Individual journey through Kyrgyzstan

Written by

Explore Kyrgyzstan by yourself

If you like to explore on your own rather than in a guided group, we now have just the thing for you: an individual trip, no guide, through Kyrgyzstan. We design the trip in consultation with you so that it is fully geared towards your wishes. At the bottom of this page you find an example of what a tour could look like.

Mountains, lakes, nomads

Kyrgyzstan is for lovers of the outdoors. As 90% of the country is higher than 1500 meters, it is especially attractive for people who love mountains. The Kyrgyz mountains are pure, unspoilt, offering fresh air and stunning views. They are peopled by nomads who welcome you to their yurts. Old traditions have been preserved. Different religious and political influences over the centuries have resulted in a culture and atmosphere that can only be described as mystical.

Virtual tour guide

You will get a unique virtual tour guide in the form of a roadbook in our Roadbook for Discovery app. The roadbook contains:

  • A detailed map showing your itinerary.
  • Point-to-point instructions to help you navigate.
  • All the places you will stay overnight and restaurants.
  • All events that you have booked.
  • Places of interest with lots of information.
  • Beauty spots where we suggest you stop.
  • Great places for a picnic.
  • Everything else that you need for a successful holiday.

Practical information

Each journey will be designed for you according to your wishes. Prices start from €1.250 per person for a nine-day trip (see example below – the final price depends on the options and level of accommodations you take). Basic elements always included in the price are:

  • Rental car for entire period of your stay.
    The standard car we offer is a Toyota 4Runner with automatic gearbox and automatic climate control.  Two drivers are allowed; the car is fully insured. Upgrades are possible.
  • Map of the country, with your itinerary and written instructions on how to get to your accommodations and other appointments.
  • Oral instructions by our local representative at the start of your trip.
  • 24/7 support from our local agent .
  • All accommodations during your trip, such as hotels, home stays, guesthouses and yurts.
    We offer a range from basic to luxurious, all clean, friendly and characteristic of Kyrgyzstan. You determine what level of accommodation you would like.
  • All breakfasts included.
  • Transfers from and to your airport.

You can extend what is included, for instance by adding meals, activities (think of eagle demonstration and horse riding), a guide in Bishkek and on other parts of your journey.

Your flights are always excluded from the price.

The best time of the year to visit Kyrgyzstan is from the end of May until the beginning of October. July and especially August are the busiest months.

We don’t put a minimum or maximum length on this journey. However, in order to enjoy a relaxed trip, we recommend at least nine days.

Interested?

If you’d like to go on a trip like this, please contact us by sending an email to info@4x4discoverytravel.com.

This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).

Gallery

Example programme of a 9-day tour

The tenth day doesn’t count as a tour day, as you will only be transferred to the airport.

Day 1: Bishkek

We will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel where you can refresh yourself. When you’re ready, you can do a short Bishkek tour with or without a guide to get acquainted with the city or just have a rest. Bishkek is a textbook example of Soviet city planning, with wide, straight roads and somewhat oversized buildings.

Overnight stay: hotel

Day 2: Bishkek – Son Kul

After breakfast you head for the one but largest lake in Kyrgyzstan: Son Kul. Surrounded by mountains at 3013 meters, this is the highest altitude lake of Kyrgyzstan. For centuries nomads have come here to rest and use the pastures for their cattle. You will see herds of sheep, goats, yaks, horses and the odd cow. You can have lunch here and have the entire afternoon to explore this wonderful area. Have a walk along the shores of the lake or go into the mountains.

Overnight stay in a yurt.

Day 3: Around Son Kul

This day is entirely yours. You can take a tour round the lake to meet nomads, discovering their way of life, traditions and culture. You can take a walk in the mountains. Or you drive across the 32 Parrots Pass , where at its bottom you can stop by a river and walk to a nice waterfall. Great place for a picnic.

Overnight stay in a yurt.

Day 4: Son Kul – Tash Rabat

You move on. Today takes you to the Tash Rabat Karavanserai on the Silk Road. This is a stone, castle-like construction dating back to the 14th century of which nobody really knows its purpose. It is unique. Tash Rabat lies at an altitude of 3200 meters in the middle of the Tian Shan mountain range. It hides a total of 31 chambers; its walls are a meter thick. A subterranean room was possible used as a prison. You will cross the 3000-meter-high Moldo Ashu pass, again of wondrous beauty.

Overnight stay in a yurt near Tash Rabat.

Day 5: Tash Rabat – Naryn

In Tash Rabat you can have an interesting hike or ride on horseback in the morning. Horse riding is a fantastic way to move through the mountains, just as the locals do. After lunch you drive through the mountains to Naryn, a town in the middle of a valley.

Overnight stay: guesthouse.

Day 6: Naryn – Kochkor – Tamga

Again a beautiful trip through the mountains. In the afternoon you arrive at Lake Issyk Kul, “the pearl of Central Asia”. It is a vast, somewhat saline lake at an altitude of 1608 meters. In spite of this and winter temperatures as low as -25° centigrade, it never freezes over. This is probably due to earth warmth and its slight saline water, but this phenomenon hasn’t been fully explained yet. Before dinner you can have a walk to the lake.

Overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Day 7: Tamga – Karakol

Today you go through the Jeti Oguz Valley. Jeti Oguz is famous for its red rock formations, called The Seven Bulls. You also pass the Mountains of the Broken Heart. Have a walk here. Drive on to Karakol, a pleasant town, where you can visit the Dungan mosque, built in Chinese style, completely in wood without using any nails. You can also visit an old wooden Orthodox church.

Overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Day 8: Karakol – Cholpon Ata

Drive along Lake Issyk Kul and come through the Semenovskoye and Grigorievskoye Valleys. These valleys twee valleys meet at the end. You drive in through one and out the other. You will see many yurts, can have a picnic in nature, enjoy the peace and quiet.

Overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 9: Issyk Kul Lake – Bishkek

You are back in the inhabited world and head for Bishkek. Visit a vast plain full of rocks and stones, many of which showing drawing going back to 800 BC. Make a detour to see the Burana Tower, a minaret from the 11th century. In the days of the Silk Toad it indicated there was town here. This has now completely disappeared. Next to the tower there is a field with so-called Balbans (stone warriors).

Back in Bishkek you can have a guided tour through the city if you wish, to get to know the town better than on your day of arrival. Visit Pobeda Square, Duboviy Park, Ala-Too Square, the building of the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Make sure to visit the fascinating bazar.

Overnight stay: hotel.

Dag 10: Transfer to airport

We will take care of your transfer to the airport.

Individual journey through Kyrgyzstan

Written by

Explore Kyrgyzstan by yourself

If you like to explore on your own rather than in a guided group, we now have just the thing for you: an individual trip, no guide, through Kyrgyzstan. We design the trip in consultation with you so that it is fully geared towards your wishes. At the bottom of this page you find an example of what a tour could look like.

Mountains, lakes, nomads

Kyrgyzstan is for lovers of the outdoors. As 90% of the country is higher than 1500 meters, it is especially attractive for people who love mountains. The Kyrgyz mountains are pure, unspoilt, offering fresh air and stunning views. They are peopled by nomads who welcome you to their yurts. Old traditions have been preserved. Different religious and political influences over the centuries have resulted in a culture and atmosphere that can only be described as mystical.

Virtual tour guide

You will get a unique virtual tour guide in the form of a roadbook in our Roadbook for Discovery app. The roadbook contains:

  • A detailed map showing your itinerary.
  • Point-to-point instructions to help you navigate.
  • All the places you will stay overnight and restaurants.
  • All events that you have booked.
  • Places of interest with lots of information.
  • Beauty spots where we suggest you stop.
  • Great places for a picnic.
  • Everything else that you need for a successful holiday.

Practical information

Each journey will be designed for you according to your wishes. Prices start from €1.250 per person for a nine-day trip (see example below – the final price depends on the options and level of accommodations you take). Basic elements always included in the price are:

  • Rental car for entire period of your stay.
    The standard car we offer is a Toyota 4Runner with automatic gearbox and automatic climate control.  Two drivers are allowed; the car is fully insured. Upgrades are possible.
  • Map of the country, with your itinerary and written instructions on how to get to your accommodations and other appointments.
  • Oral instructions by our local representative at the start of your trip.
  • 24/7 support from our local agent .
  • All accommodations during your trip, such as hotels, home stays, guesthouses and yurts.
    We offer a range from basic to luxurious, all clean, friendly and characteristic of Kyrgyzstan. You determine what level of accommodation you would like.
  • All breakfasts included.
  • Transfers from and to your airport.

You can extend what is included, for instance by adding meals, activities (think of eagle demonstration and horse riding), a guide in Bishkek and on other parts of your journey.

Your flights are always excluded from the price.

The best time of the year to visit Kyrgyzstan is from the end of May until the beginning of October. July and especially August are the busiest months.

