, mountainous, and less green. On the way, we’ll see herds in the jailoos.

The last hour of our hike is more difficult: we have to climb up a pass at 3000 m (9842 ft) to arrive at the lake.

Finally, we get to see the Kol Ukok Lake, whose turquoise water contrasts with the rest of the landscape.

We settle in our yurt camp for the night.

Those who want will have the possibility to hike to another small lake, the Kol Tor Lake, at around 3500 m altitude. We’ll leave at dawn for a hike of 3 hours total (to and back).

We follow the river until reaching a stone heap. The trail becomes steeper, with tall grass. Be careful if it has rained recently, it could be slippery.

We reach this beautiful lake after about one hour of hiking.

Then we hike back down to Kochkor.

We arrive in small village, where we’ll settle in our guest house and enjoy a well-deserved rest. Free evening.

We arrive on the shores of Son Kul Lake. This huge alpine lake is an important water reserve in Kyrgyzstan. Nestled in the celestial mountains, it is located at 3016 m (9895 ft) above sea level. Its crystal clear water changes colors depending on the weather, which can change every hour. The lake takes on blue, turquoise and sometimes even orange colors. It hosts nomadic shepherds and their herds in the warm months of summer.

Day 9

You can enjoy the day, relax, and discover the daily life of our host family. You might be lucky enough to attend the production of Kumys, the local mare milk, or see how shepherds gather their herds.

We leave after breakfast to discover the lake on a horse.

During the day we will have the chance to witness the preparation of a traditional dish, an opportunity to get hands-on and discover new flavors.

We’ll go for a short hike in the Konorchek Canyons, a gorge with towering red, orange and yellow rocks similar to the Grand Canyon. You’ll be impressed and intimidated by the heights of the rock formations.

We leave the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, where we met a generous culture, and go back to Bishkek. Drop-off at your hotel, where you’ll be able to relax.

We visit the Osh Bazar, one of the most fascinating markets in Kyrgyzstan. Enjoy the colors and the smells coming from stands of dry fruits and spices. You can also buy a few traditional souvenirs to bring home.

Walk on the Ala Too Square in the center of Bishkek. Meeting place for Bishkek’s youth, it comes alive every evening with families and friends who come here to relax. It’s also an important historical place, since it hosted several revolutions.