Kyrgyzstan Highland Lakes Tour: Issyk Kul, Song Kol & Yurts

Eight days crossing high passes, red canyons and nomadic pastures in the Tian Shan

An 8-day tour from Bishkek through Kyrgyzstan's remote highlands, moving between yurt camps at Issyk Kul Lake, Song Kol Lake, Tash Rabat Caravansarai and Kel Suu Lake, with an English-speaking driver and 4WD vehicle. The itinerary crosses three mountain passes above 3,400 meters, includes a 2-hour hike to an alpine lake and time with Kyrgyz shepherds. Yurt stays, entrance fees, felt-making and a border permit for the final lake are included. Minimum age is 12. The tour departs Bishkek at 8:30 am on day one and returns by 3 pm on day eight.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Issyk Kul Lake

• Visit Burana Tower
• Walk through Konorchek Canyon
• Arrive at yurt camp by Issyk Kul Lake
• Overnight in yurt with dinner

Day 2: Explore Red Skazka Canyon and Jeti Oguz

• Explore Skazka Canyon
• Drive to Jeti Oguz Valley
• Hike to shepherd’s yurt camp
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 3: Journey to Song Kol Lake

• Hike to Oguz Bashy Peak
• Return to car
• Drive to Kochkor city for lunch and handicraft shop
• Travel over Kalmak Ashuu Pass to Song Kol Lake
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 4: Experience Song Kol Lake

• Walk along lake shores
• Horseback ride option
• Observe local shepherds and livestock
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 5: Visit Tash Rabat Caravansarai

• Travel via Moldo-Ashuu Pass and Naryn River
• Lunch in Naryn city
• Arrive at 12th-century Caravansarai
• Enjoy hot tea and explore site
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 6: Travel to Ak Sai Valley

• Transfer to yurt camp in Kok Kyia Valley
• Traverse Ak Sai Valley
• Spot wild spiral-horned sheep
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 7: Hike to Kel Suu Lake

• Hike 2 hours to Kel Suu Lake
• Spot grazing yaks
• Lunch by lake shore
• Return hike to yurt camp
• Transfer to Naryn City
• Overnight in yurt with breakfast and dinner

Day 8: Return to Bishkek

• Depart for Bishkek
• Arrive in Bishkek at 3:00 pm
• End of tour

The experience

You arrive in Bishkek and meet your English-speaking driver at 8:30 am on day one. The route heads south toward Issyk Kul Lake, stopping first at Burana Tower, the remnants of Balasagyn, an ancient Karakhanid capital, then through Konorchek Canyon where red rock formations rise from the valley floor. By afternoon you reach the southern shore of Issyk Kul at 1,600 meters elevation and settle into a yurt camp for the night, with meals included.

The next four days move deeper into the mountains. Day two takes you to Skazka Canyon (red, ocher and yellow sedimentary rocks layered like strata), then a hike through Jeti Oguz Valley to a shepherd's yurt. Day three crosses Kalmak Ashuu Pass at 3,447 meters to reach Song Kol Lake, pausing in Kochkor to visit a handicraft shop where local women sell handmade wool items. Day four is yours to spend at Song Kol: walk the shoreline or ride horses among grazing herds and nomadic camps. Day five continues east over Moldo-Ashuu Pass and along the Naryn River to Tash Rabat Caravansarai, a 12th-century Silk Road waystation where you sleep in a yurt.

Days six and seven push into the high frontier. Day six moves to Ak Sai Valley at the foot of the Kakshaal Too Range, where you may spot wild spiral-horned sheep across high pastures. Day seven is a 2-hour hike to Kel Suu Lake, Kyrgyzstan's most scenic alpine lake, ringed by rocky peaks. Lunch is served on the shore before you return to the yurt camp and transfer to Naryn City. On day eight you drive back to Bishkek, arriving by 3 pm. Throughout the tour, a 4WD vehicle carries the group (a bus is used if more than five people book), and your driver handles all logistics and border permits for the Kel Suu crossing.

What’s included

• Yurt accommodation for seven nights with shared 3- to 5-person rooms.
• all meals during the tour.
• entrance fees to Burana Tower, Skazka Canyon and Tash Rabat Caravansarai.
• English-speaking driver and 4WD vehicle (or bus for groups over five).
• border permit for Kel Suu Lake.
• felt-making demonstration.
• a handicraft shop visit in Kochkor.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 1 Jun 2027

AgesAdult (12 to 65 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 4 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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Visit Alay - Travel Company

Is this one for you?Book this if you're traveling solo or in a small group and want a fixed eight-day loop through four mountain valleys with a driver and 4WD vehicle. You'll stay in shared yurts each night and return to Bishkek by mid-afternoon on day eight.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

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 is Issyk Kul Lake like when you arrive on the first day?

Issyk Kul is a high-altitude alpine lake on Kyrgyzstan's eastern plateau, sitting at 1,600 meters elevation. You reach the southern shore by afternoon on day one and stay in a yurt camp there, giving you time to settle into the nomadic rhythm before the mountain hiking begins.

How difficult is the hike to Kel Suu Lake on day seven?

The hike to Kel Suu Lake takes about 2 hours and is described as relatively easy, with opportunities to spot grazing yaks along the way. You'll reach an alpine lake enclosed by towering rocky mountains, have lunch on the shore, and return the same route to the yurt camp.

What mountain passes does the tour cross, and how high do they go?

The tour crosses three major passes: Kalmak Ashuu Pass at 3,447 meters on day three, Moldo-Ashuu Pass on day five, and Oguz Bashy Peak at 5,000 meters on day three. Each crossing reveals different alpine terrain, from vast pastures to rocky ridges.

Do I need my own transport, or is everything arranged?

Transport is fully included: an English-speaking driver operates a 4WD vehicle for groups of up to five people, or a bus if more than five book together. Pickup in Bishkek is included, and the driver handles all navigation, border permits and logistics throughout the eight days.

What does a night in a yurt camp include?

Each yurt stay includes shared accommodation in 3- to 5-person rooms and meals. You'll experience nomadic life firsthand, though you should know that yurts are basic: they have no electricity or running water, and heating comes from a central stove.

What is Tash Rabat Caravansarai, and why do you stop there?

Tash Rabat is a 12th-century stone caravansarai, a waystation built along the Silk Road to shelter merchants and traders crossing the mountains. You arrive on day five and spend the night in yurts nearby, exploring the historic structure before continuing east toward Kel Suu Lake.