Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan Nature Tour

This morning, we will drive for 3.5 hours to Basshi Village. After hotel check-in and lunch, follow your driver guide to explore Altyn Emel National Park, the largest nature reserve in Kazakhstan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The unique semi-desert climate and landscapes spanning steppes, Gobi, and deserts make this area a habitat for dozens of rare animals.

Follow the rugged roads and dash to the Singing Dune deep in the park. The dunes are not very big, but it is a pleasant surprise to suddenly see a dune surrounded by mountains. In dry and windy weather, when the wind blows over the dune, the friction of the sand grains resonates and emits a low humming sound, like singing. You can climb the dunes with your shoes off to overlook the Ili River and rolling ridges in the distance. If you are worried that the sand is too hot to step on with bare feet, please wear light shoes that are easy to shake off sand. The driver will escort you to return to the hotel before dark. 

► What to Prepare for Touring in a Semi-desert Area
Since it’s broiling from May to August and dusty in the desert, please wear comfortable, loose, light-colored clothes that do not quickly get dirty, wide-brimmed hats, and other accessories suitable for sunny, sizzling, and windy weather. For sun and insect protection, wear long clothes and long pants. Also, wear sun-proof and windproof headwear and sunglasses. Wear light shoes with a good grip for long hikes. Instead of overwhelming luggage, you should bring a small carry-on bag containing sunscreen, insect spray, wet wipes, garbage plastic bags, and drinking water.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Basshi Hotel

Today, we will continue exploring Altyn Emel National Park and spend three hours hiking around the Aktau Mountain, which was once the bottom of the ancient sea in the Ili Basin. However, time brought significant changes: the ocean disappeared, and steep canyons formed, becoming the unique landscape in the park. Nowadays, well-preserved ancient animal remains from 25 to 30 million years ago can still be found in its lake sediment layers. 

Then, return to the Basshi Village for lunch. Prepare your palate for the unforgettable flavor of Kazakh food. Beshbarmak, Kazakhstan’s national dish, is worth to try. Its daintiness comes from five necessary ingredients: sliced horsemeat, mutton or beef, noodles cut into square or round pieces, flavorful broth, onions and garlic sauce, and salted cottage cheese. 

After a short break, let’s keep driving for 2.5 hours to our well-selected resort in Chunja Hot Springs. Enjoy dinner and have a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Kara Dala Hot Springs Resort or similar

After breakfast, a 1.5-hour drive will lead you to Charyn Canyon National Park. The Charyn Canyon is a 154-kilometer-long (96-mile) canyon of sedimentary rocks formed by geological processes, stretching along the Charyn River like a narrow crack in the heart of the Kazakh steppe. For over 12 million years, wind, water, and sand have colored Charyn Canyon’s sandstone into a wonderful hue from dark orange to light brown and sculpted into various shapes.

We will have an in-depth hike around its most renowned Valley of Castles, home to the famous “Gate of the Sky”- a magnificent natural arch formed by massive rock columns. From a vantage point, you can overlook the superb view of the entire canyon until the golden sunset bathes the gorgeous peaks.

After sightseeing, continue driving for 1.5 hours to Saty Village at the foot of Heavenly Mountains, surrounded by green meadows and pine forests. With many bungalows and cabins coming into view, you can see many traditional Russian tractors and farm tools in their yards and horses as the primary means of transportation. As the only transit point on the way to Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake, Saty Village is well-equipped with comfortable guest houses. Staying here and enjoying the homemade meals of hospitable locals will let you genuinely integrate into Kazakhstan at this moment.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

After breakfast, set off from Saty Village and head directly to the Kolsai Lakes. All three Kolsai Lakes, at different altitudes, are formed by meltwater from snow-capped mountains, famous for crystal clear waters and surrounding pristine forests. We will drive to Lower Kolsai Lake, and hike along the shore to breathe the fresh mountain air and enjoy eyeful scenery.
► For your information:
1. Kolsai Lakes are only a dozen kilometers from the Kyrgyz border, so you should always carry your passport in case of border inspection.
2. If you want to venture to the Middle Kolsai Lake, we can arrange a one-day mountain hike for you. The arduous trekking path is nearly 4 km (5 miles), taking about three hours in one way, which may be physically challenging. Horseback riding is available at your own expense between the two lakes, but only from April to October, with a two-way fee of $30-40 per person.

Leaving the Lower Kolsai Lake, let’s head to the last attraction in Kazakhstan, Kaindy Lake, a quake lake formed from the melted water of landslide glaciers. Look at the azure blue lake that seems isolated from the world, and its water is clear without a ripple as if unreal, like a giant crystal that has traveled from another time and space. However, the water is less eye-catching than the underwater forest of submerged spruce tree trunks, which will take your breath away at first sight. Going downhill, the driver will transfer you back to the hotel in Saty Village. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

In the morning, the driver guide will escort you to the Kyrgyzstan border. Since we won’t go to border control areas in Kyrgyzstan, additional permits are unnecessary, and you can cross the border with your Kyrgyz guide and driver, who will already be waiting for you. Then, they will transfer you to the hotel in Karakol.

