The Secret of Kyrgyzstan

Description

Discover the country of mountainous lakes – Kyrgyzstan

What can be more gorgeous than alpine lake with crystal clean emerald water surrounded by snow peaked mountains? Only the alpine lake on the Great Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan! :)

Join the group for the tour and find out all the secrets of Kyrgyzstan:

• Issyk Kul lake – the pearl of Central Asia
• Son Kul lake – the famous summer pasture of the real nomads
• Kel Suu lake – certainly, the secret of Kyrgyzstan. The place is off- the-beaten-track.
• The ruins of Silk Road town – Balasagyn
• Striking and colorful canyons and gorges of Tien Shan Mountains

Itinerary

Day 1. Bishkek city – Ala Archa National Park – Bishkek city.

Arrival to Bishkek city early in the morning. Upon arrival to the International Airport Manas you will be met by our tourist guide at arrival gates. Transfer to the city will take 30-40 min. Check-in to the hotel (early check-in is included into the tour cost).

After a restful morning and breakfast at the hotel we drive around 40 km out of Bishkek to Ala Archa National Park. It is popular place for picnics, hikes, rock climbing and alpinism. There are 20 glaciers in the territory of the park. The total area of the park is 200 km2. You can go for a walk on the paved road along the river or hike up to the mountains to get a spectacular view of the gorge. If you are in a reasonable state of health you can hike up to the waterfall (3.75 km- 2.5-3 hours one way)

Heading back to Bishkek. Lunch at a local cafe.

In the afternoon we head out on a sightseeing tour of Bishkek, which includes the Monument of Kyrgyz National hero Manas, Kurmanjan Datka and Lenin monuments, Oak Park and the main governmental buildings that is the legacy of the Soviet Union. The sightseeing tour of Bishkek comes to an end at the Victory Square dedicated to the WWII (1-2 hours for the city tour, easy walk, light shoes required).

Dinner at a local restaurant.

(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – local cafe, dinner – local restaurant)

Day 2. Bishkek city – Cholpon Ata town (250 km / 4 hours).

Breakfast at the hotel.

After the breakfast we will take a beautiful drive on to the Issyk Kul lake. En route stop at the Architectural – Archaeological Complex “Burana Tower” (UNESCO)

Burana Tower (ancient minaret) is located in 12 km far from Tokmok town. The territory where the tower is located was called Balasagyn town. This town had the strategic meaning for the Great Silk Road. Here you will see a small museum with exhibits found at excavations, providing more details about this ancient settlement, and become familiar with collection of Balbals, Turkic grave marks.

Lunch at a local family in Tokmok.

Continue drive to the Issyk Kul lake via Boom canyon and Balykchy town towards along the north shore and admire beautiful landscape and changing of scenery.

Issyk Kul Lake has a tectonic origin. It is a second largest alpine lake in the world after Titicaca located in South America. Its length reaches 182 km, and width is 58 km, maximum depth is up to 668 m. During the summer period the water reaches up to 20-25 Co

Dinner and overnight in hotel.

(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – local family, dinner – local restaurant)

Day 3. Cholpon Ata town – Karakol town (150 km / 3 hours).

After breakfast at the hotel visit the Open air Petroglyphs Museum. Petroglyphs are dated back to Sako-Usun period of 8^th century BC up to 4^th century AD. The territory where Petroglyphs are found lying below the Kungey Alatoo Mountains with a beautiful view of the lake.

Further drive to Karakol town.

Lunch upon arrival at a local café.

Afternoon short sightseeing in Karakol town. Visit of Dungan mosque and Russian Orthodox church.

Karakol was founded in 1869 as a Russian garrison, and grew rapidly as explorers passed through the town on their way deeper into the Tian Shan.

Dinner in a local Dungan/Uigur family and overnight at a hotel.

(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – local cafe, dinner – local family)

Day 4. Karakol town – Kochkor village (260 km / 4 hours).

Today you drive to Kochkor village. En route visit Djety Oguz gorge with the famous “Seven Bulls” and “Broken Heart” mountains. This picturesque gorge is named so because of the red rocky sand formations covered with forests of Tien Shan spruces.

