Duration: 19 days — 18 nights
Like a house on wheels our army jeep will bring you through all over Kyrgyzstan. During this journey you will see almost everything that our country is famous for. The traces of centuries will open Kyrgyz national heritage, unique nature will inspire your hearts and hospitality of local people will help you to discover true nomads’ life, their customs, traditions and life style.
This tour is the best way to know the country, completely immerse in its atmosphere, to know yourself and surroundings. This is the best possibility to take part in life of the locals and take care of the virgin nature. This is the best way to spend holidays, escape from urbanization, and find the complete relaxation of your body and mind.
Destination: Osh – Arslan-Bob — Sary-Chelek – Toktogul Reservoir – Suusamyr valley – Son-Kul Lake – Tash-Rabat – Small Naryn – Bokonbaevo village – Jetty-Oguz – Karakol – Altyn-Arashan – Semenovskoe-Grigorievskoe Gorge – Chon-Kemin – Bishkek
June — September
Day 1: Arriving to Osh city
PM: Arriving to Osh city. After lunch SS tour in Osh — the South Capital of Kyrgyzstan which is 3000 years old.The city was an important point on the Great Silk Road connecting the Orient and the West. From the 8th to 10th centuries it was the third largest city in Fergana Valley. It had a finely constructed palace, a citadel, and the town gates. The city was surrounded with a defensive wall, which stretched to the Suleiman Mountain situated between the mountains.
City tour
You can go to the Suleiman Mountain top.
- Suleiman Mountain is taken for a local Mecca with lots of legends and stories. Most of the Muslims consider as the extremely important achievement to come here, even once in a lifetime. Its highest point reaches up to 100 – 150 meters. It is a highly valuable historical and architectural monument.
Dinner and accommodation in a local Guest House.
Day 2: Transfer Osh – Arslan-Bob (70+30+80 km)
AM: Breakfast. Visiting the Grand Asian Bazar.
Transfer to Arslan-Bob. On the way: SS tour in Uzgen town, which is situated on the right bank of the mountain river Kara-Darya (60 km away from Osh city). Uzgen was founded in the 8-10th centuries.
Uzgen mausoleums of the 11-12th centuries, the Northern, the Middle and the Southern, were built in the center of the city not far from each other. Mausoleums are decorated with the carved polished bricks with belts of aphorisms written over the portals.
The monuments of Uzgen are called encyclopedia of the Karakhanids culture, because one can observe clearly progress stages of an architectural forms as well as of the decorative art of the 11-12th centuries.
PM: Lunch in a local cafe.
Heading for the Arslan-Bob forest.
Arslanbob is the unique piece of nature located at 1,600 meters a.s.l., it includes one of the most beautiful health resorts. Main treasures of these southern forests are the walnut trees. You can walk through the unique walnut forests with amazing waterfalls and nature.
Dinner and accommodation in the local family house.
Day 3: Transfer Arslan-Bob – Sary-Chelek (80+100+90 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer to the Sary-Chelek biosphere reserve park.
PM : Lunch on the way.
- Sary – Chelek National Park was established in 1959 on the area of 23 868 hectares and includes walnut forests and beautiful mountain lakes with rare, unique species of animals and plants. There is a great diversity of nature in there, including almost all endemics of Kyrgyz Republic. The heart of the park is the marvelous lake Sary-Chelek located at the altitude of 1873 m. a.s.l. The lake is 234 metres deep.
You can visit the Muslim mosque – Mazar, which is related to the appearance of the Sary-Chelek Lake, and walk to the lakes of the Park, see and even feed wild inhabitants.
Set up the tent camp.
Dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 4: Transfer Sary-Chelek – Toktogul reservoir (272 km)
AM: Breakfast. Walk to the lakes.
PM:Lunch in tent camp. Transfer to the Toktogul water reservoir located in the Jalal-Abad Province of Kyrgyzstan, it is the largest reservoir on the path of the Naryn River. The reservoir was named after Toktogul Satilganov. The Toktogul dam was built in 1960–1973, filled in 1974–1980 and is continuously exploited to the present time (1981–2012). Construction work lasted 14 years, to fill the reservoir the Ketmentube Valley had to be flooded. 26 communities were moved and main road through the region was re-routed.
The Toktogul Hydropower Station, the reservoir’s hydropower plant, gives out the capacity of 1.2 gig-watts, which makes it the largest power plant in the country. Also the Toktogul reservoir is famous for its amazing landscapes and very nice water for swimming in.
Overnight and dinner in tents camp on the Toktogul reservoir shore.
Day 5: Transfer to Kokomeren via Chichkan and Suusamyr valley (224 km)
AM:Breakfast. Transfer to Suusamyr valley though Chichkan gorge. There is a nature reserve and the Ak-Unkur cave located near to the Bala-Chichkan tributary in the south of the Chichkan valley. There are two high mountain lakes (at an altitude of over 3300 m), and one of them features a 60 m. waterfall.
PM:Lunch on the way.
The Suusamyr valley is a high steppe plateau (2200 meters a. s. l.) located some 160 kilometers from Bishkek, it is one of the most distant and rarely visited regions of Kyrgyzstan. There are signs of an old settlement dating back to between the 9th and 11th centuries.
The population, of about 6000, is mainly Kyrgyz and almost all of them all involved in agriculture. In Soviet times this was one of the major sheep breeding areas in the country. Up to four million sheep would be driven over the mountain passes during spring time to graze on the luscious grasses of the valley.
Overnight and dinner in the tents in Kokomeren area.
Day 6-7: Transfer to Son-Kul (about 150 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer to Son-Kul Lake. On the way visiting of:
- Kara-Keche gorge.
PM: Lunch on the way.
Son-Kul Lake – The scene you’ll see around the Son-Kul lake is amazing. The wide, brilliant, steel colored expanse of the lake appears majestic, quiet and transparent, looking like a huge bowl of pure mountain air surrounded by hills. Water and sky seem to meet and merge there.
You can visit shepherds’ yurts, walk in neighborhoods, ascend one of nearby hills… You will see a beautiful lake panorama. Also, travelers will have horse riding opportunity.
2 Nights and meal in national Yurt camp on the Son-Kul Lake shore.
Day 8-9: Transfer to Tash-Rabat through the Baetogo pass (40+120 km)
AM: Breakfast. Half day spent in Son-Kul Lake area.
PM: Lunch in Kyrgyz family on the Son-Kul Lake. Transfer to Tash-Rabat. Visiting there:
-
- Historical Tash-Rabat Caravanserai, (overnight, resting place for camel caravans) located on the bank of the Karakojun River, is the most significant architectural historical monument since the times of the Great Silk Way in the Tian-Shan. Among the mighty mountain ridges there are ruins of fortified caravanserai built by the local governor Muhamed-khan along the ancient caravan route from Semerechie to Kashgar.
They were built in the 15th century (1408-1415) and were hostelries for merchants and travelers. Tash-Rabat Caravanserai is a well preserved Middle Ages monument, located more than 3000 metres above sea level in a picturesque gorge. It is a unique ancient building of stone, the largest in Central Asia.
- Historical Tash-Rabat Caravanserai, (overnight, resting place for camel caravans) located on the bank of the Karakojun River, is the most significant architectural historical monument since the times of the Great Silk Way in the Tian-Shan. Among the mighty mountain ridges there are ruins of fortified caravanserai built by the local governor Muhamed-khan along the ancient caravan route from Semerechie to Kashgar.
2 Nights and meal in Yurt camp at Tash-Rabat.
Day 10: Transfer to the small Naryn via Naryn town (120+60 km)
AM: Breakfast.Heading for the Small Naryn River.
PM: Lunch in a local café in Naryn town.
Naryn is an Alpine town (altitude 2037 m. above the sea level) with population near to 40000 people. It is situated on both sides of the Naryn River. The river flows fast, it passes about 616 km/h. It has 6 hydropower stations.
Dinner and accommodation in the tents camp on the Shore of Small Naryn River.
Day 11: Transfer from small Naryn to Djeili-Suu resort (70 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer to Djeili-Suu resort along the very amazing road.
Djeili-Suu is a resort with sulphide sodium springs located at the altitude of 3390 m, on the right bank of the spring waters temperature reaches up to 43ْC. The water is pure and clear. You will be able to take a bath here (but be aware that the bath should not last longer than 8 – 10 minutes).
PM: Lunch on the way.
Dinner and accommodation in the tents camp in Djeili-Suu resort.
Day 12: Passing to the Bokonbaevo village located on the south shore of Issyk-Kul lake
AM: Breakfast. Passing via Tonskiy pass. The way is neither very long nor hard way, but with very beautiful scenery that you will see from the highest point of the pass. The way up will take you about 2 hours and the descent will be 5 – 6 hours. On the way you will see amazing waterfalls and landscapes.
PM: Lunch as a picnic on the way. Arrival to the Issyk-Kul shore, set up the tent camp. Rest.
Issyk-Kul Lake occupies central part of the valley formed by the circle of the Terskey and Kungey Ala-Too mountain ranges. Issyk-Kul Lake is the largest in the Tien-Shan Mountains (6,236 sq. km.) A fairytale-like canyon in Tamga region has a maximum depth of 703 m. The altitude of the lake is 1608 m. above the sea level. Issyk-Kul Lake is unique by the big number of rivers and streams flowing into it, yet none flows out.
Overnight and dinner in the tents camp.
Day 13: Transfer: Bokonbaevo village to Jety-Oguz (120 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer: Bokonbaevo village to Jety-Oguz via Tamga village. On the way you will have a possibility to hike in red rock canyons known as the Fairy-tale.
PM: Lunch on the way.
There is the legendary Tamga – Tash – a huge stone with lots of legends and very long history. Also, there is really amazing nature and waterfalls, which are great to take a light hiking to.
