Itinerary
- Day 1
Bishkek
You'll arrive in Bishkek and get settled at your hotel after the standard 14:00 check-in. Your guide will meet the group at 14:00 for a briefing covering what's ahead on the itinerary, then you'll take a city tour to get oriented. The day wraps up with a welcome dinner at a traditional restaurant where you'll try authentic Kyrgyz dishes.
- Start point
- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Hotel, 14:00)
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner in traditional restaurant with national Kyrgyz cuisine)
Included Activities
- Bishkek city tour
- Welcome meet with guide and group
Landmarks Ala-Too Square Victory Square Oak Park Central Mosque 
- Day 2
Bishkek to Cholpon Ata
After breakfast at the hotel, head to Burana Tower in Chuy Valley, an old minaret with funerary monuments and remains from ancient Balasagyn. You'll have lunch with a Dungan family in Iskra village and taste their Chinese Muslim cooking. Later, drive to Issyk-Kul lake and visit the petroglyph museum featuring artifacts from the 2nd millennium BC. The afternoon is yours to relax on the beach and swim before dinner at the resort.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch with Dungan family in Iskra village)
Included Activities
- Visit Burana Tower
- Lunch with Dungan family in Iskra village
- Visit petroglyph open-air museum
- Free time on beach and swimming in Issyk-Kul lake
Landmarks Burana Tower Issyk-Kul Lake Petroglyph Museum 
- Day 3
Cholpon Ata to Karakol
Following breakfast, travel to Grigoriev and Semienov gorges where you'll stop for lunch at a roadside cafe and go for walks through the wild landscape. Next, continue to Karakol, the main town of the Issyk-Kul region, visiting the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Dungan Mosque. The day ends with dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic or lunch in café on the road)
Included Activities
- Visit Grigoriev and Semienov gorges
- Walking in the gorges
- Visit Russian Orthodox Cathedral
- Visit Dungan Mosque
Landmarks Grigoriev Gorge Semienov Gorge Russian Orthodox Cathedral Dungan Mosque 
- Day 4
Karakol to Tamga
After breakfast, travel to Jeti Oguz Gorge with its red cliffs and the famous 'Broken Heart' rock formation where you'll walk for about an hour through mountain scenery. Then head to Barskoon Gorge to see the waterfalls known as 'Tears of the Snow Leopard' and check out a monument to cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Dinner and overnight accommodation are at a guesthouse.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Jeti Oguz Gorge with "Broken Heart" rock formation
- One-hour walk in Jeti Oguz Gorge
- Visit Barskoon Gorge
- View Yuri Gagarin monument
Landmarks Jeti Oguz Gorge Broken Heart Rock Formation Barskoon Gorge Yuri Gagarin Monument - Day 5
Tamga to Kochkor
Starting after breakfast, drive along the south shore of Issyk-Kul toward Kochkor village and visit Skazka canyons with their unusual rock shapes. You'll meet an eagle hunter and watch this traditional Kyrgyz practice. Lunch happens at a guesthouse or cafe, and then you'll visit Kyzyl Tuu village where locals show how yurts are made using methods passed down for generations. Dinner and overnight are in Kochkor.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in guesthouse or café), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Skazka (Fairy Tale) canyons
- Meet eagle hunter and observe hunting demonstration
- Visit Kyzyl Tuu village for yurt production demonstration
Landmarks Skazka Canyons - Day 6
Kochkor to Son-Kul or Tash Rabat
The route depends on when you're traveling. May through September: after breakfast, cross Kalmak Ashu mountain pass at 3447 meters with panoramic views, then reach Son Kul Lake to experience nomadic life and stay in yurts overnight. March, April, October, November: after breakfast, drive over Dolon Pass at 3030 meters to Tash Rabat, a 10th-century caravanserai built by monks for Silk Road travelers, with lunch in Naryn and dinner at the yurt camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in restaurant in Naryn (March, April, October, November departures only)), Dinner
Included Activities
- Cross Kalmak Ashu mountain pass (3447 m) - May to September departures
- Experience nomadic hospitality at Son Kul Lake - May to September departures
- Cross Dolon Pass (3030 m) - March, April, October, November departures
- Visit Tash Rabat historical monument - March, April, October, November departures
Landmarks Kalmak Ashu Pass Son Kul Lake Dolon Pass Tash Rabat 
- Day 7
Son-Kul or Tash Rabat to Chon-Kemin
You'll spend the morning enjoying the surrounding nature before departing toward Chon-Kemin. On the way, stop in Kochkor to learn about felt-making in Kyrgyz culture and meet artisans. There's a hands-on workshop where you'll make a miniature ala-kiyiz carpet and time to explore the village on your own. The day finishes with a freshly prepared traditional dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Freshly prepared traditional dinner)
Included Activities
- Visit Kochkor for felt-making demonstration
- Hands-on workshop creating miniature ala-kiyiz carpet
- Village exploration in Kochkor
Landmarks Kochkor Village - Day 8
Chon-Kemin to Almaty
After breakfast, head toward the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border and cross over to add Kazakhstan to your trip. Continue to Almaty, the former capital, for a guided city tour that includes Independence Square, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, Panfilov Park, and a WWII memorial.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Border crossing from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan
- Almaty city tour
- Visit Independence Square
- Visit Zenkov Cathedral
- Visit Panfilov Park
- Visit WWII memorial
Landmarks Independence Square Zenkov Cathedral Panfilov Park WWII Memorial 
- Day 9
Almaty
Explore Almaty with a city tour visiting Medeo Gorge, which sits at 1691 meters and houses the highest mountain sports complex, a favorite spot for locals on weekends. Take the cable car to Kok Tobe, the highest point in the city near Hotel Kazakhstan, where you'll get panoramic views in all directions. Visit the 372-meter TV Tower that offers great views of mountains and the surrounding city.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Medeo Gorge
- Visit Kok Tobe hill
- Cable car ride to Kok Tobe
- Visit TV Tower
Landmarks Medeo Gorge Kok Tobe Hill TV Tower Hotel Kazakhstan - Day 10
Almaty to Charyn Canyon and return to Almaty
Visit Charyn Canyon, often called the little brother of the Grand Canyon, located within a national park. You'll see dramatic landscapes shaped by the Charyn River and walk down into the gorge for a roughly 2-kilometer hike through the Valley of the Castles with its maze-like formation. Return to Almaty for a farewell dinner at a restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner in restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Charyn Canyon
- Walk down to bottom of gorge
- Hike in Valley of the Castles
Landmarks Charyn Canyon Valley of the Castles - Day 11
Almaty
After breakfast at the hotel, check out by 12:00 and depart at a time that works for you. Tour services end here.
- End point
- Almaty, Kazakhstan (Hotel, 12:00 - 12:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast
