The Land Of Nomads

A comprehensive sightseeing tour to Kyrgyzstan

 

Country: Kyrgyzstan
Tour duration: 18 days / 17 nights
Best time to travel: June - September
Itinerary: “Manas” airport - Bishkek - Ala-Archa - Bishkek - Lake Issyk-Kul - Jety-Oguz clove - Karakol -
- Altyn-Arashan clove - Karakol - Kochkorka - Lake Son-Kul - Tash Rabat - Naryn - Kazarman - Jalal-Abad - Osh - Arslanbob - Lake Sary-Chelek - Chychkan clove - Talas - Bishkek - “Manas” airport

The Land Of Nomads

An amazing country, the land of nomads, is presented to you in this tour... Endless steppes, high mountains, green slopes, alpine meadows and dense coniferous forests, deep gorges, turbulent rivers and crystal high-mountain lakes - Kyrgyzstan has an incredibly beautiful nature! There are not so many monuments of antiquity, medieval mosques and countless madrassas; there is another culture here, another way of life - nature and boundless natural magnificence, a centuries-old simple way of nomads` life in their traditional dwellings (yurts), and original Kyrgyz cuisine - that is what awaits you.

The tour includes visiting the most famous cities and sights of Kyrgyzstan: you will be guided through the "juniper country" - the Ala-Archa nature park, the alien red rocks of the Jety-Oguz clove, the grandiose gorges of Altyn-Arashan and Chichkan, the world's largest walnut  forests Arslanbob. You will visit the three most famous high-mountain lakes in Kyrgyzstan: the magnificent warm Lake Issyk-Kul with its developed beach infrastructure, the picturesque Lake Son-Kul, surrounded by lush green meadows (Jailoo) and the yurts of shepherds, and the fabulously beautiful Lake Sary-Chelek, located on the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve.

Having come here, you understand that perfection has no limit; here each location has its unique beauty incomparable with others. That is why nomads lived here for centuries, the cities’ high walls were alien to the nomads and these people always wanted to see new landscapes every day. Moving from place to place in search of the very perfection they understood it was not elsewhere, but everywhere...

Today we suggest you to see this country through the eyes of its people, who live looking into the distance of heavenly mountains.

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Itinerary:
Day 1. “Manas” airport - Bishkek (30 km).
Meeting at the "Manas" international airport. Transfer to Bishkek (30 km). Hotel accommodation. Recreation. Breakfast at the hotel. Bishkek city tour: Historical Museum, central square Ala-Too, flagpole (and change of guard), monuments to Lenin and Liberty, Philharmonic, monument to Manas, Osh bazaar. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Welcome to the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek! The city is located in the north of the country, in the foothills of the Tien Shan, at 700-900 m above sea level, and covers an area of ​​127 square km.

After a rest in the hotel, you will get to know Bishkek. The main place for rest and walks of guests and residents of the capital is the city center, where most of the museums, galleries, shops, parks, squares, squares, restaurants and cafes are concentrated. Ala-Too square is the central square of Kyrgyzstan; here we can see the sculpture of the winged woman “Erkindik”, personifying freedom; the 45 m high flagpole with the National flag of 10x15 m (the changing of the guard is right beneath it); the bronze monument to the hero of the folk epic Manas the Magnanimous (10 m height), as well as a monument to writer Chingiz Aitmatov.

On the perimeter of the Ala-Too Square are the State Historical Museum, the People's Friendship Monument, the Oak Park with the open air Museum of Stone, Metal and Wooden Sculptures, and the St. Nicholas Church (the oldest building in the city). By the way, Bishkek is the only city in Central Asia, where the monument to Lenin stands to this day.

Today we will also visit the Osh bazaar painted with colors of juicy vegetables, fruits, nuts, dried fruits, sweets and other various delicacies.   Various spices and fresh herbs aromas fill the air. Here, it is customary to bargain, as in other eastern markets.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2. Bishkek - Ala-Archa (40 km) - Bishkek.
Breakfast at the hotel. One-day trip to the Kyrgyz State Natural Park "Ala-Archa", where you can enjoy beautiful nature and make an easy hike to the waterfall. In the evening, we return to Bishkek. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we go on a tour to the "Ala-Archa" national nature park, located on the northern slope of the Kirghiz ridge at an altitude of 1600-4875 m and has a total length of 18 km from north to south. It was established in 1976 to protect natural sites and unique natural monuments, the reproduction of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, as well as to organize cultural and cognitive recreation, the development of tourism and mountaineering.

