Winter of Dreams. The Silk Road legend

Description

 “Winter of Dreams. The Silk Road legend” 2023

If you are a winter lover, if you enjoy yourself at the cold and snow - that is your the trip to choose! Kyrgyzstan is even more beautiful in winter, with frozen rivers, snow-capped slopes, spruces, and mountain peaks. Our incredible landscapes bring lots of winter energy and emotions provided by our majestic Tien Shan mountains.

Don’t miss the chance to experience unique vacations of your dream and charge yourself with unforgettable emotions.

Dates for winter 2022-2023 has finished. Looking forward to see you in winter 2023-2024.

Itinerary

Day 1. Airport – Bishkek city. Bishkek city – Ala Archa canyon – Bishkek city (120 km / 2,5 hours).

Upon arrival in Manas international airport you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to a hotel in Bishkek (early check-in is NOT included). Little rest at the breakfast area and start tour in Bishkek and surroundings.
Firstly, we drive to the natural park Ala Archa for light walk, relaxing and meeting Kyrgyzstan winter nature. After walk transfer back to Bishkek and have a half day city tour.
Walk around snowy Ala Too Square, Kurmanzhan Datka Monument, main governmental buildings, Old Square with Parliament House and Lenin’s Monument. Finish at the Victory Square dedicated WWII.
Overnight in a hotel.
(No meal included today)

Day 2. Bishkek city – Chon Kemin Valley (170 km / 3 hours).

After breakfast, we leave Bishkek and drive along the Chui valley. Snow-capped mountains on the side looks fantastic and inspire for the trip with positive emotions.
One-hour drive to Burana Tower (UNESCO site) near Tokmok town.
Optionally: horseback riding games near Burana Tower.
Horseback riding games played a vitally important role for Kyrgyz nomads. The main aim of these games was teaching children to ride horses professionally.  Nowadays it has an entertaining purpose where you have the chance to watch several traditional Kyrgyz horseback riding games (Ulak Tartysh, Kyz Kuumai, Tyiyn Enmei, etc).
After excursion, drive to Chon Kemin valley.
Upon arrival, get accommodated in a guest house. Lunch.
Options to do:
1) Walking around the village and meet local people. Play snowballs with children.
2) Renting horses and ride up to the closest mountains (extra cost).
3) Horseback riding games nearby (extra cost).
4) Setting up yurt (nomadic house) (extra cost).
Dinner and overnight at the guest house.
(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – guest house, dinner – guest house)

Day 3. Chon Kemin valley – Cholpon Ata town (180 km / 3 hours).

After breakfast, drive to Issyk Kul Lake via Boom gorge and to the Northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake.
Lunch in a café of Cholpon Ata town.
Here we have several visits:
1) Open air Petroglyphs site with panoramic view to the Issyk Kul lake and snow moutnains.
2) Local historical museum.
After excursions, drive to your accommodation: a resort area with private beach on the shore of Issyk Kul.
Dinner in the restaurant and overnight.
(Breakfast – guest house, lunch – cafe, dinner – resort)

Day 4. Cholpon Ata town – Karkara valley (200 km / 3-4 hours).

Continue drive along the north shore of Issyk Kul Lake.
Today we reach beautiful area at the border with Kazakhstan – Karkara. Our jeeps goes along the mountain road, through piles of snow and reach Karkara region.
Here we stop at the luxury warm yurt camp with private facilities.
Time to explore the area walking along the canyon up and down, climb up closest hill to see panoramic view or use local good areas for ski touring and/or snowmobiling (with driver) (extra cost). The level of snow covers from 60 to 120 cm.
Lunch and dinner in Karkara camp.
(Breakfast – resort, lunch – yurt camp, dinner – yurt camp)

Day 5. Karkara valley – Karakol town (120 km / 3 hours).

Transfer to Karakol town.
Visit Museum of N. M. Przhevalski on the way to Karakol. Then inside Karakol stop by Dungan mosque – a unique building in a style of the Chinese pagoda which is functioning as mosque up to now and Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church built of wood.
Excursion to the Karakol ski base to take funicular to the panoramic view and admire landscapes of the Tup valley from 3000 m asl.
Lunch in a café of Karakol town.
Accommodation in a guest house. Dinner in a local Dungan family.
Dungans are Chinese minority that escaped to Central Asia in the middle of the 19th Century. Travelling through the mountains and reaching certain areas, Dungans started spreading their culture and mixing it with local creating new traditions in architecture, cuisine and general lifestyle.
Optionally: Lagman cooking master class.
Lagman is a very appreciated food in Central Asia. A Dungan housewife will show you how to make this extra long noodles in a traditional way. It’s quite challenging and you might not succeed, but it’s a lot of fun! At the end you will try a delicious homemade lagman.
Overnight in the guest house.
(Breakfast – yurt camp, lunch – cafe, dinner – dungan family)

Day 6. Karakol town – Djety Oguz gorge – Bokonbaev village – Kochkor village (250 km / 5 hours).

After breakfast, drive to Djety Oguz gorge to admire the landscapes and take some photos.
At the beginning of the gorge we face with famous “Broken Heart Rock”. Walking up further to panorama to see those famous Seven Red Bulls rocks in white colors around.
Drive along the south shore of Issyk Kul to Bokonbaev village. Arrival and lunch in a local family house.
Then we step into nomadic culture by meeting an eagle hunter and his bird of prey.
After the demonstration you will have a chance to ask the hunter about the tradition of eagle hunting and his bird features. Eagle hunting is common among nomads, especially in high altitude areas. Such demonstration during winter time has unique sharm as birds are in their best shape for the hunting season and feel themselves very good.
Later continue drive to Kochkor village.
Arrival and accommodation in a guest house. Dinner and rest.
(Breakfast – hotel, lunch – local family, dinner – guest house)

Day 7. Kochkor village – Bishkek city (200 km / 4 hours).

In the morning we visit local women cooperation and see products they produce and sell. Souvenir shop-museum is one of the most popular in our country.
Drive back to Bishkek city via Kuvaky pass and spectacular view to the frozen Orto Tokoi water reservoir.
Lunch en route.
Arrival to Bishkek.
Optionally: Visit ZUM Department store for the last shopping (if necessary).
Accommodation in a hotel and ready for the last dinner.
Dinner in a local restaurant with folklore show. Exclusively for you, musicians will play national melodies of Kyrgyz people and show their musical instruments. You will listen to a singing and enjoy the charming melodies of our ancestors.
(Breakfast – guest house, lunch – cafe, dinner – restaurant)

Day 8. Bishkek city – airport. (35 km / 40-45 min)

Early breakfast. Today in Bishkek your trip concludes.
(Breakfast – hotel)

Map

Additional Info

Clothes and equipment:

You can take all necessary things. Please take into consideration that in winter time the temperature in Bishkek city reaches up to +10 oC and in the mountains the temperature decreases to -25 oC. Be prepared for unexpected changes of the weather and severe cold experience.

Recommended:

• Rain-coat
• Sweater/fleece
• Wind-stopper
• Enough t-shirts
• Thermal underwear
• Warm winter clothes (pants and jackets)
• Winter warm hat and gloves
• Scarf
• Sun-screen cream (30 or higher)
• Good waterproof trekking boots for easy hikes in the mountains
• Walking warm shoes for the city walks
• Personal first aid kit (most likely problems: blisters, sunburns, allergy, diarrhea, sore muscles after hikes. Take painkillers, anti-histaminic, antibiotics of general action, and anything you need for your usual medical conditions).
• Personal hygiene kit
• Hygienic lipstick
• A towel
• Swimming suit (for hot springs or sauna in Karkara)
• Sunglasses
• Photo camera
• Notepad and a pen to make notes as you travel
• A smaller backpack, except for your normal suitcase.
• Flash light (torch)

Money exchange - if you plan to exchange USD / Euro to KGS , we recommend to take the notes of 50, 100 USD without stamps, inscriptions and other type of damage, because damaged banknotes are not accepted by banks and exchange offices.

Photos

Prices

The tour price in 2023 p/p in USD was:

In Double/twin room – 1195 USD per person
In single room (only in hotels) – 1290 USD per person

The single accommodation does not include individual accommodation in yurts and in local family houses.

Extra payment per person for TWIN accommodation in yurt - 15 USD per night (if yurts are available)
Extra payment per person for SGL accommodation in yurt - 25 USD per night (if yurts are available)

Early check-in in Bishkek hotel or extra night: SGL – 60 USD per room; DBL/TWN – 80 USD per room