Kyrgyzstan 10-Day Private Tour: Song Kol & Issyk Kul Lake

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Duration10d

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Ten days across Kyrgyzstan's mountains, lakes and nomadic camps

You travel by private vehicle with a dedicated guide for ten days, sleeping in yurts and guest houses as you move from Bishkek's Ala-Archa Park to Song Kol Lake (horseback riding included), then south to Issyk Kul's quieter shore, where you watch eagle hunting, hike to waterfalls and glaciers, soak in hot springs at Altyn-Arashan, and finish at Chon-Kemin National Park. Entrance fees, meals and transport are included; you bring moderate fitness and a tolerance for simple accommodation.

10d

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Bishkek to Ala-Archa National Park

Meet at airport in Bishkek
Transfer to Ala-Archa National Park
Easy hike around the park
Visit Supara Ethno Complex
Check in to hotel in Bishkek

Day 2 — Bishkek to Song-Kul Lake

Breakfast in Bishkek
Drive to Burana Historical Complex
Visit Burana Tower
Continue drive to Song-Kul Lake
Check in to yurt camp

Day 3 — Song-Kul Lake to Issyk-Kul Lake

Horse riding around Song-Kul Lake
Drive to Kochkor
Watch felt show and shop souvenirs
Drive to Bokonbaeva village
Check in to Bel-Tam yurt camp

Day 4 — Bokonbaeva to Tamga Village

Watch eagle hunting show in Bokonbaeva
Drive to Skazka Canyon
Easy hike around Skazka Canyon
Drive to Tamga village
Check in to guest house

Day 5 — Tamga to Ara-Bel Glacier

Breakfast at guest house
Visit Barskoon Valley waterfalls
Hike to Ara-Bel Glacier
Return to Tamga village
Overnight at guest house

Day 6 — Tamga to Karakol via Gorges

Visit Djeti-Oguz Gorge
Visit Broken Heart Gorge
Drive to Kok-Jaiyk Yurt Camp
Check in to yurt camp

Day 7 — Karakol to Altyn-Arashan Hot Springs

Drive to Ak-Suu village
Take 4x4 to Altyn-Arashan Valley
Relax in hot springs
Overnight in yurt or guest house

Day 8 — Altyn-Arashan to Semenov Village

4x4 ride back to Ak-Suu village
Drive to Karakol
Lunch in Karakol
Visit Dungan Mosque and Russian Orthodox Church
Drive to Semenov village via Kyrchyn Gorge
Check in to guest house

Day 9 — Semenov to Chon-Kemin National Park

Drive to Chon-Kemin National Park
Arrive at Tar-Suu village
Check in to Kok-Archa guest house

Day 10 — Chon-Kemin to Bishkek

Drive to Bishkek or Manas Airport
End of trip

The Experience

"You will see how we live," our guide said at the airport, and he meant it — not the polished version, but the actual rhythm of the highlands. The 10-day private tour starts in Bishkek and moves south through Ala-Archa National Park (40 kilometers from the capital, with glaciers and summits that climb to 4,875 meters), then climbs to Song Kol Lake at 3,016 meters altitude, where shepherds bring their herds each summer. You sleep in yurts, ride horses across high pastures, and eat with families who have lived this way for generations. The itinerary is fixed but the pace is yours — no rushing between stops, no shared van with strangers, just a driver and a guide who know the roads and the people.

The middle days center on Issyk Kul, the world's largest alpine salt lake, 182 kilometers long and 668 meters deep. You'll see it from the south side, where the landscape is wilder than the northern beaches — gorges, canyons, valleys that open onto views most tourists miss. One morning you watch an eagle hunting show in Bokonbaeva, a small village famous for this tradition passed down through generations. Another day takes you to Skazka Canyon for an easy hike, then to Tamga village where you can visit Tamga Stones from the Silk Road era. The guest houses here are simple, not luxurious, but the location — close to the water, surrounded by mountains — makes up for it. You also visit Barskoon Valley for waterfalls and hike to Ara-Bell Glacier at 3,900 meters.

The eastern leg moves toward Karakol and Jeti-Oguz Gorge, with its red rock formations and the Broken Heart Canyon. Then comes Altyn-Arashan, a valley 17 kilometers from Ak-Suu village, where you soak in natural hot springs after a 4x4 drive through forest and mountain roads. The journey loops back north across Issyk Kul's northern shore, passing Kyrchyn Gorge, and ends at Chon-Kemin National Park — the second-largest protected area in Kyrgyzstan, with forests, rivers, lakes and glaciers spread across 500 hectares. The final drive returns you to Bishkek or Manas Airport.

What makes this different from a standard group tour is the private vehicle, the same guide for all ten days, and the fact that meals and entrance fees are included — you don't negotiate prices at each stop or wait for a group to finish lunch. The yurt camps sleep 4-5 people per tent, and you'll share them with other travelers on the tour, but the logistics are handled. Bring moderate fitness; the riding and hiking are not extreme, but they are real, and the altitude (Song Kol and Ara-Bell both top 3,000 meters) takes adjustment. If you land in Bishkek and want to see the mountains, the lakes, the nomadic culture and the hot springs without arranging transport, guides and timing yourself, this tour absorbs all of that.

What’s included

Your ten days include private vehicle transport, a dedicated guide, lunch each day, entrance fees to national parks and museums, yurt and guest house accommodation, camping equipment (tent, sleeping bag, mat), and meals at each overnight stop.
Horseback riding around Song Kol Lake, the eagle hunting show in Bokonbaeva, access to hot springs at Altyn-Arashan, and hikes to waterfalls and glaciers are all part of the itinerary.
Airport pickup on Day 1 and return to Bishkek or Manas Airport on Day 10 are arranged.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Kyrgyz Nature Travel Company

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want to see Kyrgyzstan's mountains, lakes and nomadic culture without arranging their own transport, guides or timing — the private vehicle and fixed itinerary handle all of that, leaving you free to focus on the landscape and the people you meet along the way.