The word "Ala" in translation means "snowy", and "Archa" is an analog of juniper. There are large and small glaciers in the gorge, that melt only in hot summer - there are more than three dozen of them, and each is beautiful and original. The slopes of the gorge are abundant with various types of archa. If you believe experts, in the gorge, you can cure almost all diseases - archa’s bactericidal action is very strong.

In Ala-Archa you can see high-mountainous lakes, graceful waterfalls, moraines, glaciers, pass through the clouds and look at them from above. For one trip alone you can visit both the hot heat and the realm of glaciers and snowfields. The grandiose panorama opening from here will allow us to survey the peaks of the Semenov-Tien-Shansky, Korona, Free Korea, Teke-Tor, Ak-Too and others, most of which direct their peaks for a mark of 4000 m above sea level. In the evening we return to Bishkek. Dinner. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 3. Bishkek - Issyk-Kul lake (250 km).
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Issyk-Kul Lake (250 km) is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America. Visit the Burana Tower on the way, as well as the open- air petroglyphs museum in Cholpon-Ata. Accommodation and dinner at the hotel on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul lake.

Today we are looking forward for a long way to the warm high-mountain Lake Issyk-Kul (from the Kyrgyz "Issyk-Kul” - "Hot Lake"). It is located in the Tien Shan Mountains at an altitude of 1610 m above sea level, inside a picturesque ranges ring topped with eternal snows, and yet it does not freeze all year round. Its width is 70 km, the length is 180 km, and the depth reaches 688 m. The water temperature in Issyk-Kul in the summer varies around +24 ºС. On the coast of Issyk-Kul, there are a huge number of hotels, boarding houses, sanatoriums and rest homes for every taste and purse. The mountain-and-sea climate, clean air, an abundance of solar heat, lake’s therapeutic mineralized water, hot springs and therapeutic mud will help to strengthen health, relieve the ill. On the way to Issyk-Kul, we will visit the Burana Tower (the minaret of Buranino hillfort), located 12 km from the town of Tokmok. Buran Tower (X-XI centuries) - an outstanding ancient building, is part of the Kyrgyz archaeological and architectural museum and a cultural heritage monument. Its height today is 21.7 m, but initially the tower was no less than 40 m, and an earthquake later destroyed the upper part. Next, we will make a stop in the city of Cholpon-Ata - an open-air museum with an exhibition of intricate petroglyphs and other archaeological finds of antiquity. On the of the Cholpon-Ata museum territory with the area of ​​42 hectares, you can see more than 1000 stones with drawings, ancient burials, the remains of settlements, as well as stone circles and ruins of the walls. After reaching Issyk-Kul, you will stay in one of the hotels of the northern coast.

Day 4. Issyk-Kul lake - Jety-Oguz clove - Karakol (150 km).
Breakfast at the hotel. Moving to Karakol (eastern part of the Issyk-Kul region). Tour around Karakol: Przewalski Museum, Russian Orthodox Church, Dungan Mosque. Further transfer to the Jety-Oguz clove (25 km), where you can see the famous red rocks "Broken Heart" and "Seven Bulls". Tourists will have the opportunity to see traditional hunting on rabbits with golden eagles. Return to Karakol. Accommodation in a hotel or a guest house.

After a hearty breakfast, we will go to Karakol - the largest city and administrative center of the Issyk-Kul region, one of the most beautiful cities in Kyrgyzstan, a tourist paradise for those who are visiting to relax on the Lake Issyk-Kul. It is located at the foot of the Teskey-Alatoo Ridge, in the lower reaches of the Karakol River, 12 km from the Issyk-Kul coast, at an altitude of 1690 - 1850 m above sea level.  Many beautiful Central Tien Shan mountain routes start here, and the alpine camp works in the upstream of cognominal river.

