Tour type: Active, horse riding tourism, adventure, immersion in nomadic culture, for horseback riding enthusiasts
Best time to travel: July – August. Summer is the ideal time for horse riding tours in Kyrgyzstan, when mountain pastures are covered with greenery and flowers, the weather is stable and warm, and passes are open. July and August are the warmest months, suitable for high-altitude routes.
Important: This tour requires a good level of physical fitness and horseback riding experience. Routes can be quite long and pass through mountainous terrain.
Morning:
Arrival at Manas International Airport , Bishkek. Meet your guide after passing through passport control and baggage claim.
Transfer from the airport to the Bishkek surroundings or the Chui Valley (the starting point of the horse riding route, depending on the specific tour route). The transfer can take 1-2 hours.
Accommodation in a guesthouse or yurt camp in the area where the horse riding route begins. Accommodation can be simple but comfortable, considering the specifics of a horse riding tour.
Day:
Meeting with the team of horsemen and instructors: Selection of horses suitable for the level of training and physique of the participants. Safety briefing on horseback riding techniques, horse control, rules of conduct on the route. Familiarization with the tour itinerary.
Trial horseback ride: A short warm-up horseback ride to adapt to the horses and terrain. Checking the horseback riding skills of the participants, adjusting posture and control if necessary. The ride can take place in the vicinity of the accommodation, in fields or foothills.
Picnic lunch in nature: Lunch will be organized outdoors, possibly in a scenic location during a trial ride. Lunch boxes with light snacks and drinks.
Evening:
Return to the accommodation.
Dinner at a guesthouse or yurt camp. Dinner can be prepared from local products, traditional cuisine.
Evening of introductions and discussion of the itinerary for the following days: Communication with the guide and other group members. Discussion of the details of the route, features of the area, overnight conditions in the following days. Rest and preparation for a full-fledged horse riding trip.
Morning:
Early breakfast at the accommodation.
Start of a horse riding trip deeper into the mountains. The route for the second day is a full-fledged trek into the mountains. The specific route depends on the chosen tour, but it is usually in the direction of the Tian Shan mountains or other picturesque mountain ranges of Kyrgyzstan.
Day:
Horseback crossing through mountain valleys and foothills: The route passes through picturesque valleys, foothills, possibly through mountain rivers ford (depending on the route and water level). Enjoying mountain landscapes, alpine nature, fresh air. Opportunity to see grazing herds of livestock, nomads in summer pastures (jailoo).
Picnic lunch in the mountains: Lunch will be organized as a picnic in a scenic spot on the route. The guide and horsemen will prepare a place to rest, lunch boxes with food and drinks.
Continuation of the horse riding crossing in the afternoon. Ascending altitude, crossing passes (small ones, depending on the route).
Arrival at the overnight stop – yurt camp in the mountains. The yurt camp will be set up in a scenic location, by a river, by a lake or in a meadow overlooking the mountains.
Accommodation in yurts. Yurts are traditional nomadic dwellings, providing shelter from the weather and comfortable accommodation (relative to hiking conditions). Inside the yurt – sleeping places (mattresses, blankets, pillows), furniture (table, chairs).
Evening:
Dinner in a yurt-dining room in the yurt camp. Dinner prepared by the camp cook or horsemen over a campfire or gas stove. Traditional nomadic cuisine, meat dishes, dairy products, flatbreads, tea.
Evening gatherings by the campfire (weather permitting). Communication, stories, songs with a guitar or komuz (if there are musicians in the group or among the horsemen). Enjoying the starry sky of the highlands, the silence of the mountains.
Morning:
Breakfast in the yurt camp.
Continuation of the horse riding trip. The route for the third day is usually the most eventful and picturesque, often including overcoming passes and reaching panoramic viewpoints.
Day:
Horseback crossing through mountain passes (medium difficulty): Climbing passes, serpentine trails, rocky sections. The pace of movement may be slower on ascents and descents. It is important to follow the instructions of the guide and horsemen, be careful and cautious.
Viewing panoramic views from the passes: At the tops of the passes, breathtaking panoramic views open up to the surrounding mountain ranges, valleys, lakes (if any along the route). Stops for photography, enjoying the views, short rest.
Descent from the pass into another valley: The descent can also be quite steep and rocky. It is important to control the horse and observe safety precautions.
Picnic lunch at a mountain lake or river: Lunch will be organized in a scenic location after or during overcoming the pass, possibly at a mountain lake, river or spring.
Continuation of the horse riding crossing in the afternoon. The route may pass through alpine meadows, where herds of livestock graze in the summer. Opportunity to meet nomads, observe their way of life.
Arrival at the overnight stop – yurt camp in another valley or at a mountain lake. Accommodation in yurts.
Evening:
Dinner in a yurt-dining room.
Free time. Rest, walks in the surroundings of the yurt camp, enjoying nature. Possibly fishing in a mountain lake or river (if possible and permitted).
Morning:
Breakfast in the yurt camp.
Horse riding trip towards a high-altitude lake. There are many beautiful high-altitude lakes in Kyrgyzstan, the route can be laid to one of them (for example, Song-Kul, Kel-Suu, or another less famous but picturesque lake, depending on the chosen tour).
