Winter magic in Kyrgyzstan

An exceptional journey to the heart of Central Asia, combining sport and culture, sightseeing and encounters, and, above all, stunning natural winter scenery.

Winter magic in Kyrgyzstan - guided hiking tour in kyrgyzstan-issykkul-tianshan

Tour Details

Description

Kyrgyzstan is one of the Central Asian countries already known for its summer trekking and mountaineering, but whose winter tourism, apart from ski touring, is still little known. A land of contrasts dominated by mountains as far as the eye can see, with their many curves and colors, where modernity and ancestral cultures live side by side. With the Kyrgyz horse at the heart of a traditionally nomadic culture. Its rich cultural heritage, its grandiose landscapes and its often untouched natural environment make it an interesting destination for combining cultural discoveries with winter sporting activities.

Tour Highlights

Itinerary

  1. Arrival in Bishkek -

    We meet at Manas airport, then transfer to hotel in Bishkek city center. Brunch or lunch then free time. Dinner in town.

  2. Bishkek city visit -

    After breakfast, we will meet ourcal guide and go for a visit of the capital.Lunch and dinner in town.

  3. Drive to the south shore of Issyk Kul lake -

    The journey to Karakol is a long one, so we will split our trip into two stages over twodays. The scenery and views of the lake are magnificent, and we will stop regularly along the way to enjoy the landscape, take photos and stretch our legs. Two stops will be the highlights of the day: a visit to the Burana Tower (minaret), one of the oldest structures in Central Asia, and the surrounding petroglyphs, as well as a demonstration of how to erect a yurt, the traditional dwelling of nomads, in Kyzyl-Tuu. On arrival at the comfortable guest house in Barskoon, we will be able to watch a demonstration of traditional Kyrgyz carpet-making.

  4. Drive to Karakol and snowshoeing -

    We’ll drive for about two hours to reach the town of Karakol, where we’ll be based for our upcoming adventures. But first, we’ll stop en route to admire a magnificent canyon (Fairy Tale Canyon) with its striking rock formations. After lunch and checking in at our guest house, we’ll get ready for our first easy snowshoe hike near the town, but within Karakol National Park, with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and plains. Uyghur cultural dinner.

  5. Sea kayaking and guided city tour -

    Before heading to the lake, we will visit the Nicolay Przhevalskiy Museum, which traces the life of one of the world’s greatest explorers. It offers a true insight into Russian colonisation in Central Asia. We will then head to Lake Issyk-Kul, where we will explore the bay by kayak. After lunch, we will visit the town of Karakol and its ancient monuments, before heading to a Cossack cultural dinner.

  6. Snowshoe trek to the Kok-Jaiyk yurt camp -

    We will first travel by car or Russian kamaz to the village of Svetlaya Polyana, where our trek will begin. This will take up most of the day. The route will depend on snow conditions. At the yurt camp, the owner will serve us a delicious Kyrgyz dinner, and we will spend the night in a warm and comfortable yurt. A unique experience, without a doubt! There are no showers available tonight, but the magic of the place will quickly make us forget this minor detail!

  7. Jeti Oguz and return to Karakol -

    We leave Kok-Jaiyk after breakfast. If snow conditions are good, we may be able to go for a short snowshoe walk in the morning. We’ll stop en route at Jeti Oguz to admire the colourful rock formations known as the 7 Bulls’. Back in Karakol, we can visit the local bazaar and enjoy some free time, or visit the Ella Maillard Museum, before getting ready for a Dungan cooking class.

  8. Transfer to Karkara valley and snowshoeing -

    Today we'll drive close to the Kazakh border, to the Karkara valley known to be used for centuries as a “jailoo,” or summer pasture, by Kyrgyz and Kazakh nomads who would bring their herds up from the lowlands to graze on the lush alpine grass. On the way, we will stop at San-Tash, a large stone monument. According to legend, Timur (Tamerlane) had it built to estimate the number of casualties during his expedition to China. Depending on the snow conditions and our mood, we can then explore the valley with our snowshoes or simply go for a hike. We will stay overnight at the Ak-Saï yurt camp.

  9. Snowshoeing in the Karkara mountains -

    We'll spend a howl day exploring the area around the yurt campn more detail. The mountains stretch as far as the eye can see here! We'll spend a second night at the yurt camp.

  10. Drive the north shore of Issyk Kul lakeo Cholponata -

    Today we will start heading back to Bishkek via the north shore of the lake this time. We will visit the famous petroglyphs, which span a wide range of time, with some dating to the Bronze Age and the majority created by the Saka/Scythian people between the 8th century BCE and 1st century AD. Later carvings, date from the 6th to 10th centuries AD. The petroglyphs are important for understanding the history of ancient Turkic people. We will be staying overnight and dinner Cholpon-Ata, where we can enoy the hotel's hot springs.

  11. Transfer to Bishkek -

    We will drive the second part of the north shore and stop on the way for lunch at a small cafe wich serves a basic but popular local speciality called kattama. In Bishkek, we'll have the time to visit the bazaar and the magnificent National History Museum. Overnight stay and dinner in Bishkek.

  12. Transfer to Manas Airport and flight home -

    Transfer to the airport early morning.

What's Included

Not Included

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