# Grand Kyrgyzstan Road Trip - 12 Days Our longest drive, at an unhurried pace. From Kyzyl-Oi and Ak-Kol to two nights at Song-Kul, on to Tash-Rabat, Kok-Kiya and Kel-Suu, then Issyk-Kul, Altyn-Arashan, Karakol and Chong-Kemin. It ends with the Burana tower and a Bishkek city tour, and the only real walk is the 14 km to Kel-Suu. - Duration: 12 days - Type: Road trip - Best season: May to October - Starts and ends in: Bishkek - Pace: Relaxed-paced - Activities: Horse riding - optional - Accommodation: 3 nights at hotel, 3 nights at yurt, 5 nights at guesthouse - Total driving: 1960 km - Price: on request (depends on group size, season and options). Free quote, no prepayment to enquire. - Group: small group or fully private, with a local English-speaking guide - Page: https://azattours.com/tours/grand-kyrgyzstan-road-trip-12-days/ ## Highlights - Two nights in a yurt at Song-Kul, reached through Kyzyl-Oi and Ming-Kush - Tash-Rabat caravanserai, Kok-Kiya valley and Kel-Suu lake - Issyk-Kul's south shore: eagle hunter, canyons and Jety-Oguz - Karakol, Chong-Kemin and the Burana tower on the way home ## Itinerary ### Day 1: Scenic drive to Kyzyl-Oi Village Your trip begins on the road out of Bishkek, winding up through roadside villages to the Too-Ashuu Pass at 3600 m, where the mountains open up around you. You drop into the Suusamyr Valley for a riverside picnic, then follow the Kok-Meren River into the gorge. By late afternoon you reach Kyzyl-Oi, a quiet village set among red cliffs. After you settle into your guesthouse, your guide takes you on a short walk through the village before dinner. - Transfer: 200 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 2: Ak-Kol Lake, Ming-Kush & on to Song-Kul Today's drive follows the Koko-Meren River toward Song-Kul, with a tea stop at little Ak-Kol Lake. You pass through Ming-Kush, a former uranium town with an unusual past, where a local family hosts you for lunch. From there you climb the Tuz-Ashuu Pass (3300 m) and drop down to the wide grasslands of Song-Kul, reaching a nomad family's yurt by evening, your first night out on the high pastures. - Transfer: 190 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at homestay, dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt (3100 m) ### Day 3: A day at Song-Kul Lake A full day to slow down at Song-Kul and step into nomad life. In the morning you can ride out along the lakeshore, with the option to carry on into the surrounding hills, or simply settle in at camp. Spend time with a herder family, taste kymys, the fermented mare's milk that's a summer staple here, and let the afternoon unfold at its own pace. After dinner, the open sky puts on a show of stars. - Activity: Horse riding · optional - Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt (3100 m) ### Day 4: Road trip to Tash-Rabat Caravanserai You leave the lake and drive south on a beautifully varied road, up over the Moldo-Ashuu Pass (3200 m), down to a streamside picnic, then through the small villages of the Ak-Talaa region. Crossing the Mels Pass, the wide Arpa Valley opens out before you reach a cosy guesthouse near the 15th-century Tash-Rabat Caravanserai. After tea, walk up to this remarkable stone way-station and the hills around it. - Transfer: 220 km · 5-6 h - Meals: Breakfast at yurt, picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse (3100 m) ### Day 5: Off-road to Kok-Kiya Valley Today you drive deep into the Kok-Kiya Valley, gateway to the hidden Kel-Suu Lake. The track threads through the villages of the At-Bashy region, framed by dramatic ranges, with a riverside picnic in the Bosogo Valley along the way. You cross the high Kyndy Pass (3900 m) into the vast Ak-Say pastures, passing yurts and herds, and reach your guesthouse in Kok-Kiya by early evening, time for a gentle walk before dinner. - Transfer: 220 km · 5-6 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse (3200 m) ### Day 6: Trek to hidden Kel-Suu Lake One of the trip's great highlights. After breakfast you set off on a gentle trek, following a river through open valleys with mountains on every side and herds grazing in the distance. About two hours in, Kel-Suu reveals itself, a startling lake hemmed by cliffs. Linger over a packed lunch and the views (an optional boat ride is possible) before retracing the trail to the guesthouse. - Activity: Trekking · 14 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, picnic