Reviews
★★★★★
Marat was a wonderful guide. Firstly, we felt safe driving in some very tough mountain roads. Marat is clearly passionate about sharing his beautiful country and he took us to many of his hidden gems - the less touristy places that were stunningly beautiful. He also enjoys a good chat and has a good sense of humour. He also took stunning drone footage of the places we visited which we can’t wait to share with our family and friends. We hope to return one day and when we do, we will surely be in touch with Marat.
★★★★★
We enjoyed a 5 day trip through Kirgistan with Marat and we highly recommend it to everyone!
From the very beginning, everything was perfectly organized. The itinerary was very well balanced – we got to see and experience so much, including some real hidden gems, without ever feeling like the trip was too packed or rushed. Marat also always made sure we had good opportunities to stop for food along the way or had the chance to buy something in advance.
Marat is very easy and pleasant to talk to. We really enjoyed our conversations with him, but at the same time, there was never any pressure to constantly talk – quiet moments and breaks felt completely natural as well. He knows an incredible amount about Kyrgyzstan, its culture, history and everyday life, and his English is excellent. We learned so much from his stories and explanations throughout the trip. Communication was excellent in general – he always replied very quickly to our messages.
We also really appreciated the flexibility. We were free to choose our own hotels, but when we struggled to find a suitable place, Marat immediately helped us. He even shared the drone videos he took during our trip with us straight away, which was such a great extra!
Thanks to Marat, his knowledge and all the stories he shared with us, we will remember this trip to Kyrgyzstan for a very long time. It was truly a wonderful experience and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Highly recommended!
It was amazing trip ! Full off beautiful views and endless Mountains. Hidden gems with swimming and picnics. Thank you very much for your love of Kyrgyzstan and our tour, and for tips 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻❤️❤️❤️🇰🇬🇰🇬🇰🇬
★★
Lack of care and professionalism: when the 'contacts' system fails
Our itinerary in Kyrgyzstan took us from the Torugart Pass on the Chinese border, to Karkara on the border with Kazakhstan. We booked through Marat's profile, but it is important to specify right away that he was not the one accompanying us, but rather a driver he hired.
I understand and accept that many contacts on IndyGuide actually act as 'mini tour operators', delegating services to other local professionals. The exact same thing happened to us during the Tajikistan leg of our trip, but in that case, the guide we were assigned by the main contact turned out to be excellent and well-prepared.
In Marat's case, however, the management was disappointing, by his own admission, to make up for the lack of experienced guides during that period.... this person failed to convey almost anything about the history and culture of a fantastic land like Kyrgyzstan. On Marat's part, we noticed a lot of superficiality in the selection of our driver. Having never met him in person and judging solely by how he managed our trip, I cannot recommend his services.
This misadventure highlights a structural problem with IndyGuide, where a few storefront profiles manage a network of private operators who are often not up to par. For all these reasons, our feedback cannot be positive.
★★★★★
Thank you for your kind words, Marat! The pleasure was all ours! We had a fantastic trip in Kyrgyzstan. Thank you for arranging it and for your suggestions of places to visit; they were indeed unique! Samir is a great driver. He listened to our requests, was patient and gave us plenty of time to explore and enjoy the sites at our speed. Samir introduced us to local cuisine, he chose lovely places to eat and we had no troubles at all to choose from a very nice variety of vegetarian dishes. We shall not forget the hospitality of local people, the unspoiled beauty of this country. And hope one day to come back and explore this country further with you!
It was a big pleasure to organise the trip for Ksenia with Samir . She was very open and flexible for any my offers regarding the tour. Thank you Ksenia for your interest of Kyrgyzstan 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
★★★★★
An Unforgettable Experience in Kyrgyzstan!
We had the pleasure of spending three days in Kyrgyzstan with Janybek and Marat who truly exceeded all our expectations, transforming our trip into a truly unforgettable experience.
From the very first moment, we were impressed by his professionalism and his deep knowledge of the territory and Kyrgyz culture. He wasn't just a driver: his car was extremely comfortable and clean, making every journey a real pleasure, even on the more challenging routes.
But what set him apart was his ability to be much more than just a driver. He was an inexhaustible source of information, always ready to share fascinating anecdotes, historical details, and local curiosities that greatly enriched our understanding of Kyrgyzstan. His passion for his country was contagious and allowed us to connect with the local culture in an authentic way.
The itinerary was meticulously followed, and in fact, Janybek went above and beyond! Thanks to his flexibility and attention to our interests, he was able to add stops and detours that made the trip even richer and more personalized, giving us glimpses and moments we never would have imagined.
In short, his professionalism, deep expertise, and innate ability to anticipate our every need meant that this experience in Kyrgyzstan far exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend anyone wishing to explore this magnificent country to entrust themselves to such an exceptional guide.
It was a pleasure to provide to Guissepe all my available options to travel in Kyrgyzstan. My friend Janybek did all his best, to make his trip memorable and attractive, Welcome to Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
★★★★★
I had an amazing three-day trip in Kyrgyzstan with Marat as my driver and guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable and truly competent in his work. Marat shared so much interesting information about the country, its history, culture, and nature – I learned a lot thanks to him.
What I appreciated most was his flexibility. He was always attentive to my pace and needs, adapting the itinerary as necessary to make the experience smooth and comfortable. He made me feel safe and well taken care of at all times.
I highly recommend Marat to anyone looking for a reliable and insightful guide in Kyrgyzstan. It was a real pleasure to travel with him!
That was an amazing trip with Nataliya , she was so kind and friendly with me . The most what like in the trip that , she is likes the nature and she loves to travel, which is motivated me for do all my best to make her trip informative , attractive, knowledgeable and in friendly atmosphere. I hope to meat more people like Nataliya who like an adventures in real format. Thank you Nataliya, for share your positive moods for developing our tourism industry🙏🙏🙏 Thank you for your tips🥰🥰🥰
★★★★★
First of all Marat is a great driver. He drives safe and he has a lot of experience. Snow storm cought us in the mountains and he was able to easly manage it with his reliable car. Moreover Marat know everything about Kyrgyzstan, he was already everywhere and has plenty of propositions in terms of itinerary. You can rely on his experience. We are super glad that we were driving with such a pro! :-)
★★★★★
Marat has a outstanding knowledge about Kyrgyzstan, he is funny and easygoing, but on top of that he has 10+ years of experience as a professional driver and guide. You can feel safe with him, absolutely no stress and a lot of interesting facts about the country. Fluent English which is not a standard amongst guides in this part of the world. It is worth to hire professional guide as Marat!
★★★★★
I am glad to be with him in Kyrgyzstan, he gave me a lot of insights.
he was open to any suggestions that i have. If I come back I would definitely travel with him
Tsovoo was good visitor, was very friendly, easygoing, open for for every recommendations , I was enjoying his company and Michelle to show them the beautiful Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
★★★★★
It was a wonderful trip, thanks to Marat we were able to visit the main attractions of Kirghizistan and also some hidden gems.
Marat organized the tour based on our requests, and we are completely satisfied with it, he was also willing to make changes and detours to fulfill our requests.
He speaks English well and knows a lot about Kyrgyzstan, an excellent all-around guide.
★★★★★
We really enjoyed a week with Marat. He is a very professional guide, carefull to our needs, he guided us to discover the wonders of Kyrgyzstan in a pleasant and professional way. Told us many interesting things, about culture, religion and any curiosity. it was really interesting to listen to his stories. Marat is a very prepared person and this made our trip even more beautiful than we can imagine!! “unforgettable trip” that’s how we called it! 😍
★★★★★
Marat knows everything by heart ❤️. He is reliable, professional yet friendly, flexible and patient. Additionally, he is eloquent in English, hence easy to communicate. We definitely recommend him.
★★★★★
Marat is an excellent driver and knowledgeable guide. I had a great 10 days tour with him and he showed me the beauty of Kyrgyzstan. Overall a great experienced and I definitely recommend him!
★★★★★
Marat was phenomenal. Everything down to the detail ran perfectly. He was consistently early to pick us up from airport/hotel/etc. He was a great guide and has a wide breadth of knowledge on Kyrgyzstan and we learned so much. In addition, Marat consistently served as a translator for us and speaks great English allowing us to get around easily in a country where we knew none of the language. I would highly recommend Marat to anyone who is visiting Kyrgyzstan. One of the most well run and authentic tours I have ever been on. A great experience all around.
Logan was very friendly, easy going for all my offers, he was enjoying for my options during the trip. He were riding horse with brave moods, he were interested for traditions , culture, eagles, dogs , all aspects of local life. I was very enjoying to share to him all my knowledge and experience. Welcome to Kyrgyzstan again!!!
★★★★★
Marat was such a great guide and driver, who took care everything during the trip. He has a lot of knowledge about places, history and common topics. Moreover, he is very calm and flexible , which made us feel comfortable and safe.
Thank you, Marat! See you again next time :)
/ Toey, Fai and Back
★★★★★
My parents and I recently had the incredible opportunity to embark on a journey through Kyrgyzstan with Marat, and I can wholeheartedly declare that this adventure ranks among the most remarkable experiences of our lives, all thanks to Marat.
Marat exemplified excellence in every role he undertook during our trip – he was an exceptional guide, an expert driver, and a proficient interpreter. His dedication to ensuring our trip was unforgettable began long before our arrival, as he diligently assisted us in crafting an itinerary that would encompass the most enchanting destinations Kyrgyzstan had to offer.
Upon touching down in Kyrgyzstan, Marat's prowess truly shone. Not only did he treat us to captivating stories of the region's rich history, vibrant traditions, and unique customs, but he also unveiled hidden gems and secret spots that we would have otherwise missed.
Marat's commitment to immersing us in the local culture was unwavering; he led us to genuine encounters with welcoming communities, introduced us to delectable local cuisine, and escorted us to breathtaking places that were nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Moreover, Marat consistently kept our best interests at heart, ensuring that we secured the most favorable deals and had access to an array of enriching experiences. His meticulous attention to detail, unwavering professionalism, and warm, friendly demeanor left an indelible mark on our journey.
Our Kyrgyzstan adventure, made possible by Marat's extraordinary guidance, was an expedition that transcended our wildest expectations. If you are contemplating a trip to this captivating country, do yourself a favor and entrust your journey to Marat. You'll not only discover Kyrgyzstan's hidden treasures but also gain a genuine friend and an exceptional travel companion.
Our deepest gratitude goes out to Marat for crafting a travel experience that will forever hold a cherished place in our hearts.
It was very easy going trip with Adam and and his parents, They were so kind, friendly and open for all my offered locations. I was enjoying to share my knowledge about the country with them. It was one of the best groups in my experience. Thanks for your visit, your likes, honest and tips. Welcome to Kyrgyzstan again!!!🤗
★★★★★
Marat was the best guide we could ask for! He created a schedule based on our interests. Every day was an adventure, we did horse riding, river rafting, hiking, stayed at yurt camps and many more. He is very knowledgeable and taught us a lot about the wonderful history of Kyrgyzstan. He is a professional and safe driver.
I
★★★★★
I booked the Ala Archa tour for the 28th of june with Marat. He wasn’t available for the tour so he sent Denis. Denis was punctual, friendly and good company. We enjoyed the beautiful sceneries of the mountains and the perfect weather for a picnic. My partner and i enjoyed our day and highly recommend this tour.
L
Laurens Tolenaars
July 2023
★★★★★
Strongly recommend Marat; it was an amazing experience discovering Kyrgyzstan with Marat! Thank you for all! We will come back!
I was enjoying to guiding the Goncalo and Bruno in our tour the South shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. They was so kind and friendly and its make me happy that were enjoying of our locations. Hope to see you again and will be happy to show more parts of beautiful Kyrgyzstan!!!
★★★★★
The trip was fantastic! Marat knows very well how to manage the trip. The experience in Yurt was amazing! For those who want to visit Kyrgyzstan, I really recommend this guy!
It was a big pleasure to show to Falan and Ives some parts of beautiful Kyrgyzstan. And they was so friendly and flexible for my offers, very enjoyed that have a lot of interest to try a local food and power to see beautiful views. Wish all the best for kind travelers.
Thank you for your likes?
★★★★★
I had a fantastic time with Marat. Firstly, he responded quickly to all of my questions pre-booking and with good knowledge. He then explained the itinerary and kept in constant communication once I had arrived in Bishkek. He picked me up from my hotel directly and took me back all while driving safely and professionally. We chatted like he had known me for years, and I learned so much on this trip, not only about the mountains, but about Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan. I would highly recommend this tour from him - and any tour he does! Thank you again Marat!
Very good, friendly and open person, I was enjoying to guiding Daniel around Ala- Archa NP. Wish you enjoy your trip to Kyrgyzstan and get good emotions and memories. Thank you Daniel for tips?
Best regards,
Marat
★★★★★
Marat was flexible with my request for schedule changes during the tour and was very patient with me during a grueling hike to Altyn Arashan. Very great driving skill made the tour very safe! Thank you Marat for showing me some of the best Kyrgyzstan have to offer!
I was enjoying the tour with Archie and was very friendly and open for my offers during all trips. I enjoyed that he saw and crossed one of the beautiful and remote valleys in Kyrgyzstan. Hope Altyn Arashan valley gave good motivation for exploring more and more beautiful places in world. Wish you, good luck in your adventures, Archie!!!
★★★★★
Great day stopping along the way from Bishkek to karakol. Nice driver, overall great time. Thank you Marat & Aybek!
Nicole been so friendly and easy going
★★★★★
Everything went perfectly smooth. Marat is an excellent professional driver and a very knowledgeable guide. He has the capacity to adapt very well and anticipate challenges or potential issues which he solves instantly. We had an indicative itinerary which we adapted on the go as we discovered new and remote places and people. I would always highly recommend Marat as a professional driver and guide, as he has been one of the finest drivers I have had the chance to drive with in the past 20 years in Central Asia.
Thank you Marat!
That was an interesting trip with David because it was spontaneous planed and lucky for options with events we was existing , it make our trip more adventurous and lucky for authentic options. Thanks to David to open my vision for other views for traveling in my country.
★★★★★
Marat is a responsible person. Despite he got injury still he manage to request his brother to be our guide for 2 days.
The trip is amazing and we are lucky to cover most of the stuffs around the lake which we wish to visit. I wish Marat would recover soon!
K
★★★★★
Marat contacted us with his brother Samat to drive us around Kyrgyzstan for three days.
We had a nice experience traveling with Samat. He is kind, helpful and cheerful. Samat left a good impression on us, he was always on time and showed to be a good driver :)
We will happily contact him again for our future travels in the region :D
X
★★★★★
Unfortunately I didn`t meet Marat but I spent three fantastic days around Kirghizistan with his brother Samat.
In these three days all was perfect and I visited all of the things that I planned. Samat it was a very great guide!!!
I
★★★★★
Great guide and driver, knowledgeable about the region, highly recommended!
J
★★★★★
It is a pleasure for me to recommend the service of Marat. It started with smooth and prompt communication several months before the trip. Marat replied each and every question I had and provided recommendations.
We were interested in a flexible trip, we set 14 days with no definite plan. We had a general concept of the trip and the places we wanted to visit but kept it open. We wanted to be able to decide each day what we are going to do next.
Marat was 100% attentive and flexible and was integral part of our state of mind. He found homestays to our liking. Made sure I have vegetarian options, we stopped and changed plans on the go.
Marat is a person you can trust. He is reliable, cautious, safe driver, punctual , knowledgeable and so much more. And always with a smile and polite and calm. We had numerous conversations and we learned so much about everything in Kyrgyzstan from him.
Marat went above and beyond to provide us with the best service and made our trip memorable. I definitely recommend his services should you plan any kind of a trip to Kyrgyzstan. Thank you Marat
N
★★★★★
We went with Samat (Marat brother). It was a nice tour along Issyk Kul and Ala Kul lake (even if we could not reach the top of Ala Kul).
Samat is easy going and it was nice to have him as a guide. I can only recommend him.
R
★★★★★
I can definetly recommend you to choose Marat as your guide because he is:
-punctual
-professional
-serviceminded
-helpful
-flexible
Marat is a trustworthy guide who Will give you exactly what you ask for. At the same time Marat can teach you a lot about Kyrgyzstan`s history, society and culture and entertain you with interesting and funny stories. Your trip with Marat Will in short be excellent. FIVE STARS TO MARAT.