► Why do Central Asian Countries Have the Suffix “Stan”?
In ancient Persian, “-stan” is the root suffix of a place name used to indicate a large area. Later, it evolved to refer to a place where a particular ethnic group lives and has been used until today. Hundreds of tribes once lived and developed in Central Asia, intersecting ancient Chinese, Persian, and Indian civilizations. It was not until the 16th and 17th centuries that the main ethnic groups of the five countries in Central Asia now were formed. They are all mixed blood of Indians, Europeans, and yellow race, differentiated by the proportion of mixed blood. The Kazakhs are mainly Turkic and supplemented by Mongolians, while the Kyrgyz are partly of Chinese descent.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: My Hotel Karakol (3 stars) or similar

Kyrgyzstan’s animal husbandry has developed over a long history, thanks to its more than 9 million hectares of pastures, naturally mowed grasslands, and sufficient sunshine, which is especially evident in Karakol Animal Market. So, if today is Sunday, we will visit the market early this morning. Next, come to the Nikolai Przhevalsky Museum, which showcases how the Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839 - 1888) lived and traveled at that time, valuable for anyone who wants to explore the earth and expand their mind.

The guide will then show you around two distinctive religious architectures. First, admire the serene wooden Russian Orthodox Church framed by trees, with green-roofed towers crowned by five golden onion-shaped domes. It was initially a stone church but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1890 and replaced by a new wooden one on the same foundation five years later. Continue to Dungan Mosque, a colorful mosque resembling a Mongolian Buddhist temple. Fortunately, it survived the Bolshevik era when the city’s other eight mosques were demolished, so you can see its upturned triangular roof, richly carved eaves, and wooden exterior columns from 1910.

After we finish the urban visits, the guide and the driver will take you out of the city to Karakol Nature Park, located in the northeastern Terskey Alatau Mountains, with over 50% of the area being mountainous and forested. We will hike to the Karakol Valley and the beautiful alpine lake Ala Kul, dotted with many clear streams and emerald alpine meadows. Also, explore the Tuectinsky and Bashadar complexes of mounds - ancient shelters with many petroglyphs. Along with the fascinating scenery, have a picnic lunch and enjoy yourself fully here, and the guide and driver will finally escort you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: My Hotel Karakol (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will drive to Jeti-Oguz Gorge, where you can appreciate towering peaks and red rocks carved into strange shapes by rivers, represented by the majestic Seven Bulls Rocks and Broken Heart Rock. Standing atop the canyon and overlooking the pine forests, rock walls, and pastures, you will marvel at the magic and greatness of nature.

Then, make it to Tamga in a 1.5-hour drive along the south shore of the famous Issyk-Kul Lake, which means “warm lake” in Kyrgyz, since it does not freeze in winter due to the high salinity. The endless blue lake is also regarded as a “sea” in Kyrgyzstan, the inland country farthest from the sea. However, the most curious is whether Issyk-Kul Lake houses Genghis Khan’s coffin. The legend goes that this place belonged to Genghis Khan’s second son, Chagatai, at that time; therefore, after Genghis Khan died, Chagatai sank his body and many jewels in a sarcophagus into the lake. In the 1990s, archaeologists salvaged some daily necessities and ancient coins from Genghis Khan’s era from the lake, making the legend more real and Issyk-Kul Lake more mysterious.

The yurt camp we are staying in is on Issyk-Kul Lake’s southern shore, famed for its untouched nature without tall buildings or hotels. The villagers retain local customs and traditions like hand-weaving carpets and yurt decorations, making wooden units for yurts, training falcons for hunting, and organizing various local festivals in summer. You will thoroughly shake off the hustle and bustle of the city and briefly indulge in a nomadic, simple life.

After check-in, move to our last spot today, Skazka Canyon, aka Canyon Fairy Tale. Its geological landforms, including colorful beds characterized by cliffs, earth forests, and stone forests, against the backdrop of the bright blue of Issyk-Kul Lake afar, give you the illusion of standing on Mars. Despite a cute name, hiking in the canyon needs your full attention: please follow your guide to take the regular route, away from the unstable sections to avoid landslides, and bring sunscreen and enough water to cope with the heat. Before dark, you’ll be escorted back to the lodge for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Nomad Lodge Tamga

After breakfast, we will drive one hour to Bokonbayevo, the center of Tong District and south of Issyk-Kul Lake. As the local saying goes, “Tong’s soil is made of gold.” It’s not hard to imagine the incredible natural and cultural heritage here. Despite a large number of Russian immigrants, the Kyrgyz people here still retain their traditions: Kyrgyz women mostly wear long dresses, black vests or white shirts with small vertical collars, headscarves, and accessories, while men wear high-topped square hats, mostly made of leather or felt, with a rolled brim and earmuffs, and their tops are mostly round-necked, embroidered with lace, with belts and knives around the waist. 

