Reviews
★★★★★
We had a wonderful half day with Atai! I booked a trip from Bishkek to Burana tower, and Atai added so much historical knowledge of the area and provided great context for everything we saw. He is very personable, engaging, and made sure we had a great experience. I was traveling with my mother, but would book as a solo female traveler, too. Highly recommend Atai!
★★★★★
Unforgettable trip with an incredible team!
From the very beginning, Atai was amazingly helpful. He worked closely with us to create the perfect itinerary tailored to our exact needs - starting with a few days in Kazakhstan before heading into 14 Kyrgyzstan days - and was always open to adjustments along the way. Atai seamlessly organized everything across both countries, including all the border-crossing transfers, which went perfectly.
Our tour guide/driver in Kyrgyzstan, Janat, was fantastic, polite, attentive, and genuinely wonderful to travel with. His support throughout the journey was invaluable, as he smoothly handled every situation that came up and accommodated all of our spontaneous changes without hesitation. Beyond being incredibly helpful, he shared so many fascinating insights about the local culture, traditions, and amazing food.
Everything was organized to perfection from start to finish. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Highly recommended!
★★★★★
We had a fantastic trip in Kyrgyzstan and couldnβt have asked for a better experience! Atai took care of organising our itinerary and made sure everything was well planned from start to finish.
Our driver and guide, Tynchtyk, was absolutely great. He was friendly, reliable and always happy to accommodate our requests. He constantly made sure we were comfortable and that everything was going well, and we really appreciated how carefully and safely he drove throughout the trip.
We got to see so many beautiful places and experience the incredible landscapes of Kyrgyzstan. Everything went smoothly and we came away with some amazing memories. A huge thank you to Atai and Tynchtyk for making our trip so special. Highly recommended!
★★★★★
10/10!!! We got him for a day trip driving us from Bishkek-Ala Archa-Manas Airport. The car was nice and clean, and in a very good condition. Very comfortable. When we reached Ala Archa, he decided to join us for a walk in the park which was great! He led us the way, helped us with the translation, showed us good viewpoints, also helped taking good photos (he is a PRO!!). He speaks really good English. We discussed a lot of things along the way including useful travel tips, travel experiences, Kyrgyzstan insights, etc. When I mentioned that I want to buy some souvenirs, he offered to take us to buy souvenirs in town without any extra charges because we still had time. What a great service! His time planning was also perfect.
I wish Iβd known him before starting my KazakhstanβKyrgyzstan trip so I could have consulted him for a better plan as he is also a tour guide/tour coordinator.
Highly recommended!
★★★★★
Atai was very considerate. He provided useful advices for my travel itinerary - in a timely manner. I travelled to Tash Rabat, Kel Suu and Song Kul this time. Challenging roads, but we are satisfied with the trip. The eagle hunting was awesome, not just a show, but an admiring tradition. Our guide, Ruthlan, was a very good English-speaking driver. He takes the cleaness of the car, comfort of the ride, best local food and accommodations all into consideration. He also observes our eating habit, and urge the host to prepare some salad for us. Also to find accommodation that suits our need. We are lucky to have Ruthlan to assist our horse-riding. All in all, we are in good hands. Trust you will be the same :)
★★★★
We had a great time with our guide Tinchtik. He was kind , professional .The trip was perfect for our need. Thank you.
★★★★★
Quick response and professional suggestion for the 3 day trip plan. Easy and fast interaction.
We have travelled with very experienced Tour Guide Meder. Meder is knowledgable and has many insights to share. He also informed us transparently about the risk of weather changes in high altitude. The program was very ambitious and we had to skip some less relevant items. This allowed us to focus on the key items and having a great trip. Song Kul, Eagle Show, Hiking in the mountains and canyons were remarkable. Food choices delicious. Really excellent experience and great trip. Thank you!
★★★★★
Excellent service, Atai put us in communication with Tahir. Everything was perfect, we strongly recommend
★★★★★
We had Meder as our fantastic guide with a really cool SUV.. he took us to some really amazing places, he helped us with whatever we needed and was a super friendly and extra knowledgeable guide. A great ambassador for Kyrgyzstan and an extremely well educated individual (he holds a PhD by the way). We will definitely be in touch when we will be back - skiing will be next. Thanks a lot, Meder and Atai, you guys rock..
Very good tour! Amazing guest. A lot of good moments. Nicky is a very good person who likes to enjoy the beautiful places.
★★★★★
Great day tour organized by Atai (tower, konorchek, with drop off in Tcholpon ata), I would recommend
★★★★★
We benefited from a personalized 5-day itinerary with Atai. Before our trip, communication was fluid and he was proactive in adjusting our itinerary according to our wishes and balancing the driving hours to make the long journey as pleasant as possible. We trusted him 100% and we were not disappointed!! Atai was very professional, with impeccable English and a perfect driver. He shared his knowledge of the country with us (political, economic, historical, geographical and societal). The discussions with Atai were very interesting and friendly. He listened to us and was very considerate. Our tour with Atai is one of our best memories of our trip to Central Asia... we recommend him 200%!! Postponed to show you Paris now π
Everything was fantastic! Amazing people! Very nice and easy going π
★★★★★
Our 14-day journey through Kyrgyzstan was truly unforgettable. The country is incredibly beautiful, and traveling through it was made even better thanks to our amazing driver and guide, Tynchtyk.
