Day 1 BISHKEK – ARRIVAL AND CITY TOUR
• Arrive in Bishkek early in the morning.
• Upon arrival at the airport, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel for early check-in and breakfast.
• Rest until 12:00, then have lunch at a Indian Restaurant.
• In the afternoon, take a guided city tour, starting with a visit to the Manas Monument, which commemorates the Kyrgyz people’s main national hero. Walk around Ala-Too Square to see the changing of the Guard of Honour (if happening on the day), visit the Kurmanzhan Datka Monument, the main governmental buildings, and the Old Square with Government House. Take a short excursion to Victory Square and visit Osh bazaar (closed on Mondays).
• Transfer to the hotel.
• Free time, with own arrangements for dinner.
• Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 BISHKEK – BURANA TOWER – KYZART VILLAGE
• Breakfast at Hotel.
• Drive to Burana Tower, all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the ruins of this important trading point on the Great Silk Road, visit the small museum, and see a collection of balbals (ancient Turkic tombs).
• Continue to the village of Kyzart, with lunch on the way. Walk around this typical Kyrgyz village and then listen to an introductory talk about tomorrow’s horse-riding.
• Dinner and overnight at Hotel.
Day 3 KYZART – CHAAR ARCHA – TUZ ASHUU
• After breakfast at Hotel.
• Transfer by vehicle to the starting point for the horse-ride (14 km) and then ride to the Tuz Ashuu pastures. Enjoy magnificent views of the Chaar Archa pastures, along with a picnic lunch. Ascend to Col Tuz Ashuu (3,228 m), then continue towards Tuz Ashuu, which is surrounded by imposing mountains, to get your first look at Son-Kul Lake.
• Arrive at the lake and descend to the Tuz Ashuu pastures (3,050m), passing several shepherds with their herds of sheep and cattle. Meet the family of shepherds that will welcome us to their yurt camp. Yurts are the traditional dwelling of Central Asia’s nomadic people, consisting of a wooden frame covered with several layers of felt. They can be constructed quickly, making them practical for nomads who move around. Their interiors are often decorated with felt carpets and traditional embroidery.
• Dinner and overnight at Hotel.
Day 4 TUZ ASHUU – TULPAR TASH
• After breakfast at Hotel.
• Ride along the lakeshore in a westerly direction. The route to Tulpar Tash yurt camp involves small ascents and descents (max. 100m).
• Have lunch at Indian Restaurant.
• The lakeshore is beautiful, with herds of horses, cows, sheep, and goats. Take the opportunity to visit the shepherds and taste traditional delicacies like fermented mares’ milk (kumis) and yoghurt balls (kurt), as well as tea with cows’ milk.
• Dinner and overnight at Hotel.
Day 5 TULPAR TASH – KAMBAR ATA – TUULGA TASH
• After breakfast at hotel,
• Ride 18 km across beautiful landscapes where you’ll see shepherds’ yurts. Although there are no trees or even bushes around the lake, the altitude and climatic variations mean that you will still see exceptional flora and fauna. This includes fields of edelweiss and forget-me-nots, and many different species of birds, such as ducks, cranes, storks, mergansers, coots, plovers, golden eagles, and cormorants, as well as thousands of seagulls.
• Have lunch at Indian Restaurant.
• Сontinue riding to Tuulga Tash pasture.
• Dinner and overnight at Hotel.
Day 6 TUULGA TASH – BISHKEK
• After breakfast at hotel.
• Leave Son-Kul and take a scenic drive back to Bishkek, through one of the most spectacular areas of the Tien Shan mountains, Kalmak Ashu Pass (3,446m).
• Have lunch at Indian Restaurant.
• Arrive in Bishkek and check-in to the hotel.
• Time permitting, visit the local department store, ZUM, to buy some souvenirs. Enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant.
• Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 BISHKEK – DEPARTURE
• Breakfast, followed by hotel.
• Check-out (by 12:00).
• Free time until the transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
• Departure.
