Reviews
★★★★★
Kanat is a kind and prudent person. He always focused on our travel experience and organized everything flawlessly. We would book him again.
★★★★★
kanat was very helpful! great english speaking guide, grants our requests, chose the best accomms & restos!
★★★
The tour was very well organized, very diverse with the locations, the accommodations and the types of activities, in the manner we originally preferred, an easy tour without hikes. The order of the locations that we visited was well organized as well as it was gradually the sites were becoming more and more stunning.
Kyrgyzstan is very beautiful. The sites are breathtaking, so however you had the trip, you would feel you had a great trip. That was the case for us, the beauty of Kyrgyzstan somehow covered on some of the hiccups that we had during our tour with Kanat. Kanat is a very nice guy, who listens to your needs, he’s considerate but we only had the chance to meet him once on our trip. He excused before us arriving that he’s not gonna be our guide, and another English speaking guide and careful professional driver would accompany us. So that was no surprise when we went there. There were no negative surprises during the tour. However our guide was more of a translator than a tour guide. He was a nice guy, however too young without experience or passion for tourism. He slept a lot, he gave us some information about the culture and life in Kyrgyzstan whenever we asked. For our driver, he was a bit reckless, on the main roads and the off-roads. Nothing happened, however we had a constant stress while he was driving, and mostly since there was a lot of road time in the tour, some slower pace would make us enjoy the view more rather than fighting with the wind that’s coming from the car windows. Since we had to keep them open, since there was a problem in the car with the rear AC, and the windows were shaded black, so we couldn’t enjoy the views.
We had a great trip, but the disappointment came since we booked with a fairly high price and it was a private tour, so we had better expectations. The tour would have been much more better, if the guide would allow more stops on the way, every hour, a random place, and there he could have shared random information about Kyrgyzstan, their plantations, their culture, their history, the people, their way of life, etc…
Regarding the price would have been much better if the restaurant meals weren’t counted in the pricing so we could have chosen what suits our budget.
To give an example why the disappointment. One day, we were rushed throughout the day, we rapidly passed through fairytale canyons and Barskoon waterfall, which was gorgeous. It would have been great to just sit there and enjoy the waterfall more, however we were rushed, and afterwards we’ve reached the city too early, so we had to spend some time in a mall / supermarket till dinner time and we visited a Mosque which we’ve discussed with Kanat earlier to opt it out. Things like this, were annoying. And later that night, I was very much excited about the live cultural music. We actually went to the restaurant, however missed it since we sat indoors instead of outdoors.
A note in the end, me and my husband had debates regarding this review. In general we were disappointed of the tour but mesmerised by the beauty of Kyrgyzstan, for me the tour was okay and having small issues like this was somehow normal, however for him it was unacceptable, since he comes from a tourist guide background himself plus his main argument comes because of the price, since the price defines the level of the service you’d get.
My rating was 3 to 4 stars. My husband would have rated even much less.
★★★★★
We have the private tour with Kanat during our stay in Kyrgyzstan this august and september. Everything was perfect since the first moment from start to discuss about our itinerary. We really enjoy our stay in Kanats and Beks company. I don’t have nothing else to say then I totally recomend Kanat as your guide! Thank you for everything and unforgatable stay.
★★★★★
My friend and I booked a 10 day tour from Almaty to Bishkek, starting 24 august 2026. The itinerary was detailed and gave us a good impression on what to expect. Besides Kanat, we had 2 other guides / drivers. He informed us about this on forehand so we knew what to expect. One had more experience than the other, but all of them have taken care of us really well and made us feel safe and welcoming. The accommodations, food and activities were good organized and in line with the itinerary. The 10-day tour was better than expected. We can highly recommend Kanat. Thank you for everything. Kind regards from Amsterdam, Anneke and Esther
★★★★★
Kanat was super helpful and friendly guide. Everything was organized near perfectly.
All days were reasonably planned... we had plenty of activities but nothing felt rushed!
Dear Leho,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and kind words! 🙏 It truly means a lot to me and my team. I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed your time in Kyrgyzstan and were satisfied with our service.
It was a real pleasure to have you with us, and we’re grateful that we could be part of your journey. I hope you will return to Kyrgyzstan again someday!
Wishing you all the best and safe travels! 😊🇰🇬
Warm regards,
Kanat
★
A deeply distressing experience
We booked a private, premium-priced tour with Kanat to visit Chatyr-Kol and Kel Suu, two of the main highlights of our trip. We were really looking forward to it, but unfortunately Kanat handed the tour over to a replacement guide, Mellis, and the experience deteriorated from there.
We understand that the roads in this region can be difficult and that safety must come first. Our concerns were not simply about cautious driving. The much bigger issue was Mellis's behaviour towards us and the way he handled the tour.
Our scheduled departure from Naryn was 10:00 AM, but we did not leave until around 11:00 AM while Mellis arranged permits, bought supplies and refuelled. We also had to pay 185 KGS for six litres of drinking water that was supposed to be included. Mellis said he would reimburse us, but never did.
At Tash Rabat, intoxicated people were sitting outside our room making noise late into the night. At around 12:30 AM, I politely asked them to move to the dining area. Mellis was sitting with them socialising rather than looking after his guests. The noise continued until around 2:00 AM, leaving us with less than three hours of sleep.
The following morning, Mellis told us the Tash Rabat castle did not open until 9:00 AM, delaying our departure. We eventually left around 8:40 AM, only to discover the castle was closed for renovations. We would have been happy to see it from outside, but Mellis dismissed it, saying he did not understand why anyone would want to see it anyway.
The situation became genuinely serious on the drive towards Kel Suu. After being repeatedly overtaken by other cars on the same road, my friend politely asked whether Mellis could drive a little faster. He reacted aggressively, saying we had not paid “$100,000 for the trip”, that it was his car and that he would drive exactly how he wanted. He also complained that the gravel roads were damaging his tyres and indicated that his vehicle was not properly suited to the terrain.
Most seriously, he threatened to abandon us on the roadside and told us we would have to find our own way back because he had “already been paid”. As international travellers in such a remote area, we were completely dependent on our driver. From that point, we genuinely feared for our safety and were afraid to challenge him further.
This also made us question the earlier cancellation of Chatyr-Kol. We understand that weather and road conditions can make remote destinations inaccessible, and we accepted the €200 refund offered for the cancellation. However, Chatyr-Kol and Kel Suu were the main highlights of the tour. Kanat had discussed the possibility of coming from Kochkor himself to take over the driving, and while travelling in the area we encountered a German family with two young children who had successfully completed the same route to Chatyr-Kol.
Combined with Mellis's repeated concerns about his tyres and vehicle, this left us questioning whether the road was genuinely impossible or whether Mellis simply was not willing or confident enough to undertake it. We cannot know his exact motivation, but the circumstances certainly raised doubts.
At Kel Suu, Mellis told us we had to stay in a basic yurt because that was supposedly what Kanat had paid for, while he took a proper guesthouse room for himself, claiming the rooms were reserved for drivers. We later discovered this was not the case. After Kanat intervened, we were given a room, but it was in the older section near the noisy dining area, while Mellis retained the newer, quieter room.
Lunch was also supposed to be included. Instead, Mellis told us we were on our own. We were willing to pay ourselves to avoid another confrontation, but were then told the camp had run out of food. We went without lunch while Mellis ate. Kanat later agreed to reimburse us 1,800 KGS for the two missed lunches, but this was never paid.
Before the morning horse excursion, Mellis again told us that he would decide our pace, stops and their duration and would not tolerate “toxic behaviour”. Given what had already happened, this was extremely intimidating.
At the lake, Mellis disappeared. We returned to the horses after about 30 minutes, but he did not return for another 43 minutes. He initially said he had been looking for us, but later admitted during the drive back to Naryn that he had actually gone to try to get onto a boat ride himself, but it was too busy and expensive.
By this stage, we were simply trying to get through the final day and return safely.
After parting ways with Mellis, we did not feel comfortable pursuing the matter further while still in Kyrgyzstan. We felt genuinely unsettled and did not want to risk further confrontation while still dependent on local arrangements. This is important context for our subsequent communication with Kanat. We agreed to his proposed solutions and said we would not leave a negative review because we were safely back in Naryn, wanted to put the experience behind us and simply get home. This should not be interpreted as satisfaction or that we considered the matter resolved.
We subsequently raised the full matter with IndyGuide. We have also attached screenshots of the rude and unacceptable WhatsApp messages Mellis sent after we raised our concerns with Kanat. These messages provide further context regarding his behaviour.
We originally had no intention of writing this review because we had given Kanat our word that we would keep the matter private. We were prepared to do so if there was a fair acknowledgement and reasonable resolution. Unfortunately, the €200 refund relates only to the Chatyr-Kol cancellation and does not address the wider issues we experienced, including the threats, intimidation, missed services, accommodation problems, additional expenses and considerable distress.
After IndyGuide reviewed the matter, we were told that Kanat was not in a financial position to provide the compensation we requested. We therefore feel we have no other choice but to share our experience honestly.
We also note that the tour is now marked as “cancelled” on IndyGuide, despite having taken place. We do not know why this has been done, but given the timing, we find it concerning. The tour did take place, and future travellers deserve an accurate account.
We do not write this review lightly or with the intention of unfairly damaging anyone's business. We simply want to inform other travellers of what happened.
We paid a premium price for a professionally organised private tour. Instead, the final part of the trip was dominated by anxiety, intimidation and genuine concerns about our safety.
On a remote tour like this, you place enormous trust in your guide. Unfortunately, our experience with Mellis made us feel that we could not rely on the person responsible for our safety and wellbeing.
We would not wish this experience on another traveller.
★★★★★
Kanat was not our driver, but he did an excellent job organizing drivers for both the Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan portions of our trip. He was always on top of the coordination, responsive, and readily available to answer any questions we had along the way.
Both drivers he arranged were extremely polite, professional, and knowledgeable about their respective regions. We felt well taken care of throughout the trip. I highly recommend Kanat for anyone looking for reliable and well-organized transportation for travel in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
★★★★
Kanat accepted our 7 day Kyrgyzstan booking on short notice, drove safely, and was familiar with the area. He helped us find lunch spots and gave great local recommendations. His English is reasonable, though I occasionally struggled to understand him.
There were a couple of hiccups on our trip:
- His car experienced issues during the first couple of days, leading to delayed starts. The replacement car did not have aircon and he organised a different driver for part of the drive as he needed to pick up his car.
- He asked us to change parts of our itinerary including a yurt we had booked, and one of our planned destinations. Kanat did offer a discount because of this and the car issues.
- He arranged for another guide (who turned out to be amazing) to take us to Ala-Kul Pass so that he could attend a conference.
He was always willing to help with our requests, including helping us find a Kazakh driver guide. Unfortunately, the driver guide had limited English and was inexperienced, though we appreciated Kanat's effort to arrange someone on short notice.
Overall, we had a wonderful time in beautiful Kyrgyzstan, enjoyed our experience with Kanat and would recommend him.
★★★★★
Kanat supported me from the very beginning of the planning process.
He listened to what me and my friends wanted and adjusted the schedule flexibly before the trip, which made the whole itinerary fun, smooth and stress-free.
The hotels and guesthouses he arranged were also very comfortable!
His safe driving and warm personality made our trip truly enjoyable and unforgettable.
I highly recommend him to anyone visiting Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan. :)
日本の方もいらっしゃると思うので、日本語でも書こうと思います。
このサイトを通じて予約される方は少し不安を抱かれる方もいらっしゃると思いますが、ガイドさん/ドライバーさんとしてお勧めできます。
最初の計画段階からKanatさんはフレキシブルに旅程を調整してくれました。
冬場は自分の牧場を運営し、春夏はガイドをしている小さなお子さんもいらっしゃるKanatさんですが、英語もとても上手なので、英語ができればコミュニケーションは問題なくできると思います。ご自身の希望を伝えてみるとアイディアを出してくれると思います！
私は時間に制限があったので、アルマティ空港のピックアップから彼に手配をお願いしたのですが、都合上カザフスタン/キルギス国境で会うことになりました。少し不安もありましたが、事前のコミュニケーションも手配してくれた車・運転手さんもその後のホステル・ホテルも、とてもきれいで快適だったので安心して任せて大丈夫だと思います。
キルギス文化のことをとても誇りに思っていらして詳しいので、色々な風習や文化の話を聞くのがとても興味深かったです。迷われた際にはおすすめのガイドさん/ドライバーさんです！
※注意点※デポジット以外の現金でやり取りする金額については、額の大きなお札で準備ください（現地では少額紙幣は価値が下がって換金率が下がるみたいなので要注意です）
★★★★★
We can't recommend Kanat enough. Even before we'd committed to anything, he was already putting in the work to help us plan. He made modifications, came back with ideas, and worked with us in a really invested way to shape the trip around what we wanted. That effort upfront meant a lot and told us we were in good hands.
Once we were actually on the ground, he kept that same energy. He stayed agile the whole time, making changes and adjustments whenever we asked and adapting to whatever the day threw at us. When the weather shifted on us, he rolled with it and kept everything running smoothly.
If you want a guide who genuinely cares about your trip and can think on his feet, book Kanat. We had an amazing time and we're grateful to him for it.
★★★★
We spent 14 days travelling through Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan with Kanat, and overall it was a memorable and rewarding experience.
Before our arrival, Kanat informed us that he would be attending a tourism conference and asked whether we would be comfortable with a driver picking us up from the airport instead. We agreed without hesitation, as we were arriving in Almaty in the evening and did not expect to do any sightseeing on the first day.
The only aspect of the trip that left us somewhat disappointed was the arrangement and pricing for that first day. Due to heavy rain upon our arrival, we had to carry our luggage through the rain, find our accommodation, and later head out again to look for dinner ourselves. As the service provided that day was essentially an airport transfer, we found it difficult to understand why the full day guide rate was charged. To be clear, our concern was never that Kanat was attending the conference or that a driver was sent instead—we had agreed to that in advance. Rather, it was simply the mismatch between the level of service provided and the full day charge.
That said, from the second day onwards, Kanat consistently exceeded our expectations.
His 4x4 vehicle was comfortable and well-suited for the long journeys across Kyrgyzstan's spectacular landscapes. He was flexible, knowledgeable, and always willing to accommodate our requests, whether it was stopping at supermarkets, bringing us to authentic local restaurants away from the tourist crowds, or helping us communicate with locals.
What impressed us most was how he handled unexpected situations.
Since we booked our accommodations independently through Agoda, we encountered problems at both Song Kol Lake and our final accommodation in Almaty. At Song Kol, despite our reservation clearly showing two twin-bed rooms, the host insisted that the listed price was only for one person and requested additional payment. In Almaty, despite having a confirmed reservation, we were told that our room was occupied and that we would need to pay extra for a different room. These situations were frustrating, but Kanat patiently helped us communicate, translate, and negotiate with the hosts. Although we eventually had to pay additional charges in both cases, his assistance helped us reach reasonable compromises and avoid much bigger problems.
Another moment that truly demonstrated his character happened at Jeti-Ögüz Canyon when our drone crashed into the rocks and disappeared. Without hesitation, Kanat joined the search and spent a considerable amount of time climbing through the canyon with us, trying to locate it. Unfortunately, we never found the drone, but we were genuinely touched by the effort he put in. He could easily have left us to deal with the situation ourselves, yet he treated the problem as if it were his own and did everything he could to help.
We were also impressed by his professionalism when recent regulations prevented Kyrgyz guides from operating in Kazakhstan. Rather than simply ending his responsibility at the border, he arranged an excellent local guide for our Kazakhstan segment and ensured that everything transitioned smoothly. This level of commitment gave us great confidence throughout the journey.
No guide is perfect, and we did have concerns about the first day's arrangement. However, what ultimately matters is how a guide supports their clients throughout the trip, especially when unexpected challenges arise. In that regard, Kanat demonstrated responsibility, flexibility, and genuine care for his guests.
For anyone looking for a guide in Kyrgyzstan, we would happily recommend Kanat. His knowledge of the country, willingness to help, and dedication to his clients made our journey far more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise.
★★★★★
Kanat is a very good guide, very polite and helped us a lot with everything, including finding the address of our accommodation in Bishkek. He is very fluent in English and explained us a lot of things about the places we visited. Very nice person, I recommend him.
★★★★★
He was very polite and exhaustive, always available to answer my questions.
★★★★★
Unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip due to the international situation.
★★★★★
Great tour guide with good knowledge about details. We were driving half of our tour with Kanat and the rest with his employees. We felt more safe when Kanat was driving. We recommedn him highly!
★★★★★
There were 6 of us and it was a fun, activity-packed 12-day adventure spending mostly in Kyrgyzstan and 4 days in Kazakhstan. We requested some specific activities within a specific budget and Kanat was the only guide who could meet our request. We got horse-riding, yurt stay, felt workshop, yurt workshop, folklore show, eagle-hunting show, private hot-spring in Altyn Arashan. The accommodations he chose were mostly comfortable with private bathrooms. Some even exceeded my expectation. Not only that, while other tour companies usually give lunchboxes as their included meals, Kanat took us to eat at fancy restaurants and let us choose whatever we wanted! Every meal was included in his tour package except for in Almaty & Bishkek. With Kanat, you get to ride a horse the whole day without extra charge. Throughout the trip, Kanat shared a lot of information and even introduced us to his family which gave us a more local culture experience. Bektur, Kanat's assistant who's also his cousin took care of us, helped with our luggages, and drove the 2nd car (we were travelling with 2 cars). Bektur is like our little brother despite the language barrier. Kanat's English is very good that you can talk about deep topics with him. He's detailed in a way that he chose one the most informative eagle hunters for us. He also tries his best to fulfill all our itinerary. For example, we requested to see how shepherds milk horses and wanted to taste horse milk, but when we were there, most shepherds had left Song-Kul. Kanat still managed to find one family who were still milking (luckily!). I want to give Kanat 5 stars but I give him 4.5 due to a few hiccups. The day we were supposed to go to Osh Bazaar and National Museum, he overlooked that it was Monday, so we had to amend the timing a little. But there was one change that I was really glad about, which is horse-riding in Song-Kul. Original plan was to horse-ride in Chon Kemin but Kanat gave us a better experience in Song-Kul. If a program couldn't be fulfilled, Kanat would try his best to compensate with something else. Due to transportation and convenience issue, Kanat couldn't be with us on our last 2 days in Almaty. So he outsourced us to a local Kazakh guide, Aynur who is super funny & cool. If you want an immersive cultural experience, I highly recommend Kanat as a guide. He's not just a tour guide, but has become a friend. He's very kind, dedicated, not calculative and has a sense of humour. If I go to Kyrgyzstan again, I'll choose Kanat as my guide again!
★★★★★
Everything went according to plan and we were super happy that we decided to go on this tour with Kanat. He is a very kind and nice guy, good driver, and very informative. We were also very satisfied with the arrangements that he made for us, in fact, some of them even exceeded our expectations.
Only hiccup is that he could not be with us throughout the whole trip due to personal reasons, but he made sure that everything is sorted out for us and that we are constantly in communication online - very professional and responsible guide indeed.
Totally recommended!
★★★★★
We had really great time with Kanat, he's a really good guy and lovely person.
He knows perfectly every spot we've decided to see during our stay in Kyrgyzstan, he's a really good driver and he takes care of you in a very professional way. He speaks a perfect English as well!
He had just few problems with his car from the previous tour so for the first 4 days we've been with a friend of him in the meantime he was fixing his car, his friend was Mirbeck.. a really funny guy and good person! Even if he had a poor level of English we enjoyed so much the time spent with him..
I can fully recommend to schedule your tour with Kanat, you will live the real Kyrgyz experience ❤️
In 11 days we've decided to see :
Ala kol,Kel Suu, Songkul,Lenin peak base camp, few canyons and jeti orguz as well..
A really tightened schedule but we loved kyrgyzstan so much!!! It worth the fatigue!
★★★★★
We had an amazing guided tour in Kyrgyzstan! Everything was perfectly organised and easily adapted to our needs, so we got exactly the adventure we were hoping for. We booked with Kanata, but his cousin Azamat ended up being our guide — and he was fantastic. Always smiling, knowledgeable, and generous in sharing his culture with us. Kyrgyzstan itself is breathtaking, but Azamat truly made the experience unforgettable. Highly recommended!
★★★★★
We had a transfer from Bishkek to Osh. Kanat is very friendly, speaks good English and knows the roads very well!
Thank you so much for this safe and sound trip.
It was a very nice trip and interesting
★★★★★
Kanat was a very friendly, kind, understanding and knowledgeable guide!!! It was very fun travelling with him for 11 days and we definitely recommend him to anyone who wants to travel in Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan!! He is really patient and nice to hang out with. Also he has a strong command of English so it makes the trip much easier to facilitate 👍🏻 we are glad we chose him as our guide!
We did 11 days trip in Kyrgyzstan with Aiko and her husband Yoong! It was very nice and interesting! Very nice and friendly family!
★★★★★
Traveling through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with our guide and driver Kanat was a truly smooth and enriching experience. He was organized, kind, flexible, and always attentive to our needs. His local knowledge added real depth to the journey, and thanks to his calm and caring presence, we were able to relax and fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and culture. Everything felt thoughtfully planned yet never rigid, just the right balance for a memorable trip.
He shared insights not just about the history and landmarks, but also about daily life, traditions, and current events, which made the experience feel more connected and real. The vehicle was comfortable, and he handled long drives with care and ease. We felt safe, welcomed, and truly well taken care of from start to finish.
D
Dajana Jakovac
April 2025
★★★★★
Kanat suggested Bayastan instead , as he had his sisters wedding. Baya was excellent, friendly , helpful and knowledgeable. We had a great trip.,
5 days covering a lot of ground, some very difficult driving. Kanat always stayed in touch to help, if needed. Thanks to you both.
★★★
Kanat is wonderfully dependable and was punctual throughout our trip. A great driver to show you around Kyrgyzstan!
★★★★★
Kanat was very kind and well-prepared. He answered all our questions and did everything we wanted. We had a perfect time in Kyrgystan and look forward to returning.
★★★★★
I cannot thank Kanat enough for making my first trip to Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan in particular, as authentic as possible. He took us as one of his own tribes men and had been hospitable throughout the trip. From exploring uncharted regions to having tea with the his family and friends it was an incredible trip for any one who wants to explore Central Asia. Rakhmat Kanat.
★
I had regular contact with Kanat beforehand. First contact was very professional.
One week before the actual trip however Kanat messaged me that his papers for Kazachstan were not ok. This is totally not professional, especially since I booked my trip months in advance. Kanat however found me another driver, Ulan, who did a very good job.
★★★★★
Everything was perfect. Kanat was better than expected. Very kind and helpful. His English professional.
★★★★★
We were very happy of our services with Kanat. We had a very specific request, in the sense that it was unusual, we wanted to live with a nomadic family for a week while participating in their daily life. Most guides do not allow this kind of unique encounter for tourists. We greatly appreciated these moments shared with them and will keep wonderful memories. All this was possible thanks to Kanat who understood our expectations from the beginning. In addition, he speaks English very well and communicating with him is super easy. He will make sure to follow up regularly with you from the start to the end of your trip to ensure your satisfaction. He is also very flexible if your plans change along the way. I highly recommend him to everyone.
★★★★★
Kanat was fantastic. I spent four days with him touring Kyrgyzstan and saw some incredible things. He is very kind, knowledgeable, speaks very good English, and provided a truly excellent experience.
★★★★★
Kanat is excellent guide, very professional and helpful.
he has organised our tour very well , he always gone extra miles to feel us comfortable and shows hidden gems.
Thanks kanat.
Hope to connect with you again.
★★★★★
We had an amazing trip with Kanat! It was super last minute planning (our fault) and he made sure we got to go everywhere we had wanted on our trip request, within our time frame. Would definitely recommend using him as a guide for your Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan adventures!
★★★★★
Kanat planned us excellent tour around Kyrgyzstan. Everything went very well with him from the beginning. He actively responded to our messages and took super good care of us during the trip. The tour included all the best spots in the country. He booked the best accommodations possible, he had really good horses and a wonderful Rima yurt camp at Song Kol Lake. He was never tired of explaining things to us and stopping for pictures, he drove very well and it was a pleasure to see that he really cared about all the animals. All in all excellent tour with him and the horses.
★★★★★
The trip was great and amazing. We were able to see highlights of Kyrgyzstan such as Song Kol lake Tash Rabat, and Issik kul, as well as Kazakhstan such as Kaindy lake and Charyn canyon. Kanat was communicative and helpful, even when we need signal along the way, he always tried to accommodate.
★★★★★
Kanat is a fantastic guide. Over the course of four days, he:
1) Picked us up from Almaty and drove us to Bishkek in his own car
2) Took us to a local builder of yurts, an eagle demonstration, and a big authentic kok boru game
3) Drove us to Issykul where we stayed in a traditional yurt and had delicious local food
4) Took us on a city tour around Bishkek
When we had problems with the next leg of the trip (flight out of Bishkek) Kanat even stayed with us on his personal time to make sure we would be alright and even offered to drive us back to the KZ border.
Very responsible, and takes cares of his clients.
We had the best time with the guests from the USA
★★★★★
I had a fantastic 3 days tour with Song-Kul adventure run by Kanat. My schedule was tight but I wanted to experience traditional Kyrgyzstan activities including Horse riding, Yurt camping, eagle hunting and Kok Boru games in April which is not a high season. I compared with other travel agencies but none of them could meet my expectation with a competitive pricing. I truly enjoyed my trip organized by Kanat and thank him for his kindness and professionalism.
Day 1 - Started from Karakol, we went to Jeti Ogzi for an amazing view and nearby place for a hiking. Afterwards he brought me to the Yurt camp and I stayed there for a night.
Day 2 - From Yurt camp we visited a village specialized in Yurt building. We learnt how to build Yurt and actually experienced compositing the yurt. After the lunch at the village, we went to Kochikor, where Kanat is from
Day 3 - In the morning Kanat coordinated a Kok Boru game. Literally we watched the game from a very close position where we could see and feel the enthusiasm of the game. After the game, we went for a horse riding (2 hrs) and had a picnic. Kanat sent me back to Bishkek and on the way we had the farewell dinner.
Day 4 ( extra) - I realized I left my AirPods Pro at Kanat’s car and Kanat kindly sent it to my hotel at Bishkek!
I am a critical person and usually do not take a tour. In Kyrgyzstan, it is very difficult to organize by yourself to experience everything and I highly recommend Song-Kultury adventure run by Kanat. I guarantee you will not regret the memorable tour.
Everything was perfect as I expected, Li is the very kind and cheerful person
★★★★★
Very professional.
W
★★★★★
Kanat drove us from Bishkek to Osh over 3 days (a spectacular and varied drive) and was an excellent guide. His english is good and he was flexible in meeting our requests and adapting the details of itinerary to the variable mountain weather. Would definitely recommend Kanat.
N
★★★★★
We went on a three day tour with Kanat. Before the trip we organized everything by texting and Kanat responded always very fast. He was a good driver, responsible and speaks English well. Everything was perfect. We had a wonderful time in Kirgistan and we can highly recommend Kanat as a tour guide.
E
★★★★★
We did a 6 day tour (3 days horseback riding to song kul lake and 3 days Trekking to Ala-Kul lake) with Kanat and he did a fantastic job.
Everything went smoothly from the planing of this trip where I told him what I wanted to do and he was always very responsive. The pricing he offered was very fair.
During the trip he always wanted to offer the best service possible and tried to fulfill all our wishes.
He speaks English very well and also explains a lot about the Kyrgyz culture.
