Natural Wonder & Lake Tour

Welcome to choose our Kyrgyzstan private tours, suitable for all nature lovers seeking a serene escape! Upon arrival in Bishkek, you’ll meet our guide and the driver at the airport and they will escort you to the downtown hotel for check-in. 

Once settled, accompanied by the private guide, start your sightseeing at the Old Square, the only city square during the Soviet era and now a hub for exhibitions and trade fairs, also a public space filled with children skateboarding and live performances. After stretching legs in the lush Oak Park (Dubovy Park) with over 90 sculptures and artistic installations, we’ll head to Ala-Too Square, the new centerpiece of Bishkek. Surrounding it are the National History Museum, a flagpole that stands over 100 meters (328 feet) tall, and the statue of national hero Manas, all arranged without obscuring the alabaster Heavenly Mountains in the distance. If it’s on the hour, we can also watch the 15-minute changing of the guard ceremony. Wrap up our Bishkek city tour with a visit to the National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Abdylas Maldybayev from the outside, whose exquisite relief columns echo the opulence of a bygone era. Finally, your guide will escort you back to the hotel.

Insider Tips: 
1. SIM Card: Although you can find free Wi-Fi in Bishkek and Karakol, it is advisable to get a SIM card, and the Megacom SIM card with a 40 GB data package for KGS 490 (USD 5.6), which offers the widest coverage, and is sufficient for an 11-day stay.
2. Altitude Sickness Prevention: Traveling to destinations above 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) may cause symptoms of altitude sickness, such as headache, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. For a safe journey, you can schedule a comprehensive medical check-up and consult your doctor for some precautionary pills in advance. Remember to take a break at the first sign of discomfort and inform your guide immediately.

Accommodation: Ramada by Wyndham Bishkek Centre Hotel (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel lobby and drive 1.5 hours to the Burana Tower in the heart of ancient Balasagun, a 9th-11th century trade hub along the Silk Road. Standing 24 meters (79 feet), the tower tapers from an octagonal base towards the pinnacle, which has survived the Mongol invasion and withstood several earthquakes. Two windows are carved into its body to pour natural light, while a spiral staircase inside invites the courageous to ascend and enjoy the surroundings and looming snow-capped mountains. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, take in the Balbal rock carvings encircling the tower, some of which date back to the 1st century BC, depicting bearded Turkic warriors, who hold goblets in their right hands and rest their left on swords.

Next, we’ll wind through verdant valleys and drive to Cholpon Ata along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, the world’s second-largest alpine lake. You may spot flocks of mallards and other waterfowl gliding through its azure surface. Due to the high salinity, Issyk-Kul Lake remains unfrozen throughout the year, and is recorded as the ‘hot sea’ in history. Let’s make a stop at the Nomad Museum en route, where traditional costumes, instruments, and equestrian gear showcase authentic nomadic lives.   

After reaching Cholpon Ata and checking into the hotel, you can enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. Thanks to the region’s pleasant climate and soothing hot springs, Cholpon Ata has been a resort destination since Soviet times, boasting numerous sanatoriums and wellness centers. Consider indulging in a rejuvenating open-air spa or partaking in exhilarating water sports, like kayaking, surfing, and banana boating, at your own expense. Just want a more laid-back afternoon? Napping with the audiobooks under a parasol after sunbathing.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Kapriz Issyk Kul Resort, Cholpon Ata (3 stars) or similar

This morning, our guide and the driver will accompany you to Karakol, Kyrgyzstan’s fourth-largest city. Along the way, stop at the Nikolai Przhevalsky Museum to learn about the great 19th-century Russian explorer. Be inspired by his travelogues across Central Asia, Mongolia, and northwestern China, and study his achievements in science and hydrology. Behind the museum lies his mausoleum, overlooking the peaceful Issyk-Kul Lake as he wished. After reaching Karakol, you’ll be escorted by your guide to the hotel and spend the rest of the day freely after check-in.

► Activity Suggestion (at your own expense): 
Once reenergized, you can explore the Russian Quarter to see Karakol’s colonial past, where blue-and-white wooden carved ‘ginger houses’ decorate the street landscapes. Alternatively, sip a cup of beer while relaxing in a Russian Banya, with a sauna and cold plunge, costing between KGS 200 and KGS 500 (USD 2-6). For dinner, treat yourself to local specialties at Bugu Bazaar, including cold soup noodles, crispy pastries, and baked flatbread, available for under KGS 500 (USD 6).

