NOMADIC KYRGYZSTAN
11 DAYS
Season: June - September
EXPLORE OUR UPCOMING DEPARTURES
2027
| Departure | End | Status | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 2027 | June 12, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| June 9, 2027 | June 19, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| June 16, 2027 | June 26, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| June 23, 2027 | July 3, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| June 30, 2027 | July 10, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| July 7, 2027 | July 17, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| July 14, 2027 | July 24, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| July 21, 2027 | July 31, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| July 28, 2027 | August 7, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| August 4, 2027 | August 14, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| August 11, 2027 | August 21, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| August 18, 2027 | August 28, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| August 25, 2027 | September 4, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
| September 1, 2027 | September 11, 2027 | 7+ available | from $1,300 per person | Book Now |
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Trip Details
4 people - 1820 USD per person
6 people - 1470 USD per person
8 people - 1300 USD per person
Nomadic Kyrgyzstan: 11 Days
Highlights of the tour:
Bishkek: city tour, a lively oriental bazaar and a dinner of national dishes.
Burana Tower and Chong Kemin: Silk Road history and Kok-Boru, the nomads’ horse game.
Issyk-Kul and Cholpon-Ata: a swim in the lake and 2,000-year-old petroglyphs.
Karakol and Jeti-Oguz: the Dungan Mosque, red rocks and a night in a yurt camp.
Eagle hunters and Kochkor: golden eagles and shyrdak felt carpets.
Son-Kul Lake: two days with nomads at 3,000 metres.
Kyzyl-Oi and Suusamyr: high passes, colourful mountains and village life.
ACTIVITIES: Eagle hunting, carpet making, short hiking
Program of the Nomadic Kyrgyzstan Tour
Day 1
Arrival in Bishkek, city tour
In the evening, dinner at a restaurant where you taste national dishes.
🏠 Hotel in Bishkek
Day 2
Bishkek - Burana Tower - Chong Kemin
Then we drive to Chong Kemin, a village in a national park surrounded by mountains. In the afternoon we watch Kok-Boru, the horse game played by nomads across Central Asia: two teams of riders compete to carry a goat carcass of about 30 kg into the opponent’s goal. The Chong Kemin valley is also a perfect place for a horse ride.
🏠 Guesthouse in Chong Kemin
Day 3
Chong Kemin - Boom Gorge - Cholpon-Ata
The afternoon is free for relaxing and swimming on the beach. In summer the water is about 22°C.
🏠 Guesthouse in Cholpon-Ata
Day 4
Cholpon-Ata - Chong Ak-Suu Gorge - Karakol
On the edge of town we visit the museum and memorial of Nikolai Przhevalsky, the great 19th-century Russian explorer; the town carried his name until 1991. Lunch in Karakol and a walk around the town in the afternoon.
🏠 Guesthouse in Karakol
Day 5
Karakol - Jeti-Oguz
On the way to the yurt camp we stop at the famous Broken Heart and Jeti-Oguz rocks, whose name means Seven Bulls. We climb to the viewpoint and hear the legend of the gorge with its red rock formations, then take a short walk along the rushing river past old wooden bridges. In the valley nomads live in felt yurts all summer with their cattle, horses and sheep.
🏠 Yurt camp in Jeti-Oguz
Day 6
Jeti-Oguz - South shore of Issyk-Kul - Kochkor
Through a green valley we reach the village of Kochkor, famous for its felt carpets called shyrdak. A women’s cooperative shows us how the carpets are made. Afterwards we visit their small shop and museum with handicrafts from the surrounding villages, where you can buy souvenirs made by local masters.
🏠 Guesthouse in Kochkor
Day 7
Kochkor - Son-Kul Lake
In the afternoon we arrive at our yurt camp. Take a short walk or a swim in the lake: the water is cold enough to refresh you. The rest of the day is free to explore.
🏠 Yurt camp at Son-Kul Lake
Day 8
Day at Son-Kul Lake
In the afternoon you can rent a horse and ride along the lake.
🏠 Yurt camp at Son-Kul Lake
Day 9
Son-Kul - Moldo-Ashuu Pass - Kyzyl-Oi
In Kyzyl-Oi we take a walk to feel the atmosphere of village life.
🏠 Homestay in Kyzyl-Oi
Day 10
Kyzyl-Oi - Suusamyr Valley - Bishkek
Then we drive through the Suusamyr valley and climb to the 2.5 km long Too-Ashuu tunnel at 3,400 metres. Lunch in Bishkek, free time and a farewell dinner in the evening.
🏠 Hotel in Bishkek
Day 11
Departure from Bishkek
Tour Route Map
What’s included
Transport
Transport throughout the tour
Meals
Half board: breakfasts and dinners
Accommodation
Hotels, guesthouses, yurt camps and a homestay
Guide
English-speaking guide during the tour
Included Activities
- Entrance fees to the sites listed
- Shows: Kok-Boru horse game, eagle hunting, felt carpet making
What’s not included
- International flights
- Lunches
- Horse riding
- Extra services in the hotel
- Travel insurance (required)
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs
- Tips for the guides and drivers
Kyrgyzstan Travel Information
The local currency is the Kyrgyz som (KGS). It is hard to get outside Kyrgyzstan, so bring US dollars and exchange them on arrival. Notes issued before 2007 are usually refused.
ATMs work in the main cities, often with a limit of around 10,000 KGS per withdrawal. Visa is widely accepted, Mastercard not always.
Take cash to the villages, guesthouses and yurt camps, where there may be no ATMs or card payments. On this tour you need money for lunches, horse riding, souvenirs and tips.
Kyrgyzstan is a welcoming country, and we plan every day of your trip with a local team. In Bishkek, take the usual care: watch out for pickpockets at Osh Bazaar and use pre-booked taxis at night.
In the mountains the weather can change quickly and phone coverage is very limited, so please follow your guide’s advice.
Taking photos or flying drones near border checkpoints, military sites and police stations is illegal.
Citizens of many countries, including the US, the UK and the EU, can stay in Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 30 days within any 60-day period. These rules changed at the end of 2025, so please check them for your passport before you book.
Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival. If you need a visa, you can apply for an e-visa at evisa.e-gov.kg. We can advise you and take care of it for you.
This tour runs from June to September, the best time for mountains and lakes. In summer you can swim in Lake Issyk-Kul, where the water reaches about 22°C.
Nights at Son-Kul Lake, at 3,000 metres, are cold, and snow is possible at altitude even in summer. Pack warm layers and a rain jacket as well as summer clothes.
Please check which vaccinations you need with a travel clinic at least 8 weeks before your trip.
This tour goes up to about 3,000 metres at Son-Kul Lake and crosses passes of more than 3,300 metres, where altitude sickness is possible. Tell your guide straight away if you feel unwell.
Medical care outside the main cities is basic. Your travel insurance must cover treatment and emergency evacuation. Bring any personal medicines with you, as some are hard to find.
Useful Info
- We advise on visas and are happy to arrange them for you. Citizens of many countries, including the US, UK and EU, can visit Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 30 days in any 60 days.
- We are happy to recommend flights to and from Kyrgyzstan: just write to us.
- Travel insurance is required for this tour. You are free to choose any insurance company.
- Read our Terms & Conditions
- You can book the whole itinerary as a private tour. We also arrange extra nights before or after the tour and suggest private extensions in Kyrgyzstan or neighbouring countries.