Dear friends – lovers of horse riding routes! We would like to invite you to take part in journey by route which was created exactly for you.
Here we took into account everything: your love for horses – may be most beautiful creations from all animals around the world – and those fact that you hope so much to reach most mysterious and amazing in its wild beauty places of nature, and also we suppose you wouldn’t think about everyday problems by way like what could you eat or where could you sleep. Therefore our friendly united team which is able to solve all these everyday questions is going to escort you. And obedient horses are going to carry you on their backs during all this nice route, and you will make friends with these hard-workers, and you’re going to miss them, and keeping kind smile long time after you are going to remember everybody who has been meeting with you at this journey…
But the most spectacular event is… what could it be, how do you think? The most spectacular event of this story is that you are going to see several most wonderful lakes of Western Tien-Shan divided by powerful Chatkal ridge. They have hidden in fairyland gorges, and every single lake is so beautiful itself that - if to be honest – you’re going to get quite an eyeful. You will see yourselves everything, and at the moment please believe us - worldly-wise travelers. The largest lake is – of course! – Sary-Chelek lake. It extends for 7,5 km at the altitude of 1876m in reserve of the same name. They say, maximal depth of this lake gets 220m somewhere, and at the same time the water is so transparent here that you can see clearly the bottom of the lake with all its depth plants and inhabitants – any fishes and little water animals – that’s so fun, isn’t it?...
But there are another lakes which will be watched by you. These lakes are situated near Sary-Chelek lake, and there are Kile-Kel, Iry-Kel and Kara-Suu, and one more lake – Kara-Tokoy which extends at the uppers of the river of the same name from another side of Chatkal ridge, and we are going to be there having gone across Ashuu-Ter pass which is quite high – its altitude is 3368m. So, you can imagine how the highest peak of Chatkal ridge – Chatkal peak (4503m) – is going to look from there. You will feel giddy being delighted with this view!
Actually, during all the route at total distance of about 60 – 70km you will see as well many not big (Aphlatun lake, for example) and even very small lakes without any names that is actually very upsetting fact for these treasures.
And you will have enough time for taking photographs for memory, because you should boast of it to Your friends – let them envy you about your excellent adventure. OK, they will come next year!

Tour duration: 10 days / 9 nights.

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Detailed tour description:

Day 1. 1) Arrival to Bishkek. Flight to Osh. Meeting, accommodation at hotel. 2) Arrival to Osh. Meeting, accommodation at hotel.
Osh (more often this city is called as «Southern capital») is the largest city at the South of Kyrgyzstan, where you will be met by friendly and hospitable people, busy green streets with many café, vivid orient bazaar and main attraction – Suleyman-mountain. This mountain rises above the city straight in the middle of it and looks perfectly against the background of the brisk city life reminding about immediate closeness of its grand brothers – Tien-Shan and Pamir mountains.

Day 2. Transfer Osh – Aphlatun village – Camp 1 at the confluence of Aphlatun and Utur rivers (1300m) – 300km, 10h.
We are to spend first night in mountains at the confluence of two rivers in picturesque place. The main thing before having enthralling and quite long-continued adventure is to have a good sleep and have a good rest.

Day 3. Preparation to the route. Start of the active part of the route. Riding up along South. Aphlatun river. Camp 2 (2000m) – 18km; 6h; +700m.
Meeting with horses. Trial riding. Riding up along the gorge of South. Aphlatun river to the place of its confluence with Uialma river and further a little upper along Uialma river. First day is always difficult with its novelty of feelings. Good ground road leads by South. Aphlatun river canyon among spectacular forest of the Tien-Shan firs. Motley green grasses of the Alpine meadows clear contrasts with severe beauty of mountains. Camp is on a bank of Uialma river.

Day 4. Ride up along the Uialma river valley to Kuldambes pass (2750m) and descent to Sary-Chelek lake across Ashuu pass (2551m). Camp 3 (1900m) – 10km; 5h; +750m; -850m.
Not exhausting ascent to Kuldambes is accompanied with picturesque landscapes of Tien-Shan firs forests and spectacular views of variegated mountain sceneries. Having overcome the saddle of Kuldambes pass we start descending gently to Ashuu pass, where amazing view at long-awaited Sary-Chelek lake (at its northern extremity) appears from. Not long passage – and we are on a shore, where we’re going to set camp and overnight.

Day 5. Day’s rest on the Sary-Chelek shore. Walks around lake area. Return to Camp 3.
Today we plan to have a day of having rest for members of horse riding route as well as for their horses. We have full day for making fine walk around Sary-Chelek shores in order to take unique photos of the lake from different perspective and at different light. Clear reflections of mountains make us believe that we turned out in fairyland mountain kingdom. In the evening we are going to get together at our camp on a bank discussing plans on next day and sharing in impressions.

Day 6. Ride up along Sary-Chelek river to Makmal pass (2654m). Descent to Kyzyl-Suu river/ Camp 4 (2000m) – 12km; 6h; +750m;-650m.
We leave Sary-Chelek shore in order to return to it some time later. But now we ride up to not hard Makmal pass and cast an eye at luxury glassy surface of the lake surrounded with rocky mountains and woody slopes where sharp-shaped candles of Tien-Shan firs pierce blue sky. Clouds floating in its space are reflected in calm water of Sary-Chelek. Let’s look from the pass at this unique beauty again and start walking down to Kyzyl-Suu river. There, at the place where Kashka-Suu tributary flows into it we pitch camp on a river bank on comfortable glade.

Day 7. Ride down along the stream of Kyzyl-Suu river passing Kara-Suu lake and further ascent to Kuturma pass (2446m). Descent from Kuturma pass to Iry-Kel lake. Camp 5 is on a bank of the lake (1800m) – 3km; 6h; +450m; -650m.
We continue our ride down along Kara-Suu river and come to the bank of picturesque Kara-Suu lake (it also called Karakamish). Compact mountain massif called Min-Teke appears from banks to the South-East of the lake, and mountain ridge dividing us from several lakes (there are Kely-Kel, Iry-Kel, Chacha-Kel, Bockaly etc. lakes which are situated in close neighborhood with huge Sary-Chelek lake) is rising above western side of Kara-Kamish lake. Having passed along the eastern bank of the lake we begin not hard ascent to the saddle of Kuturma pass (2446m) where incredible view at all cavity with scattering of lakes appears from. Descent from the pass in not going to be long-continued, and some time late we come to the bank of Iry-Kel lake. Here we are going to arrange camp.

Day 8. Ride from Iry-Kel lake to the southern extremity of Sary-Chelek lake to Upaly tract. Bypassof Kely-Kel lake and further ride to Arkit-Say river. Camp 6 is near Arkit village (1300m) – 12km; 6h; -500m.
Moving by good path we round Kely-Kel lake which is communicating with Sary-Chelek lake and then we turn out on the Sary-Chelek shore but now it’s southern extremity of it. And today we say Goodbye to adorable Sary-Chelek lake. Now our way is lying to the main riverbed of Arkit-Say river. Not having approached Arkit village we pitch camp on a river bank. This is our final night en route – let’s do it festive and unforgettable.

Day 9. Transfer Arkit village - Osh (420km;8h). Accommodation at hotel.

Day 10.
1) Transfer to airport. Early flight Osh – Bishkek. Departure home. 2) Transfer to airport. Departure home.

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