Kyrgyzstan Walking Explorer

The adventure begins in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan and the gateway to the Tien Shan mountain range. We have requested an early check-in for all clients, so the rooms should be ready for when you arrive. Around 12.30pm, say hi to your leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Bishkek is the modern capital city and industrial centre of Kyrgyzstan; this afternoon, we have a walking tour to explore its wide avenues and Soviet heritage. We visit the most important square in the country, Ala-Too Square, which is home to several monuments and is the setting for state celebrations. We also visit an open-air picture gallery, Oak Park (one of the oldest parks in Bishkek), and see marble government buildings, theatres and Victory Square. Finish the day with a relaxed welcome dinner at a local restaurant, our first taste of Kyrgyz cuisine. Want extra time in Bishkek? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Today we visit Ala-Archa National Park. The reserve is a small valley inside the gorge, where ridges are covered with eternal ice, and the slopes with spruce forests. The streams are fed by glacial meltwater, which leads into the Ala-Archa River. Though hard to see, the reserve is home to snow leopards and a rare blue bird the Kyrgyz call the bird of happiness. Here we take a full-day hike to Ak-Sai waterfall, reaching a maximum altitude of 9,200ft (2,800m). After, we return to Bishkek.

We leave Bishkek this morning and drive to Burana Tower, a 12th-century Karakhanid minaret. We'll visit the museum complex, including the tower itself, reconstructions of mausoleums found on the site, remains of a citadel, balbals (gravestones used by nomadic Turkic peoples) and petroglyphs. We then continue to Chon Kemin, a quiet valley of small villages and agricultural land with mountains and fir forests beyond. There is approximately three hours of driving in total today. On arrival in Chon Kemin, we walk up to a ridge for an excellent view over the valley, reaching an altitude of just over 6,500ft (2,000m).

Leaving Chon-Kemin, we head to the Konorchek Canyons. We walk along a rocky dried-up riverbed to enter the canyons. Rocky columns of red sandstone stretch for many kilometres. Following our walk, we drive through the Boom Gorge to Issyk Kul. This impressive lake is 110mi (180km) long and 37mi (60km) wide, reaching depths of 2,300ft (700m). It sits in a hollow at 5,250ft (1,600m), surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Terskei and Kungei Ala-Tau mountain ranges. More than 100 streams and rivers flow into the lake but none flow out. We then reach the resort town of Cholpon-Ata and visit nearby petroglyphs, a large open-air collection of rock carvings sometimes referred to as a Stone Garden, which covers some 104 acres (42ha) and contains a number of prehistoric stone structures. We also visit the Cholpon‐Alta Museum of History, which contains a large collection of national embroidery. We continue our drive to Karakol. We’ll be driving for about 4hr 30min today.

Today we drive to the Jergalan Valley, about 37mi (60km) from Karakol, along a partially paved road. The valley is surrounded by seven peaks and is a region of turquoise alpine lakes, rivers, waterfalls and coniferous forests. We walk to Turnaluu-Kol lake at an altitude of 8,530ft (2,600m), giving us fantastic views along the way. Following the walk, we drive to Djety Oguz with a stop at Ak-Suu village to enjoy the thermal baths there (payable locally).

Today we drive (six hours) along the undeveloped southern shore of Issyk Kul to Kochkor. We make stops and have short walks along the way. First, we explore Djety Oguz Gorge where we can see the Seven Bulls and Broken Heart rock formations. Next is Barskoon Gorge, known for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests and visited by Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. We hike to a waterfall called Bowl of Manas (named for a Kyrgyz national hero). We drive onwards to Kochkor, the main centre in Kyrgyzstan for the production of felt goods. We visit a workshop and can participate in the manufacturing of traditional rugs.

We drive to Son-Kul, the largest body of freshwater in the country, via the 10,800ft (3,330m) Kalmak-Ashuu Pass. The route is only partially paved. It is surrounded by summer pastures dotted with yurts, grazing cattle and mountains beyond. These lands are used by shepherds of neighbouring regions as summer pastures for their flocks. They drive the livestock up in the mountains and set up a yurt camp where they live during summer. We'll learn about the traditional lifestyle of Kyrgyz nomads.