Horse Riding And Eagle Hunting Tour In Kyrgyzystan
About this tour
8 Days : Bishkek, Ala-Archa, Kochkor, Kelimche, Son-Kul, Issyk-kul, Jety-Oguz Gorge, Karakol, Cholpon-Ata
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Arrival in Bishkek, transfer to the hotel. After some rest your Kyrgyzstan horseback riding tour will start with exploring Bishkek where you visit Fine Arts Museum, Oak Park, Ala -Too Square, Philarmonic hall, Manas Statue, Victory Square and Oriental market – Osh bazaar. After lunch, transfer to the Ala-Archa National Park (40 km). You will be in the alpine gorge through which the fast flowing Ala-Archa River runs, flanked by tall, snow-covered, peaks with steep-sided, forested, mountain slopes. After hiking along the gorge you will be back to Bishkek for overnight.
Day 2: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan
After breakfast transfer to Kochkor village. On the way stop to see Burana tower, remnant of the ancient Balasagyn city dating back to the 11-13th centuries. In Kochkor you will visit a felt carpet workshop where you will learn how Kyrgyz national felt carpets are made. Dinner with a Kyrgyz family and overnight in the home stay. Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Day 3: Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan to Kyzart, Kyrgyzstan
Today you will start a horse trek towards Son-Kul Lake through ChaarArcha valley, pass the ChaarArcha pass. You will stop for a tasty lunch by the racing river, with views of holy 4400 m Baba Ata Mountain. Dinner and accommodation in yurts. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Day 4: Kyzart, Kyrgyzstan to Song-Kul, Kyrgyzstan
After breakfast you will continue riding towards Son-Kul Lake, Batai Aral yurt camp. On the way, you will enjoy a beautiful nature of Kilemche jailoo. The pass to Son-Kul is rocky, adventurous and exciting. You will cross high mountains with wonderful views of the Son-Kul Lake located at a height of 3013 meters above sea level. It is a great place to experience a nomadic life style and relax from busy city life. On arrival, you will be free to explore and enjoy the virgin nature of the lake and its surroundings. You will have dinner and overnight in Kyrgyz yurts made of a wooden skeleton, sheltered with felt coverings. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Day 5: Song-Kul, Kyrgyzstan to Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan
We get in the car again and make our way towards Issyk-Kul lake to get there early afternoon. We stop at interesting viewpoints. In the evening we get treated to a musical performance of a Kyrgyz traditional folkloric band while the sun is setting on the shores of Issyk-Kul Lake, the second-largest saline lake in the world. This will be a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the country’s traditional music and make great portraits and photos of the Kyrgyz traditional costumes. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Day 6: Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan
Today we will meet the Eagle Hunters of the Salburun Federation in Kyrgyzstan, a small community of hunters who keep this ancient Central Asian tradition of eagle hunting alive. This is one of the highlights of this Kyrgyzstan tour. They will demonstrate their skills, explain their traditions and there will be 2 opportunities (one in the morning and one in the evening) in different locations to capture stunning shots of the hunters and their eagles. In the afternoon there will be time to relax and swim in the lake. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Day 7: Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan to Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
After breakfast, transfer to Karakol along the southern shore of the Issyk-Kul lake, the second largest alpine lake in the world (1608 m above sea level). The lake also called "Kyrgyz Sea" because of its huge size. On the way you will drive through the gorgeous valley and you will pass the OrtoTokoi reservoir and Jety-Oguz Gorge. Jeti-Oguz means “Seven bulls” in Kyrgyz language, symbolizing a 35 m long wall of seven huge red-brown cliffs like a lined up furious bulls. In front of the cliffs, there are flat mountain slopes, thickly overgrown with grass and pine trees. The "Broken Heart" rock at the entrance of the gorge outstands with a romantic look. Also, Jeti-Oguz is famous for its hot springs at the altitude of 2200 m; the spring water is rich for radon and hydrogen sulfide. The water in springs is good for the treatment of rheumatism, gastric and nervous diseases. Rising higher, you can reach the pan of Kok-Dzhayyk with wonderful views of the gorge, or the Valley of Flowers strewn with poppies. At the upper part of Jeti-Oguz there are mountain lakes and roaring waterfalls. After hiking in the Gorge transfer to Karakol for the dinner in Uigur family. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Day 8: Karakol, Kyrgyzstan to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
After breakfast explore Karakol, you will visit the museum of Prjevalsky, one of the world’s greatest explorers. He is famous for crossing the Taklamakan desert and discovering more than 4000 animals, including the Prjevalsky’s Horse. After, you will visit the Dungan mosque, a Chinese style building constructed without a single metal nail, and an old wooden Orthodox Church. Transfer to Bishkek along the Northern shore of the Issyk-Kul Lake. On the way you will visit an open-air museum of petroglyphs (dating back to 800 B.C.) and a local museum. Continue driving to Bishkek through a stunning Boom Gorge. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Free time until transfer to the airport, end of the tour.
What's included
What to know
Bishkek - 2 nights B hotel, Asia Mountains or similar Kochkor - 1 night Home stay (B&B), family run accommodation Horse Riding Tour - 1 night Double Tent Son Kul - 1 night Yurts (5-6 people in one yurt) Yssyk kul - 2 nights Home stay (B&B), family run accommodation Karakol - 1 night Green Yard, Karagat or similar
Route & locations
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan