7 Day Discover the Nomadic Yurts and Horse Riding Holiday in Kyrgyzstan

Day 1: Bishkek city - National Park Ala Archa - Bishkek city

• Distances: 40 kilometers / 1 hour

Arrive at Bishkek early in the morning. Upon arrival at the International Airport Manas, you will be met by Ak Sai Travel guide at the arrival gates. Transfer to the city will take 30 - 40 minutes then check in to the hotel (early check-in is not included).

After a restful morning and breakfast at the hotel, you will drive around 40 kilometers out of Bishkek to Ala Archa National Park. It is a popular place for picnics, hikes, rock climbing, and alpinism. There are 20 glaciers in the territory of the park. The total area of the park is 200 square kilometers. Hike up to the Ak-Sai waterfall (2800 meters). (3.75 kilometers - 2.5 to 3 hours one way).

Have lunch in nature then head back to Bishkek. Embark on a sightseeing tour of Bishkek, which includes the Monument of Kyrgyz National hero Manas, and Kurmanjan Datka Monument. You will go on another sightseeing tour of the city comes to the end at Victory Square. After the excursion, you will go to ZUM (Central department store) to buy souvenirs.

• Dinner at a local restaurant
• Overnight in a local hotel
• Bishkek city: 800 meters
• Up: + 500 meters
• Down: - 500 meters
• Starting point: 2200 meters

Day 2: Bishkek city - Konorchek Canyon - Kyzart village

• Distances: 280 kilometers / 6-7 hours

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the village of Kyzart. En route three hours of trekking in the canyons of Konorchek, which are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon in Colorado, where you can admire unique landscapes - eolian castles. These sandstone rocks in the form of mysterious figures, nature have created by means of wind, rain, and sun. Some of them look like castles, animals, amazing arches, and even people.

All of these figures have a wonderful background - landscapes worth taking pictures of. These fabulous places are unique in their extraordinary formation at the base of red sandstone. Konorchek Canyon located 140 kilometers from Bishkek in the western part of the Boom Gorge.

Transfer to the homestay, upon arrival accommodation. You can have a walk in this typically Kyrgyz village (Kyzart). You will be provided with instructions and preparation for equestrian trekking. Dinner and overnight at the local homestay.

• Konorchek Canyon: 11 kilometers walk / approximately 3 hours (round trip)
• Up: + 300 meters
• Down: - 300 meters

Day 3: Kyzart - Chaar Archa - Tuz Ashuu (18 kilometers / 11 miles on horseback - approximately 6-7 hours)

Today, after breakfast, transfer by vehicle to the bridge (14 kilometers) or you can go hiking to Tuz Achuu pasture. During the hike, you will discover magnificent views of the pastures of Chaar Archa. Picnic lunch.

You take the height and arrive at Col Tuz Ashuu (3400 meters). Then continue towards Tuz Achuu, surrounded by imposing mountains and begin to see the Song Kul Lake. Arrival at the lake and descent to the pastures of Tuz Achuu (3080 meters), crossing on your passages several herds of cattle with their shepherds.

Upon arrival, meeting with the family of shepherds who welcomes you for dinner in the yurt camp (4-6 persons in a yurt).

• Up: + 1300 meters
• Down: - 300 meters

Day 4: Tuz Ashuu - Tulpar Tash (14 kilometers / 9 miles on horseback / approximately 4 hours)

After breakfast, you take the west direction of the lake and walk along the shore of the lake. Small climbs and descents (maximum 100 meters) await you before arriving at Tulpar Tash yurt camp. Lunch in a yurt camp.

The shore of the lake is beautiful with the herds of horses, cows, sheep, and goats. Possibility to go to the shepherds and taste fermented mare's milk, cheese balls, and simply tea with cow's milk. Dinner and overnight at yurt camp (4-6 persons in a yurt).

