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A Jeep Tour through Tien Shan Mountains to Issyk-Kul Lake

12 days 11 nights

Tour dates

We offer our tours from May 1 to October 30.

This is the most convenient time of the year to travel , with good sunny weather and comfortable air temperature



What to expect during the tour

This trip combines active adventures along the route, comfortable accommodation in cozy hotels and yurts, delicious local food and the best of Kyrgyzstan's beautiful and wild nature.
Every day you will visit splendid, breathtaking new places, go for short walks, take many pictures and enjoy Kyrgyzstan's wildlife and delicious national food.


In 12 days, we will travel more than 2,000 km of mountain roads, see 10 different gorges and canyons, visit two beautiful mountain lakes, go around Issyk-Kul Lake, stay overnight in an authentic Kyrgyz yurt, watch a folklore performance by local residents, ride Kyrgyz horses and of course taste delicious national dishes and drinks.

This is not in the program


Where we will stay

We have chosen the most comfortable hotels and accommodations available along our route

Transport – A Guide - Safety

Transport - We use four-wheel-drive jeeps or minivans to travel. Our drivers have extensive experience of mountain roads and are always careful.

Guide - An experienced English-speaking guide will accompany you during the entire trip.

Safety - The entire route was conceived to avoid dangerous situations. Local people in Kyrgyzstan are very nice to tourists, they always offer all kinds of assistance and demonstrate warm-hearted hospitality.

Restaurants and Food

Kyrgyzstan's national cuisine consists mostly of fresh vegetables and natural meat.

We have chosen cafes and restaurants with delicious, quality food to taste a large variety of national dishes.

Breakfast and lunch and are included during the entire trip.

In the mountains, where there are no cafes or restaurants, we will organize picnics with fresh products.




Introduction to the culture

This trip will allow you to get acquainted with the rich, nomadic, multi-ethnic culture of Central Asia.

We will visit several museums, look at fascinating ancient monuments, listen to folklore music, exchange with local residents in their day-to-day life and spend a night in an authentic Kyrgyz yurt.

The Jeep tour program and details

Day 1.

Arrival in Bishkek. We will meet you at the airport and take you to the Futuro Hotel. After some rest, we will take a tour around Bishkek and visit the national history museum and the art gallery to discover the works of Kyrgyz artists. We will also go to an authentic oriental bazaar (market) to enjoy the scents and colors of Central Asia. We will have lunch at Arzu restaurant, where you will be able to taste different national dishes. In the evening, we will have dinner together in a cafe.

Day 2.

Our guide will meet you at the hotel at 8:30 a.m. for the beginning of our adventure. Today we will visit red rocks canyons called Konorchek. We will travel about 2.5 hours on asphalt and turn on a dirt road that leads to the canyons, we will go up a small pass and enjoy from there a fantastic view of the red, orange and yellow rock maze that will open in front of us. We will take a short walk around the area, take pictures and continue further. After this first hike, we will have lunch at Ular-Too cafe and then drive to the city of Cholpon-Ata, by the lake shore. We will check into the Zaton Hotel and have a rest. In the evening, we will have dinner in a cafe.

Day 3.

Today we will go up into the mountains and enjoy the incredible sight of Issyk-Kul Lake and Cholpon-Ata from above. We will take a short walk to explore the mountains. Afterwards, we will return to Cholpon-Ata and have lunch in a cafe. After lunch, we will go on an extraordinary boat tour around Issyk-Kul Lake. Once back on land, we will visit the Rukh Ordo museum complex to discover the different cultures and spiritualities of the region. In the evening, we will have dinner together in a cafe.

Day 4.

Today we will explore the mountains of the Ornok Gorge. The winding road will take us to an altitude of 3,100m. Then we will hike along an easy route, enjoy the colorful scenery, take beautiful pictures, watch wild marmots and birds and return to the car where a tasty lunch will be waiting for us. After lunch, we will go down to the foothills and discover cave drawings of ancient people : petroglyphs. After these activities, we will go relax in hot mineral pools. In the evening, we will have dinner in a local cafe.

Day 5.

Today we will visit Grigorievsky and Semenov Gorges north of the lake. There, we will take a short walk near a fantastic mountain lake, visit the Ethno complex where the World Nomad Games take place, make a stop by the mountain river and enjoy a delicious outdoor lunch. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Karakol. We will stay at the Tagaitai Karakol Hotel. In the evening, we will have dinner in a local cafe.