Although we planned the tour and booked most of the accommodation ourselves, Tynchtyk became an essential part of our adventure from the first day. Heβs a calm, kind and intelligent young man who immediately became part of our family.
We had to adjust our route several times due to unpredictable weather, and Tynchtyk was always flexible and supportive β helping us find great accommodation alternatives and suggesting wonderful yurt camps and activities in each area.
He quickly understood what we liked, always took us to great restaurants, and enriched our experience with local insights. Our 14-year-old son really connected with him, which speaks volumes about his warmth and personality.
He drove a comfortable and reliable 4x4 vehicle, perfect for Kyrgyzstanβs mountain roads. We always felt safe in the car β his driving was calm and careful, even in more remote and rugged areas. He was always on time and ready to help us adapt when plans changed.
It was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable trips weβve ever had. If youβre planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan, we wholeheartedly recommend asking for Tynchtyk β he made our experience truly unforgettable. We would definitely book with him again.
★★★★★
Top top service by Atai and his guide, Tynchtyk! Initial conversations with Atai was very easy and he was very responsive. He was very accommodating to our requests and answered each concerns we had very well. It was the main reason I had chosen Atai compared to other guides. Once we arrived in Bishkek, we were received by Tynchtyk who became our guide for our 6 days trip. Tynchtyk is a very experienced guide and he also accommodated the trip with what we liked. His reliable Lexus LX470 brought us through the rough terrain towards Song Kul with no issues.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip! Kyrgyzstan is amazingly beautiful and it has way exceeded our expectations. We are really humbled by it and hopefully we can come here again.
Thank you Atai and Tynchtyk!
★★★★★
I cannot rate Atai high enough! He communicated really well with us ahead of time, arrived on time, has a very comfortable and suitable vehicle for the trip we did. He proved to be a very safe and conservative driver. His English is excellent, and his knowledge of Kyrgys history, culture, geography, politics, economics and anything else that came up in conversation meant that we had great chats for the 12+ hours we were together. He was great fun, and has become a friend.
Everything was good πππ»
★★★★★
An unforgettable experience with a true Renaissance guide!
Highly recommendedβ101% and beyond!
Our tour guide wasnβt just a professionalβhe was our driver, historian, lawyer, teacher, and storyteller all in one.
From captivating tales of local history to deep dives into government and geography, every moment was insightful.
If you want more than just a tourβyou want this guide.
We had an amazing two days in Donnaville! The people were incredibly kind and positive, which made the experience even more enjoyable. It was a pleasure to guide such a great group.
★★★★★
Very friendly and highly knowledgable. Would strongly recommend him. He is excellent
★★★★★
Atai found an amazing driver for the trip - Meder, who really went out of his way to make sure I had a memorable trip. We went to Burana Tower then made a detour to a well-known village restaurant where we binged on the most delicious kattama and hard boiled eggs, washed down with milky tea which was enough to keep me going until late evening. The plan was to do a short trek but realising it wasn't my thing, Meder came up with an alternative so we went on to Issyk Kul, then Cholpan Ata, the cultural park and open-air petroglyph museum. We stopped en route back with more delicious local food. It was a fantastic day that I will treasure. Meder is a fantastic guide, very knowledgable, great company and goes out of his way to ensure the trip is special.
★★★★★
The day trip was amazing. All the places in the tour description were covered and Atai beeing very educated and knowledgeable gave us a lot of background information about history, politics and culture of Kyrgyzstan.
Everything was good, We had a good time, Vladyslav and his friend Muhammed are very nice and interesting people.
★★★★★
Atai is a remarkable tour guide! He goes above and beyond to make our experience the best. Besides that, Atai is kind and very respectful.
He displays a very good background regarding Kyrgyzstan history and speaks a very good English. We had an amazing time, It was a pleasure to know him.
Amazing guest , very nice person , all trip was nice and fun and smooth!
★★★★★
It was the most magical trip, everything was so well planned, and thought through, leaving us to just focus on taking in the breathtaking views. Both Atai and Meder were kind, professional and responsive. It was truly a pleasure to travel with them. Because of Meder's knowledge of the area, we went to some hidden gems and ate great food along the journey.
★★★★★
Very nice experience in wonderful country of Kirguizstan, with Atai and his driver/guide Thintchy. We get advice how and where to change our prior travel plan, and we didnt regret. Magnificient experience!
Milan is a very nice guy, with a very cool group of friends from Montenegro. I hope that they had a good time in Kyrgyzstan.
★★★★★
We had a great time touring Kyrgyzstan with Tynchtyk. The country is beautiful and he knew how to comfortably drive all the off roads, we never felt unsafe.
A wonderful person! Very good trip and very good mood :)
★★★★★
Car is perfect and comfortable for off road travelling as my itinerary required.
Atai is very professional, knowledgeable and help you in doing the right experience and know the kyrzyk culture. Suggest to choose him as the tour was amazing
Everything was very good! Chiara is very easygoing and nice person!
★★★★★
Great travel with Meder!! Lovely 14 days in KirguistΓ‘n, recommend 100%
We have prepared and discussed very good detailed program and I hope Roger and Nuria had a great time with our best guide Meder! When we met they were very nice and good people!
★★★★★
Meder has been an exceptional guide and driver throughout our journey. His extensive knowledge of Kyrgyzstan combined with driving skills made our trip both educational and safe. He was always punctual, well -prepared and willing to go the extra mile to ensure we had best possible time.
Everything was good! Very nice people, friendly and interested π Meder enjoyed trip with them!
★★★★★
Atai and Meder were the perfect hosts for our trip to Kyrgyzstan - we planned the trip with Atai who was very responsive and built a great itenerary for us and we had an absolutely great time with Meder as our guide! He was super friendly and accommodating, made us feel welcomed and comfortable from the start. He was a great guide and took us to all the spots we wanted to visit on our short trip and even more if time prevailed. He also took us to eat traditional food and buy traditional items from the bazaar to take home. Highly recommend booking with Atai & Meder when you plan your trip to Kyrgyzstan!
Everything was good π Meder enjoyed the trip with Zainab, and her family , very nice people friendly and good,!
★★★★★
Excellent service by Atai and his staff. Driver arrived perfectly on time and brought us to all places mentioned, even offered us lunch. Good level of English, very flexible and happy to adjust tour to our requests. Definitely suggested!
Daniele was with Tynchtyk and they had a very good time, very good people and very kind, easy going and interested π
★★★★★
We had a wonderful day trip to Burana, Kan'ony Konorchek and Issyk Kul with Atai and his wife. Atai has encyclopediac knowledge of the area and its history. He pointed out so many things that would be easily overlooked. We had great conversations along the way and were charmed by their kindness. Moreover, the scenery along the way was spectacular and we especially enjoyed the hiking up the canyon, which although a bit long, is totally worth the journey. I'd highly recommend the trip and will definitely reach out again next time we're in Kyrgyzstan!
Everything was good, amazing group! We enjoyed the trip with Eric and his Wife, very interesting, kind people :)
★★★★★
Chill trip to Issyk Kul with some nice stops along the way. Very convenient to visit multiple places in one trip. Possible to request the trip to end in Issyk Kul (Cholpon Ata for us) instead of returning to Bishkek.
Everything was good! Very cool guys, they were with Tynchtyk and he is very pleased to have such an amazing group!
★★★★★
Our driver&guide&companion was Meder and he was exelent. He take us on the incredible places that we couldn't find without him. He stick to our program but recomended some extras that we enjoy too. All recomendation for his services. Kyrgyzstan will be on our "at least one more time" list.
Everything was good π Meder enjoyed the trip with her group, good people βΊοΈ
★★★★★
So memorable! Thanks a lot.
We have had a very cool trip! We talked about a lot of things, Shunshuke san is very interesting person and very intelligent! Enjoyed his company.
★★★★★
The tour was very well organized, driver was always on Time and the accomodations were always nice
Very good trip, Valerio is very friendly and nice, easy going and polite. Everything went super well!
★★★★★
It was truly a perfect journey. Atai is the most ideal tour guide for exploring Kyrgyzstan.
Through the journey with him, I not only had the chance to witness stunning natural landscapes and historic sites but also learned about the underlying background and history. Atai's extensive knowledge, ranging from the history of Central Asia to current issues in Kyrgyzstan, made the tour enlightening. Before I knew it, I found myself becoming more knowledgeable and deeply immersed in the wonders of Kyrgyzstan.
There is absolutely no hesitation in recommending Atai's tour.
Everything was good! Jaeho and his friends are very easygoing and positive guests! I hope that they had a good time βΊοΈ
★★★★★
Everything went good. Our driver was not Atai but he arranged another person by the name Meder. Meder was good but at times can be a bit sarcastic and kranky! otherwise, everything was well. He knows places and took us to all good places. He was always on time.
Everything was good ππ
★★★★★
Actually Atai informed me that he would not be available but one of his closest friends, Meder, will be my guide. This was done much in advance so no issues whatsoever. Atai helped until booking stage but on location it was Meder who was driving and shifting the program as we travelled along. Meder is super knowledgeable, knows the good spots and was also good company. He did his best to accommodate my requests especially because my main interest is travel photography with primary focus on people. Kyrgyzstan in itself is amazing with stunning landscapes, you can experience four seasons in 4 hours. The Kyrgyz people are generally very warm, though not easy to take portraiture photos with ladies, especially in the south. The accommodation solutions provided by Meder were great, from yurts to small guesthouses to home stays. So overall a great experience and would definitely recommend Meder & Atai as your key persons to take you around Kyrgyzstan and beyond. Just ensure that if you are specializing in any genre of photography you mention this so that they both can support you.
Mark is very good and easygoing man, trip went good and interesting with him.
★★★★★
I had an amazing tour, all thanks to Atai. I highly recommend him to all future travellers. He's a passionate, unique, and flexible guide, always attentive to my needs and preferences.
Atai is a passionate and distinctive guide, unlike the typical "routine" guides you might encounter. This uniqueness is perhaps due to his multifaceted career; he not only works as a guide but is also involved in other businesses and teaches at a university. Thanks to his diverse roles, he possesses extensive knowledge, not only about Kyrgyzstan but also about Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and even my home country, Japan! During our drives, he shared various fascinating stories, and I was never bored. Furthermore, unlike most guides, Atai didn't take me to shops owned by his friends or pressure us to make purchases. He prioritized delivering an authentic experience.
If I have the opportunity to return to Kyrgyzstan, I would undoubtedly choose Atai as my guide once more. His dedication to providing a personalized and meaningful experience is truly remarkable.
Very great guy, we had amazing time, very interesting companion βΊοΈ
★★★★★
We had a 11-days roundtrip with Atai in Kyrgyzstan. This trip was amazing. Atai was a really nice guide, he was always cheerful. His English was really good and he learnt us a lot about the country, history, traditions and culture. The weather was perfect and we have a good impression of Kyrgyzstan.
