Kyrgyzstan: Mountains, Yurts & Lakes - 9 Days

Kyrgyzstan starts here. Land in Bishkek and make your way to the hotel. Enjoy spending the day exploring and then head back to meet your crew over a welcome dinner and get the ice broken before nine days of mountains, yurts and wild sunsets

Fuel up with breakfast, then roll out to Ala-Archa National Park. Walk the alpine valley and breathe in all the mountain air then head back to Bishkek for free time and a group dinner. What a perfect first day in the mountains.

Time to head for the coast! We'll drive towards the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, stopping en route at Kok-Moynok Canyon for its wild sandstone formations and narrow gorges. In Bokonbaevo, we'll watch a traditional golden eagle hunting demonstration, an ancient nomadic skill passed down for centuries. In the afternoon, we'll arrive at our Yurt Camp right on the shore for a magical sunset, some swimming, and dinner under the stars.

Today we're kicking off with the amazing Skazka (Fairytale) Canyon. These epic rock formations are like something straight out of Dune. Then it's on to Barskoon Gorge for waterfalls and mountain views, followed by a delicious home-cooked traditional lunch with a local family. In the afternoon, get hands-on and learn how to build a real Kyrgyz yurt before settling in at our next ranch.

Saddle up! Today we're heading to Jeti-Oguz Gorge and Kok-Djaik for a horseback ride to a hidden waterfall. This is one of the trip's highlights. In the afternoon we'll hike the panoramic trails of the gorge before ending up in Karakol for a well-earned group dinner.

This morning we're trading the minibus in for an off-road vehicle and climbing up into the epic Altyn Arashan valley! Here we'll find the natural hot springs waiting for us and we'll bathe, explore, and soak up the peace before heading back to Karakol for dinner.

We'll start this morning with a slice of Karakol culture: the Dungan Mosque (built without a single nail) and the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral. Then we'll travel along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, taking in sweeping views of water and mountains, before arriving at the peaceful Chon-Kemin Valley for a night in a yurt camp surrounded by forest and river. This spot is really something special, we're really living the Kyrgyzstan dream!

It's our final full day in Kyrgyzstan! Today we'll head back to Bishkek, stopping with a visit to the Burana Tower and the open-air museum. In Bishkek, we'll have free time for last-minute shopping and sightseeing before wrapping up the trip with a farewell dinner and a toast to nine unforgettable days.

No alarms, no rush. Enjoy breakfast, check out, and say your goodbyes — Kyrgyzstan will already be calling you back.