2-Day Horseback Riding at Song Kul Lake from Bishkek

Ride across high-altitude meadows to a waterfall, then sleep in a yurt under the stars.

A 2-day horseback riding tour from Bishkek to Song Kul Lake includes transport, a professional English-speaking guide, meals, and an overnight stay in a yurt camp. Day one covers the drive through Boom Gorge and Kalmak-Ashuu Pass to the lake. Day two is a morning ride to a mountain waterfall and back, followed by the return drive to Bishkek. The tour suits riders of all fitness levels and includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and a Kyrgyz family meal.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Song-Kol Lake and Yurt Stay

• Pick up from hotel in Bishkek
• Drive to Burana Tower and Tokmok
• Visit Burana Tower and museum
• Stop for snacks and tea in Boom Gorge
• Photo stop at Orto-Tokoy reservoir
• Hike through Kalmak-Ashuu Pass
• Arrive and check in at Song-Kol yurt camp
• Rest and free time before dinner
• Enjoy campfire and stargazing

Day 2: Horse Riding and Return to Bishkek

• Breakfast at yurt camp
• Horse riding to waterfall and mountain hill
• Drive through Terkey Torpok Pass
• Lunch stop in Kochkor village
• Drive back to Bishkek
• Dinner in Bishkek restaurant
• Drop off at hotel

The experience

The tour starts with a hotel pickup in Bishkek and a drive east through the Chui Valley toward the Tien Shan mountains. You'll stop at Burana Tower near Tokmok to climb the ancient structure and see the archaeological museum, then pass through Boom Gorge where the Chu River has carved a landscape that shifts from wooded slopes to clay canyons. A tea and snack break happens at one of the gorge's restaurants, where you'll have puff cakes and tea from a Russian samovar. The road climbs through the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass, where you may spot mountain yaks grazing in the meadows and mountain edelweiss flowers growing among the rocks. You arrive at the yurt camp around 5 PM with time to rest before dinner and a fire by the lake as darkness falls.

On day two, horseback riding takes you into the mountains to a small waterfall. The ride is long enough to include rest stops and photo time, and the route leads uphill on the return to a vantage point overlooking the entire lake. After breakfast and the ride, you drive back toward Bishkek via the Terkey Torpok Pass, a road with more than 30 hairpin turns climbing above 3,000 meters. A lunch stop in Kochkor village breaks the journey before the final drive to the capital, where you'll have dinner at a restaurant in Bishkek and be dropped at your hotel.

The yurt camp provides overnight accommodation with traditional Kyrgyz meals included. Your guide speaks English and will explain the landscape, the nomadic lifestyle, and the sites along the way. The 4x4 vehicle handles the mountain roads and includes all transport from your hotel in Bishkek.

What’s included

• Horseback riding on day two.
• air-conditioned 4x4 pickup and drop-off from your Bishkek hotel.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• overnight yurt accommodation.
• breakfast, lunch, and dinner both days.
• traditional Kyrgyz family meal.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Russian and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendly

Operated by Datka Travel

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, so you'll follow the commentary and the history of each stop without translation delays. If you're comfortable in a vehicle for long mountain drives and want to ride at an easy pace with rest stops, this itinerary fits a 2-day window without rushing the lake itself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Russian and Turkish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How much time do I actually spend horseback riding on this tour?

Day two includes a morning ride to the waterfall and back to the yurt camp, with rest stops built in. The exact duration depends on the group's pace, but the route is described as quite long with time for pictures and breaks.

What is Song Kul Lake like when we arrive?

Song Kul Lake sits at high altitude surrounded by green meadows and summer pastures. The yurt camp sits on the shore, and at night the lake and stars are visible from the camp fire.

Do I need horseback riding experience?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. No prior riding experience is mentioned as a requirement.

What happens on the drive back to Bishkek?

The return route crosses the Terkey Torpok Pass, one of Kyrgyzstan's most spectacular roads, with over 30 serpentine turns climbing above 3,000 meters. You'll stop in Kochkor village for lunch before arriving in Bishkek for dinner.

What meals are included?

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included each day, plus a traditional Kyrgyz family meal. The tour ends with dinner at a restaurant in Bishkek before hotel drop-off.