Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, hidden behind the ramparts of the Celestial Mountains and long forbidden to Westerners, is an alpine land of pristine snow-capped mountains, fast-flowing rivers, vast steppe-lands where nomads roam, and deep cultural traditions where echoes of the Great Game and the Silk Road still resonate. We explore this fascinating realm with Devendra Basnet, our veteran leader and Central Asia explorer who led our successful 2009 Kyrgyz adventure and is eager to return. Our journey brings us to vast, glittering alpine lakes, to the summer haunts of traditional Kyrgyz and their herds, and to peaceful outposts including the Uzbek village of Arslanbob, surrounded by ancient walnut forests, and the town of Karakol, with its Russian gingerbread houses and famed Sunday livestock market. Along the way, we discover Kyrgyzstan’s fascinating ethnic canvas, meet nomad families, camp in cozy yurts that give us access to stunning wilderness areas, and enjoy day hikes amid magnificent scenery, including the ice-blue mountain lakes of Song-Kul and Issyk-Kul. Accommodations range from comfortable hotels to yurt camps, with one special village homestay, a unique opportunity to experience local hospitality firsthand.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-3
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan / Burana Tower / Osh

Explore Kyrgyzstan’s laid-back capital, hike in the green Issyk-Ata Valley, visit the striking 11th century Burana Tower, a Silk Road monument, and watch a Kyrgyz horsemanship show, with its lively displays of the Kyrgyz national game, kok-boru (a kind of rugby played on horseback using a goat carcass instead of a ball!). On Day 3, fly to Osh, a Central Asian melting pot of Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, and Tajiks

Day 4
Arslanbob / Village Homestay

Travel through the Fergana Valley to picturesque Arslanbob (5,550'), a bustling mountain village and an oasis of apple, pear, pistachio, and plum trees surrounded by a rare thousand-year-old walnut forest. Hike through the village and forests and enjoy a village homestay, a wonderful opportunity to get to know our host family and enjoy a home-cooked meal, including fresh-baked flatbreads and local fruits.

Days 5-6
Chichkan Gorge / Song-Kul Lake

A scenic drive through the Chichkan Gorge brings us across two alpine passes over 10,000 feet to reach remote Song-Kul Lake, one of the most sublimely beautiful places in all Kyrgyzstan. En route and at the lake, visit nomadic herding families who summer here with their horses, cattle, yaks, sheep, and goats. We will likely be welcomed inside yurts for a taste of homemade cheese, yogurt, and flatbread.

Days 7-9
Issyk-Kul Lake

Continue through the breathtaking scenery of central Kyrgyzstan to Issyk-Kul, one of the world’s largest lakes, nestled amid the Tien Shan (“Celestial Mountains”). The lands around Issyk-Kul are protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Enjoy leisurely day hikes as well as a boat ride.

Days 10-11
Semenovskoe Valley Hike / Karakol / Sunday Livestock Market

After a hike in the Semenovskoe Valley, drive to Karakol, with its shady poplar trees and back streets lined with Russian gingerbread cottages. Here we visit the famed Sunday Livestock Market, where nomads and traders gather here from across the countryside, and hike in the spectacular Karakol Valley, flanked by the soaring peaks of the Tien Shan.

Days 12-16
Karakol / Jety Ogyz Gorge / Bishkek

After hikes in the Jety Ogyz Gorge for spectacular vistas of the snow-capped summits that make up the Tien Shan, we return to the capital by way of the fantastic red-rock formations of the Fairytale Gorge. Depart Bishkek on Day 16.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

What the Trip is Like

The trip is Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. It is an adventurous journey with several full days of overland travel, sometimes on rugged roads, as well as a variety of day hikes. Our hikes are generally from two to five hours, with a longer 7-hour option on one day. Most of our hikes follow fairly well-defined trails. Two of the hikes have short, steep sections (the Issyk-Ata Valley and the Jety Oguz Gorge hikes). The other hikes follow gentle slopes, meadows, or valley floors. Trail conditions can vary quite a lot and we can expect some rocky, muddy, sections as well as a few small stream crossings, depending on local weather conditions.

Accommodations are in comfortable hotels for the most part, with four nights in traditional yurts and one overnight in a village homestay. Our four nights in yurt camps offer us wonderful access to remote mountain areas. They also bring us a chance to breathe pure mountain air, meet nomad families, listen to the sounds of rushing streams, and watch the stars at night as we gather around the evening campfire. In each two-person yurt, you sleep on the ground on traditional Kyrgyz toshoks (thick felt mattresses). Meals at camp are served inside a dining yurt, which instead of chairs and a dining table has the traditional Kyrgyz low table and many toshoks as well as soft sheepskins for seating. Please note that will be sleeping at floor level for four nights in the yurts and also dining at floor level on these days, so it is important that you are able to sit down on and get up off the floor without much difficulty. A generator provides electricity in the evening. Our one-night village homestay in Arslanbob provides basic accommodation in a village home. Our group may be spread out over several nearby homes. While homestay accommodations are basic (the toilets are outside), they are truly a trip highlight because of the chance to get to know our friendly local host families. It’s also a great way to get the feel of daily life in one of Central Asia’s most picturesque mountain villages.

Explanation of Trip Levels