Itinerary
- Day 1
Bishkek
You'll land in Bishkek early morning and head straight to your hotel for an early check-in and breakfast. After resting from your flight, your guide meets you at noon for a walking tour through the 'White City' where you'll see Soviet-era plazas and monuments scattered throughout. That evening, you'll have dinner and catch traditional live music and dancing at a local tea house.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early check-in with breakfast included), Dinner (Dinner at a well-known tea house in Bishkek with traditional live music and dancing)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Bishkek
- Welcome introduction to Kyrgyzstan's history
- Dinner with traditional live music and dancing at a tea house
Landmarks Bishkek 
- Day 2
Bishkek to Karakol
This is a long driving day, roughly 5 to 6 hours through striking mountain landscapes with Issyk-Kol Lake coming into view. You'll stop to climb Burana Tower, a 9th-century minaret, and check out its museum plus the old stone Balbals figures on the ground. Lunch happens in Cholpon-Ata, then you'll continue on to Karakol, which sits surrounded by apple orchards and snow-capped peaks. If you're interested, there's an optional evening visit to a unique wooden mosque. You'll also meet the hiking guides who'll be with you for the next six days.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Cholpon-Ata), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Burana Tower
- Climb Burana Tower
- Visit Burana Tower museum
- View open-air Balbals (stone figures)
Optional Activities
- Visit wooden mosque in Karakol
Landmarks Burana Tower Issyk-Kol Lake Karakol 
- Day 3
Karakol to Jurgalan River Campsite
After a 2-hour drive from Karakol to a traditional Kyrgyz village, your first hike begins. You're looking at 9.2km with 600m elevation gain over 4 to 5 hours, heading up to a campsite next to the Jurgalan River. This first trek marks your move into the real Tian Shan mountains and away from regular tourist routes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- First day hike to Jurgalan River campsite (9.2km, 600m ascent, 4-5 hours)
Landmarks Jurgalan River 
- Day 4
Jurgalan Pass to Tyrgon Valley
Following breakfast at camp, you'll head up toward the 3500m Jurgalan Pass and down into Tyrgon Valley. The hike covers 13.8km with 630m ascent spread across 5 to 7 hours, and here's where you can try horse riding if you want to. Whether you're just starting out on horseback or you ride regularly, the horses are trained well, so beginners fit right in while experienced riders can push faster. You'll see mountains with snow on their peaks and shepherds living in yurts across the grasslands.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Camp breakfast), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike/ride to Jurgalan Pass and Tyrgon Valley (13.8km, 630m ascent, 5-7 hours)
Optional Activities
- Horse riding through Tyrgon Valley
Landmarks Jurgalan Pass Tyrgon Valley Tyrgon River - Day 5
Tyrgon Valley to Tyrgon Pass
You're deep in the mountain wilderness now, trekking 5 to 7 hours (10km with 700m ascent) to reach Tyrgon Pass at 3500m. Your team includes guides, horsemen, and pack animals, making this completely self-sufficient operation. When night falls, you get to see stars spread across the sky with zero light pollution.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Tyrgon Pass (10km, 700m ascent, 5-7 hours)
Landmarks Tyrgon Pass - Day 6
Bosuchuk Pass to Ailanysh Pass
Starting from Bosuchuk Pass at 3400m, completely new mountain views open up across the entire Tian Shan range. You'll trek down to Ailanysh Pass over 8km with 530m ascent in about 5 to 7 hours, then set up camp in a sheltered spot. This is where the nomadic lifestyle really sinks in and you fully disconnect from everything.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Bosuchuk Pass to Ailanysh Pass (8km, 530m ascent, 5-7 hours)
Landmarks Bosuchuk Pass Ailanysh Pass - Day 7
Ailanysh Pass to Ortok Pass
Hiking runs 6 to 7 hours today (13km with roughly 500m ascent) through remote terrain. You'll stop at a nice freshwater lake for lunch with water available to drink and refill your supplies. After that, you keep climbing to cross Ailanysh Pass at 3671m where the views just keep expanding, then drop down to Ortok Pass for your camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at remote freshwater lake), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to remote freshwater lake and Ailanysh Pass to Ortok Pass (13km, approximately 500m ascent, 6-7 hours)
Landmarks Ailanysh Pass Ortok Pass - Day 8
Ortok Pass to Altyn-Arashan Valley
You'll cross your final pass at Ortok (3609m) with glacier views all around, then descend into Altyn-Arashan Valley, also called Golden Spring. After 6 to 7 hours of hiking (14km with 840m ascent), you'll stay in a traditional nomad's yurt and soak in natural hot springs. The evening brings beer and time to sit with the mountain community and reflect on what you've done.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike crossing Ortok Pass (3609m) to Altyn-Arashan Valley (14km, 840m ascent, 6-7 hours)
- Bathe in natural hot springs
Optional Activities
- Purchase beer to celebrate journey
Landmarks Ortok Pass Altyn-Arashan Valley - Day 9
Altyn-Arashan Valley to Issyk-Kul Lake
Ex-Soviet 4x4 vehicles collect you from the valley and drive through rough mountain tracks next to a loud mountain river. You'll stop back in Karakol to pick up any gear you left behind, then continue north to Issyk-Kul's shore. This massive 113-mile long saline lake sits surrounded by snow-capped mountains and somehow never freezes, with turquoise water stretching across the landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Landmarks Issyk-Kol Lake 
- Day 10
Bishkek
You've got the morning to rest and recover, with various events happening around the city if you want to check them out. By evening, you'll head to the World Nomad Games Opening Ceremony, which is quite the show with performances and celebrations.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- World Nomad Games Opening Ceremony and show
Optional Activities
- Explore various events around the city
- Day 11
World Nomad Games
You'll drive north to Issyk-Kul's shore and explore the temporary 'yurt city' built up for the games. Contestants and spectators from across Central Asia and beyond are camped out here. You can visit the stadium and experience cultural events celebrating traditions, music, and artistry throughout the day. After that, you'll check in at your hotel for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit yurt city for World Nomad Games
- Explore World Nomad Games cultural events
Landmarks Issyk-Kol Lake 
- Day 12
World Nomad Games
This is a full day at World Nomad Games. You'll watch traditional sports like horse racing, Kok-Boru (which is Central Asian polo), wrestling, archery, and falconry. Music performances and cultural exhibitions happen all day, so there's plenty to see and do.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Attend World Nomad Games - Horse racing
- Attend World Nomad Games - Kok-Boru (polo)
- Attend World Nomad Games - Wrestling
- Attend World Nomad Games - Archery
- Attend World Nomad Games - Falconry
- Attend World Nomad Games - Music and cultural exhibitions
- Day 13
Cholpon-Ata to Bishkek
Your final morning at World Nomad Games happens before you drive back to Bishkek. Later that day, the group gets together for a final dinner in the city, celebrating everything you've experienced and the adventure coming to an end.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Final group dinner in Bishkek)
Included Activities
- Final group dinner in Bishkek
- Day 14
Bishkek Departure
Time to head back home and return to regular life. You're leaving behind the mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan but taking unforgettable memories from the whole adventure with you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
