HOW TO CHOOSE A RIDE IN KYRGYZSTAN
A horse lovers paradise, Kyrgyzstan is a small mountainous country in central Asia. The nomadic Kyrgyz people have roamed these mountains since they moved south from Siberia over 2000 years ago. Still proudly nomadic, joining a ride will give you access to the remote mountains and meadows where they graze their herds of horses, goats, sheep and yaks over the summer.
Part of the USSR until 1991, the soviet influence is strongly felt in cities and villages with Russian the most commonly spoken language. In the mountains though people still speak Kyrgyz, a turkic language, and spend their summers in yurts, living off the land.
Kyrgyzstan is a breath of fresh air. Nicknamed the Switzerland of the East for its stunning mountain landscapes, a visit here is also an experiment in time travel. Nothing has changed in these mountains for hundreds of years.
We offer two itineraries with four options:
ITINERARIES
Black Saddle Celestial Mountains Ride | 11 days | €1,899 (€172 a night) | Adventure ride with comfortable accommodation
Black Saddle Great Trek | 18 days | €2,699 (€158 a night) | Adventure expedition with visit to Eagle Hunters and upgraded accom
Classic Great Trek | 18 days | €2,230 (€131 a night) | Adventure expedition with rustic accom
Half Classic Great Trek | 11 days | €1,450 (€131 a night) | Adventure expedition with rustic accom
THE CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS - €1,899
11 day adventure trail, two nights camping in simple tents, three nights in yurts with up to three in one yurt, one night in a five star hotel, four nights in lovely guesthouses with western bathrooms, technical mountain riding. Group size 8 + Black Saddle host.
Ride Summary
+ 10 night trail ride
+ Ride in two locations: Chong Kemin National Park and Song Kol Lake
+ Up to 5 hours riding per day
+ Ride mountain passes up to 3,400 meters
+ Visit the Eagle Hunters
+ Comfortable guesthouses or private yurt accommodation with banya (saunas)
+ 5 Star hotel in Bishkek
+ Support vehicle for all but two days
After many visits to Kyrgyzstan this is our ultimate highlights ride. You’ll ride in two very different locations. First you’ll ride to the lush Chong Kemin National Park with its mountain meadows full of wildflowers and glorious Kol Kogur Lake with steep mountains on all sides. Then you’ll transfer to Song Kol Lake - an alpine jewel and the summer grazing for local villages who push thousands of horses, goats, yaks and sheep to the summer pastures to have their babies and fatten up. You’ll stay in yurts on the lake side and get a very Kyrgyz experience with the option to drink both fresh and fermented mare’s milk.
In between you’ll visit Issyk Kul which literally translates to the ‘Hot Lake’. As it is the world’s second largest salt water lake the water never freezes, even in the harsh winters, which made the lake a popular tourist destination in Soviet times.
We have added our Black Saddle magic to the ride and the accommodation is the best in Kyrgyzstan. We’ve increased the comfort of the two nights camping in the national park, chosen the best yurt camps (some with banya / sauna) and you’ll finish your stay in Kyrgyzstan at the best hotel in Bishkek with a bathtub to wash away any saddle soreness and a grand, Soviet style.
Dates
26 June to 06 July 2024
08-18 July 2024
08-18 August 2024 (Fully Booked)
THE GREAT SILK ROAD TREK - BLACK SADDLE EXCLUSIVE - €2,699
18 Day Expedition, 10 Nights camping in simple tents, 4 Nights in Yurts, One night in a Hotel, 2 nights in Guesthouses, technical mountain riding, no showers or bathrooms on trail, you must tack up your own horse and put up your own tent. Group size 10.
This is an expedition for the fit and the brave. This glorious, mountainous expedition with canyons, high mountain peaks, stunning alpine campsites, river crossings, a salt mine visit, and more loose horses than you can possibly imagine will blow your mind. Be prepared to walk some parts daily to save your horse and when the going gets very steep. You’ll get rain and even snow in the mountains but it doesn’t usually last long. On this exclusive Black Saddle itinerary we have added a visit to the Eagle Hunters, upgraded the guest house accommodation and final hotel in Bishkek. As it’s a private group we have vetted everyone for riding ability, welcoming experienced riders only, and made sure everyone is our kind of people.
Ride Summary
+ 17 night pack trip
+ Continuous loop in the Ala Too Mountains to Song Kol Lake
+ 8 hour riding days most days
+ Mountain peaks up to 3,800 meters
+ Visit the Eagle Hunters
+ Comfortable guesthouses and final hotel in Bishkek
+ Support vehicle everyday
The Great Trek is the most challenging expedition on Black Saddle but we know it will be one your favourite rides. This is a participatory ride where you tack up your own horse and set up your own tent. The guides will always be on hand to help you. The scenery is amazing, you are very remote. The skies are filled with stars at night and your tents become a sanctuary. The landscapes change around every corner, you’ll ride through canyons, visit a salt mine, see the yet-to-be studied water that you can set alight. You’ll reach alpine lakes usually only remote shepherds ever see. Best of all is the horses. You’ll bond tightly to yours as you complete this epic journey together. Every day you’ll see hundreds of loose roaming horses in natural herds. You may even come across herds of yaks. You’ll meet many Kyrgyz and come to know their friendly, kind nature, inviting you into their homes as is the nomadic way.