Later in Kajy Sai district visit Skazka Canyon which is one of the most stunning places in Kyrgyzstan, a canyon filled with fantastical sandstone shapes that give the spot its name, which means “fairy-tale” in Russian. Over millennia of erosion, the red sandstone has taken on forms that some say resemble animals, landmarks, or characters from legends.

Lunch in Bokonbaev village in a local family house.

Further drive to Kochkor village.

Dinner and overnight in the family where we stay.

(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – local family, dinner – local family)

Day 5. Kochkor village – Kel Suu lake (280 km / 6 hours).

After breakfast drive to Kel Suu camp over the most mountainous province in Kyrgyzstan – Naryn. Naryn is known for some of the best meat and traditional Kyrgyz dishes in the country.

Stop for lunch in Naryn town and continue drive to Kel Suu lake. Admire picturesque landscapes of the area on the way until reach tent camp.

Dinner and overnight in the tent camp of Ak-Sai Travel.s

(Breakfast – local family, lunch – local family/cafe, dinner – tent camp)

Day 6. Kel Suu lake (on foot 8 km / 2-3 hours one way).

Today visit a secret of Kyrgyzstan – Kel Suu lake.

Remote even by Kyrgyzstan standards, magnificent Kel Suu lake stretches over 10 km through a sheer mountain gorge that reaches nearly to the Chinese border. It has one unusual feature, in which honour this name was given to it. Kel Suu is translated from Kyrgyz as “incoming water”. And indeed, sometimes the lake disappears, flowing into underground caves and grottoes, and therefore before going there, you need to know that not always you can catch the lake.

Full meal board provided by the camp.

(Breakfast – tent camp, lunch – lunch box, dinner – tent camp)

Day 7. Kel Suu lake – Son Kul lake (330 km / 6-7 hours).

After breakfast drive to Son Kul lake (The last lake). Alpine Lake Son Kul is located in Tien Shan range at the altitude of 3016 m. During the summer Son Kul pasture is considered to be the best Kyrgyz jailoo.

En route stop for lunch in Naryn town again and continue drive to the west to reach the footsteps of the Moldo Ashuu pass (3300 m) and pass over to the heavenly beautiful lake Son Kul.

Dinner and overnight in yurts.

(Breakfast – tent camp, lunch – local family in Naryn/cafe, dinner – yurt camp)

Day 8. Son Kul lake.

Full day at Son Kul lake.

Profound silence and majestic landscapes this is what you can find at Son Kul.

After lunch take easy walk to the closest hill from where a panoramic view opens up. On the way you will see some petroglyphs (that needs to be spotted first).

After lunch leisure time at the lake.

Son Kul is a rather inaccessible place, and therefore anthropogenic influence is minimized here. Only in the summer period nomad camps from villages located in the neighbouring Jumgal valley and from Naryn come here. The rest of the time the Son Kul Valley is completely uninhabited.

Full meal board at the camp. Overnight.

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner – yurt camp)

Day 9. Son Kul lake – Bishkek city (350 km / 5 hours).

After breakfast drive back to Bishkek city. Today our road goes via another pass under the name Kalmak Ashuu (3400 m) down to Kochkor village where we stop for lunch.

Arrival to Bishkek in the late afternoon and check-in to hotel..

Optionally: You can take a wander around Osh bazaar (closed on Monday)

Farewell dinner and folklore show at a local restaurant. Special performance of musicians to play national melodies of Kyrgyz people and demonstration musical instruments. You will listen to a singing and enjoy the charming melodies of our ancestors.

Overnight at a hotel.

(breakfast – yurt camp, lunch – local family in Kochkor, dinner – restaurant in Bishkek)

Day 10. Bishkek city – airport (30 km / 40 minutes).

Transfer to the airport to pick flight back home.

Map

Additional Info

Photos

Prices

The tour price - 910 USD per person (*for the group of 9 people)

Included:

• Accommodation on twin/double base in hotels and 4 pax in one yurt – 10 nights.
• Entrance and ecological fees
• Full board (B – 10, L – 9, D – 9)
• English speaking guide
• Transport from arrival till departure
• mineral water(1 l per person per day)
• Folklore Show in Bishkek

Exluded:

• single supplement
• Airfares
• all personal expenses
• alcohol drinks
• tips for guide and driver
• visa fee and visa support
• porter fee