Cultural tour 4

Kyrgyzstan tour: Tour 4

Destination: Kyrgyzstan

Activity: Cultural tour

Duration: 13 days 

We want to present you a perfect tour for tourists who like nature. We made a special tour that covers the central and northern parts of Kyrgyzstan. Welcome to the Country of the Heavenly Mountains! During this tour you will see our famous lakes of Son Kul and Issik - Kul. You will sleep not only in guesthouses but also in yurts - nomadic dwellings made of wood and felt. 

Places to visit: Bishkek - Chong Kemin - Son Kul Lake - At Bashi - Tash Rabat Caravanserai - Kochkor valley - Tamga village - Karakol - Altin Arashan - Karakol - Cholpon Ata - Bishkek 

Tour summary: 

Day 1: Bishkek city
From the International Airport of Manas you will be collected by your guide and accompanied to Bishkek (the capital of Kyrgyz Republic). The drive from the Airport to Bishkek city takes half an hour. Upon arrival you will have a breakfast. This day will be entirely destined to Bishkek guided city tour. Lunch is included. This sightseeing tour concludes the visiting of  Ala-Too Central Square, the Historical Museum of Kyrgyzstan, Oak Park (Duboviy Park), Victory Square (Pobeda Square), Art Gallery, National Philharmonic, Osh Bazaar and many other interesting places and monuments. Dinner will be served at 7 o'clock in the evening. In the hotel**** you will spend the night.

Day 2: Bishkek - Chon Kemin valley
The breakfast will be served at 8 o'clock in the morning. After breakfast you will be transferred (120km) to Chon Kemin valley by vehicle. On the way visiting of Burana Tower (minaret of 11 century) and the cemetery of Balbans - stone warriors, which were put in the honor of  the bravest warriors. Traditional lunch. After lunch you will have a short pleasure trip in the picturesque Gorge of Issyk-Ata. At 7 p.m. we will arrive in the Kalmak Ashuu guesthouse in Chon Kemin Valley.  You will be served dinner after having checked in.

Day 3: Chong Kemin - Son Kul Lake
Breakfast. Drive from Chon Kemin Valley to the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan Son Kul Lake via the Boom Gorge and Kochkor Valley. On the way lunch will be taken. Son Kul Lake is situated at an altitude of 3006 meters above sea level on the treeless plateau that is surrounded by mountains. Son Kul is the highest alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan. Naryn region herders come to the lake to use it as grassland. The Kyrgyz nomads started to come to this wonderful area with their families for spending here summer months from the olden times. You will be free to investigate and enjoy the virgin nature of the lake and its surroundings after our arrival. Dinner and overnight will be in the nomadic collapsible habitations that are called yurts. The yurt is a wooden frame, which is covered with felt thin covering mats. They are manufactured without nails.  

Day 4: Son Kul Lake
Your breakfast will be served at 9 o'clock in the evening. This day you have a spare time at Son-Kul Lake and you will have an opportunity to explore its nature on your own. It is a great chance to get acquainted with nomadic traditions and culture. Along the lake you can ride on a horse or just relax in the atmosphere of wild and calm natural world. At 2 p.m. lunch is served. Today you will also visit the site of shamans' ritual stones and ancient petroglyphs. In original nomadic houses - yurts, dinner will be served. In yurts, as nomads, you will spend the night.  

Day 5: Son Kul Lake - At Bashi
We leave the yurt camp at 8 o'clock after a strengthening breakfast. Transfer (200km) to the At Bashi Valley. The spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the stunning nature will accompany us during our trip. Dinner will be served at 7 o'clock in the evening. This night you will spend the night in yurts.

Day 6: At Bashi - Tash Rabat Caravanserai (Stone castle)
You will be served breakfast at 8 o'clock after packing your luggage. Then you will be transferred to the Tash Rabat (Stone Castle from the 14th century) - Caravanserai on the Great Silk Way. Tash Rabat is located at the very heart of Tian - Shan Mountains, at a height 3200 m. above sea level. The building is an exceptional one and it has no analogue in the whole world. It was made of layered rock and what's more it was built inside a mountain. Totally, there are 31 rooms in the mountain, where are also underground prisons for medieval culprits. The thickness of walls is about 1 meter. At 7 p.m. traditional dinner will be served. You will spend the night near by the Tash Rabat caravanserai in yurts.  

Day 7: Tash Rabat - Kochkor valley
Fortifying breakfast. Transfer (185 km) is from Tash Rabat Caravanserai to Kochkor Village. You will meet a family in Kochkorka Village that will show you the way of national felt carpets production. During felt show you even could create your own carpet together with them. Traditional dinner, with a local family, will be accompanied with national music performance. In the Guesthouse of Kochkor you will spend this night.  

Day 8: Kochkor valley - Tamga village
Your breakfast is served at 8 o'clock in the morning. After breakfast it will be transfer (200 km) to the Issyk-Kul Heavenly Lake. On the way you will drive through the dazzling valley and you will pass the reservoir of Orto Tokoi. As soon as we are in the Village of Tamga you will have spare time to lie on the warm sand or swim in the lake. Issik - Kul is the second largest alpine lake in the world. The Lake (1608m.above sea level) is also called "The treasure of Central Asia". Lake Issyk Kul possesses curative qualities owing to the fact that the water is salty. In Tamga Guesthouse at 7 p.m. your dinner will be served. You will also spend this night in Tamga.  

Day 9: Tamga - Karakol
8 o'clock breakfast. Till 12 p.m. you have time for leisure or to swim in the lake. After that, you will be transfered (50km) to Karakol town by car. Your lunch will be in Karakol. After lunch you will have an excursion in Karakol. This sightseeing tour includes the visit of the Dungan mosque. One of its highlights is the fact that it is built in Chinese style without using a single metal nail. This will be followed by the visit of an old wooden Orthodox Cathedral. Later, you will visit the museum of Prjevalsky - the world's greatest explorer. Prjevalsky greatest achievements were: the crossing of the desert of Taklamakan and the discovery of more than 4000 species of animals, including the horse of Prejevalsky that was named after the explorer. Night is in the guesthouse. National dinner will be served at 8 p.m.  

Day 10: Karakol - Altin Arashan - Karakol
Fortifying breakfast. Transfer by a heavy Russian military 4WD vehicle from Karakol town to the Gorge of Altin Arashan. Altin Arashan ("Golden Spa") is one of the most famous beautiful gorges in Kyrgyzstan even according to the high Kyrgyz standards. You will take lunch in the gorge of incredible beauty after bathing in the hot water springs (there are some special little cabins). 1 hour hiking in the gorge. Afterwards you will be transferred to Karakol. The night is in the guesthouse. Dinner is at 7 o'clock in the evening.  

Day 11: Karakol - Cholpon Ata
8 o'clock breakfast. Transfer (120km) from Karakol to Cholpon Ata the along the northern shore of the dazzling Central Asian treasure - Issyk-Kul Lake. We will make a short break at 1 p.m., and you can enjoy your lunch in a calm atmosphere. After that, upon arrival in Cholpon - Ata we will give you the opportunity to visit the site, which is considered as the ancient open air stone temple. There you will see the inscriptions (dating back to 800 B.C.) on the enormous boulders. In Cholpon Ata we will also visit the local museum. This museum is devoted to the Issyk-Kul Lake. After having visiting the museum, you go on a one hour cruise on a steam boat to admire the beauty of this marvelous lake. Dinner will be at 7 pm in the hotel, where you will also spend the night.  

Day 12: Cholpon Ata - Bishkek
At 8 o'clock you will have your breakfast. There will be free time on the beach till 11 a.m. After having rest you will be transferred to Bishkek city (280km) by vehicle via stunning Boom Gorge. The farewell dinner is served at 7 p.m. Overnight is in the Hotel****.  

Day 13: Bishkek - Europe
You will be met in the hotel at the time arranged previously according to your flight details and accompanied to the International Airport of Manas.