Nomadic Kyrgyzstan!
- Tour countries:
- Kyrgyzstan
- Type of tour:
- General
Just about every tourist should make this journey at least once in their life!
It is much more than a cultural tour; this is an opportunity to really experience Nomadic culture and to meet people ready to share their wonderful customs and traditions. During this tour you will drive along the most beautiful places of Kyrgyzstan! You will meet real nomads and communicate with them! You will even have an opportunity to sleep in their felt dwellings - yurts! There is simply no better way to experience our country! These views really shouldn't be missed. It is an unforgettable journey through a mythical land of nomads!!!
Highlights of this amazing tour:
Burana Tower - built in 11 century by Karahanids!
Stone Warriors Balbals - statures made in 7 century for brave warriors!
Issyk Kul Lake - the second largest mountain lake in the world!
Petrogliphs - ancient stone pictures made more than 2 500 years ago!
Karakol town - old town with famous Orthodox Church and Dungan Mosque!
Jeti Oguz gorge - the gorge of red rocks with nomads not far from it!
Eagle Hunter - a real Kyrgyz family that still practice this ancient skill!
City tour in the capital - find out amazing facts about Bishkek city!
Home stays - spend more time with local people to see their life!
Meals - taste the most delicious Kyrgyz food!
Nomads - you will meet nomadic families to find out more about them!
Local people - get acquainted with Kyrgyz that live in remote places!
Asian Bazaar - it is very bright and colorful, photo paradise!
Drinking Kumis - it is fermented mare's milk!
Mountains, Mountains, Mountains - amazing nature will surprise you!
Day 1: Bishkek
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! Our guide will wait you in the airport and then you will drive together to the hotel. After a short rest we will start a city tour. The main buildings in Bishkek were built at Soviet Times and now you can see this kind of architecture. During the tour you will find out the whole history of our capital from the very begging till our days. Your guide will tell you a lot of amazing facts about Bishkek. This city tour includes visiting of Victory Square, Oak Park with stone sculptures, Old Square, The House of Parliament, Main Ala Too Square, White House, Manas Hero Square, City Hall and many other interesting places.
It is not a real city tour without visiting our Asian Bazaar! We will show you it today and you will be able to make a lot of photos there. This bazaar is very colorful and noisy. People sell there all kinds of goods. You will walk there about an hour to see local people, goods, fruits, vegetables, meat store, and other things! In the evening we will go to a national restaurant to eat Kyrgyz food. Kyrgyzstan is the country of nomads and almost all dishes consist of meet. If you prefer vegetarian food - just tell your guide, she will help you to choose the proper one. Among meals that have meet we suggest to taste during the tour the following dishes: Manti - look like big ravioli, kuurdak - fried pieces of meat with potatoes, lagman - a little bit spicy noodle soup, guro lagman - the same noodle with vegetables but dry, plov - rice with meet and small pieces of vegetables. Ask you guide - she will always suggest you something delicious! After dinner if you wish we can go for a walk to the main Square Ala Too. There are special fountains that always change their directions and colorful lights to enjoy the view!
Day 2: Bishkek - Burana Tower - Issyk Kul Lake
Today we will drive to the most famous place of Kyrgyzstan - Issyk Kul Lake!!! Issyk Kul is the biggest mountain lake in Central Asia, and the second biggest mountain lake in the whole world! Its length is 180 km and it is 60 km wide! The view of the lake is fantastic - it has pure blue water and it is surrounded by high Tien Shan Mountains from all sights! You can swim in the lake and to see mountains around you with snow white peaks! The water is about 22 degrees and many people come there to swim in summer time. For more than 1 500 years local people considered the lake to be a sacred one. Nobody was allowed to swim there and even to touch the water! Only in 19th century people started to swim in the lake and to go fishing. On the way to the lake we will visit our popular Burana Tower. It was built in the 11th century. There was a thriving city on the Great Silk Road. Many caravans were there while moving from China to Rome. Also you will see Stone Warriors - Balbals. If a famous soldier was killed during a war then people would always make a stature for him. They belong to the 7-8th century. The road to the lake goes along Kyrgyz range and then you drive inside Boom gorge. The views are really stunning there! After coming to your home stay you will have time to go on the beach and to swim in the lake. At 8 p.m. you will have a good dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 3: Issyk Kul Lake - Karakol
In the morning we will visit a place where you will see ancient pictures on stones! They are called petroglpihs. These petroglpihs were made more than 2 000 years ago by shamans. All these stones are still at the same place as they were at that time. You can see a panorama view of the Issyk Kul Lake from this place - people were thinking that it was the middle of the world. All these pictures were depicted on the southern side of stones. People believed that in this case the God of the Sun will see their messages. Also beside the pictures there are big stones put in a circle way to make sacrifices. After an excursion you will visit a museum in Cholpon Ata. There are many attractive things from the Kyrgyz history, handicraft, music instruments and a lot of other interesting artifacts. Afterwards we will drive to Karakol town. The road goes along the northern shore of the lake and you will have many photo stops to make pictures of our amazing lake. Karakol is an old town that was built in the time of Russian Czar. Many houses still have decorated wooden frames of windows. The main highlights of Karakol town are Russian Orthdox Church and Dungan Mosque. Russian Orthodox Church was built at the end of 19th century. It is a wooden church and there are many nice icons that are very old. You will have enough time to go around the church and to go inside also. Women have to cover their head with a kerchief. Dungan mosque is made by Chinese architecture as a present for Kyrgyz. It is made of wood without using any nails.
Day 4: Karakol - Jeti Oguz - Bishkek
Today we will drive back to Bishkek but the road will be completely different. This time we will drive along the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake. This is a great chance to see the whole lake from all sights! While driving to Bishkek we will turn to Jeti Oguz gorge. This is one of the most well-known places of Kyrgyzstan! It's famous for its red rocks formations that have a name Seven Bulls - Jeti Oguz. Your guide will tell you a beautiful legend about these rocks. Also you will see our amazing Broken Heart Mountain! We will make many photos there and if you want it is possible to go on a top of a mountain (20 minutes) to see a panorama view of the gorge! There are some yurts on the way and people can offer you to drink Kumis. It is a national drink that is made of mare's milk, and it is an alcoholic drink as a beer. After that we drive along Issyk Kul Lake and you will have a picnic on a wild beach. If you wish you can swim there for 30 minutes before we continue our driving. On the way we will visit one of the most interesting families in Kyrgyzstan - the family of Eagle Hunters! There are still some people in villages that continue this ancient way of hunting in our days. They train eagles and hawks when they are young and every winter go with them to the mountains for hunting. The Eagle Hunter just lets the bird fly and it finds the victim on its own. You will find out many interesting facts about this way of hunting and you will be able to make photo while keeping the bird on your hand! Farewell dinner in Bishkek will be at 9 o'clock. After a night in a hotel you will be transferred to the airport early in the morning.
Travel season in Kyrgyzstan is from May till the end of October. The best time to have a cultural tour is from the middle of June till the end of August. At this time are warm temperatures and almost no rain. At September we have cooler temperatures with a chance of rain. You can see nomads and yurts only from the middle of June till the end of September.
Tour schedule
| Group | Price per person | |
| 3 star hotel | 4 star hotel | |
| 2 people | $675 | $780 |
| 4 people | $460 | $570 |
| 6 people | $385 | $490 |
| 8 people | $355 | $460 |
| 10 people | $320 | $430 |
| Single | $145 | $165 |
| Early check-in | $40 | $90 |
| Attention: 3-4 Star hotels are available only in Bishkek. | ||
Service includes:
- Airport transfers
- Transport for all transfers and excursions
- Double room accommodation in hotels, guesthouses and home stays
- Three time meals and mineral water during the tour
- Full-time service of your English speaking guide-interpreter
- Entry fees to museums
- Service charges and government tax
- No extra charge after confirmation
Service does not include:
- Single room accommodation
- Early check-in
- Alcohol and soft drinks
- International flight tickets
- Personal travel insurance
- Cost for the Kyrgyz visa (additional payment is 70$ per person)
