Nomadic traditions

Your guide will pick you up at Manas International Airport and accompany you to the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, just a 30-minute drive from the airport.

In the morning, we will visit Ala Archa gorge, just 45km from Bishkek. It is a Natural Park. During Soviet times, only V.I.P. people had permission to go for a walk here. The Ala Archa gorge is on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. Enjoy a short hiking tour to see a panoramic view of the gorge. Afterward, we return to Bishkek.

The second half of the day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square, National Philharmonic, and many other places of interest.

Your guide will pick you up at 8 a.m and you will be transferred to Issyk Kul Lake, surrounded by the celestial mountains. It’s the second-largest alpine lake in the world (1608 m above sea level). The lake is called "the pearl of Central Asia". Due to the salty water, Lake Issyk Kul possesses curative qualities.

On route to the lake, you will visit Burana Tower, an 11th-century minaret, and an open-air museum of Balbans (stone warriors).

After breakfast, you will start your trip to Karakol city. On the way, we will take a short break to give you the opportunity to visit ancient stone inscriptions dating back to 800 B.C. These petroglyphs were made more than 2 000 years ago by shamans.

Then we continue our way along the northern shore of the lake to the town of Karakol. Visit the Dungan mosque. One of its highlights is the fact that it was built in a Chinese style without using a single metal nail. The mosque will be followed by a visit to an old wooden Orthodox Church. T

Today we will drive to Jeti Oguz Gorge. It’s famous for its red rocks formations that have the name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. Also, you will see there the Broken Heart Mountain. If you want it is possible to go on a top of a mountain (20 minutes) to see a panorama view of the gorge.

Then we continue our trip, breaking in Bokonbaeva village, where we will meet a local eagle-hunter. He hunts hares and foxes with the help of eagles (a traditional way of nomadic hunting).

In Kochkor village, a local family will show you how our national felt carpets are made. You can even learn the art of felt making and create your own carpet together with them! You will have a chance to make your own picture with the help of colored wool and then all together we will beat it in a special way to get a nice felt carpet.

You will also get to visit a small handicraft museum there. They have many examples of silver decorations, coats made of wolves, horse saddle decorations, carpets and more.

Afterward, you will be transferred to the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek city. You will still have time to go shopping and to buy souvenirs.