RIDE THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD
OVERVIEW
Follow in the hoofprints of the most adventurous of our ancestors on this ride through the Tien Shan ‘Celestial’ Mountains.
Kyrgyzstan is known as ‘Switzerland of the East’. Blue alpine lakes, snowy mountain peaks and not a fence in sight. This beautiful country might be a mirror reflection of Switzerland - but one from hundreds of years ago.
We’ll cross mountain passes, gallop along a lake shore, witness a game of Kok Boru played with the headless body of a goat, dine in yurts while seated on the floor, dance around bonfires and swim with our horses in glacial waters.
Escape back in time to this heavenly paradise.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Explore two mountain-scapes that feel like Switzerland and the Steppe
Stay mostly in comfortable yurt camps or guesthouses
Swim with your horses in Song Kol Lake
Witness the traditional game of Kok-Boru
See the Milky Way with your own eyes at night
Stay at a premium hotel in Bishkek
Benefit from an air-conditioned transfer and support vehicle for all but 2 days
OVERVIEW
RIDE GUIDE
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights / 6 Days Riding
Cost: €TBC
Operator: Daniyar
Guide languages: English, Russian, Kyrgyz
Max Riders: 8
Departing: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, pick up from airport included if arriving on recommended flight.
Riding Level: Our rides are for experienced riders who are balanced on their horses and in control galloping in open spaces.
Weight Limit: Maximum of 85kg/187lbs
Time in the saddle: 3 to 7 hours a day
HORSES
Kyrgyz ponies typically smaller and perfectly adapted for the high altitude however it’s now fashionable to have larger horses and most of our horses will be above 15hh.
You will ride stallions (who don’t realise they’re still intact). The horses are typically very docile though some can become forward in gallop. Our guides will assign your a horse to match your need for speed.
Tack is a lower quality that what we are used to in the west but very comfortable. A metal or wooden saddle tree is balanced on layers of thick felt saddle pads and covered with a cushion for comfort. Bridles are simple canvas or leather and bits sit loose in the horses mouth.
ACCOMMODATION
Four nights are spent in traditional yurts. These are round felt lined tents. You will sleep in layers of bedding on the ground in sleeping bags or on single beds all in one tent by gender with up to three to a yurt. Yurts have fire stoves to keep you toasty at night.
Two nights are spent in simple dome tents with sleeping bags sharing two to a tent. This year we have upgraded the camping and mattress protectors and sleeping bags will be provided as well as a mess tent and hand washing station. There are not showers or loos in the mountains.
Two nights are spent in guest houses where you can charge your gadgets. You will share a room with the same gender. You will have access to a shower and flushing loos.
One night in a premium hotel in Bishkek.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
All meals, accommodation, horses, guides, support vehicle around Song Kol Lake, entry for landmark sights, banya, non-alcoholic drinks and the eagle hunting demonstration.
WHAT’S EXCLUDED
The price does not include international or domestic flights, alcohol, mandatory travel insurance, or staff tips (which are optional but appreciated).
ATMs are available near the two markets on the tour where you can buy souvenirs. It’s a good idea to carry about 2,000 soms in small notes for buying incidentals and paying for public toilets at rest breaks during driving sections.
It may be possible to pay a single supplement for the additional charge for up to three nights depending on availability.
RIDING
You must be an experienced, confident rider to join this ride. Because of the mountainous terrain most of the ride is at walk with some opportunities to gallop at Song Kol Lake.
The horses work hard at high altitude and so we only accept well balanced, experienced riders that will not push them unnecessarily and ride in a long loose rein on the mountain.
TRAVEL & VISAS
Since 2012 British, USA and most European nationals don’t need a visa to enter and stay for up to 60 days.
TRANSFERS
Transfers from Manas Airport in Bishkek are included if arriving and departing on arrival and departure dates.
If arriving a day early as recommended you can catch a taxi into town. Manas Airport is a 30-40 minute drive from the city. A reasonable price for a taxi from the airport is 700 som ($6), your hotel will charge around 2000 som ($25). There is an atm at airport.
MEALS
Kyrgyz food includes a lot of bread, soups, meat dumplings served with buckwheat and vegetables.
Breakfast on trail always includes hot green tea that the locals drink instead of water. You will eat porridge (rice and oat), yogurt, crepes, small pancakes, eggs and fresh bread.
Lunches and dinners are picnic style with cold cuts, breads, and canned fish while on trail and fresh cucumber and tomato salads, hot soups, pasta, dumplings, and meat on potatoes while at Song Kol.
You will have an opportunity to drink kumis - fermented mares milk. It’s an acquired taste for foreigners but a daily drink for locals. You might have the opportunity to drink fresh mares milk too. It’s surprisingly sweet!
Kyrgyzstan is a muslim country though alcohol is readily available to purchase at supermarkets. This is a dry trip though you are welcome to bring your own alcohol.
WHAT TO PACK
Refer to our FAQ for what to pack on a horse riding holiday.
The key to packing well for riding in the mountains, even in summer, is layers. We recommend you pack:
A down jacket, a warm jumper, a very warm sleeping bag effective to 0 degrees, silk sleeping bag liner, rain gear (waterproof trousers should have an opening on the outside at the bottom of the leg in order to put on and take off without removing your trekking boots), 2-3 pairs of warm socks, waterproof trekking boots, underwear, gloves, sunglasses, sun cream with high UV-protection, lip balm with UV-protection, torch, personal medicine, metal water bottle (0.75 L), riding chaps, Micropure (or any other water purification).
We always recommend you wear hiking boots and half chaps when on a riding holiday. Always wear boots you are happy to walk in.
The weather can range from 40 degrees in Bishkek to almost zero at night on the mountain in Chong Kemin. The mountains are usually 10 degrees cooler than Bishkek.
INTERNET
You will be out of cell range for portions of the ride. We recommend purchasing a O! sim card on arrival at the airport. The store is located to the left after customs. Unlimited internet for two weeks will cost around €15.
If your phone doesn’t take sims, or if you would prefer to organise a sim ahead of time, download an e-sim from Airalo and install before you arrive to be connected at all times.
Use our code BLACKS3976 to receive $3 off your e-sim credit.
Your guest houses will have wifi.
DATES + RATES
All departures are €TBC per person sharing. As the ride is less than €2000 the full balance is due at the time of booking.
2025
15 - 23 June 2025
26 June to 4th July 2024 (included Kyzart Festival)
06 - 14 July 2025
17 - 25 July 2025
01 - 09 August 2025
To make an enquiry you can fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile and we will get back to you with loads of information and availability.
KYRGYZSTAN
Travelling to Kyrgyzstan is like jumping in a time machine. You land in soviet Bishkek with street signs all in Cyrillic. Russian is widely spoken in the capital city. Though the republic gained independence from the ex-USSR in 1991, Lenin still stands in front of the Natural History museum. The main street is a wide soviet boulevard that once had military parades down it but is now filled with families enjoying cool evenings watching concerts, playing fair games and buying helium balloons for the kids.
Outside of Bishkek Kyrgyz speak their own language. It’s Turkic and partially intelligible with people from Turkey. A lingual link as both peoples originated from Siberia where petroglyphs and the names of the lakes and mountains there are recognisably similar.
Malls look like ours did in the 80s and 90s with cigarettes displayed over the checkout counters. Weed is illegal but it grows wild here. Alcohol isn’t sold in most local restaurants as Kyrgyz have been Muslim since the Arabs beat the Chinese in the Battle of Talas in the 8th century. You can still easily pick up litres of beer from the store though and small bottles of apricot cognac for a mere £3.50. It’s so delicious you don’t need any mixer.
Kyrgyz are very friendly and the country is generally very safe. You can walk around the capital Bishkek with your phone out with no issues which is more than what you can say for London!
ITINERARY
Rides are intended to be run as shared but Kyrgyzstan is mountainous and weather can be unpredictable. Your guide may need to adapt your itinerary according to weather conditions.
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As 90% of flights arrive around between 2am and 5am we recommend arriving a day early to rest from the flight and enjoy exploring Bishkek.
We organise an optional dinner the night before where you can try local cuisine, visit a supermarket and meet other guests.
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The tour starts at 9am from a central hotel. We start the day with a city tour learning about the complex relationship the Kyrgyz have with the Russians.
We have lunch in premium local restaurant Navat, where you can try national dishes such as borsak (fried bread), lagman (stirfry), manti (dumplings), fresh salads and lemonade.
After lunch we drive out of Bishkek to Tar-Suu village in Chong Kemin valley (160 km by mini-bus). We will drive along the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border along the Chui valley highway - this is a silk road route.
We arrive in Kok-Archa mountain cottages with time to charge our devices in preparation for the start of the ride tomorrow.
No Riding Today
Overnight and dinner in Kok-Archa with wifi and minimal cell reception.
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After breakfast we meet our guides and horses around 9am. We will start with a briefing and some riding instruction and then begin the trek along the Chong Kemin River to the Kol-Almaty Jailoo summer pasture.
Lunch will be served in a pretty glade at the foot of the mountain.
After lunch we start our climb, riding through a forest before the grassy pastures filled with flowers open up in front of us. You may see herds of horses roaming free to fatten up on summer grass.