Day 6.

Today we will visit the Karakol Gorge. There you will see fascinating mountains, dense forests of Tien Shan firs, and cows and horses grazing in the wild. After a short walk through the gorge, we will go for lunch at the authentic Dostorkon cafe, where you will have an opportunity to taste different national dishes. After lunch, we will visit the city's ancient monuments : the Russian wooden church and the old Dungan mosque. In the evening, we will have dinner in a cafe.

Day 7.

Today we will visit the Turgen Aksu Gorge. We will go up to the foot of the glaciers by car, observe wild animals and take a short walk along the rocky landscape and the fir forest. After the hike, we will have lunch on the bank of the mountain river. We will prepare an authentic Kyrgyz beshbarmak for your dinner.

Day 8.

Today we will leave for the Dzhoku Gorge. At the entrance of the gorge, we will see beautiful red rocks. We will cross the gorge to a breathtaking view of snow-capped mountains covered with Tian Shan fir trees. We will take a short walk along the mountain river, enjoy a delicious lunch and turn back. We will spend the night at the Sount Beah Hotel, which is located on the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. In the evening, you will have dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Day 9.

Today we will visit the Barskaun Gorge. We will go up by car to an altitude of about 3,800m and come out on a plateau, where we will have a beautiful view of the whole gorge. After a short sightseeing tour, we will go down through the gorge. We will cook lunch for you on the bank of the mountain river. After lunch, your guide will take you to beautiful waterfalls. In the evening, we will have dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Day 10.

Today we will visit the beautiful Tosor Gorge, then we will go to the Skazka Canyon and walk there for a couple of hours. After our hikes, we will drive down to the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake and have a swim in its invigorating water. After swimming, we will have lunch, warm tea and fruits waiting for you. At the end of the day, we will arrive at our yurt camp, located on the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. Today we will spend the night in authentic Kyrgyz yurts. In the evening you will have dinner and enjoy a national folklore show in a large yurt.

Day 11 - 12

We will leave for Bishkek. The trip will take around 4-5 hours. We will stop at beautiful places on the way back for short walks. We will have lunch in a cafe on the way. We will arrive in Bishkek and check into the Futuro Hotel. Today, you have the evening to yourself : you can walk around Bishkek, go to a local restaurant or relax in a good massage salon, it's up to you.

Today we will say goodbye and you will fly home. 4 hours prior to your flight, a driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport.
  • Money and additional expenses
    During your trip, we recommend you take cash for souvenirs, various drinks and extra dinners. All other expenses are included in the price.

    You can withdraw money for personal expenses in the local currency at ATMs or exchange it at a bank in Bishkek, Cholpon-Ata, Karakol, Bokombayevo and Balykchy.

  • Walks and activities
    We will take easy walks in the mountain valleys at many sites. The altitude along the whole route varies from 850m – 3,800m above sea level.
  • Weather and clothes
    Kyrgyzstan has a temperate continental climate, warm and dry in the summer. The average summer temperature is 22-27 degrees Celsius.

    The weather is cooler in the mountains due to the altitude - it can be around 12-14 degrees Celsius. In the capital, the weather can reach high temperatures (35-40 degrees) in July and August.

    You should take comfortable clothes and shoes for the trip for the care and for our hikes.

    Take a light jacket or a windbreaker, a hat or a cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, a swimsuit and a small towel.

    In some places, we will stop by the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake and you will have the opportunity to swim in fresh water. The water temperature in summer is 20-24 degrees.



The price of the tour and what it includes

The price for a group

4 persons 1640 eur - per 1 person

5-6 persons 1440 eur – per 1 person

The minimum group for a tours is 4 people


The price includes:
A vehicle - a four-wheel drive jeep or a minivan

A tour guide

Accommodation in hotels – two people per room

Accommodation in a yurt – two people per room

All breakfasts and lunches

Dinner at the hotel on days 7,8,9,10 of the trip

Entrance fees for gorges and reserves

A one-hour visit to hot springs

A National Folklore show

The entrance fee to museums

Water – 1 liter per day / person

The price of the program does not include:
Alcoholic and other beverages

Dinners in a cafe on days 1-6 and 11 of the trip

Single occupancy in hotels and yurts

Air travel

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