Around Issyk-Kul Lake 2024 (all year around)

• Best Season: May — October (but possible all year around)
• Duration: 7 days
• Category: combined – 5 days travel + one 2-days medium-level hiking
• Level of Difficulty: easy to medium
• Group size: any
• Transport: Jeep or Minivan (2-5 pax); Minibus (6-12 pax).
• Requirements: weatherproof warm clothes, trekking boots, hat, sleeping bag with mat (can be provided upon request), sunglasses and sunscreen

Meeting day: This day meeting with all participants over coffee. Meeting and instruction.

Day 1: Morning transfer to Chong-Kemin valley, on the way make a stop to visit Burana tower, architectural complex of 10-11 century, important point on the Great Silk Road. Have a lunch at Kyrgyz family near Burana tower. Continue your way to Chong-Kemin valley to Karool-Dobo village. Upon arrival to home stay, free time. Optional, you can do short trek or horse riding. Dinner and B&B at home stay.

Day 2: Morning transfer to Karakol by northern lake shore of Issyk-Kul lake, on the way make a stop to visit open-air museum in Cholpon-Ata and have a lunch. Upon arrival to Karakol, visit Dungan Mosque and Ortodox Church. Dinner will be at café, overnight at guest house.

Day 3: Morning after breakfast transfer from Karakol town to Ak-Suu. Meet your guide team and start trekking up to the river Ak-Suu. Ascent the hot spring first day. At the Altyn-Arashan resort is possible to take a thermal water bath. You will never be able to forget the sight of the snow on Peak Palatka (Tent) 5260 m or “Swallow’s Nest Pool”, nestling beneath the open sky. Overnight in hut or yurt.

Day 4: Spend time till lunch in Altyn-Arashan gorge. At the Altyn-Arashan resort is possible to take a thermal water bath. You will never be able to forget the sight of the snow on Peak Palatka (Tent) 5260 m or “Swallow’s Nest Pool”, nestling beneath the open sky. Afternoon walk from Altyn Arashan resort down by Arashan Gorge (4 hours). Drive to Karakol (30 minutes). Dinner at Dungan family (Dungans are Chinese moslems escaped from China 1 century ago. The food is very delicious and absolutely unique – mixture of Chinese and Central Asian cuisines). B&B at guest house.

Day 5: Morning transfer to Bokonbaevo village, on the way we will make 2 stops, 1^st stop will be at Jety-Oguz gorge (Seven bulls gorge). Then you will have a lunch at Kyrgyz family. 2^nd stop will be at Skazka Canyons (Fairy Tale canyons). Dinner and B&B will be at Bel-Tam yurt camp/home stay at Bokonbaevo village.

Day 6: After late breakfast transfer to Shatyly gorge, from where you will do easy trek to Panoramic view for Issyk-Kul lake, have a picnic lunch. Then transfer to Jaychi yurt camp, where you will see eagle hunting show for a life prey. By dinner time transfer to yurt camp/home stay.

Day 7: Last day of the trip, after breakfast you will continue your way to Bishkek, on the way you will make a stop to visit Kyzyl-Tuu village. This village famous with a yurt makers, Visit a Kyrgyz family where all family members make a Boz Ui (Yurt) – a traditional Kyrgyz dwelling tent. Lunch in the village. Then continue your way to Bishkek. Upon arrival to Bishkek, end of trip.