With a couple of hours of free time before dinner is served you can relax with a book, cool off in the stream or climb the steep hillside to see the view of the mountains.
Tonight we sleep under the stars in simple dome tents. On clear night you will see the milky way overhead.
4-5 Hour Riding. 28 kilometres.
Overnight in tents. Cell reception lost after lunch.
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Today we cross the beautiful alpine ridgelines and climb up to 2600-2700m to discover Kol Kogur Lake.
It becomes clear why Kyrgyzstan is called the Switzerland of the East. Snow capped peaks flank either side of us and we ride through kilometres of alpine meadows filled with wildflowers. We may come across herds of caramel coloured cows and their calves gorging on summer grass.
Around 1pm we will arrive to the lake. The water is cold but a swim here is a must and will make you feel incredible.
Lunch is served in the mess tent.
The afternoon is yours to relax as you want to. You can swim in the lake, read a book on the stony beach, or take a long nap under the summer sun.
After dinner the team will light a bonfire as the sun start to set.
Tonight is the second and final night in our tents for the trip.
3-4 Hours Riding. 13 Kilometres.
Overnight in tents with no cell reception.
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We wake for an early breakfast at 8am. Today we continue our climb to the Toru-Aigy mountain pass (3400m).
The descent on the other side of the mountain takes us past many squeeky, chubby marmots and alpine cattle yards before the path suddenly turns a corner and brilliant blue Lake Issyk Kul appears dazzling on the horizon before us.
Waiting for us at a shepherds summer hut are a convoy of soviet-era SUVs which take us down the mountain towards the hot lake - Issyk Kul.
We have lunch in a restaurant on the lake edge before continuing our journey pass the reservoir where you may spot camels, onto Kochkor. We'll pause to visit an artisanal shop and stock up on Kyrgyz Cognac before continuing to Kyzart village, the gateway to Song Kol Lake and our home for the night.
3 -4 Hours Riding. 14 kilometres. Three hours driving.
Overnight at Kyzart Guest House with cell reception and wifi.
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Our equestrian guide and horses will be waiting to meet us after breakfast.
As we ride up out of the village the hills open up and a great, grassy plain draws us in.
After a three hour ride we arrive to Kilemche valley and enjoy lunch at a yurt camp.
In the afternoon we continue to climb up to 3,400 meters before finally cresting a pass and seeing Song Kol Lake, the sparkeling jewel of Kyrgyzstan, sparkling before us. There is time for a few photos as the horses rest.
The descent to Azamat Yurt Camp will take about two hours. The closer we get to the lake the more free roaming horses and cows we will come across.
Dinner is in the dining yurt. Afterwards treat yourself to a session in the banya - a simple wood fired steam room that will make you feel incredible!
6 - 7 Hours Riding. 32 kilometres.
Overnight in yurts with cell reception lost as we leave Kyzart in the morning.
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Today we ditch the saddle bags and head east towards the only stone building on the lake. This is our chance for a good gallop. Let’s see who has the fastest horse!
We will continue around the lake, passing heards of goats and sheep and their shepherds. Huge groups of crows gather at the lake during the water months. Cows sunbathe on the beach and cool off with their legs in the water.
We will stop at a yurt camp for lunch on route.
After lunch we have the chance to swim with our horses before continuing on to Tulpar Tash, a large meadow on the lakeside rumoured to have been visited by the Kyrgyz national hero, Manas, whose horse left a hoofprint in stone there. Tulpar Tash means 'horse rock'.
5 - 6 hours of riding. 25 kilometres.
Dinner and overnight in yurts with no cell reception.
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After a little sleep in and a hot breakfast we continue riding around Song Kol Lake leaving the north side and arriving to the south side in time for lunch.
In the afternoon locals arrive to play Kok Boru - a very popular game in Central Asia similar to polo where the ball is the body of the goat. The winning team eats the goat for dinner. Nothing is wasted in Kyrgyzstan.
We overnight in a simple yurt camp with the chance to try fresh mares milk and fermeted mares milk called Kumis. It’s a delicacy and slightly alcoholic. The muslim Kyrgyz hope Allah won’t notice as they drink it by the litre!
3 Hours Riding. 15 kilometres.
Accommodation is in yurts with no cell reception.
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After breakfast we start our journey to Bishkek.
We will arrive in time for lunch in the city before venturing to Osh Market - a bustling bazaar filled with everything you can imagine. This is a great spot to buy souvenirs.
On our last evening we enjoy dinner in Navat restaurant (or similar).
Our hotel tonight is spectacular Hotel Orion. A big, soviet style hotel where the who’s who stay when visiting Kyrgyzstan. Each room has a bathtub and there is a spa onsite to remedy any saddle soreness from your holiday.
No Riding Today
Overnight at premium Hotel Orion or similar. Cell reception and wifi available.
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After breakfast it's time to return home and start planning the next adventure!
No Riding Today
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
The cost is €TBC per person sharing.
15 - 23 June 2025
26 June to 4th July 2024 (including Kyzart Festival)
06 - 14 July 2025
17 - 25 July 2025
01 - 09 August 2025
To make an enquiry you can fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile and we will get back to you with loads of information and availability.
HOW TO BOOK
As the ride is less than €2,000 the full balance will be due to secure your saddle.
Cancellation Terms
More than 90 days in advance the full deposit is returned net of bank charges and a €250 cancellation fee per rider to cover our time spent organising your holiday.
90 - 61 days in advance the deposit or 20% of the full amount is forfeited.
60 – 0 days in advance 100% of the full amount is forfeited.
WEATHER + CLIMATE
Kyrgyzstan is 85% mountainous and for more than half of the year the alpine meadows and mountain passes we ride through are covered in snow. We time our rides to make the most of the good weather. Riding in the mountains can bring any weather at any time of year and you should bring many layers to make sure you stay warm and dry on your holiday.
Bishkek lies at 800 meters above sea level and can reach temperatures of 40 degree celcius in summer. It’s much cooler in the mountains, usually not exceeding 25 degrees.
June: Animals are well fed and gorging on the new grass and having their young. We love this time of year as it’s when fields of wildflowers pop up all over the mountains. Yurts are surrounded by fields of forget-me-nots, perfect for lying in for sunny afternoon naps.
July: By July most of the animals have been moved up to Song Kol and you will see thousands of horses living by the lake. There are less rainy days in July and the warmest temperatures for the year.
August: August has the lowest rainfall. There may be the odd storm but it never lasts long. The animals have grazed the grass down and shepherds are preparing to take their animals back down to the villages for the start of winter.
We recommend a sleeping bag effective to 0 degree celcius to stay warm at all times, especially for the two nights you will spend on the mountain in Chong Kemin National Park.
TEMPERATURE
RAINY DAYS
RAINFALL
ACCOMMODATION
Guest houses
Nights 1 and 4
Two nights are spent in twin rooms in guesthouses with ensuite bathrooms.
On your first night you will stay at a pretty guesthouse tucked away in a mountain valley. Clean fresh air, mountain views and babbling water from the nearby stream, this sweet guesthouse has an alpine feel.
On night four you will stay at a new eco-guest house in Kyzart village with an on-site restaurant.
Both have wifi.
SIMPLE DOME TENTS
Nights 2 and 3
On the mountain you will sleep in simple dome tents on camping mattresses. A short drop loo will be dug though there will be more privacy in nearby forests.
Both camps are close to steams for water for face wash. You guides will boil water for drinking though we recommend you also bring micropur tablets or a filter water bottle for drinking water.
Biodegradable wipes can be used for washing and disposed of in the campfire.
Yurts
Nights 5, 6 and 7
Three nights are spent three to a yurt in traditional felt yurts. Two have real beds. In one you will sleep the traditional way, on layers of soft mats on the floor.
All have a cowpat fired stoves for heat. Meals are taken in a dining yurt, usually seated on cushions on the floor. Toilets are in separate blocks. Some are flushing, some are long drop, squat loos.
Two yurts have banya - mountain steam rooms.
All the yurts are completely off-grid.
ORION HOTEL
Night 8
Huge, grand, soviet, like something out of Wes Anderson film, this hotel welcomes heads of state and celebrities. The building also houses the Swiss and German embassies.
Each room has a bathtub to wash away the mountain. There is an excellent onsite spa, a gym, bar and restaurant.
MEALS
Meal times in Kyrgyzstan start with decadent table-scapes of sweets, dried fruit, nuts, bread, fruit, jams and cream. In nomad times everything available was put onto the table and offered to guests.
Main meals usually consist of meat and onions over potatoes, buckwheat or rice with carrot, tomato, cucumber, peppers or cabbage. Often you are served meat and vegetable soup as a starter.
Plov is a very popular buttered rice served with vegetables and meat dish. Also popular is pasta with cabbage and steamed or fried dumplings stuffed with meat or stir-fry noodles with meat. Watermelon is often served as dessert.
They are not that familiar with making vegetarian dishes though are learning to adapt. Vegetarians be beware that sometimes they think that picking meat out of the group dish will be acceptable to you!
The meals are typically carb-heavy. Gluten-free diets might want to bring their own bread to supplement meals as yurt camps will typically only make one dish for all guests.
Hot chai (black tea) is served at every meal. We provide bottled water every day.
