Road trip to Kyrgyzstan

Kok-Moinok - Cholpon-Ata Canyons

We continue to explore the magnificent canyons of Kyrgyzstan. Today we will visit the Kok-Moinok Canyons - a chain of picturesque gorges known for their bright red rock formations and unusual relief, for which they are often compared to Martian landscapes. This place enchants travelers with its unique bizarre landscape. We will walk for about 2.5 - 3 hours, after which we will go to the city of Cholpon-Ata, the main tourist center on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. We will check into a hotel, have lunch, and devote the second part of the day to visiting the cultural center "Rukh Ordo". The cultural center houses an ethnographic exhibition, monuments to thinkers, philosophers, political and public figures, a photo gallery, and 5 religious buildings in honor of the world's main faiths, symbolizing interreligious understanding and peace, have also been built on the territory. In 2008, "Rukh Ordo" was named after Chingiz Aitmatov, so on its territory you can see many sculptures based on the writer's books and stories. "Rukh Ordo" is located on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, and its territory offers picturesque views of the lake. We will spend the evening on the shore of Issyk-Kul. If desired, you can visit the Ak-Bermet hot springs. We will spend the night at a hotel in Cholpon-Ata.

Kok-Moinok Canyons - Cholpon-Ata

Today we will go on a long and exciting journey through the picturesque mountain gorges: Grigorievsky and Semenovsky. Panoramic views, alpine meadows, high-mountain lakes and crystal clear rivers await us, we will admire the mountain ranges and centuries-old coniferous forest. The highlight of the route is a visit to the Holy Lake (Sut-Bulak) with bright turquoise water, under which you can see spruce trees covered with algae, the tops of the trees stick out of the water, they say that the spruce trees at the bottom of the lake continue to grow and do not rot.

The trip will be almost entirely by car, we will stop in interesting places for short walks and photos, and on the shore of the Holy Lake we will have a picnic.

We will return to Cholpon-Ata to spend the night.

Cholpon-Ata (Petroglyph Museum) - Karakol - Jety-Oguz Gorge

We will start the morning with a visit to the Petroglyph Museum. On the territory of the museum there is a huge number of stones with rock paintings. The first petroglyphs appeared in this area more than 4000 years ago, and the most recent ones date back to the 4th century AD. The stones were brought from the mountains by mudflows and occupy an area of ​​42 hectares.

After visiting the museum, we leave Cholpon-Ata and go to the city of Karakol. Karakol is the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan, it was founded in 1869 by the Russian military engineer Alexander Kaulbars. The city has preserved many pre-revolutionary buildings, of interest is the wooden Trinity Church with carvings, as well as the Dungan Mosque - a rare example of Chinese wooden architecture. It was built in 1907 by the Dungans, a Muslim people of Chinese origin who fled China to Central Asia to escape persecution after the uprising against the Qing Empire. Karakol is associated with the name of the great traveler N. M. Przhevalsky. Here on November 1, 1888, on his way to another trip to Central Asia, he died of typhoid fever. He was buried here in Karakol.

In the afternoon, we head to the Jety-Oguz gorge. The name of the gorge translates as "Seven Oxen", this is the name of the ridge of red rocks located in the gorge. Another famous attraction of the gorge is the "Broken Heart" rock. Most tourists limit themselves to visiting these rocks, but we will drive deep into the gorge along the river, and then take a walk to the picturesque Maiden Braids waterfall.

We will stay overnight at a hotel or guest house near the Jety-Oguz gorge.

Skazka Canyon - Mars Canyon - Kadji-Sai

Today we will visit one of the most beautiful canyons in Kyrgyzstan - Skazka Canyon. The name of the canyon speaks for itself - the landscapes here are truly fabulous, it feels like you are on another planet or in some fairytale fantasy country. The canyon is a pile of rocks of various bizarre shapes, the color scheme of which includes all shades of red: coral, burgundy, crimson, copper ... Unforgettable impressions and excellent photographs are guaranteed. The canyon is very interesting, we will not rush, allowing ourselves to walk and enjoy the views. The walking tour along the canyon will last about 3 hours, after which, having a snack, we will go to another "alien" canyon with the telling name "Mars", here are the same red clay rocks as in the Skazka canyon, but different in shape, in addition, Mars is less known to tourists, which can make our walk more comfortable and secluded.

Having walked along the "unearthly" canyons, we go to the village of Kadji-Sai, on the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, we check into a hotel, walk, there will be time for a beach holiday. Kadji-Sai cannot boast the same developed infrastructure as Cholpon-Ata, located on the opposite shore of the lake, however, its beaches are also good, and the surrounding landscapes are picturesque.

Orto-Tokoy Reservoir – Son-Kul Lake

We leave the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul and head towards another large high-mountain lake – Son-Kul. Along the way, we will make a stop near the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir, one of the most picturesque artificial lakes in Kyrgyzstan. This is the first reservoir in Kyrgyzstan, it was created in the middle of the 20th century on the Chu River for irrigation purposes, and today it is not only an economic but also a popular tourist attraction. The transparent water and surrounding mountain landscapes will not leave anyone indifferent. We admire the reservoir and continue our way to Son-Kul Lake, the second largest natural reservoir in the country after the famous Issyk-Kul, located in the very center of the inner Tien Shan at an altitude of 3016 meters between powerful mountain spurs. The lake, formed as a result of melting glaciers, is surrounded by picturesque meadows. We spend the night in a yurt camp on the shore of the lake, enjoying the silence, nature and the starry sky.

Naryn - yurt camp of Lake Kel-Suu

We continue our raid on the most beautiful lakes of Kyrgyzstan and head towards Lake Kel-Suu. We will have to overcome almost 300 km of a rather difficult path (the roads towards the lake leave much to be desired), but it is worth it: Lake Kel-Suu is fabulously beautiful. The reservoir, squeezed between high cliffs, has turquoise water. The lake has one unusual feature, due to which it was given such a name: Kel-Suu in translation from Kyrgyz means "coming water". Sometimes the water from the lake disappears, flowing into underground caves. So, having arrived, the lake may not be there. However, even in this case, the landscapes with rocks will look impressive.

On the way to the beautiful lake, we will stop in the city of Naryn - the administrative center of the region of the same name in Kyrgyzstan, located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, in the picturesque valley of the Naryn River, surrounded by the ridges of the inner Tien Shan. The city is modest, quiet, but quite colorful, almost 100% of the population here are Kyrgyz. The entrance to the city is preceded by natural gates made of rocks, and the most beautiful building is considered to be the Blue Mosque (Azreti Ali), the main cathedral mosque of the city. The dome of the mosque is painted from the inside with an ornament in the form of a Kyrgyz yurt ceiling, the facades are decorated with national ornaments, and the sky-blue colors of the finish give the building lightness.

For the night on this day, we will stop at a yurt camp 8 km from Lake Kel-Suu.

Lake Kel-Suu - Bishkek

We head directly to the shore of the amazing turquoise lake Kel-Suu. We enjoy nature, take photos, if you wish, you can ride a boat among the high cliffs. We have lunch in nature and set off on the return journey. Today we have a long (460 km) road to the Kyrgyz capital.

We spend the night in a hotel in Bishkek.

Bishkek - flight home

Free time in Bishkek in the first half of the day, which can be used for an independent walk around the city and buying souvenirs. We recommend buying tickets from Bishkek for evening flights (after 5 p.m.), as delays are possible due to poor road conditions when returning from Lake Kel-Suu.

The tour does not require any special skills or fitness from the participants and is suitable for anyone. The car journeys are not very long (usually no more than 300 km per day, the exception is the return from Lake Kel-Suu to Bishkek on the penultimate day, on this day the journey will be 460 km). However, it is worth considering that a significant part of the route passes on bad roads, sometimes - complete off-road. You need to be prepared for changes in the route and delays due to transport breakdowns or road conditions.

The tour program includes walking tours, including cross-country walks lasting up to 5-6 hours, they do not require special physical training and are within the power of any healthy person, but comfortable clothes and shoes are required.

The tour is quite eventful, so you should be prepared for early rises and a tight schedule of excursions during the day.

Most overnight stays along the route are comfortable: in hotels and guest houses (accommodation is double by default, single occupancy is possible upon request for an additional fee), two nights are provided in yurt camps with basic amenities (toilet and shower are shared on the camping grounds). Breakfasts are usually provided in hotels and are included in the tour price, lunch and dinner are served in cafes and restaurants along the route, ordering from the menu at your own expense. The approximate cost of food for the entire tour is 150 euros.

We are going to Kyrgyzstan in the middle of summer. At this time, the weather is often warm and even hot, but do not forget that Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country, and we will be climbing to high-mountain lakes and passes, where it can be quite cool or windy, so we recommend taking a warm sweater and windbreaker with you. The route includes hiking on rough terrain, so take care of comfortable clothes and shoes, you can take trekking poles if you wish. Be sure to take protection from the sun (sunscreen, glasses, hat) and from the rain (raincoat or membrane jacket), a small backpack of 20-25 liters for hiking. Beach accessories and rubber slippers will also be useful.

Please note: we do not provide visa support to Kyrgyzstan. If you require a visa to enter this country, you must obtain it yourself.

When traveling by car, delays and unforeseen circumstances are possible - car breakdowns or punctures, road and bridge repairs and, as a result, the route may be adjusted depending on the current situation. Changes are discussed with the participants, but the final decision is made by the tour organizers, since they are responsible for the program and the safety of the group.

Meals at lunch and in the evening are taken by the participants at their own expense in cafes or restaurants along the route and / or in shops where you can buy something for a snack.

Arrival / departure from Bishkek home earlier or later than the dates specified in the program is paid by the participants themselves, including transfer to / from the airport, as well as accommodation in hotels / hostels / rented apartments on days outside the tour dates.

1. If you are interested in this tour, leave a request through the registration form on this page or write to us at WhatsApp, Telegram or by email, we will contact you and answer all your questions.
2. To reserve a place, you must make an advance payment of 30% of the tour cost. The advance payment is made through the website (section Payment) and is refundable 45 days or more before the start of the tour and non-refundable, unfortunately, less than 45 days before the start, if the refund is related to your refusal to participate (for any reason). If the tour does not take place due to our fault, due to the group not being formed, or due to force majeure, the advance payment will be guaranteed to be returned to you in any case.
3. The final payment is made on the first day of the tour. You can pay using the QR code that the tour organizer will provide you, in cash, or through the website.