S
★★★★★
We visit Kyrgyztan for 9 days. The plan included the nomad games.
We agreed to a program with Ms Marat, however on daily basis we made request to change our program.
Ms Marat was positive onn all our requirements and made changes on the spot. On top of our requests, ms Marat made his own proposols to make the most of our tour.
Exelent atitude.
Ms Marat was alaways promt on time- not even a single delay.
Ms Mart explenations were not a statdart borring guide.
He added here and there detailes about the peoples daily life as well some cultural curosistives.
Our background: we visit over 14 countries with privet guides and ms Marat is one of the bests.
Thank you ms Marat.
A
★★★★★
Marat is a man who loves his country, and a passion to share all the beauty with you.
He knows all famous, and less know places, and makes the best tour possible within your time schedule and interests.
His knowledge off the history from Central Asia is enormous. And with his great sense off humour, it`s very entertaining to talk with him.
No 4x4 required with Marat`s driving skills. He drove his bus trough the most harsh road conditions.
After spending more then 2 weeks together, I see Marat as a friend, and I hope we see each other once again.
D
★★★★★
Marat, one of the best guide in Kyrgyzstan. I was on a recent trip and he showed me the best parts of Kyrgyzstan. Well knowledgeable of things and history. Be brought me to all the unexplored places.
My trip was a great adventurous and memorable. I would highly recommend him. Check out our pictures below to the unexplored places.
S
★★★★★
If you’re the type of person who loves exploration, or just wants to escape the stress of their modern life for a while, taking a trip to some new country, If you love nature, you should definatly go to Kyrgyzstan.You may go trail and off-trail hiking, and add to this the opportunity to experience with mysterious waterfalls and you have a destination that’s certainly worth exploring in person.
Having this experience in the country which you do not know you really need expert guide as Marat.He was very flexible, calm person, gave us many options, many informations about his county.He is the best guide I have ever seen.
I higly recemmend him as guide and driver.
U
★★★★★
Marat collected us at our accommodation in Bishkek on time with a spacious van. Before leaving the city we had the opportunity to exchange some money, buy food and drinks. Then we headed further to Kegety Valley, visiting a waterfall and enjoying donkey rides ,-) After that we visited Burana Tower and the museum. Marat was sharing his knowledge about Kyrgyz history. Further we went through Boom Gorge and stopped for lunch in a local restaurant. The last part of our drive was really tough, but Marat drove excellently, he never drove risky or too fast. I felt secure at all times. We had the possibility to stop wherever we wanted to do for taking pictures. Our stay at Song Köl was great - Marat arranged a nice yurtstay there with local people who prepared us with the warmest blankets and best food. We enjoyed our stay there a lot! After doing some horse riding we headed further to the 32-pass and some other sights on the way back to Bishkek.
We can warmly recommend Marat as a driver. He never drives risky, he stopped whenever we wanted to, he listens to good music and he is friendly and helpful! :-)
K
★★★★★
Nice guy, very knowledgeable and helped us out a lot at short notice! Would recommend
L
★★★★★
Great guy, unfortunately terrible weather and my short notice restricted the amount of time we had for hunting.
Marat is a fun, enthusiastic gentleman with a passion for his country and informing others about it.
A
★★★★★
We had a full 3 days trip with Marat and it was a great experience. He was very accomodative and flexible with timing, route and schedule. The best part we liked was his punctuality , he was always 10min earlier never late. Our children really loved his company as he explained them very well on all key spots and the best part was food/ restaurants he took us. Too good food that we never felt like returning. I would recommend Marat to all my friends planning a trip to beautiful Kyrgistan. He has a big 8 seater car and we were 6 people with loads of luggage but all went very well in his car. Keep up good work Marat
N
★★★★★
Marat was our guide for 2 days tour around Bishkek with eagle hunting show.
We saw many beautiful and interesting places, and I think, Marat had a great job to made a maximum experience for us within these 2 days. He was very flexible, give us many options. He is very open-minded for other informations for e.x. about our county or other travel experience. And I very like his explanations about the sites - there where very informative and based.
I hope we can go back to Kyrgisistan soon. If we or me will, I`m sure, Marat will be the first person to ask be my guide for the next trip. Absolute recommened.
J
★★★★★
Due to the brief shutting of the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan during the Kyrgyzstan presidential elections, Marat was unable to pick me up from my hotel in Taraz, as he couldn`t take his car across the border. So we arranged to meet in Chaldovar, after I crossed the border instead. The drive to Bishkek with Marat was a personal highlight of my trip to Central Asia, I was lucky to have his company and the gorgeous views of his native country. I was very pleased, he made the effort to make sure I enjoyed my trip and got what I paid for, despite the obvious challenges faced by the border closure. I have gained a friend in Marat and will definitely book with him again when I come back to Kyrgyzstan one day.
D
★★★★★
The tour was great - Marat kept the itinerary flexible with many options of attractions to choose from. With his experience and local contacts, we didnt have issues finding value-for-money lodgings. He has good local knowledge, and always has stories to share and jokes to crack.
C
Cheongyixu
September 2017
★★★★★
ENGLISH
Marat was our guide and driver for 4 nights and 5 days around Issyk-Kul.
We were a group of 4 seniors, my one year old baby and myself.
He shows to us the wonders of Kirguisztan, its nature, places and people. We had a really nice time.
I can say now he is our friend and we highly recommend to travel with him.
SPANISH
Marat ha sido nuestro conductor y guía durante 5 días y 4 noches, tiempo en el que hemos recorrido el lago Issyk Kul.
Nuestra experiencia con él no ha podido ser más positiva: en todo momento se adaptó a nuestra necesidades, propuso actividades y lugares para visitar, organizó donde dormir y donde comer. Y todo fue como una seda, según el presupuesto y el calendario acordados. La comunicación con él fue fluida, estuvimos hablando de los detalles del viaje desde meses antes de hacerlo, ya que viajámos con mis padres, que ya tienen una edad, y con mi hija de un año.
Recomendamos completamente sus servicios. A parte de conductor y guía, ahora es también nuestro amigo :)
T
★★★★★
Marat was a great driver/guide! He was on time, knowledgeable, and friendly at a reasonable price. When I stayed at my destination for several hours longer than we planned, he was still the same smiling and helpful guy as before, and was only concerned whether I was enjoying my experience. Definitely would book again. Thanks!
S
★★★★★
Thanks to Marat for this trip through Kyrgyzstan!Everything went very well. Marat is an excellent guide, who speaks well English. He was also very flexible to accomodate our short-term changes to the planned itinerary. Strongly recommended!
R
★★★★★
Everything was ok. Marat is a positive guy, discreet, with common sense and help us with informations about accomodation, places to visit, history about his country, local food and many others. We shared together pleasant moments, many kilometers and a lot of dust from Kirghistan roads. Thanks for all!
C
★★★★★
Everything went great. Marat was very friendly, easygoing and experienced driver. We felt very safe with him! He speaks English well, so we could have conversations in different kind of topics, e.g. life in Kyrgyzstan. We can highly recommend him!
K
★★★★★
We`ve just returned from an amazing 4-day trip around Kyrgyzstan. Our trip would have been possible without the useful tips on Indy Guide! Given the last minute planning we decided to accept the offer from Marat, who ticked all the boxes - English speaking driver, professional communication, doable itinerary and acceptable pricing.
From the start everything has been taken care of - from the airport pick-up, activities in each site, accommodation, local meals etc. Marat managed to keep the longer drives interesting by making several stops on the way to main sites. Our wishes were combined with what Marat advised (and we were unaware of), which led to a well balanced travel schedule and stuff we wouldn`t have come across if we planned the whole thing on our own.
The accommodation was spotless everywhere and reasonably priced and we did not have the impression that we were overpaying for anything. I`m sure we`d be paying double prices if it wasn`t for Marat to negotiate and sort out things on the spot.
Another thing worth mentioning is also that Marat has excellent driving skills which is an important factor on Kyrgyz roads:)
All in all we would highly recommend Marat both from the experience and value-for-money perspective.
S
★★★★★
We met Marat in Bishkek in April 2017. He is a nice and reliable guy and speaks English.
A
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