The accommodations during the tour were good: from traditional yurts to comfortable hotels.
Atai took us to different kind of restaurants for lunch and dinner. So we could taste a lot of different food during the tour.
Highlights: the Kel-Suu lake and the 2 days trek to Ala-Kul lake (literally as well).
We have had a such a good time! He is the best guest i had with his wife Fena. We did many days tour and it was just like a moment, because it was really really nice trip. Very positive energy of Hendricus and Fena brought a good weather during whole trip and we had a very interesting talks.
★★★
to avoid, as happened, constant discussions about when and where to eat, what is included or not in the all-inclusive package, savings on accommodation or earnings on extra expenses, I recommend only car and driver, no all-inclusive package, it's not worth it
Everything was good ππ very good group, nice trip , best places were covered.
★★★★
the economic agreement on the travel package was not always clear or correct, during the trip, and when it was pointed out, the attitude of an offended person was obtained, thus making the situation worse. started well and finished poorly. I recommend only car and driver, no all-inclusive package, it's not worth it
Everything was good ππ very good group, nice trip , best places were covered.
★
Ravel review with Atai's collaborator
Apart from the first four days (2 of travel then 2 of trekking) our holiday was ruined by the incompetence of the absolutely unprofessional, rude, lying driver. Every day there was something wrong because the driver tried to boycott the established program because he invited us to stop more than one day in one place and wanted to convince us that he didn't deserve it, so we would cut some established destinations. We set ourselves for this we managed to complete the program but it ruined our holiday. One day he was smiling, another day we just didn't do as he said he was sulky and rude.
I give some examples
- tired of the trek he doesn't take us to a 2-minute drive to a belvedere because he says the road wasn't easy. A perfect road just didn't want to move from the shaded parking lot
-in Kochkor we could not see the eagle show as written in the program because he had to stay all afternoon doing nothing and he told us that he had inquired and the eagles were all dead
-inTash Rabat made us walk around there for nothing to wait for lunch time (so he had lunch for free) telling us that 4 hours by car would be enough. Instead we left at 12 and arrived at our destination at 9 in the evening all in a hurry in a beautiful route that we could have done calmly (he had never done that road before, it wouldn't have been a problem if we left in the morning)
- in sary chelek wanted us to walk back the road he had walked for 16 km, so he could go back to the hotel. While it was obvious that we wanted to do the 7 lakes trek and back the road with the car for the return as well.
- one day he was angry because he demanded that we eat at 10.30 after breakfast at 8.30. we said we weren't hungry and if we couldn't find anything on the street, we'd just buy a sandwich and eat it on the way
-on the last day he insisted that it was not the time to go to the festival in Kyzyl oi because he didn't deserve it (he just wanted to go back to bishek sooner)
In conclusion, I still have a lot to say, but I limit myself to saying that a driver should wait for the customer, while we established a departure time every day and punctually waited for him and had to look for him. Out of spite one day there were numerous restaurants along a lake, even in a beautiful location, he wanted to go to a city with hot weather and have lunch in an indoor restaurant. In short, he had to decide where, how and when on food. A driver should know places to stop to take pictures as he raced the car we limited ourselves to a few places and he would happily stop at places he wanted to take pictures for him. He also told us that we paid too little .... it seems to me that I asked for a quote for an adjusted program with Atai and he was offered a price which I accepted. BAD SERVICE!!!! He never used the air conditioning even when it was 37 degrees!!! We have made many trips with car rental and driver ... never had such a service! I repeat only by forcing ourselves every moment allowed us to carry out our program, but it is not a vacation!!
E
Elisabetta Fucci
August 2023
★★★★★
An Unforgettable Adventure with the Best Tour Guide
I recently had the pleasure of experiencing an incredible tour guided by Atai during our visit to Kyrgyzstan. From start to finish, this excursion exceeded all my expectations, leaving us with unforgettable memories and a new appreciation for the region's culture and history.
Communication and Organization: Atai demonstrated exceptional communication skills right from the booking process. They promptly replied to our inquiries, provided detailed information about the tour itinerary, and even offered helpful suggestions to enhance my experience. The entire tour was thoughtfully organized, and we never felt rushed or confused throughout our journey.
Engaging and Personable: What set Atai apart was their warm and friendly demeanor. They effortlessly connected with everyone in the group, creating a sense of camaraderie among us. Their infectious enthusiasm made the tour even more enjoyable, and it felt like exploring the city with a knowledgeable friend rather than a formal guide.
Hidden Gems and Unique Experiences: Throughout the tour, Atai introduced us to some off-the-beaten-path spots and hidden gems that I would have never discovered on my own. These unique experiences made the trip even more special, and I appreciated the effort they put into curating an authentic and unforgettable journey.
Flexibility and Attentiveness: Atai remained flexible and attentive to the group's needs and interests. They took the time to understand our preferences and adjusted the itinerary accordingly, ensuring that each participant had a memorable experience. Their attention to detail, from arranging comfortable transportation to recommending excellent local restaurants, made the tour stress-free and enjoyable.
Safe and Responsible: Safety was a top priority for Atai. They followed all necessary precautions, adhering to local guidelines and ensuring our well-being throughout the tour. Their commitment to responsible tourism was commendable, and it was clear that they cared deeply about preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the destination.