On the Karakol tour we will visit the unique Dungan mosque (1907-1910), built in the best traditions of Chinese architecture without a single nail: all parts of the building are connected with cuttings and grooves; The Trinity Orthodox Church (1894-1895), which houses the relics of the Holy Martyrs - Prom, Tarakh and Andronik, and also the icon of the Tikhvin Holy Mother, created about one and a half centuries ago in Athens; Memorial complex of N.M. Przhevalsky, which includes a museum, a monument and the grave of an outstanding traveler and researcher of Central Asia, who bequeathed to be buried in the vicinity of Issyk-Kul. Then our way lies to another bright natural landmark of Kyrgyzstan - Jety-Oguz ("The Rocks of the Seven Bulls"), located on the northern slopes of the Terskey Ala-Too Range.

Jety-Oguz is a ridge of red rocks of unusual texture, covered with forest thickets. The length of the rocks is 37 kilometers, and the gorge landscape was formed due to the river of the same name. The huge dark green forests, stretching along the mountain slopes of red sandstone, create an amazing color contrast. Above the forest zone are magnificent subalpine and alpine meadows - jailoo. At the entrance to the gorge, there is one of the most romantic places - the "Broken Heart" rock. Legend says the rock is a broken heart of a girl who died because two young men fought for her, and both died in battle. Upon returning to Karakol, we stay at the hotel for overnight.

Day 5. Karakol - Altyn-Arashan clove (35 km) - Karakol.
Breakfast at the hotel. One-day excursion to the Altyn-Arashan clove ("golden spring"). This is one of the most beautiful gorges in Kyrgyzstan, where you can take a bath in the natural hot radon springs. It is possible to get there only on all-wheel drive cars (UAZ for small groups and bus-track for large groups). Return to Karakol after lunch. Free time. Overnight in the hotel.

Today is a wellness day. We will go to the picturesque Altyn-Arashan clove to hot springs. The "Altyn Arashan" resort is on the right bank of the cognominal river and it has closed baths inside wooden rooms and open - right above the precipice.

The mineralized water of Altyn-Arashan hot springs, about 50 degrees, contains radon, heals and tones: stimulates body’s adaptive adaptive system, normalizes metabolic processes, affects the reproductive function favorably, and tones up the neuro-humoral functions. After taking medicinal baths and admiring the surrounding mountain beauty, we return to the town of Karakol. Free time. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 6. Karakol-Kochkorka (300 km).
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Kochkorka along the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. On the way visit the salt lake Kara-Kel. Because of the high salt and mineral content in the water, the lake has medicinal properties, dirt from its bottom is also used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Salted lake is called dead by analogy with the dead sea in Israel - there it is impossible to drown. Arrival to Kochkor. Accommodation and dinner in the homes of local residents.

After breakfast we will head to the town of Kochkor (Kochkorku) along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. However, on the way we will stop at the Kara-Kul (Kara-Kel) salt lake, which locals call "dead" by analogy with the famous Dead Sea in Israel.

Lake Kara-Kul is at an altitude of 1604 m above sea level, has a length of about 1 kilometer and a width of 600 m. The lake called "dead" because of the high salt concentration, no living creatures can live here, except some types of bacteria. Lake Kara-Kul started forming when the water level in Issyk-Kul was much higher than now. Water filled the surrounding area, but retreated in the XIX century. Basins framed by hills and rises, formed reservoirs, one of them is   Lake Kara-Kul. The isolated reservoir has a connection with Issyk-Kul through the underground flow, whereby the lake's water reserve replenishes.

The “dead” lake has medicinal properties: salinity of water is more than 70 percent or 132 grams per liter. Therefore, it is good for treating gynecological and skin diseases, musculoskeletal system maladies. On the healing pool’s shore one can take a mud baths, as the local mud has a beneficial rejuvenating effect on the skin. The unique Kara-Kul’s characteristic is that it is possible to stretch out and lie on the surface of the water without fear of drowning.

Afterwards we continue our journey and will soon arrive in Kochkor (Kochkorka) - a small town in the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan, located at an altitude of about 2000 m. Kochkor valley (a plateau,  precisely) has recently been very popular among tourists. Here, in the middle of the mountain splendor, the authentic traditions of the Kyrgyz people are preserved in their original form. Tourists can stay with local families (homestay) or on a farm (farmstay), to get to know the life and culture of the local population better. We will stop at the house of local residents.

Day 7. Kochkorka - Lake Son-Kul (115 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. Transfer to Lake Son-kul that is one of the most beautiful high-mountainous lakes (3016 m above sea level). Lake Son-kul is famous for its traditional summer pastures (Jailoo) and alpine meadows. Here, tourists can get acquainted with the nomadic way of life of the indigenous peoples of Kyrgyzstan. Accommodation in a yurt camp. Dinner. Night in yurts.

Today our way lies to the dream-high mountain Lake Son-Kul ("Last Lake") in the north-western part of Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan. The lake is located in a huge basin between the Son-Kultau and Moldotau ridges at an altitude of 3016 meters above sea level and extends for 29 km in length and 18 km in width, reaching a depth of up to 22 m. This is the largest natural freshwater reservoir in Kyrgyzstan. High-mountain meadows, which have long been used as summer pastures (jailoo) surround Lake Son-Kul. The shepherds lead the cattle to the lake for the summer and the families lived in yurts (traditional Kirghiz felt dwellings). In recent years, the so-called Jailoo-tourism (ecotourism) is actively developing in this region. Visitors willingly refuse all the benefits of civilization to live in yurts, participate in hiking and horseback riding in the most picturesque mountain areas, and enjoy clear air, black velvet nights with myriads bright stars and traditional natural nomadic cuisine.

Here you can try on the shepherd's way of life, “dive” into the local nomadic culture, which has changed seriously in recent centuries. Do not miss the moment and try the original drink of the mountaineers - koumiss, made from mare's milk by special technology that has a number of medicinal properties.

We will settle in the national yurt for overnight.

Day 8. Lake Son-Kul - Tash-Rabat (270 km).
Breakfast at the yurt camp. Transfer to the Tash-Rabat complex (XV c), which is located in the Kara-Koyun clove. The road leads through the Dolon pass (3030 m). Arrival and accommodation in a yurt camp. Excursion to Tash-Rabat - a medieval caravanserai on the Great Silk Road. Night in the yurts.

Today, we will go to the 15th century Tash-Rabat complex through the picturesque Dolon Pass (3030 m).

The "Tash-Rabat" caravanserai is a unique architectural monument of the early Middle Ages and one of the main Kyrgyzstan archeological sites, a symbol of the Tenir-Too mountain architecture. It is located in the picturesque canyon of the Kara-Koyun canyon of the Naryn region, 110 km south of the city of Naryn, near the Chinese border, at an altitude of 3,200 meters above sea level.

In those distant times, when the lively trade caravans were still on the roads of the Great Silk Road, the Tash-Rabat fortress served as a caravanserai, that is, in the modern sense, a medieval hotel, an inn for merchants and travelers. This unusually stone structure was located in the valley of a small river Tash-Rabat in the Central Tien Shan, on the trade route, which then connected the Chuy and Fergana valleys with Kashgar.

In the 1980s, visitors from all over the world can see the restored valuable monument of the historical and cultural heritage of Kirgizstan.

Upon arrival, you will be accommodated in the national Kyrgyz yurts, and our guide will give you a tour of the caravanserai, and tell you a lot of interesting information about the area itself.

Night in the yurts.

Day 9. Tash-Rabat - Naryn (110 km).
Breakfast at the yurt camp. After breakfast free time. You can organize horseback riding. After lunch, transfer to Naryn. Accommodation in a guest house or in yurts.

You can enjoy the rest in the mountains in the first half of the day, spending your free time the way you wish. You can organize a horse trip around the neighborhood and look around - the local beauty is worth it!

After lunch, we leave for Naryn, the administrative center of the Naryn region, located in the Naryn Basin at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, on the banks of the cognominal river.

Naryn is deemed to be the coldest city in Kyrgyzstan (the average temperature in July is + 18 ° C). This tourist city boasts unique locations in the thereabouts: picturesque passes, deep gorges, noisy mountain rivers, magnificent lakes and waterfalls, eternal snow and glaciers, an ancient original culture of nomads. Naryn serves as a starting point for many hiking and horse riding routes along the Tien-Shan ridges, hunting tours and rafting on the turbulent Naryn River.

We stay in a guesthouse or in yurts for overnight.

Day 10. Naryn - Kazarman - Jalal-Abad (400 km).
Early breakfast at the yurt camp or in the guesthouse. After breakfast, transfer to Jalal-Abad through Kazarman settlement. The road leads through the passes Kara-Koo (2625 m) and Sarykyr (3,080 m). Accommodation and dinner in guesthouses.

After breakfast, we go to another Kyrgyz city - Jalal-Abad, visiting the village Kazarman on the way. The road leads through the passes Kara-Koo (2625 m) and Sarykyr (3,080 m).

Kazarman is a small village located on the banks of Naryn River and is famous for the Saymaluu Tash (Saymaly Tashili, Saymaly Tash) national park is just 30 km away from it. The national park is 32-hectare area - a real museum of rock carvings petroglyphs.

The Saymaluu-Tash tract (translated from the Kyrgyz as "painted stone") is one of the world's largest petroglyph galleries. The number of rock paintings placed high in the mountains is mind-blowing. Petroglyphs date back to the Bronze and Early Iron Age.

We continue our journey to Jalal-Abad, where we will stay in the guesthouse on arrival.

Jalal-Abad is a city in the south of Kyrgyzstan, the administrative center of Jalal-Abad region and the third largest city in the country. For tourists Jalal-Abad is a place where a variety of mineral springs and therapeutic muds are abundant. According to the legend, here was the Chashma-Ayub fountainhead; ("the source of Job"), which prophet Ayub (biblical Job) visited personally. Many local springs are known from the II century B.C. and considered sacred.

Overnight at the guesthouse.

Day 11. Jalal-Abad - Osh (100 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. After breakfast, transfer to the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan - the city of Osh. Visit to the Uzgen minaret (XII century) and the mausoleums of the Karakhanids (X-XII centuries) on the way. Arrival in Osh. Hotel accommodation. Tour around Osh: the sacred mountain Suleiman, the house of Babur, the local museum and the famous Osh bazaar. Overnight at the hotel.

Today we will arrive in the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan - the city of Osh, but we will visit a few more sights on the way: the Uzgen minaret (XII century) and the mausoleums of the Karakhanids (X-XII centuries).

The Uzgen minaret, about 27.5 m high, built at the beginning of the 12th century, when the city was the capital of the Karakhanid state and resembled the famous Burana tower. The Uzgen minaret is constructed of burnt bricks of various sizes, laid in a tracery in a few ornamental belts.

The mausoleums of the Karakhanid sovereigns is also one of the places worth seeing. The northern mausoleum dates back to 1152, the southern one -1187. The older middle mausoleum of the square constructed in the 10th-11th centuries, once carried a dome. The facades of all three mausoleums face south-west, forming one square. In the south, the area is cut off by the Kara-Darya River, and in the south-west it passes into the ancient necropolis of the 13th-14th centuries. The architectural complex of Uzgen is depicted on the national Kyrgyz currency note of 50 soms.

Arriving in Osh, we will stay in the hotel and after a short rest make a tour around the town.

Hills and low rocky spurs of the Alai range surround Osh from three sides. Being practically under the "roof of the world", you can feel the breath of the mighty and majestic Pamir-Alai Mountains everywhere. However, the main evidence of their presence is the five-headed Suleiman Mountain, more than 100 meters high (Suleiman-Too), towering in the heart of the city. Mount Suleiman-Too ("Mount Suleiman") or Tahti-Suleiman ("the throne of Suleiman", the biblical king Solomon) became the first Kirgiz UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2009.  They believe it was here that the Prophet Suleiman turned to God, and the prints of his forehead and knees remained on the stones. Above this sacred Muslim place, Muhammad Zahiriddin Babur (1483 - 1530), Tamerlan's great-grandson and founder of the Great Mogul dynasty, built a small hujra (cell) with a mihrab. Today we see the unipolar white-stone Tahti-Suleiman mosque here and "Babur's house" reconstructed according to archival sources.

