Home / Tours / Chong-Kemin & Issyk-Kul in Winter - 3 Days
Chong-Kemin & Issyk-Kul in Winter - 3 Days
Three winter days from Bishkek to Chong-Kemin and Issyk-Kul. Walk in snowy Ala-Archa, climb Burana Tower and spend a night with a local family in Chong-Kemin. Then ride a horse or take a horse-drawn carriage through the valley, see the Kok-Moinok canyons and an eagle hunting show, and sleep in a heated yurt by the lake. Easy routes, good for families.
Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at yurt
- Activities: horse riding - 1 day, hiking - 2 days
- Departures from: Bishkek
- Best time to go: November to April
- Local certified English-speaking guide
- Private transport & airport transfers
- Small group or fully private
- 24/7 support team in Bishkek
What to pack
- Thermal base layers, top and bottom, to stay warm in deep cold
- An insulated hat and warm, waterproof gloves
- Heavy socks and warm, waterproof boots for snow
- Sunglasses and sunscreen: snow doubles the high-altitude glare
- A power bank, since the cold drains phone batteries fast
Full packing list and arrival tips: Easy from abroad: visas, arrival and logistics
Before you go
- Visa: most Western and East-Asian passports enter visa-free for up to 30 days within any 60-day period (the rule changed at the end of 2025), so check your own nationality on evisa.e-gov.kg
- Money: the local currency is the Kyrgyz som; carry cash for villages and camps, as card payments mostly work only in towns
- Connectivity: mobile data is decent in towns, but there is usually no signal at high mountain yurt camps, so let people know you may be offline
- Winter weather can change the day's plan; your guide adjusts the route for snow and road conditions
- Drinking water: stick to bottled or boiled water, and bring enough for stretches where none is available
Read before you go: Staying in a yurt: nomad culture & etiquette · When is the best time to visit Kyrgyzstan?
Day-by-day itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Every itinerary can be tailored to your dates, pace and fitness.
We pick you up from your hotel in the morning and drive to Ala-Archa National Park. Snow sits on the trees and the river is frozen. On an easy forest walk you can feed the squirrels and birds.
Next is Burana Tower, a 9th-century minaret from Balasagun, a Silk Road city. Climb to the top for a winter view, look round the small museum and walk among the balbals, stone figures carved by nomads.
In the afternoon we drive to Chong-Kemin National Park. You stay with a local family in a warm guesthouse with private rooms and hot showers. Dinner is homemade.
After breakfast, choose how to see the snowy valley. A 2 to 3 hour horse ride suits active travellers. A traditional horse-drawn carriage is the calmer choice, good for families and anyone who would rather not ride. Both follow easy routes.
Then we drive to the Kok-Moinok canyons. The walk is short and takes almost no effort, and the coloured rock looks sharp under snow.
In the afternoon we reach Bokonbayevo for a private eagle hunting show. The golden eagle flies, lands and shows the old hunting techniques. You can take photos and try a short archery session.
In the evening we arrive at a yurt camp by the lake. Dinner is in a big yurt, and you sleep in your own heated yurt beside the quiet winter shore.
After breakfast we walk for about an hour in Skazka Canyon, among red rock shapes. Snow sets them off well for photos.
We continue to Barskoon Gorge and its frozen waterfall. A short walk brings you to the viewpoint, with fresh air and mountain views around you.
We stop for lunch on the road back and reach Bishkek in the evening.
Sights visited on this tour
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan's leafy, Soviet-planned capital and the gateway to the mountains.
Issyk-Kul Lake
A vast, warm mountain lake that never freezes, framed by snowy peaks.
Fairy-Tale Canyon
Wind-carved red and orange rock formations near the Issyk-Kul shore.
Chong-Kemin
A long river valley and national park threaded with forest and meadow.Ala-Archa
Burana Tower
Gallery
Common questions
It runs 3 days, starting and ending in Bishkek.
The season runs November to April. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open.
It's moderately paced, with 1 days horse riding and 2 days hiking. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing.
No. Our guides match each horse to your level and keep the first day gentle, so complete beginners ride this route every season.
A mix over the trip: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at yurt.
From $1000 per person. The exact price depends on group size and season, and we confirm it for your group within 24 hours.
Tell us about your trip
Tell us your dates and we'll confirm availability and a tailored price within 24 hours. Free to enquire, no prepayment.
Enquiry received!
A local expert will email you within 24 hours about “Chong-Kemin & Issyk-Kul in Winter - 3 Days”.
Other tours you might like
Combined3 daysChong-Kemin, Eagle Show & Lake Yurt - 3 Days
- Ride, hike or take a horse carriage in Chong-Kemin
- Hold a golden eagle and try archery in Bokonbayevo
- Night in a yurt camp on the Issyk-Kul shore
Winter tours2 daysIssyk-Kul Winter Yurt & Canyons - 2 Days
- Burana Tower, balbals and Chui Valley views
- 2 to 3 hour hike in snowy Konorchek Canyon
- Night in a heated yurt on the Issyk-Kul shore
Winter tours4 daysWinter Issyk-Kul & Karakol Skiing - 4 Days
- A full ski day at Karakol, with lessons for beginners
- Frozen waterfalls in Barskoon Gorge
- Eagle hunter demo and archery in Bokonbayevo