We visited the Great Trek last year and have added some more creature comforts to the standard itinerary. The riding is still the same but the transition days, where you reach civilisation to restock and cross valleys to the next mountain range is more comfortable, with less people in a room, more power points for the all-important recharging of phones and camera and you have real showers and bathrooms. We have added two guesthouses and one of the premium yurt camps on our Celestial Mountains version to this itinerary. We’ve added some Black Saddle magic but kept the core of the ride the same.
On your last night we have upgraded your accommodation to the wonderful Navat hotel, which in centrally located and traditionally decorated. You’ll be in twin share rooms with the option to have your own room with a single supplement if there is availability.
Dates
07 - 24 July 2024
07 - 24 August 2024
THE GREAT SILK ROAD TREK - CLASSIC - €2,230
18 Day Expedition, 11 Nights camping in simple tents, 3 Nights in Yurts, One night in a Hostel, 2 nights in Guesthouses in a single room on foam mattresses, technical mountain riding, no showers or bathrooms on trail, you must tack up your own horse and put up your own tent. Group size 10.
The Great Trek is the same riding itinerary but the accommodation is more rustic. You will share a room in the guesthouses sleeping on your foam mattresses with up to 11 in a room. After the privacy of the tent this can be a little jarring. If you are a great sleeper then this is a perfectly fine option. You do not visit the eagle hunters on this itinerary and your final night in Bishkek is spent in a simple hostel on the outskirts of the city.
Please note on these departures we have not vetted the other riders for riding ability and the rides are very popular with French riders. They are usually adventurous, fantastic people but we can let you know if the majority of the guests speak a language other than English as it can be a little isolating.
Dates
13 - 30 June 2024
18 June - 05 July 2024
02 -19 July 2024
12 - 29 July 2024
21 July - 07 August 2024
02 - 19 August 2024
10 - 27 August 2024
21 August - 07 September 2024
THE GREAT SILK ROAD TREK - HALF - €1,450
11 day expedition, five nights camping in simple tents, three nights together in one yurt, one night in a hostel, one night in simple guesthouse in a single room on foam mattresses, technical mountain riding, no showers or bathrooms on trail, you must tack up your own horse and put up your own tent. Group size 10. Note: more nights in tents on the 2nd half of the Trek.
If you’re looking for adventure but don’t have 18 days you are able to join the first or second half of the Great Silk Road Trek. The first half is more challenging, with longer riding days, and finishes at Song Kol Lake.
The second half starts at Song Kol Lake and while less challenging is still an expedition with a lot of mountain riding, finishing with incredible Shamsi Pass at 3,800 meters. You don’t visit the eagle hunters on the classic itinerary.
The half Great Trek includes pick up and drop off to Bishkek airport on selected flights.
DATES
13 - 23 June 2024 (1st Half)
20 - 30 June 2024 (2nd Half)
18 - 28 June 2024 (1st Half)
25 June - 05 July 2024 (2nd Half)
02 - 12 July 2024 (1st Half)
09 - 19 July 2024 (2nd Half)
12 - 22 July 2024 (1st Half)
19 - 29 July 2024 (2nd Half)
21 - 31 July 2024 (1st Half)
29 July - 07 August 2024 (2nd Half)
02 - 12 August 2024 (1st Half)
09 - 19 August 2024 (2nd Half)
10 - 30 August 2024 (1st Half)
17 - 27 August 2024 (2nd Half)
21 - 31 August 2024 (1st Half)
27 August - 07 September 2024 (2nd Half)
Email us at rides@black-saddle.com to learn more about all the options and we will help you find the perfect itinerary.
We have carefully selected our local partners for the care of their horses. While very affordable these are not the cheapest rides in Kyrgyzstan and we discourage guests from choosing on this basis as ultimately the horses lose in this scenario, being overworked and underfed. Our rides are incredible value while maintaining high standards.
Kyrgyzstan is a very safe country. You should feel comfortable travelling solo if arriving early or staying on after your riding tour. For travel advice on travelling to Kyrgyzstan you can read the latest advice from the UKFO. Your Black Saddle host carries a satellite phone on the Celestial Mountain rides and all guests are required to take out travel insurance to ride.
RIDING IN KYRGYZSTAN
CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS
10 Nights in Kyrgyzstan | Adventure Ride | From €1,899 per person sharing
THE GREAT SILK ROAD TREK
17 Nights in Kyrgyzstan | Adventure Expedition | From €2,230 per person sharing