• Up: + 100 meters
• Down: - 100 meters

Day 5: Tulpar Tash - Kambar Ata - Tuulga Tash (18 kilometers / 11 miles on horseback - approximately 5 hours)

This day, you ride 18 kilometers; the landscape is beautiful with the yurts of shepherds. Although there are no trees or even bushes around the lake, the altitude and climatic variations allow you to see an exceptional flora and fauna. Lunch at Kambar Ata Yurt Camp.

Fields of edelweiss and forget-me-nots will be present during the hike. There is also a possibility to observe different species of birds, such as ducks, cranes, storks, mergansers, coots, plovers, golden eagles, cormorants, and thousands of seagulls. Car and driver will wait for you in five kilometers before Ak-Sai Travel yurt camp. Dinner and overnight at yurt camp (4 persons in a yurt).

• Up: + 0 meters
• Down: - 0 meters

Day 6: Tuulga Tash to Bishkek

• Distances: 350 kilometers / 6-7 hours)

After breakfast, you will take another beautiful drive to Bishkek city. You leave Song Kul Lake and will take the road in the morning through one of the most spectacular areas of Tien Shan, Kalmak Ashu Pass (3446 meters), towards Bishkek city. Upon arrival, walk to Osh Bazaar, the biggest open-air market in the city. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight at a local hotel.

Day 7: Bishkek city - airport

• Distances: 40 kilometers / 1 hour

In the morning after breakfast, transfer to the airport. Flight back home.

Level of difficulty

There are some difficulties on the route, tourists should have an average level of fitness for hiking and horse riding and take into account that sometimes they have long transfers up to four hours by mountain roads.

Kyrgyz horse

The Kyrgyz horse or Kirgiz horse is a traditional breed of small horse from the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan). Kyrgyz people associate it with their nomadic past. During the Soviet era of Kyrgyz history, the Kyrgyz horse was cross-bred with imported foreign breeds, including Don and Thoroughbred strains, to create a new and larger breed, the Novokirgiz or New Kirgiz.

• Visiting Ala Archa National Park
• Hiking to the Ak-Sai waterfall
• Sightseeing tour of Bishkek
• Going to ZUM (Central department store) to buy souvenirs
• Trekking in the canyons of Konorchek
• Hiking to Tuz Achuu pasture
• Visiting Osh Bazaar, the biggest open-air market in the city

This horseriding tour will take you to all the top destinations in Kyrgyzstan starting from Bishkek city, Kyzart village, Kilemche village, Tuz Ashuu, Tulpar Tash, and Tash Tuulga.

Kyrgyzstan is amazing and unique in its beauty. Often Kyrgyzstan is named "Asian Switzerland", however, the virgin mountains and rich nature of Kyrgyzstan are far excel in the cleanness of the beaten European Alps. Culture and historical heritage of Kyrgyz people are also very interesting. Until now, the country retains all the attributes of nomadic life.

Distances

• Manas International Airport (FRU), 25 kilometers

+−

Food in Kyrgyzstan strictly connected with the country’s nomadic traditions and influenced by food from Russia, Turkey, the Middle East, and other Central Asian countries. The staples of the Kyrgyz diet and the diets of most of the traditionally nomadic people in Central Asia are boiled mutton, flat, crusty round bread, rice and tea mixed with sheep or horse milk. Kyrgyz are very fond of horsemeat. Sour cream, yogurt, and sausage are used to flavor dishes. Kyrgyz like soupy food. The sort of food that is eaten in the form of pasta by Russians is eaten as a soup by Kyrgyz.

• 6 nights accommodation (without early check-in)
• Drinking water (1 liter per person a day)
• Entrance and ecological fee according to the program
• Full board meals (6 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners)
• Guide of horses and his assistants to the days 3, 4, and 5
• Horses for portering on days 3, 4, and 5
• Professional tourist guide
• Transport depending on the group size

• Alcohol and soft drinks
• International and domestic flights
• Personal expenses
• Single supplement
• Tips for driver and guide

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.