4-Day Song Kul and Issyk Kul Lakes Tour from Bishkek

Ride across high passes to two alpine lakes, then descend through canyons and waterfalls to mountain hot springs.

A 4-day tour from Bishkek loops through Song Kul Lake in high-altitude meadows and Issyk Kul Lake ringed by mountains, with overnight stays in yurts, horseback riding, an eagle hunting demonstration, visits to Boom Gorge and Jeti-Oguz Canyon, and a soak in natural hot springs near Karakol. Meals are provided throughout. The last night's accommodation is not included, so plan your return to Bishkek or book lodging separately. An English-speaking guide travels with the group, and pickup from your hotel starts the journey.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Bishkek to Song-Kul Lake

• Pick up from hotel in Bishkek
• Visit Burana Tower and museum
• Stop for snacks at Boom Gorge
• Visit Orto Tokoy reservoir
• Drive and ascend to Song-Kul Lake
• Check in at yurt camp and rest
• Enjoy campfire and stargazing

Day 2: Song Kul to Issyk-Kul Lake

• Morning horseback ride near Song-Kul Lake
• Drive over Terkey Torpok Pass
• Lunch in Kochkor village
• Travel to Bokonbaevo village
• Watch eagle hunting demonstration
• Experience dog hunting and archery
• Rest at Bel Tam yurt camp

Day 3: Bokonbaevo to Karakol

• Breakfast in traditional yurt
• Visit Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon
• Explore Barskoon waterfalls
• Visit Jeti-Oguz Canyon and horseback ride
• Relax in natural hot springs
• Dinner at top-rated restaurant
• Overnight in 3-star hotel in Karakol

Day 4: Karakol to Bishkek

• Tour Karakol town and markets
• Visit Grigoriev and Semenov Gorges
• Taste traditional cuisine in yurt
• Optional horseback ride in gorges
• Boat trip on Issyk-Kul Lake
• Visit Ruh Ordo Cultural Complex and Petroglyphs
• Return to Bishkek and hotel drop-off

The experience

You start from your Bishkek hotel in the morning and drive 80 kilometers to Burana Tower near Tokmok, where you climb the ancient structure for views across the Chui valley and Tien-Shan mountains. The route then passes through Boom Gorge (a river-carved passage where the Chu River flows between steep mountain walls), and stops at Orto Tokoy reservoir, a dry-mountain landscape where camels graze. After 2–3 hours of climbing, you reach Song Kul Lake, nestled in high-altitude meadows at the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass. The yurt camp sits on the shore. After checking in, you have free time before a fire and stargazing as darkness falls.

Day two begins with a horseback ride along Song Kul's shores or up to a nearby mountain hill. You then cross the Terkey Torpok Pass (a high, winding road over 3,000 meters), and stop in Kochkor village for lunch with a local family or at a village restaurant, tasting traditional Kyrgyz food. Bokonbaevo village on Issyk Kul's north shore is your next stop, where you watch an eagle hunting demonstration and the bond between hunters and their birds. You also try archery and learn about dog hunting traditions passed down through generations. The Bel Tam yurt camp on the lake shore is where you rest after these cultural experiences.

Day three takes you to Skazka Canyon (Fairy Tale Canyon), where wind-carved rock formations resemble the Great Wall of China, mythical creatures, and castles in shades of red and gray. Next is Barskoon Valley, surrounded by towering mountains and spruce forests. You walk to one of three Barskoon waterfalls depending on your preference. Jeti-Oguz Canyon follows, famous for its seven-bull sandstone formations and the "broken heart" rock. Optional horseback riding into Kok-Zhaik valley and to its waterfall is available. The day ends at natural hot springs near Karakol, where you soak and have dinner at a restaurant before sleeping at a 3-star hotel in town.

The final day explores Karakol itself (the Dungan Mosque, Russian Orthodox Church, and Bugu Bazaar) with an English-speaking guide sharing the town's history and daily life. You then venture into Grigoriev and Semenov Gorges in the Tien-Shan, walking slopes dotted with red poppies and listening to mountain streams. Horseback riding is optional here too. A swim in Issyk-Kul Lake, the world's second-largest alpine lake, comes next. Before returning to Bishkek, you visit the Ruh Ordo Cultural Complex and ancient petroglyphs. Hotel drop-off in Bishkek concludes the tour.

What’s included

• Full meals from breakfast on day one through dinner on day three.
• comfortable air-conditioned vehicle with pickup and drop-off at your Bishkek hotel.
• overnight stays in yurts at Song Kul and Issyk Kul Lakes and one night at a 3-star hotel in Karakol.
• horseback riding at both lakes.
• professional English-speaking guide for the entire journey.
• eagle hunting demonstration with archery masterclass.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 1): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 12 pickup points.

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 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Datka Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Bishkek with four days to spare and want to see both major lakes without splitting the trip into separate bookings. The fixed itinerary and yurt stays are what make the remote high-altitude meadows and nomadic culture accessible in a single journey. The horseback riding and cultural demonstrations are woven through rather than added on. Plan your accommodation for the final night before booking, since it's not included.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 1): free.

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.

What's included in the meals over these four days?

Full meals are provided throughout the tour. Breakfast is served in the yurts each morning; lunch often happens in villages or at stops along the route, sometimes with local families; dinner is at the yurt camps or at restaurants. Tea and snacks appear at stops like Boom Gorge, where you'll have puff cakes and tea brewed in a Russian samovar.

Do I need horseback riding experience to join this tour?

No. Horseback riding at Song Kul and Issyk Kul Lakes is included, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The rides are gentle (a morning ride along the lake shore or up to a nearby hill), and optional horseback excursions into the gorges on day three are available if you want them.

What are the yurt camps like, and how many nights do I stay in them?

You stay in yurts for two nights: the first at Bayish Yurt Camp on Song Kul Lake's shore, and the second at Bel Tam Yurt Camp on Issyk Kul Lake's shore. Both are traditional accommodations with overnight stays included. On day three, you sleep at a 3-star hotel in Karakol. The last night's accommodation is not included, so arrange your own lodging in Bishkek or nearby.

What is the eagle hunting demonstration like?

In Bokonbaevo village on day two, you watch skilled hunters and their magnificent eagles in action, seeing the bond between humans and these birds of prey. The demonstration also includes an archery masterclass and a look at dog hunting traditions, giving you insight into ancient Kyrgyz hunting practices passed down through generations.

How high do we climb, and what's the terrain like?

The tour crosses two high passes: Terkey Torpok Pass on day two, which reaches over 3,000 meters, and Kalmak-Ashuu Pass on day one, which is also high and winding. The landscape shifts from stony dunes and dry mountains to green hills and high-altitude meadows. You'll see mountain yaks grazing and mountain edelweiss flowers at the passes, and the road includes many tight turns.

Is transportation from my hotel included?

Yes. Pickup from your Bishkek hotel starts the tour on day one, and hotel drop-off in Bishkek concludes it on day four. An air-conditioned vehicle travels with the group throughout, driven by your English-speaking guide.