Continue the way to Jety-Oguz – the extraordinary Valley of Seven Bulls, famous for its unusually bright, red sandstone rock formations. Some of the most remarkable landmarks in the valley include the Broken Heart (a crimson heart-shaped precipice), the Dragon’s lair (a spectacular, deep sandy canyon) and, of course, the Seven Bulls (a row of rocks dominating the Jety-Oguz Valley).
About 5 km from Jety-Oguz resort you will discover a flower valley. There is abundance of different flowers here during the entire summer period. There are yurt camps here and local people hospitality.
Overnight and dinner in Yurt camp in the flower valley.
Day 14: Transfer Jety-Oguz – Altyn-Arashan gorge (120 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer to Karakol. SS along the Karakol city, visiting:
- The Dungan Mosque built in 1907 is the place of worship of Buddhist from all Central Asia. It was built form wood without a single nail over a century ago and takes the Buddhist pagoda style.
- The Memorial of Przhevalsky
PM: Lunch in local restaurant in Karakol.
Transfer to Altyn-Arashan.
- Altyn-Arashan (Golden Spa) set in a postcard-like alpine valley at 3000 meters, with 4260 meter Peak Palatka (Tent Peak) looming at its south end. From the turn-off to Ak-Suu Sanatorium it’s an often-steep, five to six hours (14 km) climb south on a track along the Arashan River, through a piney canyon full of hidden hot and cold springs. Much of the area is a botanical research territory called the Altyn-Arashan national nature reserve.
Set up the tent camp.
Dinner and overnight in tent camp.
Day 15: All day in Altyn-Arashan gorge
The resort at Altyn-Arashan is famous for its HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS. You can see the carpets of flowers and different sorts of plants there.
There is an opportunity to take a radon bathes and have a great walk paths.
Day 16: Transfer Altyn-Arashan to Semenovskoe Gorge and Grigorievskoe Gorge (160 km) 
AM: Breakfast. Transfer along the North Issyk-Kul lake shore to Semenovskoe Gorge that was called after Russian scientist – geographer P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shanskiy. He researched Kyrgyzstan nature and described the Issyk-Kul Lake in his journal as “…a blue pool surrounded by the ring of snowing giants… One can’t see the bottoms of the mountains, and it seems that these snowing giants appear from the lake waters…”
PM: Lunch – picnic.
Set up the tent camp close to Grigorievskoe Gorge that impresses you with its marvelous forests of Tian-Shan spruces, biodiversity and abundance of mountain poppies and transparent fresh air. The nature in the place has saved its original view, capturing your eye with mountain waterfalls, clear pure water of Barskoon River that brings its waters to the Issyk-Kul Lake. Giant and hard-to-reach rocks will take your mind forever with unforgettable wonder of magic.
Day 17: Transfer Grigorievskoe Gorge to Chon-Kemin Gorge (190 km)
AM: Breakfast. Transfer Grigorievskoe Gorge to Chon-Kemin Gorge. On the way you can see open air museum of petroglyphs near to Cholpon-Ata.
Excursion to the Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs – Cholpon-Ata Rock paintings museum – close to the town there is a huge field of stones, many of them with pictures scratched or picked into their south-facing surfaces. They apparently date from about 500 BC to the 1st century AD. The stones with petroglyphs are those with green inventory numbers painted on them.
PM: Accommodation and lunch in the Guest House “Ashuu”.
Chon-Kemin Gorge is located in North-East of Kyrgyzstan, 140 km from the Bishkek city.
There is amazing nature, offering great horse riding tours and walking around.
Dinner and overnight in Guest House “Ashuu”.
Day 18: Transfer Chon-Kemin Gorge — Bishkek (165 km)
AM: Breakfast. Walking around, horse riding, getting acquaintance with Kyrgyz family traditions.
PM: Lunch.
Transfer to Bishkek. On the way you can see Burana Tower that is situated in the center of ancient town of Balasaghun. The tower is 24,6 meters high (original height was 45 meters). Territory of the museum covers 36 hectares including central ruins of the town. There are stone statues – gravestones of nomadic Turks dated of the 6th to 10th centuries, petroglyphs dated of the 2nd century B.C. to the 10th century A.D., stone agricultural implements, epigraphy monuments.
Arriving to Bishkek. Accommodation and dinner at the hotel. Rest time.
Day 19: Bishkek city
AM: Breakfast. Sightseeing program in Bishkek city. Visiting of:
- The White House – a palace made of white marble is a residence of Kyrgyz government, including president’s office and the republic parliament. Behind the White House is Panfilov park with paths and arcades – the best place for rest.
- Kyrgyz national museum to represent Kyrgyz history, culture and arts.
- Freedom avenue – the widest and greenest avenue in the SNG cities with century-old oaks on both sides.
PM: Lunch at the local restaurant. Shopping. Rest time.
Dinner at the local restaurant.
Day 20: Flight home
