Best of Kyrgyzstan: Discover Finest Lakes, Steppe Land & Historic Towns – 8 days (SR-05)

Kyrgyzstan is the heart of Central Asia with unbeatable mountain landscapes, shepherd cultures, nomads and rolling summer pastures (jailoos). Of all the countries in Central Asia Kyrgyzstan with its visa-free travel, network of homestays and souvenirs for sale, is the easiest for westerners to travel in. Spring, summer and autumn are seasons to travel in when hikes and roads generally accessible. This tour takes in the capital, Bishkek, with its museums and restaurants as well as the country’s finest lakes, canyons and steppe land.
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from $1,045 per person, 8 days



Day 1. Bishkek
On arrival you’ll be met by our guide and driver and transferred to your hotel. Trip to Ala Archa Natural Park where you can hike along the river taking in the mountain scenery. After a picnic, you’ll return to the city enjoying a short city tour. (D)
Day 2. Bishkek - Son Kul Lake
Travel to Son Kul Lake over the Kalmak Ashuu mountain pass (3,445m). Meet a local Kyrgyz family. Dinner and overnight in a traditional yurt camp. (B,L,D)
Day 3. Son Kul Lake – Tash Rabat Caravanserai (280 km)
Travel to Naryn by car over the Moldo Ashuu mountain pass (3,665m). Lunch with a local family in Naryn town. Drive further  to Tash Rabat Caravanserai. Overnight in a yurt. (B,L,D)
Day 4. Tash Rabat Caravanserai – Naryn town – Kochkor village
A drive to Naryn – famous for traditional felt-making and ‘shyrdak’ felt rugs. Continue to Kochkor village over the Dolon pass (3,030m). Dinner and overnight in the houses of local people. (B,L,D)
Day 5. Kochkor village – Jety Oguz canyon - Karakol town
Today we will leave for excursion to the scenic Jety-Oguz gorge. We will have a traditional dinner with a local family and overnight in a guesthouse. (B,L,D)
Day 6. Karakol – Cholpon Ata town (150 km)
Enjoy Karakol - the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan and a major tourist destination. Dinner and overnight in a hotel on the lakeshore. (B,L,D)
Day 7. Cholpon Ata town – Bishkek
Today, we will drive along the Northern lakeshore to Bishkek. En-route we will stop at the Burana archaeological and architectural site. Lunch with in a local family, overnight in a hotel in Bishkek. (B,L,D)
Day 8. Bishkek
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. (B)
Click here to view detailed day-by-day itinerary of this tour

Quick Facts
  • Season: Summer
  • Days: 8
  • Group Size: 4-12
  • Tour Grade:   Gentle

Day 1. Bishkek
On arrival you’ll be met by our guide and driver and transferred to your hotel. You’ll then begin your Kyrgyz adventure with a trip to Ala Archa Natural Park (45 km away) where you can hike along the river taking in the mountain scenery. After a picnic, you’ll return to the city, stopping at Baytik Baatyr mausoleum and then visit key city sights like Ala Too Central Square, State History Museum, Bishkek’s own White House, Parliament House, Lenin Statue and the Change of Guard of Honor. (D)
Day 2. Bishkek - Son Kul Lake
On day two you will be introduced to local hospitality and meet those leading traditional nomadic ways of life. To get there you will travel through the narrow Boom gorge, passing by the Orto Tokoi water reservoir, travelling over the Kalmak Ashuu mountain pass (3,445m) before lunching with a Kyrgyz family. Dinner and overnight in a traditional yurt camp. Driving distance – 360 km (225 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 3. Son Kul Lake – Tash Rabat Caravanserai
Today you will travel to Naryn by car over the Moldo Ashuu mountain pass (3,665m)which affords stunning views. Lunch will be taken with a local family in Naryn town. You will then travel to Tash Rabat where you will visit an old Caravanserai, this was once an inn for merchants and travellers. It is an enormous stone structure dating from the 15th century. It is one of the best preserved Silk Road sites in the world. Driving distance – 280 km (175 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 4. Tash Rabat Caravanserai – Naryn town – Kochkor village
A drive to Naryn – famous for traditional felt-making and ‘shyrdak’ felt rugs – where we will also visit the Central mosque, central square and art gallery. You can buy shyrdaks easily in Kyrgyzstan, many have motifs from nature, like animal horns and mountains. We will then continue to Kochkor village over the Dolon pass (3,030m). In Kochkor we will visit a handicraft museum-shop. Driving distance – 230 km (143 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 5. Kochkor village – Jety Oguz canyon - Karakol town
Today we will leave for excursion to the scenic Jety-Oguz gorge. Situated in a picturesque canyon on the northern slope of the Terskey Ala-Too range, about 25 km South West of Karakol, it lies at an altitude of 2,200 m. The unusual red sand rock formations are highly photogenic. The Broken Heart and Seven Bulls rock formations have become symbols of the Issyk Kul region and are picture postcard perfect. We will have a traditional dinner with a local family and overnight in a guesthouse. Driving distance – 270 km (168 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 6. Karakol – Cholpon Ata town
Karakol is the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan and a major tourist destination. It is a hub for those hiking, trekking, skiing and mountaineering in the high central Tian Shan to the south and east. Here, we will visit Dungan mosque, a Russian Orthodox cathedral and the Przhevalskii museum. We will also visit some Scythian burial mounds and petroglyphs. Lunch will be in a local cafe. Dinner and overnight in a hotel on the lakeshore, with time to visit the beach. Driving distance – 150 km (93 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 7. Cholpon Ata town – Bishkek
Today, we will drive along the Northern lakeshore to Bishkek. En-route we will stop at the Burana archaeological and architectural site. Burana is the historical city of Balasagun, the capital of the Karakhanids State in the 10th - 12th centuries. Today, you can see the ancient minaret and ruins of three mausoleums. It is thought that Apparently Balasagun was so important that Genghis Khan's Mongol Horde spared the city from destruction. Lunch with in a local family, then overnight in a hotel in Bishkek. Driving distance – 280 km (175 miles). (B,L,D)
Day 8. Bishkek
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. (B)


Want to travel on different dates?
Please see below for our group tour dates, if you would like to travel on a different day, please let us know and we will come back to you with an offer. There might be additional surcharges for a private tour but all depends on the number of people in your party and your travel preferences.

 

Peninsula Palace *****

Category: De Luxe 5* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Wangfujing, Goldfish Lane, 8

Peninsula Palace The Peninsula Palace Hotel Beijing is located within main shopping areas of Wangfujing and Dongdan in the heart of Beijing. It only takes a few minutes to walk to the popular scenic spots such as Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and The Museum of Chinese History.

Opened in 1989, the hotel has an imposing, traditional Chinese architectural-style exterior, integrated with the ultimate in luxurious, modern hotel amenities and facilities.

There are 525 guest rooms, which have been refurbished to the most luxurious standard based on the Peninsula's tradition of comfort, interwoven with subtle Chinese influences. The newly designed guest rooms and suites feature hardwood floors covered with carpet, a 42” plasma television, high-speed broadband Internet access, silent fax machine and The Peninsula signature technology - a bedside electronic panel that controls all lighting and audio-visual equipment in the room, as well as a special control panel by the door displaying outside temperature and humidity levels.

The hotel has a lounge, restaurants, fitness centre, sauna, spa, indoor pool, prestigious shopping Arcade with 50 exclusive designer boutiques.

Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace



Howard Johnson Paragon ****

Category: Business 4* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Jianguomen Avenue, 18

Howard Johnson Paragon The hotel is located in the city centre, next to the famous shopping mall - Henderson Centre, a 10-minute walk to the famous Tian Namen Square, Summer Palace and just across the street to the Beijing Railway Station.

There are 280 rooms equipped with a private bathroom, hairdryer, cable/satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, Internet access, iron and ironing board.

The hotel has a restaurant, bar/lounge, room service, baby sitting on request, beauty salon, fitness centre, free parking, game room, ironing/laundry services, business centre, meeting /conference rooms, non-smoking rooms and rooms for the disabled.

Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon



Red Wall ***

Category: Tourist 3* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Sha Tan North Street, 31

Red Wall The hotel is located in the centre of Beijing and within 5 minutes walk to its major attractions: Forbidden City, traditional Chinese folk house (Hutong and Siheyuan), Wangfujing shopping street, Red Building of Beijing University, including relics of the city wall of Beijing.

The hotel has a total of 200 rooms including standard rooms, deluxe standard rooms, executive suite rooms equipped with a private bathroom, hairdryer, air conditioning, cable/satellite TV, high-speed Internet access, telephone, safety box, iron and ironing board and mini-bar.

There is a gym, sauna, massage, beauty salon, restaurant, coffee bar and meeting room. The restaurant offers Chinese and Western cuisines including Chinese imperial cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and Guangdong cuisine.

Red Wall Red Wall Red Wall Red Wall



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