In conclusion, I can recommend Atai enough for anyone visiting Kyrgyzstan. Their professionalism, knowledge, and genuine passion for sharing their love of the region made this tour an unforgettable experience. If you want to explore the best of Kyrgyzstan with an exceptional guide, look no further - Atai is the one to choose!
Thank you, Atai, for an unforgettable adventure! I will cherish the memories from this tour for a lifetime.
B
Brasili eden Solis
July 2023
★★★★★
We booked the trip unexpectedly the day before and everything went smoothly. We had an amazing time during this trip and managed to see more places than we would have if we did it independently. Atai is really nice and friendly guy. Overall great experience and would recommend ??!
Everything was good, Kenneth and his friend Gianpaolo are very cool guests, very interesting and commutative :) we had a very good time
★★
I made all arrangements with Atai and decided to booked with Atai almost 2 months before my arrival. On his page, he advertises himself as guide. However, the very day that I was arriving, I received a message from someone else that this new person would be my guide, leaving me no alternative at such last minute. I decided to make the tour 2 days instead of 3. There were a few instances that were not good with the alternate guide. I was left behind in Konorchok Canyons and unable to rock climb back down on my own. There are 3 places you have to rock climb up during the hike to the canyon which means that on the way back you have to hike back down 3 times. Thankfully there was another group (which was the last group in the canyon that day, that I almost missed but I caught up with the group, otherwise I would have been stranded, unable to rock climb back down on my own). It had also just rained after reaching the main attraction of the canyon so the bottoms filled up with water and rocks were slippery on the way back. The other groups guide, questioned where my guide was and I told him that he already went back to the car. He told me that a guide should never leave me and thankfully still helped me. The large group from the UK, of all ages, offered that I go back with them. Every single one of them struggled getting back down. When I told my guide once I returned to the vehicle that I had trouble getting back. He said that "I was a good hiker and that I didnβt need help and that only old people need help."
The guide often spoke in condescending manner, repeatedly saying βremember I told you beforeβ or βI told you beforeβ at the beginning of nearly every sentence for the entire 2 days. When I had asked him about it, he said that βI keep asking the same questionsβ which was definitely not the case and when I finally said that I didnβt want to argue about it, he said its good communication to argue. Even during breakfast in the morning, I decided to put my hard boiled egg back since I had been offered a fried egg and as I was putting it back, I was told, βthatβs a hard boiled eggβ to which I replied, βI knowβ and then he replied βno, I donβt think you knowβ and he slightly chuckled as he left to go to his car thinking I didnβt know what a hard boiled egg was.
My last point of awareness is that while I was offered a different guide, there was no communication about the country provided during the 2 days tour. Usually, experienced guides might share cultural, historical or political facts of the country and facts about certain cities or sites that are being visited so you learn and feel connected to the country you are visiting. However, this was almost non existent with the guide I was provided. When we were in Karakol, while visiting the Old Dungan Mosque, I was asked if I knew about a situation of some sort relating to it. I said I didnβt. Then he began to tell me that he was surprised that I didnβt know, because it was all over the news, all around the world. To which I said, no I never heard about it. Then he proceeded by continuing to say that it was on the news and how could I miss it and that I must not have been paying attention. At that point, I replied, I guess since I missed it, you are not going to tell me about it since I should have saw it on the news? And he never did bother to tell me.
I have learned to make sure the guide Iβm hiring will be my guide on arrival & if the guide will be informative & aware and remain available to help with rock climbing hazards. If not, there should be advance notice to make alternate arrangements & refund my deposit.
★★★★★
Calm flexibility made our trip with Meder easy despite our attempting to bite off more then we could chew.
My crazy plan didn't faze Meder who just kept us relaxed on the long drives;. Seeing how the other drivers drove like demons with a death wish, made us appreciate even more how he never lost his cool.
We suggest you listen to Meder when you submit your plan sticking to a single area so you can spend more time in the stunning mountains.
Take advantage of Meder so that you can do that you hope in this wonderful country.
Ahhh, I almost forgot. You must go to Supara in Bishkek for food and the experience and if watermelon season you must eat as much as you can because we've never tasted better. Mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Amazing guest! Very interesting and with a great sense of humour:)
★★★★★
We booked a driver-service with Atai and Meder for an 8day long tour across Kirghizistan.
Atai, who stayed with us during the first part of the trip, was a very good driver and tour guide - he is very intrigued with the history of Kirghizistan and we really enjoyed his story telling pills.
Meder drove us from Kazarman to Osh through the spectacular mountain passes which divide this part of the region: itβs a long and very complicated route - mountains roads are unpaved and poorly maintained - but Meder proved to be an excellent and very skilled driver and we arrived comfortably and in time to our destination.
Our travel was eventually amazing and we are very satisfied!
Alberto is a very nice guy, I really sincerely enjoyed working with him and his group of friends, good on timing, very nice people and very interesting, communication was very comfortable and nice.
★★★★★
We made the booking 1 day before the trip, and it was smooth overall.
If we had known about some more useful information such as 'things to bring' or 'a list of place to visit and activities', it would have been even more prepared though.
Bom is a very interesting and nice guest, easy going and the tour with her was good ??
★★★★★
What a fantastic guide! We spent 9 days and had the best of times
The guide was very proactive, extremely flexible, had great insight about a series of places/ experiences/ restaurants and he was a great person to spend time with.
Top recommendation!
Paris is a very good person, very interested guest with whom we created a very nice plan and our driver Meder showed a lots of cool places β€οΈ
★★★★★
I had an amazing and unforgettable time in Kyrgyzstan. Everything was awesome. The landscapes were astonishing. Food was authentic, abundant, and delicious. I had the opportunity to talk a lot with my guides Meder and Tahir, so I learned a lot about Kyrgyzstan. Definitely, I recommend it and I would repeat it!
Meder and Tahir showed to Esteban the best parts of our country βΊοΈ? He was very polite and nice guest which I hope enjoyed the trip ?
★
Atai arranged a trip for us from Bishkek to The Uzbek border (and a transfer to Tashkent). The car itself is good, and the guide Atai arranged is friendly as well. The route was also good. However, no reservations to hotels were made, neither was the transfer arranged to Tashkent. The quality of the accommodation was also poor. We paid $570 for 2 full days and nights, and the βaccommodationβ involved (1) a night in a moldy hostel with 3 beds in a bedroom with no bathroom. (2) The other night, we had to share one of our rooms with the driver (the hostel was empty apart from us). The driver didnβt show a lot of professionalism and self-reliance in this sense, and discussed ALL hick-ups he experienced (and didnβt arrange in advance) with us (better said, you can literally better organize it yourself and cut out the middleman). There seems to be the misconception with Atai that a tour only involves an investment of fuel and manhours. Whereas food, preciseness, clarity and accommodation also play a key role. When this was addressed afterwards, Atai claimed no reservations can be made to the accommodations, which was rather nonsense, as we ended up in the same hotel we could find on Booking.com. I would recommend to pick a more professional driver that gives you value for your money.
★★★★
Everything is good.
Everything was very good, Pornpoj is very nice and polite guest ??
★★★★
Great guy, but poor English.
In the end it got better but in the beginning we were struggling to understand.
★★★★★
I had a fantastic trip in Kyrgizistan which Atai planned and organized for me. Everything was amazing. All trip went very smooth, without any problems. It was beyond my expectations. I would like to thank both Atai and Meder for being amazing guides and making this trip such an unforgettable experience for me. I recommend everyone who goes to Kyrgizistan to choose Atai and Meder. You will not regret it!
Very good and interesting guest!
★★★★★
I'm incredibly grateful to have had Atai and Meder as my guides! Not only were they completely professional, but they are some of the kindest, most genuine human beings I've met. Atai and Meder made the hike to Kol' Tor Lake very enjoyable, and it was an overall very peaceful experience. They will go out of their way to make your trip truly special and one-of-a-kind, so don't miss out on the opportunity to have them as your guides. I had a lovely day, and it would not have been possible without Atai and Meder!
Victoria is a very good guest, easy going, interesting and good hiker ?βΊοΈ everything went very smoothly and good !
★★★★★
Best Trip to Kyrgyztan ever!
Very nice guest, interesting and open minded ;) Everything is cool.
★★★★★
We had a wonderful day with Atai. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. He knows the region very well, so we got to see extraordinary places and taste good food. I'd definitely book with him again and I hihgly recommend him.
Amazing guest! Everything went smoothly ? she is a very nice woman
★★★★★
Everthing went so well and we are really happy exploring kyrgysztan.. Atai and his partner, meder such a wonderful person.. We are really happy to choose them as our tour guide.. Highly recommended and once we come back to kyrgysztan, definately we will require their service.. They know really well all the place in kyrgysztan.. Besides, they gives best price for us with additional discount.. Really enjoyed 8days staying in kyrgysztan
N
★★★★★
Just back from our adventure in Kyrgyzstan. We were so happy during our tour with Atai and Meder. Even when we faced some inconvenients regarding the weather in Song kul, Meder managed to find the best solution. We enjoyed a lot our stay in Kyrgyzstan!
C
★★★★★
Hi,
We just got back home from a wonderful adventure in Kyrgyzstan thanks to Atai.
We spent 5 nights in Kyrgyzstan and during the short stay, we managed to see everything we had wanted. We visited Bishkek, Burana tower, Song kol lake and Issyk Kul region. He also managed to arrange for us the climb to Ala Kol lake, even though some said that its season was already over.
We can`t thank you enough Atai.
We loved it.
Regards,
Sue and friends from Malta
S
★★★★★
I had a few hours to kill and it was very useful to have Atai to show me around Bishkek. He is very knowledgeable, professional and helpful.
G
★★★★★
I`ve traveled to more than 50 countries. And on this trip, everything was perfect! My driver was Kanybek. I wish every country had someone like Kanybek! I haven`t met such a genuine and nice person while traveling in a long time. I spent 4 nights and 5 days in Kyrgyzstan. Since having a private shower and a private bathroom is a must for me, staying in a yurt was out of the question for me. However, I saw and took plenty of pictures of yurts :) I stayed in Orion hotel in Bishkek which, in my opinion, is the best hotel in Bishkek. And in
Karakol, I stayed in Karagat hotel. From the very beginning, Atai was responsive and patient with all my requests and questions. I changed my mind and itinerary many times and Atai adjusted accordingly without any problems. In the end, I took Atai`s and Kanybek`s suggestions what to see and where to go, and I`m glad I listened to them. Many places, although they look nice in photos, are unreachable or are not as green at this time of the year. I saw Al Archa, Allamedin, and a very beautiful "Valley of the FlowersβΓΓΉ near Karakol where I did horse back riding and took photos with an eagle dressed. A big highlight of the trip was when Kanybek surprised me with a barbecue in Al Archa. He made the most delicious lamb "shashlykβΓΓΉ right next to the river. I also liked all the restaurants that Kanybek chose for me. He took me to the mall to get the SIM card. He took me to fruit market to buy apricots and then helped me find the box and plastic so I can package them. If I made a wish, he made it happen. I also visited the Mosque in Bishkek and an Orthodox Church and Mosque in Karakol.