We don’t put a minimum or maximum length on this journey. However, in order to enjoy a relaxed trip, we recommend at least nine days.

Interested?

If you’d like to go on a trip like this, please contact us by sending an email to info@4x4discoverytravel.com.

This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).

Gallery

Example programme of a 9-day tour

The tenth day doesn’t count as a tour day, as you will only be transferred to the airport.

Day 1: Bishkek

We will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel where you can refresh yourself. When you’re ready, you can do a short Bishkek tour with or without a guide to get acquainted with the city or just have a rest. Bishkek is a textbook example of Soviet city planning, with wide, straight roads and somewhat oversized buildings.

Overnight stay: hotel

Day 2: Bishkek – Son Kul

After breakfast you head for the one but largest lake in Kyrgyzstan: Son Kul. Surrounded by mountains at 3013 meters, this is the highest altitude lake of Kyrgyzstan. For centuries nomads have come here to rest and use the pastures for their cattle. You will see herds of sheep, goats, yaks, horses and the odd cow. You can have lunch here and have the entire afternoon to explore this wonderful area. Have a walk along the shores of the lake or go into the mountains.

Overnight stay in a yurt.

Day 3: Around Son Kul

This day is entirely yours. You can take a tour round the lake to meet nomads, discovering their way of life, traditions and culture. You can take a walk in the mountains. Or you drive across the 32 Parrots Pass , where at its bottom you can stop by a river and walk to a nice waterfall. Great place for a picnic.

Overnight stay in a yurt.

Day 4: Son Kul – Tash Rabat

You move on. Today takes you to the Tash Rabat Karavanserai on the Silk Road. This is a stone, castle-like construction dating back to the 14th century of which nobody really knows its purpose. It is unique. Tash Rabat lies at an altitude of 3200 meters in the middle of the Tian Shan mountain range. It hides a total of 31 chambers; its walls are a meter thick. A subterranean room was possible used as a prison. You will cross the 3000-meter-high Moldo Ashu pass, again of wondrous beauty.

Overnight stay in a yurt near Tash Rabat.

Day 5: Tash Rabat – Naryn

In Tash Rabat you can have an interesting hike or ride on horseback in the morning. Horse riding is a fantastic way to move through the mountains, just as the locals do. After lunch you drive through the mountains to Naryn, a town in the middle of a valley.

Overnight stay: guesthouse.

Day 6: Naryn – Kochkor – Tamga

Again a beautiful trip through the mountains. In the afternoon you arrive at Lake Issyk Kul, “the pearl of Central Asia”. It is a vast, somewhat saline lake at an altitude of 1608 meters. In spite of this and winter temperatures as low as -25° centigrade, it never freezes over. This is probably due to earth warmth and its slight saline water, but this phenomenon hasn’t been fully explained yet. Before dinner you can have a walk to the lake.

Overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Day 7: Tamga – Karakol

Today you go through the Jeti Oguz Valley. Jeti Oguz is famous for its red rock formations, called The Seven Bulls. You also pass the Mountains of the Broken Heart. Have a walk here. Drive on to Karakol, a pleasant town, where you can visit the Dungan mosque, built in Chinese style, completely in wood without using any nails. You can also visit an old wooden Orthodox church.

Overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Day 8: Karakol – Cholpon Ata

Drive along Lake Issyk Kul and come through the Semenovskoye and Grigorievskoye Valleys. These valleys twee valleys meet at the end. You drive in through one and out the other. You will see many yurts, can have a picnic in nature, enjoy the peace and quiet.

Overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 9: Issyk Kul Lake – Bishkek

You are back in the inhabited world and head for Bishkek. Visit a vast plain full of rocks and stones, many of which showing drawing going back to 800 BC. Make a detour to see the Burana Tower, a minaret from the 11th century. In the days of the Silk Toad it indicated there was town here. This has now completely disappeared. Next to the tower there is a field with so-called Balbans (stone warriors).

Back in Bishkek you can have a guided tour through the city if you wish, to get to know the town better than on your day of arrival. Visit Pobeda Square, Duboviy Park, Ala-Too Square, the building of the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Make sure to visit the fascinating bazar.

Overnight stay: hotel.

Dag 10: Transfer to airport

We will take care of your transfer to the airport.

