Jailoo Tourism

Nomadic cultures have their own distinct classifications. Steppe nomads, like the Kazakhs, present a classic example as they move horizontally: from west to east and east to west. Then there are the stationary nomads, such as the Turkmen, who never stray far from their wells because they raise livestock on the sands, always in need of water. The Kyrgyz, however, are vertical nomads, migrating from the plains up into the mountains.

Indeed, the life of a Kyrgyz herder unfolds between the «ail» (the village in the valley) and the «jailoo» (the high mountain pasture). In the ail lies his permanent home, while he takes a yurt along with him to the jailoo. Kyrgyzstan is perhaps the most «yurt-centered» country after Mongolia. Today, it’s difficult to say whether the Kyrgyz are more like plainsmen or highlanders, as they’ve simply adapted the lifestyle of the steppe to the mountains.

The term «jailoo» translates from Kyrgyz as «high-altitude pasture.» In the late 1990s, a local tour operator conducted an experiment by inviting Western tourists to experience life with Kyrgyz shepherds. The first adventurers came from Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Hiking in the mountains, stargazing, and immersing themselves in the local culture won their hearts, proving the experiment to be a great success. While many tourists flock to five-star, all-inclusive resorts, jailoo tourists embrace the «all-off» experience.

As a guest of a shepherd, you’ll learn how to set up a yurt, brew tea in a samovar with juniper, and ride horseback. In such surroundings, it’s easy to forget what year it is—as if you’ve traveled back in time without the need for a time machine. Jailoo tourism is an opportunity to live in yurts deep in the mountains of the Pamirs and Tien Shan, embark on breathtaking hikes or horseback rides across vast mountain landscapes, breathe in the purest air, and gaze upon a night sky blanketed with countless stars (bring a telescope!). You’ll savor organic, traditional nomadic fare: freshly baked flatbread, hearty lamb dishes, and fermented mare’s milk known as «kumis.» It’s a complete shift in consciousness, a chance to reconnect with a time when humans were deeply attuned to nature and their place within it.

No office work, no bosses—just you, nature, the high-altitude pastures, and the nomads whose way of life you’ll not only witness but also experience firsthand. Your home will be a yurt, and instead of your usual breakfast and lunch, you’ll savor kumis, freshly baked bread, and tender, sizzling lamb—exactly the kind of food the locals enjoy. Even if this diet doesn’t entirely appeal to you, the stunning, star-filled skies in the mountains certainly will. If you know how to ride, you can spend your days exploring the rugged terrain on horseback.

Becoming a guest of Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous regions is not difficult. You can either find nomads yourself on the slopes of the Tien Shan or reach out to a local tour agency. Yurts can be found in pastures like the Semenov Gorge, at Lake Son-Kul, or in Kilemche. A longer route starts from Bishkek through the village of Kochkor to the Sarala-Saz waterfall. It’s best to embark on this journey in the summer when the sun warms the land, and the meadows are in full bloom.