We had A great time with kanat. I would definitely book a tour with him again when traveling to Kyrgyzstan.
S
★★★★★
Everything went smoothly, thanks a lot! though I lost my baggage at Manas airport, he helped to monitor / contacted the hostel to check if the baggage deliver & keep in the hostel.
Kanat is a good guide, speaks English well. If I come back again to Kyrgyzstan I will use his services.
E
★★★★★
Kanat was the best guide we could have wished for. He was very attentive and knowledgeable and made sure that we had a great time during our trip. He first took us horseback riding for three days and then for a two day hike, both of which we enjoyed a lot. He knew a lot about the region and adjusted the trips according to our personal needs - we would most definetly recommend him.
S
★★★★★
We are 100% satisfied with Kanat`s service during our 5-day trip in Kyrgyzstan. Kanat is a young, energic, knowledgable and experienced driver, who speaks surprisingly good English (not just functional English, he can actually discuss many topics with you in certain depth).
He has a can-do attitude and would help you to fulfill your plans even if they might be changing from time to time.
I will recommend Kanat to all my friends who are planning to visit Kyrgyzstan.
D
★★★★★
Very nice trip around the lakes of Issyk-kul and Songkol. Guide - Kanat was waiting for us at the airport as agreed. We spent 6 wonderful days together in Kyrgyzstan. Everything was ok. We discovered the beauty of nature (lakes, mountains), we met friendly and interesting people, we spent the night in a yurt, we rode a horse and admired the power of the eagle while hunting. Everything was great and will remain in our memories. We took many pictures. Soon Bartek will make a movie from our trip. Thank you very much Kanat for your company and commitment. Greetings from Poland.
Dorota, Darek and Bartek
D
★★★★★
I had a great time with Kanat for five days. I contacted him several months in advance to plan my trip and he was very quick and informative in replying to all my requests, and the information provided was in full compliance with the services rendered later.
Kanat has a wealth of skill with horses and shared his experience with me. He taught me how to ride. He loves his animals and he is an amazing and probably the best horse rider! During the horseback riding tour we stopped in several yurts and tasted local cuisine and tradition. He spent his childhood in Songkol Lake and in the near valleys so he knows perfectly the territory and the nomads. He speaks well English and can answer any questions about Kirghizistan. He helped me organize transport from and to airport and also drived me to Ala Archa. He has a comfortable car 4wd with AC and he is a perfect driver.
I’m feeling very happy with this trip and have great impressions about it! The price for services is also reasonable.
He was the best horseman I could have and I can absolutely recommended Kanat!
R
★★★★★
I spent 3 unforgettable days around lake Song-Kol with Kanat as my guide. He knows the area like the back of his hand, having spent most of his summers up on the jailoos. Thanks to the carefully selected route, I could experience different aspects of this stunning nature, he took me to see Kyrgyz riding games (ulak-tartysh) and I even had the honour to meet his family on the jailoo. He was helpful, attentive and responsible as a guide, he treats the horses well and with his encouraging and calm nature, he even helped me to improve my riding skills. Thanks to his good English (he is also learning French and German!) he was able to answer all my curious questions and gave great insight into Kyrgyz culture. Also, he helped me organize accommodation and transport before and after the tour. And last but not least: be ready to play football and volleyball with him and the kids outside the yurts in the evenings! Chong rakhmat, it was absolutely amazing!!!
T
★★★★★
Kanat is the son of Song-Kul lake. He is friendly, kind and a very helpful guide. No need to say but he is a excellent horse rider and he knows his job very well. The tour went on perfectly... Thank you Kanat. I defenetly recomend to discover Kyrgystan with him!
U
★★★★★
Me and my husband hired Kanat for a 3 day tour in lake Song Kul. Kanat is a very experienced tour guide who is able to cater a travel to suit our needs. Not only everything was perfect, Kanat did his best to make the trip a memorable one. His tour is definitely the most eye-opening, adventurous and stunning journey. It was the best decision to hire him as our guide. We will definitely have him as our guide again when we visit Kyrgyzstan.
W
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