10 day tour to Kyrgyzstan

Meeting at the airport in the morning. Check in and rest time at the hotel. Departure to Ala Archa National Park. At the National Park you can easily hike along the main gorge of Ala Archa and back to enjoy views of magnificent peaks of Kyrgyz Ala Too Ridge (Tien Shan Mountains). We head to the capital Bishkek for a sightseeing tour: the central Ala-Too square, Victory Square, National Philharmonic, Opera and Ballet Theater, the largest mosque in Central Asia. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure to Konorchek Canyon (one hour walk one way). Konorchek canyons are unique fabulous places only in Central Asia. Konorchek canyons are composed of red Paleogene sandstone and their appearance resembles the American Grand Canyon in miniature. They have similarities with the ruins of ancient cities, castles, and modern skyscrapers. There is practically no vegetation in these canyons. They were formed by erosion, which lasted millions of years. Arriving at Son Kul in the evening (Driving time: 5 hours). 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, where you will, for sure, be invited to have kymyz, the national drink made of fermented mare's milk, with traditional bread, try other diary products and homemade jam. Overnight in the yurt camp. Note: the living conditions in the yurts are very traditional, which means that a person will have the opportunity to share a toilet outside the yurt and experience a real Kyrgyz way of life. Single accommodation is not available, 3-5 people in the yurt.

Walking on the beach and area of the Song Kol lake and feeling ourselves as we live nomadic life. Also we will hike to Bel Ashuu pass (3400 meters) you will have high mountains and a panoramic view of the beautiful jailoo. While hiking you will see shepherds who take care of their cattle (horses, sheep, cows), they bring them here for summer time from close areas. Overnight in the yurt camp.

Departure to Kochkor. From time immemorial Kochkor was considered a convenient transshipment base on the Great Silk Road leading to the Chinese city of Kashgar through the Torugart Pass. Acquaintance with the life and culture of the locals. At noon you will see master classes in felt making (shyrdak), creating patterns on the felt. Felt is a dense material of lamb wool, which for centuries played a major role in the everyday life of the Kyrgyz people. The secrets of felt making art and decoration with ornaments were handed down from generation to generation. Felt was primarily used as a material for covering yurts from outside. From felt, they made carpets, bags, as well as toys. After lunch head for Issyk Kul Lake. Yssyk-Kol is the second largest lake after the Titicaca in the Andes, a high mountain lake. It is widely believed that the name Yssyk Kol in Kyrgyz means 'hot lake,' because the water in the lake never freezes. Located at an altitude of 1609 meters, the lake covers an area of 6236 km2 and it can reach depths of 668 meters. The coast is famous for its exceptional landscape and particular maritime climate. It is also the largest health resort zone in Central Asia. Evening free for water activities at Yssyk Kol Lake. Here you enjoy the fresh air, light breeze from the lake, and beautiful nature. Overnight at the guesthouse.

In the morning we will see the show hunting with golden eagles (Salbuurun) in Kyrgyzstan is a unique chance to comprehend all the secrets of this ancient art, adopting a thousand-year experience of hereditary nomad hunters. During the hunt, you will be able to trace and experience for yourself how a graceful, dexterous and proud bird shoots from the hand of the host to the very clouds and rapidly falls on its prey. Also, you will have the opportunity to consider the bird closer and even hold it in your arms. We will visit Fairy Tale Canyon. Among weird rock formations there is a ridge that resembles two walls of fortification, which looks like the Great Wall of China, it rises vertically out of the surrounding sandstone. The rocks vary in color from a sandy yellow to red and orange, there are colorful striations visible in places, which show the different chemical composition of the rocks. The next stop will be in the Barskoon gorge. Barskoon Gorge is one of the most beautiful gorges on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, famous for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests. The gorge is famous because it was visited by the first man who flew into space – Yuri Gagarin. Arriving at Jeti Oguz gorge in the evening. On the way there, we will visit main local attractions such as Broken Heart, Seven bulls, and have a brief walk in Djety-Oguz Canyon, which looks like a small version of the Grand Canyon. Afternoon walk to the waterfall (one hour one way). Overnight yurt camp.

Hiking to the mountains, where there is a magnificent panoramic view. After lunch departure to the Karakol, Excursion to Trinity Orthodox Church of the 19th century is an old Russian six-barreled church with a copy of the Holy Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev, a Muslim Dungan mosque built without a single nail in 1907. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning we will change our car to a Russian car (UAZ) and to go to Altyn-Arashan gorge (Golden Source). The area was named after hot, curative sources of hydrogen sulfide origin. Here you can relax and unwind in one of the mini pools. Altyn-Arashan is a high-mountain gorge in the eastern part of the Terskey-Ala-Too ridge. This gorge is one of the most popular tourist places in Kyrgyzstan due to its unique nature, hot springs located right in the gorge, extensive spruce forests and stunning views. Overnight in yurt camp.

Walking through the gorge. One of the main attractions of this day will be an overview of the peak Palatka (5020 m.). In the evening, we are back to Karakol. Overnight at the hotel.

Day of return to Bishkek via Burana Tower (driving time: 7 hours). En-route visit an important point on the ancient Silk Road — the Burana Tower architectural complex, dated back to the 10th century, monuments include a minaret, remnants of a castle, and ancient warrior cemetery. On the way the equestrian hippodrome in Cholpon-Ata, where the World Nomad Games took place, covers an area of twenty-five hectares. The arena is the only one in Central Asia located on the lake. The total capacity of the hippodrome is 10 thousand people. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning transfer to the airport (driving time: 40min). Meals: Breakfast.