Follow the guide to explore the local bazaar, full of local specialties and bustling life scenes, among which you’ll be sure to notice the locals’ favorite staple, naan, often paired with beef and mutton, as well as vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.

Widely known for Kyrgyzstan’s iconic eagle hunting, Bokonbayevo holds the annual Falconry Festival every August and daily falconry shows, during which you can see how to raise and command golden eagles to hunt rabbits or dummies. You must be wondering: how do they tame a bird of prey? This is where the long-standing eagle training of nomads comes into play. After tying an adult eagle’s wings, hunters constantly stimulate it through various means such as sound, light, and shaking so that it finally surrenders after several days of sleeplessness. Then, hunters train commands and enhance the eagle’s flying skills, making it a partner in hunting and preventing wolves. Although the ethics of the training process are controversial in the modern context, eagle training has become a cultural symbol and even a belief for traditional hunters.

After leaving Bokonbayevo and driving for two hours to Kochkor, we will take a lunch break there. Then, drive three hours to Song-Kul Lake, where you will stay in a yurt camp tonight.

★ A Unique Yurt Accommodation Experience
Living in a yurt, especially the best yurts in the country now, on a hillside, grassland, or lakeside will instantly make you feel like a member of the nomadic people. The mats and quilts in the yurt are very thick; you can also bring your sleeping bag. Walk out of the yurt at night; the starry sky is above your head.
* Note: Boiling water in the mountains is inconvenient, so hot water is too minimal to take a bath.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Nomad’s Dream Yurt Camp or similar

Today, we will spend a whole day exploring Song-Kul Lake. Its nearly 20-kilometer-wide water surface sinks into rolling hills in the distance, surrounded by lush summer pastures. Like in a vast meteorological theater, you can enjoy a daily spectacle of ever-changing clouds. From the sunrise to the starry sky, every moment here is breathtaking, evident in the water that changes from tropical turquoise to rich indigo in seconds, as if by magic, when the sun shines or a storm roars.

Beyond appreciating the lake, we will also adventure into the nearby foothills of snowy mountains and grasslands, during which you can hike or ride a horseback at your own expense.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Nomad’s Dream Yurt Camp or similar

After a 3-hour drive this morning, we will arrive in Kochkor to visit the local felt factory Altyn-Kol, a non-governmental handicraft cooperative that earns income for unemployed women and promotes Kyrgyzstan’s traditional culture through producing and selling Shyrdak, a colorful hand-sewn felt commonly used as a carpet or wall tapestry in Central Asia. Kyrgyz women once survived economic difficulties by making Shyrdak and later established Altyn-Kol. Each Shyrdak produced here is individually designed and made with native Kyrgyz patterns, symbols, colors, and sewing techniques. Women work together to assume their social and economic roles. A visit to Altyn-Kol will give you a profound memory of Kyrgyzstan.

After a short visit to the local bazaar and lunch, we will drive another three hours to Burana Tower en route to Bishkek. The 24-meter-high (80 feet) tower is the remnant of an enormous minaret built in the 11th century. However, the part you see now is traced back to the Soviet revival in the 1950s. Climbing to the top, you can overlook the ruins of the Balasagun site, an ancient Sogdian city, and some stone carvings left by the Turks. Finish all visits and drive 1.5 hours to our well-selected hotel in Bishkek.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Orion Hotel Bishkek (5 stars) or similar

Unconsciously, it comes on the last day of our 12-day Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan tour. The Kyrgyzstan guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive you to Bishkek Airport. Wish you a happy journey!

During this trip, you have fully appreciated the natural scenery of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, including snow-capped mountains, grasslands, forests, lakes, and canyons. If you want to experience the cultural customs of Central Asia in cities such as Almaty and Astana or other countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, please feel free to contact us to customize an extended itinerary!

► What to Do in Your Free Time in Bishkek
It takes 40 minutes to drive from the hotel to the airport, so if you are not in a hurry for the flight, you can visit the Central Mosque on your own, less than a 20-minute eastward walk away from your hotel. Standing for the friendship between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, it is the largest mosque in Kyrgyzstan, with a design deeply rooted in the classic Ottoman architectural style. At first glance, you will be shocked by its vast scale and towering minarets; the interior is equally charming, with amazingly intricate details on the dome and elegant chandeliers, creating a peaceful atmosphere for hundreds of thousands of believers to pray.

Meals: Breakfast