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (3 stars) or similar

If it is Sunday, after meeting your guide and the driver at your hotel lobby, we’ll make an early visit to the Karakol Animal Market, where livestock is traded amidst noise and dust. Sheep are tied to car bumpers at the external region, while cattle and horses occupy the central area. Please stay a safe distance from animals and wear easy-to-clean shoes if you don’t want to leave with their dung as souvenirs. Following this intriguing experience, we’ll explore the Holy Trinity Cathedral, an entirely wooden masterpiece dedicated to Orthodoxy, with its striking onion-shaped domes, carved decorations, and abundant collections of icons. Our next stop is the Dungan Mosque, and you may wonder why it has upturned eaves at first glance. It’s relevant to its creator - the Dungan people, who are Muslims emigrating from northwestern China to Karakol in the late 19th century. All components were made of spruces and poplars, fitting together like Lego blocks without nails. 

Then, a scenic drive will lead you to Jeti-Oguz Canyon, famous for its dramatic red sandstone formations, particularly Seven Bulls Rocks and Broken Heart Rock, named after their shapes and local love legends. Keen-eyed explorers may discover colorful hives along the way, brimming with the country’s prized white honey. Afterwards, continue to enjoy a private transfer along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake to the yurt camp at Skazka Canyon (Canyon Fairy Tale) for check-in. Once settled, walk to the canyon and ascend to the Lower Viewpoint with our guide, where whimsical rock formations that resemble city walls and turrets transform into a mesmerizing palette of red, yellow, and orange as the light shifts. Tonight, you’ll experience a yurt stay surrounded by the canyon and Issyk-Kul Lake.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Royal Gate Yurt Hotel at Skazka Canyon or similar

★ Marvel at Top Predators’ Power at an Eagle-hunting Show

This morning, our guide and the driver will pick you up and accompany you to Bokonbayevo Village, where a professional falconer awaits to showcase the country’s ancient golden eagle hunting. Since the 10th century, these formidable predators have helped sustain Central Asian nomads, but they weren’t born knowing how to hunt prey. After spending days and nights intimately with their owners for 3-4 years, they can precisely identify commands and cope with a rugged hunting environment. During our specially arranged golden eagle hunting show, you can inspect the bird’s 2-meter (7-foot) wingspan and marvel at its lightning dive speed after spotting a target (animal fur or rabbit), and even have the chance to feel its weight on your arm under the falconer’s guide.

Next, we’ll drive 5 hours to Song Kol Lake, Kyrgyzstan’s largest freshwater lake, via Kalmak Ashuu Pass at an altitude of 3,477 m (11,309 ft.), accompanied by hovering eagles and yaks sprinkled across hillsides. Try to escape from worldly worries as Song Kol Lake unfolds its endless pastures, and fall into meditation by watching the waters ripple in the gentle breeze. Tonight, we’ll stay overnight in a yurt camp by the lake.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nomad’s Dream Yurt Camp, Song Kol Lake or similar

★ Song Kol Lake: Experience the Soul of Nomadic Life 

As the sunlight spills through your yurt’s roof, a relaxing day at Song Kol Lake kicks off! Outside, the nomadic lifestyle centers on the stage: boys on summer break cooperate with their fathers to release livestock from batches to the nearby grassland; girls are busy milking cows and passing the harvests to their moms to make creamy butter, tangy cheeses, and rich yogurt. Our guide will accompany you into a nomad’s home, where a low table teems with tantalizing handmade jam and fluffy bread. Accept the host’s irresistible invitation to sit by them and observe an authentic yurt layout: brilliant place of rugs and furniture create different nooks for sleeping, cooking, and working, and wicker containers are hung on walls to store everything from tea to utensils, perfectly matching their moving needs. 

The rest of the day is left for you to soak up this untamed wilderness! If your physical condition permits, consider riding a horse by the lakeside at your own expense. Prefer a quieter pace? Stay at camp to meet the Taigan hounds, nomads’ cherished companions known for their speed and agility. As dusk blankets the landscape, gather around the crackling campfire to share stories and gaze at the unpolluted starry sky until the cold wind urges you into the yurt for sleep.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Nomad’s Dream Yurt Camp, Song Kol Lake or similar

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby, and let’s drive to Naryn, about 4 hours away, through the 3,346-meter (10,978-foot) high Moldo-Ashu Pass above sea level. Unpaved roads and nine hairpin bends make the journey challenging, but you can trust our driver’s skill and just enjoy this alpine experience with pine forests and snow-capped peaks shrouded in milk-like clouds. Don’t forget to pack warm clothing, as such high altitude may bring unexpected rainfall even in summer. 

With nearly 99% of the ethnic Kyrgyz population, Naryn was once seen as the country’s most traditional region. However, it is becoming more energetic and cosmopolitan thanks to several universities drawing young students. After arrival, our guide will accompany you to the Historical Museum of Ethnography, where you can admire nomadic gear like ancient tombstones, traditional costumes, and jewelry, as well as Shyrdak carpets. Continue to the Central Square westward, locals’ favorite backdrop for wedding photos, especially before the statue of Tunduk, the yurt’s roof. Before our guide escorts you to the local hotel, we’ll also visit the Blue Mosque (Azreti Ali Mosque), whose stunning blue domes dominate the skyline, symbolizing heaven and the shamanic roots of the Kyrgyz people. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Khan Tengri Hotel, Naryn (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, our guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel lobby and then transfer you to a Silk Road site near Naryn Town. The drive takes about 2.5 hours, and we’ll stop by Koshoy Korgon Ruins along the way. Koshoy Korgon was an active trade and crafts hub during the Kara-Khanid Khanate (840-1212), leaving only 3-meter (10-foot) tall city walls and some ceramic pieces after its conquest by Genghis Khan in the 13th century. In the nearby museum, household items, weapons, and clothing excavated at the site could help you imagine its past. 

Then, continue driving to our destination, Tash Rabat Caravanserai, one of the best-preserved Silk Road caravanserais, which provided a first refuge for Chinese caravans that faced fierce climates, wild beasts, and perilous bandits crossing the Heavenly Mountains into Central Asia. There are about 30 rooms, constructed from rubble stones and clay mortar, which were once used for rest, cells, food storage, and prayer. The only light came from a dome in the central corridor. At the entrance, you’ll notice raised ledges on either side, which were beds for soldiers of the caravan to protect them from bandit attacks. By the way, a platform atop the left trail offers the caravanserai’s panoramic views, and you can check it before your guide escorts you back to the hotel in Naryn.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Khan Tengri Hotel, Naryn (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel and accompany you to Kochkor through Dolon Pass, taking about 1.5 hours. When stopping by the abandoned Chon Tuz Salt Mine, let’s explore its underground cave used as a salt therapy sanatorium. Over 200 patients were here to inhale salt mists for their respiratory issues. If you have similar troubles, why not check its effect? Don’t forget your jacket, as the temperature stays 8-10℃ (46.4-50°F) all year round.

★ Witness Traditional Wool Art Felt-making in Kochkor

Upon arrival in Kochkor, let’s delve into its felt-making art, presented by Shyrdak and Ala-Kiyiz carpets. Unlike luxury Persian rugs with intricate knotting, they are more rustic and durable, crafted entirely from natural wool. You’ll be guided to Altyn Kol Workshop, an NGO dedicated to providing income for local unemployed women, where you’ll view the whole working process and may have the chance to experience it firsthand! Talented women artisans will place black wool on a mat and then create patterns like mountains, waves, and antlers by arranging colorful wool threads on it. After sprinkling hot water on the felt and rolling the mat up, you can collaborate with artisans to flatten it by continuously stepping until completing a stunning work. Following this experience, your guide will escort you to the local hotel and assist you with check-in.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nomad Lodge Kochkor or similar

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby, and the driver will also be ready to transfer you back to Bishkek, a 3-hour drive away. Upon arrival, they will escort you to the hotel for check-in, and you can plan the remainder of the day freely.

► Recommended Experiences in Bishkek (at your own expense):
1. Explore Dordoy Bazaar: You can soak up the Silk Road vibe at Dordoy Bazaar, where vendors from Central Asia, Russia, Turkey, and China sell textiles, appliances, and furniture. Wander among thousands of double-decker containers acting as both warehouses and shops, while observing over 50,000 people who work and live there. Just remember to keep your backpack in front of you and watch out for the occasional carts zooming by! 
2. Attend a Ballet Performance: The National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Abdylas Maldybayev offers affordable ballet performances of classics like Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet. Tickets range from KGS 100 to 1,000 (USD 1-11) and can be purchased on-site. To get there, you can hail a taxi using the Yandex Go app.
3. Experience Korean Influences: Consider dining at Chicken Star, a Korean restaurant serving signature dishes like stir-fried fermented vegetables with rice and fried chicken, where you can glimpse K-Drama and K-Pop influences on local youth through band and talk show performances. The average cost is about KGS 800-1,000 (USD 9-11) per person.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ramada by Wyndham Bishkek Centre Hotel (4 stars) or similar

Today marks the end of your 11-day Kyrgyzstan private tours, and our driver and the guide will escort you to Bishkek International Airport. Wish you a happy journey home!

If you want to extend your trip to other Central Asian countries or follow the Silk Road to Xi’an, China, feel free to contact our travel consultant to tailor your itinerary.

Meals: Breakfast