lunch, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse (3200 m) ### Day 7: Road trip to Tash-Bashat Village You drive back out of Kok-Kiya toward Naryn through wide-open pasture country, reaching town around lunchtime for a warm meal and a short rest. In the afternoon it's a short drive on to Tash-Bashat, an authentic, untouristed village where you check into a comfortable hotel, a welcome change after yurts and mountain guesthouses. Stroll the streets, unwind, and enjoy a hearty dinner. - Transfer: 180 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant, dinner at hotel - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 8: To Issyk-Kul, cook lagman in Kochkor Today blends scenery and culture on the way to Issyk-Kul. You climb over the Dolon Pass (3030 m), then stop in Kochkor to visit a local Dungan family and cook lagman, their famous hand-pulled noodle dish, and then eat the meal you helped make. Driving on east to the lake, you reach a lakeside yurt camp with time for a swim. In the evening, head to the Ak-Say canyons to catch the sunset before returning for the night. - Transfer: 190 km · 4 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch at guesthouse, dinner at yurt - Overnight: Yurt ### Day 9: South shore: eagle hunter, canyons & Jety-Oguz The day starts with an eagle-hunter demonstration, a window onto an old Kyrgyz tradition. From there you explore the dramatic, colour-streaked Fairy-Tale Canyons and stop in Tamga for lunch at the home of a Soviet-era mountaineer. The afternoon takes in the Barskoon Waterfalls and the red sandstone of the Jety-Oguz Valley before you arrive in Karakol, time for a short wander through town before dinner. - Transfer: 150 km · 3-4 h - Meals: Breakfast & lunch at guesthouse, dinner at restaurant - Overnight: Hotel ### Day 10: Off-road to Altyn-Arashan gorge A morning to swap the car for a rugged Soviet UAZ truck and bump your way up into the Altyn-Arashan gorge. The track follows a clear river through dense pine forest, with the peaks rising higher at every turn. Lunch is at a guesthouse deep in the gorge, and the afternoon is yours, soak in the hot springs, walk the trails, or just take in the view toward Peak Palatka (5200 m) before dinner and a night in the mountains. - Transfer: 30 km · 2-3 h - Meals: Breakfast at hotel, lunch & dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 11: Karakol & drive to Chong-Kemin A last quiet morning in Altyn-Arashan before the UAZ carries you back down the river road to Karakol for lunch. It's a long day, so an early start helps. In the afternoon you follow the northern shore of Issyk-Kul through Cholpon-Ata and Balykchy, then turn up into the Chong-Kemin valley, a green mountain pocket where a cosy guesthouse waits. The evening is yours to relax. - Transfer: 300 km · 4-5 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant, dinner at guesthouse - Overnight: Guesthouse ### Day 12: Burana Tower & Bishkek city tour On the way back to Bishkek you stop at the Burana Tower, the leaning minaret of an old Silk Road town and one of the country's most recognisable sights. From there it's a short drive into the capital for lunch. The afternoon is a guided wander through Bishkek, Ala-Too Square, the buzz of Osh Bazaar for souvenirs, and a few of the city's landmarks, before your guide sees you off. (Prefer the outdoors? A walk in Ala-Archa National Park is an easy swap for the city tour.) - Transfer: 170 km · 3-4 h - Meals: Breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant ## Common questions **How long is this tour?** It runs 12 days, starting and ending in Bishkek. **When is the best time to go?** The season runs May to October. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open. **How fit do I need to be?** It's relaxed-paced, with Horse riding - optional. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing. **Where will I stay?** A mix over the trip: 3 nights at hotel, 3 nights at yurt, 5 nights at guesthouse. ## How to book Send your dates and group size and we confirm availability and a tailored price within 24 hours: https://azattours.com/tours/grand-kyrgyzstan-road-trip-12-days/#book - WhatsApp and phone: +996 502 888 001 (https://wa.me/996502888001) - Email: azatbeyshenaliev1@gmail.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azattourskg/ - Enquiry form: https://azattours.com/#plan - Based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan