Home / Tours / Issyk-Kul Canyons, Eagles & Yurt - 2 Days
Issyk-Kul Canyons, Eagles & Yurt - 2 Days
Two days on the quiet south shore of Issyk-Kul. We hike Konorchek and Skazka canyons, hold a golden eagle in Bokonbayevo, ride horses by the lake and sleep in a yurt camp on the shore. It is a private trip with your own guide, and it fits travellers who have a short window but want more than a city break.
Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at yurt
- Activities: hiking - 2 days, horse riding - 1 day
- Departures from: Bishkek
- Best time to go: All year round
- Local certified English-speaking guide
- Private transport & airport transfers
- Small group or fully private
- 24/7 support team in Bishkek
What to pack
- Long trousers that won't chafe during long hours in the saddle
- Closed shoes or boots with a small heel that sit well in the stirrups
- Riding gloves to protect your hands on the reins
- A waterproof, windproof jacket and a warm layer for cold yurt evenings
- Sun protection: a hat or cap, sunglasses, and high-SPF sunscreen
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
- Altitude: camps sit around 2,500 to 3,900 metres, so take it easy on the first day and drink plenty of water
- 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 · Safety first: how we look after you in the mountains
Day-by-day itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Every itinerary can be tailored to your dates, pace and fitness.
Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby, talks you through the day and drives you in a private air-conditioned car. It is just your group and us.
First stop is Burana Tower, a Silk Road minaret from the 9th to 10th century. You walk through the small archaeology museum and past the old stone balbals. Then you climb the tower for a view of the Tien Shan.
Next we drive into Boom Gorge to Konorchek Canyon. The hike takes 2 to 3 hours along narrow paths between red and orange cliffs, and you do not need special fitness. It ends at a high point above the whole canyon.
In the evening we reach a yurt camp on the south shore. A champion berkutchi shows how he hunts with his golden eagle, and then the bird sits on your arm. Dinner is home-cooked: fresh bread, hot soup and slow-cooked meat.
Breakfast is in the dining yurt by the water. After it, a local horseman gives you a short briefing and stays with you the whole ride. No experience is needed.
You choose the route. Ride along the shore with the blue lake beside you, or climb into the hills for a view over the lake and valley. The ride lasts 1 to 2 hours.
Then we drive to Barskoon. Take the easy 30-minute walk to the lower viewpoint, or the 3-hour hike to the upper waterfall. Your guide comes along either way.
Lunch is at a local cafe near Skazka Canyon. Afterwards you get about an hour among its red and gold rocks, carved by wind. In the afternoon we drive back and drop you at your hotel in Bishkek.
Sights visited on this tour
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan's leafy, Soviet-planned capital and the gateway to the mountains.
Fairy-Tale Canyon
Wind-carved red and orange rock formations near the Issyk-Kul shore.Burana Tower
Gallery
Common questions
It runs 2 days, starting and ending in Bishkek.
The season runs All year round. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open.
It's moderately paced, with 2 days hiking and 1 days horse riding. 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 yurt.
From $500 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.
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