20 Days | Bishkek, Ala-Archa Son-Kul, Suusamyr, Chychkan, Kyzyl-Oi, Bashkugandy, Kokomeren, Tash-Rabat, Chatyr-Kul, Kol-Suu, Salkyn-Tor, Kochkor, Eki-Naryn, Naryn, Altyn-Kul, Issyk-Kul, Bokonbaev, Barskoon, Ak-Sai Canyon, Boz-Salkyn, Jaichy, Skazka Canyon, Juuku, Jeti-Oguz, Kok-Jaiyk, Karakol, Altyn Arashan, Kara-Kyz, Grigorievka, Kyrchyn, Cholpon-Ata, Konorchek Canyon, Chon-Kemin, Kalmak-Ashuu, Burana Tower, Arkyt

ITINERARY

                                             

The program of Multiactive tour around Kyrgyzstan includes visiting the most interesting historical and natural landmarks of Kyrgyzstan. The cultural and educational excursions are alternated with horse riding and trips to mountains gorges, picturesque waterfalls and beautiful lakes. You will get an opportunity to get acquainted with every-day life of the nomads, their traditions, cuisine and folklore.

Activities: horseback riding, walk in the mountains and experience the culture of Kyrgyz people.
Recommended list of the personal items: warm clothes, a coat, tracking-boots, sleeping bag, mat, rucksack, light, your own First Aid Kit and sunglasses.

 

 

Program day by day:

 

Day 1: Bishkek (30th July)

Arrival to Bishkek, transfer to the hotel. After some rest Sightseeing tour: Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, Philarmonic hall, Statue of Manas, Victory Square and Oriental market – Osh bazaar. After lunch transfer to the Ala-Archa National Park (40 km). In an hour you will be in the alpine gorge through which the fast flowing Ala-Archa River runs, flanked by tall, snow-covered peaks, steep-sided, fir - forested mountain slopes and alpine meadows cowered with flowers. Hiking from the Alpine camp (2200 m) to waterfall “Ak-Sai” – 35 m, on 2700 m above sea level. Transfer to Bishkek. Overnight at the hotel. 

 

Day 2: Bishkek – Suusamyr – Bala-Chychkan (31th July)

Transfer to Chichkan gorge, which is one of the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan. Today we will be crossing mountain passes over 3000 m high. You will drive over the Too-Ashu Pass and through a beautiful Suusamyr valley. It is a good day for photographers. Great view is guaranteed. Overnight at the guesthouse.

 

Day 3: Bala-Chychkan – Sary-Chelek – Arkit (1st August)

After the breakfast, transfer to the Sary-Chelek Lake.
Sary-Chelek is located in the center of the national reserve. Visitors can observe the diverse flora and fauna. This is one of the most beautiful lakes with rock formations that rise out of the water. The lake was formed because of a strong earthquake and it is the largest out of the 7 Lakes. Fresh water in Sary-Chelek is so clear that one can easily spot the multicolored small rocks on the bottom of the lake. Lake’s depth reaches 234 m, it extends to 2280 m in width and 7500 m in length. 
Hike around the lake or relax at the shore of the lake.
Transfer back to a home stay (Arkit). Dinner and overnight there.

 

Day 4:  Arkit – Bashkugandy (2nd August)

After breakfast transfer to Bashkugandy village (50). On arrival in Bashkugandy you will visit a felt carpet workshop where you can watch a process of making Kyrgyz national felt carpets. Dinner with a Kyrgyz family and overnight at the home stay. 

 

Day 5: Bashkugandy – Son-Kul (3rd August)

Transfer to Son-Kul (120 km) in the morning. Son-Kul is one of the highest lakes in Kyrgyzstan (3016 m above sea level). It is a place where you can experience a nomadic life. You will have a chance to ride a horse, see edelweiss flowers, camels, yaks, golden eagles, and watch how local women make Kyrgyz national drink – Kymyz (mare’s milk). This is a remote mountain lake situated on a treeless, high mountain plateau (3016 m) where shepherds bring the livestock in the summertime, establish a camp for living – setting up their yurts. In this magnificent place, you can see hundreds of herds and a lot of different yurts. Dinner and overnight in the yurt camp.

 

Day 6: Son-Kul (4th August)

Free day at the lake. Today you can ride a horse. In this magnificent place you can see hundreds of herds and a lot of different yurts, where you for sure will be invited to have kymyz, the national drink made of fermented mare's milk with a traditional bread, try other dairy products and homemade jam. Dinner and overnight in yurts. 

 

Day 7: Son-Kul – Tash-Rabat (5th August)

After breakfast transfer to the Tash Rabat, towards Chinese border. From XI century, the Tash Rabat- Caravanserai was used as a fortress by travelers on the Great Silk Road. Nowadays, this medieval fortress is one of the biggest and complicated stone buildings. It does not have any analogs from Goby desert to Kaspian Sea. Overnight in the yurt (nomadic dwelling).

 

Day 8: Tash-Rabat – Chatyr-Kul (6th August)

In the morning we will pass Tash Rabat gorge and keep going to Chatyr-Kul lake, which is the third largest lake in Kyrgyzstan. It occupies an area of 175 sq. km. We stay in the yurt camp in Chatyr-Kul and have lunch. And we will walk around and enjoy the nature of Chatyr-Kul lake for 2-3 hours. (Note: since the shore of the lake is marshy, it is impossible to go into the lake). Further, dinner will be in the yurt camp.

 

Day 9: Chatyr-Kul – Kel Suu (7th August)

Next day after breakfast go to Kel Suu Lake through Ak Say and Kok Kiya valleys. Arrival in yurt camp, where we start horseback riding to Kel Suu lake. When you reach the lake you will be surprised by its beauty. You will have a magnificant view from the dam to the cliffs, which are hundreds feet high, waterfalls, rocky island, caves, and grottoes. The turquoise color lake is surrounded by the steep, snow covered peaks even during the summer month. Spend 1 - 2 hours at the lake, and back to the yurt camp. Dinner, overnight in yurt camp.

 

Day 10: Kel Suu – Salkyn-Tor – Naryn (8th August)

After breakfast transfer to Naryn city. We will leave bags in the hotel and have a lunch in local restaurant. After lunch transfer to the Salkyn tor National Park. The park contains some gorgeous canyons, several caves, and lots of natural springs.  Four mammals, 6 bird species, 10 kinds of insects, and 2 plant species that reside within the park can be found in the Red Book. Salkyn Tor National Park is located just outside of the city of Naryn.  Near the entrance you might find people picnicking in the summer, but otherwise, the rest of the park doesn’t see many visitors.  It’s an excellent place to go hiking. Overnight at the hotel.

 

Day 11: Naryn – Bokonbaev (9th August)

After the breakfast we will go to the Bokonbaev village. By the way we cross Dolon pass with a height of 3030 m that offers you wonderful views of the valley and majestic Tien-Shan mountain range with snow caps of glaciers. We will go to the “Salbuurun” festival which takes place in the Bokonbaevo village. The main part of the Festival is Salbuurun competition, which is the hunting of wild animals with a golden eagle. Eagle hunting is an integral part of Kyrgyz nomadic culture, hunters have hunted using eagles over the centuries and this culture still exists today. Eagle hunting has a huge history hich has been built upon for thousands of years. Hunters steal chicks from the mother bird and train them from an early age to hunt wild animals. Thus, eagle learns to hunt from the day it is taken up until 20-22 years later. After the eagle has served his owner for this time, he will be released again into the wild. The ceremony of release is very spectacular. Today Salbuurun exists in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia. The festival gathers participants and spectators from all over the world. In addition to the festival, you will have the opportunity to enjoy national dances and songs, folklore shows, national games, the exhibition and sale of traditional items and, of course, local cuisine.

he main focus of the Salbuurun Festival is, of course, demonstrations of the different elements of traditional Kyrgyz hunting: archery and hunting with golden eagles and taigans (Kyrgyz hunting dogs). You'll also have an opportunity to see other traditional nomadic horse games like Tyiyin Enmei, Kyz-kuumai, and Kok Boru. And, like any good Kyrgyz festival there will be music, food and lots of yurts. Overnight at the guesthouse.

 

Day 12: Bokombaev – Skazka – Barskoon waterfall – Barskoon (10th August)

After breakfast we will go to the Gorge "Skazka". Gorge "Fairy Tale" - an amazing place where natural sandy red formations create many fairy-tale forms. Walking along this gorge during the holiday in Issyk-Kul brings not only aesthetic pleasure, but also a sense of unity and majesty with nature.There you will see a canyon called the "Chinese Wall" 5 kilometers long, it seems to guard the world of sleeping castles and amazing animals created by nature itself from red clay and sandstone - elephants, hippos, snakes and some fantastic creatures. After this we will transfer to Barskoon. Barskoon is also a village at the mouth of the Barskon valley - which has an impressive Barskoon waterfall “Leopard’s tears” and is a good centre for trekking and horse riding. The 11th century scholar Mahmud al-Kashgari (also known as Barskhani) was a native of this area. The road south from Barskon which passes up the Barskon valley (A364) used to be one of the routes of the Silk Road, passing over the Bedel Pass (4,284 m) into China (the section from Kara-Say to Bedel Pass is now closed). It is now the main road leading to the Kumtor Gold Mine - hence it is well maintained and there is a reasonable amount of traffic - including lorries making their way up to the mine and back. There are two interesting sights along the road - a Soviet lorry mounted on a plinth and a bust of Yuri Gagarin, who holidayed on the South shore of Issyk Kul after his historical first manned space flight. Overnight at the hotel.

 

 

Day 13: Barskoon – Jeti-Oguz – Kok-Jaiyk waterfall – Kok-Jaiyk (11th August)

After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and drive to the Jeti-Oguz gorge, a picturesque mountain gorge in Kyrgyzstan, 28 kilometers away to the west of the city Karakol along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul.

The name "Jeti-Oguz" (translated as "seven bulls") came from a chain of weathered red rocks, similar to bulls lying on the ground, and since has become a visiting card of the gorge. The local point of interest is the rock "Broken Heart", near which you can always take incredibly beautiful photos. Jeti-Oguz Gorge is the second mountainous place of the Issyk-Kul Reserve and one of the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan. For 25 km on both sides of the gorge there are blue spruce trees that are included in the red book of Kyrgyzstan. In the gorge at an altitude of 2200 m there is a Jety-Oguz resort known for its healing geothermal springs.Walking to waterfall in the Kok-Jaiyk summer pasture which is surrounded by coniferous forests. Dinner and accommodation in the Nomad Yurts of local.

 

Day 14: Kok-Jaiyk – Karakol (12th August)

Transfer to Karakol. Upon arrival city tour in Karakol: visiting Prjevalsky museum, Wooden Orthodox Church, Dungan mosque in Chinese style. Then we will eat famous meal Ashlanfu. Overnight in the hotel.

 

Day 15: Karakol – Altyn-Arashan (13th August)

In the morning transfer to Altyn-Arashan gorge by Russian military 4WD vehicle. Altyn-Arashan ("Golden Spa") gorge is one of the most famous gorges in Karakol, where you will see wonderful fir tree forests and thermal springs all over the gorge. Afterwards you will have hiking in the gorge.

 

Day 16: Altyn-Arashan – Kara-Kyz (14th August)

After breakfast take a hike to side valley Anyrty for 2hrs then come down to Altyn-Arashan have lunch and walk down to Ak-Suu forestry by the same route as 1st day, this time walking is mostly down so about 3hrs. From Forestry by car get to Kara-Kyz. Overnight in the yurt.

 

Day 17: Kara-Kyz – Grigorevka – Kyrchyn – Cholpon-Ata (15th August)

After the breakfast we will go to Kyrchyn and spend all the day in the Kyrchyn Gorge, where colorful performances of different cultures will take place. You will be able not only watch the different sport games, but also enjoy the culture, ethnic dances, songs, crafts and food. There will be open ethnic fair for the guests and as well you will have the chance to see and participate in the amazing nomad fest “Universe of Nomads. We will go to the hotel in the Cholpon-Ata. Overnight in the hotel.

 

Day 18: Cholpon-Ata – Konorchok Canyon – Chon-Kemin (16th August)

After breakfast visit the museum of petroglyphs in Cholpon-Ata. There will be an excursion in the open-air art gallery of drawings on the rocks, said to date from 500 BC – 100 AD, they depict wolves, long-horned ibex, goats, horses, snow leopards, sacrifices and some hunting scenes. The second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea, Issyk Kul is virtually a basin within the Tian Shan Mountains. A combination of vast depth, salinity and underground thermal activity ensures the lake never freeze. Issyk Kul is also the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca. After lunch We will drive 125 km / two hours to the head of the trail in Boom Gorge and start trekking up the narrow canyon.  The trek up the narrow canyon is very easy and their is only a few places that might be challenging.  The trek is ~10/12 km and it total amount of time trekking is between 3-5 hours.  The canyon is a dry canyon where there is almost no life, green trees, animals, and it’s a huge contracts to the rest of Kyrgyzstan.  Once we reach the panorama peak we will have lunch and there will be time to take pictures and to soak up the views of nature. The local legend is that you can see statues / people in the rocks.  An additional local legend, is that it was once a volcano a few million years ago and that’s why it’s so dry.  It’s a great place to see all year round. After the trek we will return to Chon-Kemin where we will have a traditional Kyrgyz meal at local café. Overnight in the guesthouse.

 

Day 19: Chon- Kemin – Shabdan (17th August)

 In the morning transfer river in the valley. It’s also called Chong-Kemin and it flows into the Chu River where the Boom Gorge starts. It is a well-known destination among white water rafting and kayaking enthusiasts. The valley covers the territory of Chong-Kemin State Nature Park. The park is the habitat of animals such as roe deer, alpine ibex, argali, martens, ermines, rock partridges, snow leopards, deer, Turkestan lynx, golden eagles, saker falcon, and bearded vultures. There is also the mausoleum of Shabdan Baatyr in the park. Overnight in the hotel.

 

Day 20: Chon-Kemin – Burana – Bishkek (18th August)

After breakfast transfer to the Bishkek. On the way will visit one of the sights of the Great Silk Road, recognized as Kyrgyzstan’s and UNESCO heritage - the Burana tower and the stone graves “Balbals”. Experience the feeling of being in atmosphere of the 12th century and see firsthand the most ancient artifacts. Also let’s take ride to Issyk-Ata gorge and hot hydrogen sulfide springs, with the ancient image of Buddha. There you can taste of mineral water called "Arashan", as well as swim in the hot thermal springs (private pool).

In the evening return to Bishkek. Free time. Overnight in the Hotel.

 

Day 21: Bishkek (19th August)

Transfer to the airport (30 km). End of the tour.