I`ve seen a lot of drivers and tour guides throughout the years, and I can honestly say that this road trip was the best I`ve ever had.
Before I went to Kyrgyzstan, I corresponded with over 20 guides, and I am very glad that I chose Atai`s company and Kanybek as my driver.
A
★★★★★
Great experience with Ataiβs group, with minor hiccups.
Kyrgyzstan is still an under developed tourist attraction, anyone who visit shouldnβt expect perfect 5 stars service from the them, but do visit with an open mind, thereβs plenty to offer.
Our group contact Atai after our original tour guide from CBT keep adding cost last minutes until it reaches an unacceptable level, we gave a rough itinerary to Atai, he added in suggestion and everything set within a week time inclusive of needed visa, just before our flight.
6 of us reach Kyrgyz on August 6th, 2 cars is there to welcome us, and while another member who supposed to join us experience flight delayed, Ataiβs group decided to send us to Karakol on the next morning as per the itinerary and prepare another car to fetch the member.
Hiccup occur again as the family of one the guide pass away and there will be a switch of guide for Ala-kul hike, group was adjusting fast and getting our supplies in Dohdoy market, albeit the smaller tent. We enjoy the Fairytale Canyon and Jetty Oguz along the journey, and reaches Nice Hotel to rest before our hike.
The hike of Ala-kul to Altyn Arashan was phenomenal, itβs breathtaking (physically as well so do prepare for it :) ).
Along the way we met a hong kong couple, who complain their own porter asking themselves to carry their own food and water, and they donβt even have a place to sleep in when they reach the camp before Ala-kul, that says a lot about the maturity of the tourism in Kyrgyz, do spend more time asking and communicate in order to get things right.
Do prepare proper water filtration as the water in Ala-kul might not suitable for everyone, 4 of us get vomit and diarrhea for days after the hike, Ataiβs group send emergency doctor to visit us and get medicines for us from the pharmacy, and they are really flexible to alter the timing so everyone is comfortable.
We visit Issy-Kul and Song-Kul after that, the yurt camp that Atai chose wasnβt the most fancy nor new, but itβs the most authentic yurt we get to experience, with the old lady hosting us, we get to try the authentic cooking of the nomad and the old lady even shared her remedy to cure the sickness, which is an experience that money canβt buy.
After Song-Kul is the suggestion from Atai, the ultimate Kel-Suu, we rode horses from the yurt camp pass the beautiful Kok Kiya valley and reach Kel-Suu lake, the journey was just amazing.
All in all the experience is good, with room for improvement, if time rewind, we would communicate to Ataiβs group on our request for hot food during the cold mountain range, and to give us more information on the hike for our own preparation, and we will also insist of clean water supply to us, at least a liter a person everyday.
Do communicate with the group, they are very accommodating to reasonable request.
A plus point to add is the knowledge of Atai about the history of the country, we wouldβve missed the information if he did not explain to us, every monument in the city symbolizes a meaning to the country.
If we were to revisit Kyrgyzstan, we would give the group a call.
K
★★★★★
Atai has an amazing skill in managing when problem occurs in the middle of the trip. There was one destination i really wanted to go and I almost failed to participate in first part of itinerary because of the delay of the flight. But Atai managed to change the plan and I ended up reached that place. I really appreciate it.
However, in case of food, I think there would be a room for improvement. We really enjoyed a lot of food such as nannyβs local meals but 30% of meals were quite disappointing (sandwich, cup noodle).
Overall, I was satisfied with the tour and I recommend Atai. I was lucky to have him as a guide, who has good communication skill and flexibility.
S
★★★★★
Went to places I couldn`t believe existed. Thank you for making it possible.
M
★★★
So everything with the booking process through Indy guide went smoothly and Atai was very quick to respond and his English is very good. He is enthusiastic and knows a lot about the Country.
However Atai has a group of people working for him and will generally pass you on to these guides so please note if you think you are booking to have Atai as your guide you will probably not.
Unfortunately his other staff are not quite up to the mark as tour guides with quite poor English and zero experience. That being said their driving was very good for most part and I felt very safe but lack of communication between each of them was a big problem and ruined some of the tour for me. The cars were also constantly breaking down and I guess they should have been a bit more quality considering the rough terrain we had to get through.
There were some unfortunate events on the trip and the organisation into sorting them out was poor and there wasn`t a satisfactory response from Atai to deal with them. I was left with 2 of his friends for the last night, I guess he must have run out of guides!!
All in all Kyrgyzstan is absolutely beautiful and I would highly recommend the Country.
Hopefully Atai and his team will learn from their mistakes or I am afraid something more serious could happen in their care due to lack of experience.
A
★★★★★
Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country with lots to offer, like yurt stays, horse riding and lake swimming, all of which you can do on a tour with Atai, but it`s important to be aware of a few things.
When you book with Atai, you are actually booking with his company, not with him, but we were not told before the trip began that he would not be our guide. I presume Atai is a great guide but his colleagues are not up to the same standard and are not even professional tour guides, this can greatly affect the quality of your tour.
Our trip suffered from a lot of very poor planning and consistent underestimation of travel time by the guides, to the point that a huge amount of activity time was lost in transit. Atai tried personally to rectify this on the final day but further mistakes were made, to the point where we arrived at our hotel at 1am after saying we wanted to be there by 9pm.
I understand that this is a young company and hopefully they can learn from the mistakes that were made on this tour. I would also recommend Atai take a bit more responsibility to actually fix the problem when plans go so far off the mark, rather than provide excuses about problems on other tours which were irrelevant to us as customers.
All the guys are very nice, the driver was excellent and I wish them all the best with their business, but while we got to do some amazing things on this trip, we spent a lot of the time very frustrated. The Kyrgyz tourism industry is still in its early stages of development but when you pay high prices you expect high standards.
E
★★★★★
I had an amazing day at Kol-Tor lake, it was such an incredible experience. Thank you!
A
★★★★★
Atai was our guide for 9 days. His service was good. I had a great time in Kyrgystan and could visit Kel Suu lake -thanks to Atai and Meder-, what was the highlight of the tour. Atai is a relaxed, open-minded person, an informative guide. He is educated and speaks english very well. Meder is an excellent driver and the car was massive enough for the very bad road contitions.
B
★★★★★
Atai is a very talented guide with lots of great ideas to plan your trip. If anybody is wondering weather to choose Atai or some other guide, I recommend to choose Atai. He is very helpful and trustworthy. The tour program will also be more flexible than booking a tour through an huge tourist company! If you are travelling to Kyrgyzstan through Uzbekistan or planning to continue to Kazakhstan, Atai has some good tips on how to organize everything.
T
★★★★★
We booked our tour with Atai just a week before our trip and he was extremely responsive and accommodating. Within this week we had to make changes to our trip due to visa delays and we were also going to cancel at some point due to a missed flight, with all of these incidents Atai was very flexible and didnβt mind giving us credit should we were not able to find another flight.
While planning Atai suggested a few itinerary options based on our interests and presented us with photos and videos of the locations before our trip. He even gave us a few car options to choose from.
We were arriving from Uzbekistan and his partner managed to meet us at the border and walk us through to Kyrgyzstan.
We drove from Osh to Bishkek over 2 days and then we did a tour around Issuk Kul.
We spent 8 days on a road trip in Kyrgyzstan.
Up to Bishkek we were with Meder, who ever with the language barrier, took very good care of us. Then we met up with Atai who very kindly invited us over to his family house to try Kyrgyz food.
Even though there were a few minor issues along the way both Atai and Meder always tried to find a solution.
Atai also has ties with some orphanages who need supplies and college scholarships, we visited a couple with them. I suggest anyone who is going to Kyrgyzstan pays them a visit.
One of the highlights of the trip was camping by the lake,
The one thing I would change is to fly from Osh to Bishkek and save ourselves the 12 hours of driving daily. The views and different climates we went through are out of this world and not to be missed if you have more time and could minimize the car hours.
In conclusion, Atai and Meder are both very reliable and great hosts that we highly recommend!
Tip: if you are not familiar with Kyrgyz/Nomadic food pack some with you.
F
★★★★★
Everything went very smoothly in our trip with Atai. The trip we took was a very long one in a short period, but Atai was a great guide throughout and shared with us everything he knew about Kyrgyzstan along the way. Always very safe and reliable, would recommend!
D
★★★★★
Everything was awesome, thanks to Atai, operative, cheap, fast and easy. Also the driver was very nice and interesting guy with an excellent English!
I Strongly recommend Atai`s service!)))
D
★★★★★
The tour that Atai helped us to organize went very well.
From the very beginning, Atai was very quick in contacting us and replying to all our messages and questions with a very good level of English (we personally met him too at the end of our journey). He was also very patient because we only confirmed our booking via Indy-Guide the day before the beginning of our tour.
We think as well that the agreed price was very reasonable, fair and competitive.
We want to mention too the good job that our driver - Bolot- did, even if some parts of the route were new to him. However he is a skilled and careful driver and a very nice, kind and reliable person. Actually Bolot became a friend who even joined us in some of our treks. It is also true that Bolot speaks a little English but we always managed to communicate and have fun together. He was as well very helpful to find accommodation for us, places to eat, directions and anything we needed.
In regards to the car, it was a very comfortable Honda Odyssey 4x4 Business Class with which we drove through all types of road, especially on dirt ones.
So we are very satisfied with the services provided by Atai and Bolot and I have no doubt that if I ever visit Kyrgyzstan again and I need a car and a driver, I`ll count again on Atai and Bolot, whom I hope to meet again in the future.
G
★★★★★
Atai helped us organize a car + driver for the 3 day trip from Bishkek to Osh via Song Kul and Kazarman. Overall, we got what we paid for- the price was competitive but there were a few hiccups on the way:
1. The driver hasn`t been provided with the preagreed itinerary and as a result we had to turn back to see one of the spots
2. The CBT accommodation in Kazarman wasn`t provided to the agreed standard. Despite a two week notice they didn`t have a private room with beds for us- we ended up sleeping on the floor for almost the same price. The owners insisted this was due to the lack of appropriate booking from Atai
3. The driver wasn`t too familiar with the road and seemed a bit lost around Kazarman
Overall, I`d recommend Atai and his relatively new services if you don`t want to pay over the odds and don`t expect too much in terms of customer service :)
K
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