Day:
Horseback crossing to a high-altitude lake: The route may pass through high-altitude plateaus, alpine meadows, rocky scree. The landscape becomes more high-altitude, possibly with areas of stony tundra.
Exploring a high-altitude lake: Arrival at the lake is always a special event. The high-altitude lakes of Kyrgyzstan are striking in their beauty, water purity, and surroundings of rugged rocks and glaciers. Stop on the shore of the lake, time to explore, take photos, walk along the shore. Possibly swimming in the lake for the bravest (the water can be very cold, even in summer).
Picnic lunch on the shore of a high-altitude lake: Lunch will be organized on the shore of the lake, with a view of the water surface and mountains.
Setting up a yurt camp on the shore of the lake. Yurts will be set up in a convenient place, taking into account proximity to water and protection from the wind. Accommodation in yurts overlooking the lake.
Evening:
Dinner in a yurt-dining room.
Evening time at a high-altitude lake. Enjoying views of the lake at sunset, the silence of the highlands. Possibly observing wild animals, birds (if lucky). Evening gatherings by the campfire, telling legends about the lake, starry sky.
Morning:
Breakfast in the yurt camp on the lake shore.
The day is dedicated to rest and entertainment on a high-altitude lake. This is a day of relaxation after several days of active horse riding.
Fishing on the lake (optional, if possible and permitted): For those who wish – the opportunity to fish in the lake. High-altitude lakes of Kyrgyzstan often have fish. Preparation is needed – fishing rods, tackle, permit (if required). Horsemen can help with organizing fishing.
Walks around the lake on foot or on horseback: Light walks around the lake, exploring the coastline, searching for interesting places, photography. You can choose a short horseback ride for variety.
Day:
Lunch in a yurt-dining room.
National horse games (optional, by agreement with horsemen): If there is a desire and opportunity, the horsemen can organize a demonstration or tourist participation in national horse games. For example, “Kyz Kuumai” (catch the girl), “Tyiyn Enmei” (pick up a coin at a gallop), or other simple games suitable for tourists. This is an opportunity to get acquainted with nomadic culture and have fun.
Swimming in the lake (optional and for the hardy): On a hot summer day – swimming in the lake for the bravest. The water can be bracing, but refreshing after outdoor activities.
Evening:
Dinner in a yurt-dining room.
Evening campfire and folklore program (optional, by agreement with horsemen): In the evening, you can organize a folklore performance by horsemen or invited musicians. Performing national songs with komuz, telling fairy tales and legends, dancing by the campfire. This will create an atmosphere of nomadic life and culture.
Morning:
Breakfast in the yurt camp on the lake shore. Farewell to the lake and highlands.
Start of a horse riding trip in the opposite direction – descent from the highlands into the valley. The route for the sixth day is a gradual descent to lower altitudes, to the foothills.
Day:
Horseback descent through mountain slopes and valleys: The descent route may pass along other trails, different from the ascent route, opening up new views and perspectives. Descent is usually easier than ascent, but requires attention on rocky and steep sections.
Picnic lunch in a picturesque valley: Lunch will be organized in a beautiful valley during the descent.
Continuation of the horse riding descent in the afternoon. The landscape gradually changes, high-altitude tundra is replaced by alpine meadows, then forests (if the route passes through forest zones).
Arrival at the overnight stop – guesthouse or yurt camp in the valley or foothills. This may be a different accommodation from the first day, for a variety of experiences. Accommodation in a guesthouse or yurts.
Evening:
Farewell dinner with the horsemen team. Farewell dinner is a time to thank the team of horsemen who accompanied the group throughout the tour. Possibly exchanging impressions, photos, wishes.
Evening of rest and relaxation. After a long horse riding trip – time to relax, possibly a bathhouse or sauna (if available at the accommodation), just a quiet evening in a cozy atmosphere.
Morning:
Breakfast at the guesthouse or yurt camp. Farewell to the horses and the team of horsemen.
Transfer to Bishkek. Transfer from the end point of the horse riding route to Bishkek takes 2-3 hours (depending on the remoteness of the route).
Hotel accommodation in Bishkek (possibly in the same hotel where you stayed on the first day, or another of your choice).
Day:
Free time in Bishkek. After returning to the city – time to relax, visit souvenir shops, museums, cafes, or other places of your choice. Possibly a massage or spa treatments to relax muscles after a horse riding trip.
Lunch in the city. You can choose a restaurant or cafe to your taste for lunch. (Lunch is not included in the tour price).
Evening:
Free time in Bishkek. Last evening in Bishkek, opportunity to walk around the evening city, buy souvenirs, or just relax before departure.
Dinner in the city. You can have dinner in one of the restaurants in Bishkek.
Morning:
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out from the hotel in Bishkek. Check the room for forgotten items.
Transfer to Manas International Airport for departure. Depending on your departure time, you may have some free time in the morning for last-minute souvenir shopping or relaxing at the hotel.
Day:
Departure from Manas International Airport, Bishkek.
End of the tour “Horse Riding Tour – Following the Nomads (7 days)”.
