Do not hesitage to give us a call. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
+998 50 572-22-12
info@cato-tour.com
Travel: accessible to all
Effort: 2+ out of 5
Duration: 14 days
Trip to Kyrgyzstan to discover the nomadic life, spending nights in hotels, in yurts and with locals, among wild nature and exceptional encounters…
Introduction
This trip to Kyrgyzstan is an exciting adventure full of discoveries.
During the trip you will meet people with a different lifestyle. You will spend nights in yurts and houses of local families, taste delicious Kyrgyz cuisine, visit oriental bazaars, architectural monuments of antiquity, meet with shepherds and participate in fun national games.
You will see breathtaking passes, mountain pastures where herds of cows, sheep, horses and yaks graze, as well as the pearls of the Tien Shan mountains – the Issyk Kul and Song Kul lakes.
You will see the country where life flows slowly, where people respect and honor the traditions of their ancestors, where women are engaged in needlework: weaving, knitting, creating felt items, preparing national dishes and where men develop crafts, hunt, build houses and graze livestock.
Discover a new culture, new people, new sensations – discover the incredible Kyrgyzstan with us.
Highlights:
Technical information:
Dates and prices 2024 per person in US dollars:
Departure date 2024:
02.08-15.08.2024 (arrival in Bishkek on the night between 02.08 and 03.08)
Accommodation:
In total: 13 nights with early check-in included on arrival.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
30 days or more 0% of the trip cost
30 – 15 days 50% of the cost of the trip
15-8 days 75% of the travel cost
1 – 7 days 100% of the travel cost
Good to know:
Equipment
Some personal equipment:
Personal pharmacy
In addition to the usual medications, it is advisable to bring with you: antidiarrheal, analgesic, possibly vitamins, sunscreen, plaster, disinfectant, broad-spectrum antibiotic, cure for colds (nose, throat, bronchi, ears), anti-inflammatory product – mosquitoes in summer.
CLOTHES :
When visiting temples and villages, correct clothing that respects local customs is required: trousers and short-sleeved or loose-fitting t-shirts. No shorts, tank tops or dresses that are too tight or revealing. For women: Bermuda shorts must be replaced with cropped trousers.
Flight to Bishkek, night on the plane
Morning arrival to Bishkek. Transfer to hotel (in case of different flight from the group, transfer with driver but without guide). The rest of the program is to be modulated based on the arrival time of the flight.
Meeting point for everyone at 11am in the hotel lobby.
Let’s first take a walk through the Osh market, the main bazaar and meeting point of the country’s traders, a quite unique place, where you can see the bright rows of dried fruits, nuts, sweets and spices, as well as the meat department, that of bakeries or artisan shops. After visiting Osh market, we head towards the city center.
Stroll along the large shaded avenues of the city, discovering its monuments, museums, the presidential palace, the central ”Ala Too” square, Panfilov Park and Victory Park…
Lunch and dinner in a traditional restaurant.
Breakfast. This morning we will discover the Ala Archa national park. The canyon, classified as a natural park, features an impressive gorge and great viewpoints.
Warm-up walk to Ala Archa waterfall (2800 m)
Picnic with lunch boxes for lunch.
Then transfer to Tokmok town.
En route visit ancient Balasagun settlement with Burana tower which is also home to a museum of important archaeological pieces that tell the history of the Silk Road and Kyrgyzstan’s place on it.
Burana Tower is all that’s left of the city of Balasagun, which was the capital of the Karakhanid Empire in the 9th century.
After excursion we will head towards Chong Kemin Valley via the mountain road.
Dinner and overnight stay in guest house.
Ala Archa:
Distance: 8 km on foot/approximately 4 hours
Altitude difference on foot: + 450 m.
Negative height difference on foot: -450 m
Night and dinner in guesthouse.
Shipping time: approx. 3 hours/170 km
Breakfast. Transfer to Tamchi village. Along the route 3-hour walk in the Konorchek canyons located 140 kilometers from Bishkek in the western part of the Boom Gorge. These fabulous places are unique for their extraordinary formation based on red sandstone. Continue to Issyk Kul Lake. Arrival in Tamchi in the afternoon and possibility to swim.
Konorchok Canyon:
Distance: 11 km on foot/approximately 3-4 hours
Elevation difference on foot: + 300 m.
Negative height difference on foot: -300 m
Night and dinner at the house of local family.
Shipping time: approx. 2 hours/120 km
GOOD TO KNOW : Homestay with simple comfort. Single rooms are not always available, so we will share rooms and bathrooms .
After breakfast, transfer to the Grigor’evka gorge where we will begin our short walk towards the Kyrchyn pastures. (1h) The landscapes today are completely different, yesterday we were in the canyons of Colorado, today they remind us of the Alps.
After the tour easy transfer to the agro-farm “Kyzyl Tash” in the village of Zharkynbaevo. This is a unique complex dedicated to the life of nomads, where you can learn a lot about the life of the Tchaban (herders). In a kind of museum, a local guide will talk about animal husbandry, sheep breeds bred in Soviet times, and also tell about the times when Kyrgyzstan was the largest supplier of high-quality wool and meat in the entire USSR .
Lunch on a farm overlooking Issyk Kul Lake. We will enjoy grilled fish with vegetables.
Transfer to Jyrgalan Valley.
Arrival at Jyrgalan village, accommodation in guest house. Dinner and rest.
Walk at Grigoryevka and Semenovka:
Distance: 5km on foot/approximately 1h30
Altitude difference on foot: + 280 m.
Negative height difference on foot: -280 m
Road transportation time: approx. 5 hours/280 km
GOOD TO KNOW : Guest house with simple comfort. Single rooms are not always available, so we will share rooms and bathrooms .
Full day in Jyrgalan Valley.
Departure for a walk at Lake Turnaluu Kol (12 km return). The route passes through picturesque alpine-type meadows, characterized by a variety of herbs and medicinal plants. Upon arrival at the lake we will rest a bit and have lunch (packed lunch included).
The name Turnaluu Kol is translated as “a lake where cranes live”, so these beautiful birds can often be found here. Depending on your wishes you can organize a walk in the village or to the waterfall.
Dinner and overnight stay in guest house.
Walk to Turnaluu Koul Lake:
Distance: 12 km on foot/approximately 5 hours
Altitude difference on foot: + 600 m.
Negative height difference on foot: -600 m
Transfer after breakfast to Karakol heading west via the northern shore of Issyk-Kul lake. During the route swimming in the Aksu hot springs. Upon arrival in Karakol, visit the Prjevalski Museum, the first Russian explorer.
In the afternoon short city tour to the town of Karakol, where we will visit the famous Doungane Mosque and the
Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity. Both buildings have cultural and material value for Kyrgyzstan and its history.
The program includes a visit to the regional historical museum and its gallery
by Ella Maillart – great traveler who arrived in Central Asia in the 1930s.
Dinner with a Dungan family. Night in hotel.
Road transportation time: approx. 1h30/70km
Along the way, we will stop to admire “Broken heart” mountain formation, located at the entrance to the Jety Oguz valley, this natural jewel reveals all its romance. This lush valley is particularly popular between hikers for its magnificent views of mountains, waterfalls and caves. We will take a hiking trail to the picturesque Valley of Flowers. Crossing pastures covered in pine forests, we will have
the sensation of being in the heart of the Swiss countryside. The men on horseback driving the cattle and the yurts scattered here remind us that we are truly in one of the greenest valleys of Central Asia. Entering the valley of flowers, we continue on a narrow and dusty path that leads, through the alpine woods, to a small cool and shady paradise under the Devechi Kosy waterfall. Packed lunch in the heart of this environment. We will continue our route through the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake and arrive to the yurt camp at the lake shore, where we will spend the night.
Walk in the Djety Oguz gorge:
Distance: 2km on foot/approximately 1h
Elevation difference on foot: + 500 m.
Negative height difference on foot: -500 m
Road transportation time: approx. 3 hours/160 km
GOOD TO KNOW : Individual yurts are not always available, so we will share yurts and bathrooms .
Breakfast at the camp. This morning we will enjoy a relaxing moment on the shores of Lake Issyk Koul. In some periods of the year the waters of the lake can reach 24 degrees, perfect for cooling off. We will then board our vehicles to reach the starting point of our excursion. We will follow the hiking trails of this splendid canyon to reach the highest point and admire the splendid 360° panorama. This amazing canyon is often called the “valley of forgotten rivers” here, because at the entrance we can observe the traces of dry rivers that flowed in this place many years ago. Packed lunch. Descending through winding paths, we will finally find the southern shore of the beautiful Issyk Kul Lake. Eventually we will find our yurt camp. At the end of the afternoon our guests will reveal to you all the secrets of eagle hunting. Dinner and overnight stay in a yurt.
GOOD TO KNOW : Individual yurts are not always available, so we will share yurts and toilets
Breakfast. Departure by road to reach the heart of Kyrgyzstan, Lake Son Kol. Along the way we will stop in one of the workshops in the village of Kyzyl Tuu to discover the techniques of building a yurt . The route is sometimes difficult, but after a few passes we will reach a true oasis of peace placed at the altitude of more than 3000 m above sea level in the heart of the Tian Shan massif. Upon arrival we will settle into our lakeside yurt camp. Nomads live there for a few months in spring and summer with their herds of yaks and horses. A great opportunity to meet local shepherds and their families in the heart of breathtaking landscapes. The always-friendly Kyrgyz families will invite us to taste the regional products, Airan (yoghurt) and Kumis (fermented national drink made from mare’s milk). In this nomadic environment, we will have dinner and spend the night in the summer mountain pastures in warm yurts. We will not feel time pass: privileged moments spent with the inhabitants to learn more about their culture, their traditions, share their daily life, discover the work of the nomads, and walk on the shores of the lake or on the ridges above it. .. Our yurt camp is located in the northern part of the lake (its most beautiful coast).
Road transportation time: approx. 4-5h / 160km
Attention! a night at altitude 3,000 m
GOOD TO KNOW : Individual yurts are not always available, so we will share yurts and toilets
After breakfast we head west towards the lake and walk along the lake shore. Your driver will follow you by his car but the local English-speaking guide will accompany you. Small climbs and descents (max 50 m) await you before arriving at the Tulpar Tash Yurts camp. The lake shore is magnificent with herds of horses, yaks, cows, sheep and goats. Chance to visit shepherds and taste fermented mare’s milk, cheese balls and simply cow’s milk tea…
Lunch at Uzbek yurt camp (included in the price)
After breakfast – free time.
Dinner and overnight at Tulpar Tash yurt camp.
Distance: 13 km on foot / 4-5 hours of walking
Elevation difference on foot: + 150 m.
Negative height difference on foot: – 150 m
GOOD TO KNOW : Individual yurts are not always available, so we will share yurts and toilets
Breakfast at the camp. Departure by road towards the village of Kyzyl Oy, our last stop on our journey before Bishkek. After crossing the Karakeche pass at more than 3,600 m, we will immerse ourselves in the Jumgal valley and regretfully
leave Son Koul lake behind us. We will stop at Chaek village, this small town in the middle of nowhere, to do some shopping. The road will then lead us towards a path that flows into a canyon where a splendid river with turquoise waters flows with magnificent green and ocher cliffs as a backdrop. The time has come to immortalize this extraordinary nature, photography enthusiasts will be wondered. Upon our arrival we will be won over by the hospitality of the inhabitants of the village of Kyzyl Oi. They will open the doors for us for the night. For those who want to stretch their legs, the town is an excellent starting point for a short excursion upstream from the town to enjoy a beautiful view of the valley, the town, the river… Dinner and overnight stay in the home of local people.
Road transportation time: approx. 5h / approx. 160 km
GOOD TO KNOW: Homestay with simple comfort. Single rooms are not always available, so we will share rooms and bathrooms .
Breakfast at the locals’ home. We will board our vehicle to cover the last kilometers to Bishkek. The route runs alongside the Kekmeren River, which rises to the Too Ashuu Pass at over 3,500 m above sea level. On our journey we pass through two isolated villages in the upper part of the valley. Then we will descend the wide Chuy valley. We will arrive in Bishkek mid-day. For those who wish, head to the Osh market to make the latest purchases or for a moment of relaxation. Dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate your last evening in Kyrgyzstan.
Road transportation time: approx. 5h / approx. 200km
According to our flight schedule, transfer to Bishkek airport. Return flight
Road transportation time: approx. 45 minutes / 30 km