13 days fascinating Kyrgyzstan in September

Written by

Kyrgyzstan: mountains, lakes and friendly people

Kyrgyzstan is for lovers of the outdoors. As 90% of the country is higher than 1500 meters, it is especially attractive for people who love mountains. The Kyrgyz mountains are pure, unspoilt, offering fresh air and stunning views. They are peopled by nomads who welcome you to their yurts. Old traditions have been preserved. Different religious and political influences over the centuries have resulted in a culture and atmosphere that can only be described as mystical. Read in-depth in Bradt’s travel guide on Kyrgyzstan.

From Bishkek into the mountains

You land in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, a textbook example of Soviet urban planning, where you will stay in a comfortable 4-star hotel. On the day of your arrival we will do a brief tour of the city to give you your first taste of Kyrgyzstan.

Into the mountains

The next day, after a good night’s sleep and an excellent breakfast, you will get the keys for your 4×4. You’re here for Kyrgyzstan’s nature, so we leave soon heading West to the Toktogul water reservoir on an amazing road over the Tue Ashuu pass at an altitude of 3000 meters. We literally start on a high. Over the following days you will have the chance to dip your toe in lake Son Kul, altitude 3013 meters, drive along the Silk Road, altitude 3200 meters, and, to top it all, drive over the Tosor pass at 3950 meters.

Where there are mountains, there are gorges. You will see them from above and drive through them, at one time seemingly even through two simultaneously. This is where Semenovskoye and Grigorievskoye gorges meet: you drive into the one and out of the other.

Tash Rabat Caravanserai

In the heart of the Tian Shan mountains the Tash Rabat Caravanserai has been built into a mountainside, one of the most interesting sites in Central Asia. It contradicts the idea that Kyrgyzstan has only mountains and lakes to offer. It’s a 15th century stone building with 31 rooms where travellers and merchants could shelter on one of the roughest sections of the Silk Road. Its location is far away from anything resembling civilisation, both then and now. It’s probably the most authentic feeling you can get of the Silk Road.

Horse riding and eagle hunting

Kyrgyzstan has a great horse riding tradition. To see the country from the back of a horse is a special experience. We offer you the opportunity to do it yourself for a whole morning, feel like a nomad, meet the locals and be one with your surroundings.

The tradition of hunting with eagles goes back to the 12th century when the Mongols invaded the area. The art is slowly becoming extinct as fewer young people are willing to be trained, traditionally by their father, to become a skilled hunter. The need to hunt with an eagle to feed a community is not so great anymore either. Tourism is now the most important factor to maintain the tradition.

Practical information

One of the best ways to discover Kyrgyzstan, get to know its people and their way of life is by spending the evening and nights in homestays, guesthouses and yurts. We will be in a homestay once, twice in a yurt and three times in a guest house, which leaves two times in a hotel (four-star).

This is roughly the itinerary that you will follow:

Prices are per person on the basis of two people sharing a room and one comfortable 4×4 car. Included in the price are:

  • Transfers to and from airport
  • Minibus in Bishkek
  • All accommodations
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Fine dining in Bishkek on last night
  • Rent of your 4×4 car
  • Fuel
  • Entrances to all museums
  • Eagle show
  • Mineral water during the journey
  • English speaking local guide
  • English speaking tour leader
  • Support car with driver

Excluded are:

  • Your flight to and from Kyrgyzstan
  • Horse riding
  • Any other shows you may wish to attend
  • Personal expenses
  • Alcoholic drinks

Your car is a Toyota 4Runner or similar. Upgrade to a luxury car, Lexus 470 or similar, is possible at an additional cost.

You must arrange for your own travel and cancellation insurance. No visa are required for visitors from the EU.

You will get a comprehensive information package well in advance of your departure.

Trip information

The dates for this trip are as follows:

  • 1 September: your first day of the journey
    We organise a tour of Bishkek in the afternoon. In order for you to start when you’re rested, we recommend you arrive in Bishkek a day early, on the 31st of August. This overnight stay is not included in the price, but we’re happy to arrange this for you.
  • 13 Septmber, departure from Bishkek in the afternoon.
    We visit the bazar in the morning and assume you fly in the afternoon. If this is not possible for you, you either miss the bazar or you can fly a day later. We will gladly arrange your additional overnight stay.

The minimum number of cars for this journey is three, based on two persons per car. A maximum of four people per car is possible. We will charge €1350 for each additional person.

The maximum number of cars is seven.

Click on the link below for a day-to-day description of the journey. We regularly make some changes to the programme. The trip may therefore deviate form the example below at some points.

13 days Kyrgyzstan

More information or booking

If you want to know more about this journey, you can always contact us. You can book this journey via our booking form.

This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).