Hundreds of petroglyphs cover the rocky outcrops of the mountain, stone slabs, on the walls of caves and grottoes. A superb panorama opens up from the top of the Suleiman Mountains: the boiling city life below and the great mountains breathing peace and confidence in the distance.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 12. Osh - Arslanbob (200 km).
Breakfast at the hotel. Further moving to Arslanbob. Here you can see the world's largest walnut-fruit forests and make a walk to the waterfall. Accommodation and dinner in the houses of local residents.

After breakfast, we move to Arslanbob - a blossoming oasis at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level and one of the most beautiful resorts in the south of Kyrgyzstan.

The Arslanbob area is located in the tract of the Babash-Ata range on the western and southern slopes of the Fergana and Chatkal ranges and is famous for stunning relic nut-fruit forests occupying 608.5 thousand hectares. These are the largest walnut-fruit forests on our planet. Here grow up to 130 species of trees and shrubs, among which there are walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pears, apple-trees, cherry plums, currants and others. This forest is multilayered and has diverse underbrush.

The pride of these mountain forests is the walnut tree, which can live up to 1000 years, reach huge sizes (up to 30 m high with a trunk diameter up to 2 m) and fruit abundantly. There are also individual trees that yield up to 200-400 kg of nuts per year. Leaves and fruits of walnut have medicinal properties, contain many vitamins, microelements and other nutrients. In addition, walnut wood is a very valuable source of quality furniture and various souvenirs.

By the way, the locals still remember the legend that Alexander the Great once took the fruits he liked here to his distant homeland and they gave start to the walnut gardens of Greece.

We stay in the house of local residents for overnight.

Day 13. Arslanbob - Sary-Chelek Lake (250 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. After breakfast transfer to the village of Arkit - Sary-Chelek reserve, where we stay at homes of local residents. The famous Lake Sary-Chelek is located 20 km from the village of Arkit. Dinner and overnight in guesthouses.

After breakfast we head to the village of Arkit, which is inside the Sary-Chelek State Reserve.

The Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve is a specially protected natural area, a huge natural park on the slopes of the Chatkal and At-Oynokh ridges (Western Tien Shan spurs) in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan. The reserve was established in 1959 to preserve and study the pristine flora and fauna of these places - ridges, snow peaks, fast rivers and mountain lakes, flowering valleys and alpine meadows. The area of ​​the Sary-Chelek reserve is almost 24 thousand hectares, the lower boundary runs at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level, the highest point is 4247 m (Mustor peak). The climate is more humid and mild than in other parts of Kyrgyzstan. Stone martens, Tien Shan bears, porcupines, wild boars, roe deer, argali, and rare Alpine ibex (teka) and thousands-cheeked flocks of birds represent the fauna of the reserve. There are huge massifs of relic walnut forests, juniper forests and multicolored meadows - all this is reflected in the sky blue water surface of the delightful high-altitude Lake Sary-Chelek, which is only 20 km from the village of Arkit.

For overnight, we stay at the guesthouse.

Day 14. Sary-Chelek Lake.
Breakfast in the guesthouse. One-day tour to the Lake Sary-Chelek - one of the most beautiful Central Asian lakes, located on the territory of the biosphere reserve. Here you can enjoy untouched nature and see the wild animals of the Central Tien Shan. In the evening, return to the village of Arkit. Dinner and overnight in guesthouses.

Lake Sary-Chelek is the third deepest and one of the most beautiful high-mountain lakes in Central Asia, a bright sight of the Chatkal range (Western Tien-Shan spur). In summer the water temperature in the lake reaches + 19.8 ° С. The lake is waste and, consequently, freshwater. Dozens of streams flow from the surrounding gorges. The rapid and vertical lake shores plunge into impenetrable depth, reaching sometimes 234 meters. Large forests of slender spruce and fir cover the northern shores of Sary-Chelek. These powerful woodlands peacefully admire their beauty in the mirror of the lake.

The name "Sary-Chelek" is "yellow vessel", "yellow bucket" or "yellow ladle" from Kirghiz. However, these names are true only in the autumn, when the foliage of the trees is yellow, and the lake begins to resemble a ladle with honey. In summer, the water in the lake is more often a greenish blue. The old-timers say that the lake itself once shaped like a bucket, and the epithet "yellow" it received from the yellow buttercup, the carpet from which spreads along the slopes of the mountains in the spring and reflects in the watery surface.

In the evening, we will return to the village of Arkit and spend another night at a local guesthouse.

Day 15. Sary-Chelek Lake - Chichkan clove (300 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. After breakfast, we go to the Chichkan clove. Along the way, we catch a view of Toktogul Hydroelectric Power Station, a gigantic dam and the largest reservoir in Central Asia. Arrival in the Chichkan clove. Accommodation and dinner at the guesthouse.

To reach the Chichkan clove, we will need to cover a distance of 300 km. On the way to the gorge, we will make stops, on one of which you can see the largest Toktogul HPP on the Naryn River, located in a narrow mountain gorge, and the grandiose dam of the Toktogul reservoir, the largest in Central Asia.

The local area is popular among fisherman, divers, motor and jeep tours lovers. Carp, crucian, silver carp, marinka, white cupid, trout, shrimp and even jellyfish harbor in the reservoir.

The nearby village, the hydropower station and the reservoir named after Toktogul Satylganov, the famous Kyrgyz folk singer - akyn. He was a connoisseur of oral poetry, a composer and a musician - he masterfully performed his compositions on a komuz (three-stringed musical instrument).

Having reached the stunningly picturesque, quiet and peaceful clove of Chychkan, the slopes of which are covered with huge fir trees, we will stay overnight in the guesthouse.

Day 16. Chychkan - Talas clove (160 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. Transfer to Talas through two high-mountain passes Ala-Bel (3184 m) and Otmek (3330 m). Visit to “Manas Ordo” complex (15 km from Talas) on the way. This complex includes the mausoleum and the Manas Museum, where you can learn everything about the "Manas" epos - one of the largest world oral epic poems. Here you can see the cemetery, ancient hand tools, clothes, leather utensils and military suits. Arrival in Talas. Accommodation and dinner in the houses of local residents.

Today we have to move to the city of Talas through two high-mountain passes Ala-Bel (3184 m) and Otmek (3330 m). We will stop and visit the “Manas Ordo” complex on the way.

"Manas" - is a famous Kyrgyz epic and the name of the hero who united the Kirghiz. Epic legend about Manas is one of the world longest!

Legend has it Talas is the Land of Manas, as somewhere nearby the legendary epic hero was born. In 1995 the Museum of History of the Manas epic was built to mark its 1000th anniversary. It is constructed behind a hill, which was once an old watchtower. Here you can see the mausoleum of Manas and other burials, ancient tools, clothes, leather utensils and military suits, there are ancient dwelling sites and petroglyphs in the environs.

We will stop at the house of the locals upon arrival in Talas.

Day 17. Talas - Bishkek (300 km).
Breakfast in the guesthouse. After breakfast, return to Bishkek through high-mountain passes Otmek (3330 m) and Too-Ashuu (3,586 m). Arrival in Bishkek. Hotel accommodation. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Today you will have the last long transfer from Talas to Bishkek. However, the road will not be boring, because you will have to overcome two high-mountain passes - Otmek (3330 m) and Too-Ashuu (3,586 m), with dizzying landscapes on the way. There is a mountain-skiing base on the southern slope of the Too-Ashu pass, where hundreds of skiers and snowboarders gather in winter, and behind the pass begins the majestic Suusamyr valley.

Again - hello, Bishkek! Capital comfort, parks, squares, shops, cafes, restaurants, Internet.  After a grandiose circle around Kyrgyzstan and all its beauty, we returned to the capital.

We will stay in the hotel, and afterwards you will have a free time. If there is a desire and strength, you can go for souvenirs for loved ones.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 18. Bishkek - “Manas” Airport. Departure.
Breakfast at the hotel. You might again have some free time depending on the time of departure, enough to visit bazaars and walk through the city center. Transfer to the international airport "Manas" (30 km). Departure.

Our long journey through the land of nomads - Kyrgyzstan has ended. Many kilometers left on mountain roads, overnight stay with local residents, visiting amazing natural sights, historical and architectural monuments have left behind.

The route of the tour held us practically throughout the territory of Kyrgyzstan, crossing it from north to south and back. We did not catch only in a few hard-to-reach places and high-mountainous areas, and so, we can say that before you opened Kyrgyzstan in its entire mountain splendor!

Thank you for making this trip and spending it with us!

The cost of the tour in USD per person:

Group 1 2 3-4 5-6 7-9 10-15 Single Supplement
(in cities only)
Standard 4735 2755 2100 1710 1440 1405 +255 USD
Comfort 4960 2945 2290 1900 1625 1595 +295 USD

The cost of the tour includes:

  • Accommodation in hotels in double rooms with breakfast;
  • Accommodation in guest houses for 3-4 people in a room;
  • Accommodation in yurt camps for 5-6 people in a yurt;
  • Excursions according to the tour program;
  • Guide throughout the tour;
  • Entrance tickets for monuments and museums according to the tour program;
  • Permits to visit protected areas;
  • Meals: eight suppers on the 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th and 14th day of the tour;
  • Comfortable transport with air conditioning for the whole route, including meeting / seeing off at the airport;
  • Mineral water for every day of the tour;

The cost of the tour does not include:

  • International flights cost;
  • Medical costs and insurance;
  • The cost of meals on the remaining days of the tour, not indicated by the program.

Hotels.
We choose the most conveniently located and reputable hotels for our customers to stay at. The list of the hotels we offer is below. However, due to seasonal conditions and group size this list is subject to change.
- Standard - cozy private hotels, with traditional national interiors in many of them, providing all the necessary facilities for comfortable stays; notable for very warm hosting and home-like atmosphere.
- Comfort - very comfortable hotels providing excellent facilities and services; mainly located in or near city centers.
- Guest houses - suppose the entire exposure into the originality and life style of the local residents. Tourists accommodate here by 3-4 persons in each room. Facilities are outside.
- Yurt camp near Son Kul lake suppose accommodation of 5-6 persons in each yurt - a traditional “house” of Kyrgyz nomads. The yurt camp is equipped with necessary things, such as: toilet, bathhouse, dining yurt.

The tour comes with the following accommodation:

City Standard Comfort
Bishkek Asia Mountains Hotel 3* or similar Ak-Keme Hotel 4* or similar
Lake Issyk-Kul Tri Korony Hotel 3* or similar Raduga Resort 4* or similar
Karakol Green Yard Hotel or similar Amir Hotel 3* or similar
Kochkorka Guest house Guest house
Lake Son-Kul Yurt camp Yurt camp
Tash Rabat Yurt camp Yurt camp
Naryn Hotel / Yurt camp Hotel / Yurt camp
Jalal-Abad Guest house Guest house
Osh Sun Rise Osh Hotel 3* or similar Sun Rise Osh Hotel 3* or similar
Arslanbob Guest house Guest house
Lake Sary-Chelek Guest house Guest house
Chychkan clove Guest house Guest house
Talas Guest house Guest house

Transportation.
Depending on the size of a group the following means of transportation are used during the tour:

"Toyota Sequoia"
(for a group of 1-3 people)

Toyota Sequoia

"Mitsubishi Delica"
(up to 5 seats)

Mitsubishi Delica

"Mercedes-Benz Sprinter"
(up to 11 seats)

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Air conditioner Audio system Safety belt Fold-back seats Lighting in saloon Air conditioner Audio system Safety belt Lighting in saloon Audio system Safety belt Lighting in saloon

 

Visa to Kyrgyzstan

Under current rules visa-free stay within unlimited period on the territory of Kyrgyzstan is granted for the nationals of the following countries:

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belorussia
  • Cuba
  • Georgia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Laos
  • Moldova
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • Tajikistan
  • Vietnam

List of states granted visa-free stay up to 90 days: Mongolia, Ukraine.

List of states granted visa-free stay up to 60 days

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Andorra
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Bahrain
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Britain
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kuwait
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Republic of Korea
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States of America
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vatican

Visa-free access to Kyrgyzstan up to 30 days: Malaysia.

Read more about visa to Kyrgyzstan here »»

Photos of the tour:

view all photos »»

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the copyright owner.

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