# Issyk-Kul, Karakol & Canyons - 3 Days

Three days around Issyk-Kul that run in any season. Drive along the lake to Karakol, come back by the south shore past the canyons to a mountain yurt, and ride half a day to the Shatyly viewpoint before returning to Bishkek.

- Duration: 3 days
- Type: Road trip
- Best season: All year round
- Starts and ends in: Bishkek
- Pace: Moderately paced
- Activities: Horse riding - optional
- Accommodation: 1 night at hotel, 1 night at yurt
- Total driving: 880 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/issyk-kul-karakol-canyons-3-days/

## Highlights

- Runs all year round
- Along Issyk-Kul to Karakol
- South shore canyons and a night in a mountain yurt
- Half a day on horseback to the Shatyly viewpoint

## Itinerary

### Day 1: Bishkek to Karakol along Issyk-Kul

You set off east from Bishkek, with a first stop at the 11th-century Burana Tower near Tokmok, a lone brick minaret marking the site of an old Silk Road town, surrounded by weathered stone figures. Lunch follows in Iskra Village with a Dungan family, whose cooking blends Chinese and Central Asian flavours into something you won't find elsewhere.

The road then runs the length of Issyk-Kul, the vast lake that gives the region its name, passing the Kyrchyn Gorge that once hosted the World Nomad Games. You reach Karakol in the evening for dinner and a comfortable night in a hotel.

- Transfer: 430 km · 6-7 h
- Meals: lunch at guesthouse, dinner at restaurant
- Overnight: Hotel

### Day 2: South shore canyons to a mountain yurt

A short morning tour takes you around Karakol before you head out along the lake's southern shore. First stop is the Jety-Oguz Gorge, where a wall of red sandstone cliffs rises from the green valley, and lunch is a home-cooked Russian meal in Tamga at the house of a former Soviet alpinist.

The afternoon brings a gentle walk to the waterfall in Barskoon Gorge and a stop among the strange shapes of the Fairy-Tale canyons. As the day cools you climb up to the high Boz-Salkyn pastures, where you spend the night in a yurt and get a real taste of how nomad families live through the summer.

- Transfer: 150 km · 3-4 h
- Meals: breakfast at hotel, lunch at guesthouse, dinner at yurt
- Overnight: Yurt

### Day 3: Ride to Shatyly & back to Bishkek

The morning is a half-day ride through alpine forest and meadow up to the Shatyly panorama, a viewpoint that opens onto the whole sweep of Issyk-Kul with the snow-capped Kungey Ala-Too behind it. If you'd rather not ride, the same route works well on foot.

Back at the trailhead you drive to Bokonbaev Village to meet local eagle hunters, who show how they work with their birds, and have lunch at a guesthouse before the long drive back to Bishkek. The eagle display is a demonstration, real hunting only happens in winter.

- Transfer: 280 km · 4 h
- Activity: Horse riding · half day
- Meals: breakfast at guesthouse, lunch at restaurant

## Common questions

**How long is this tour?** It runs 3 days, starting and ending in Bishkek.

**When is the best time to go?** The season runs All year round. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open.

**How fit do I need to be?** It's moderately 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: 1 night at hotel, 1 night at yurt.

## How to book

Send your dates and group size and we confirm availability and a tailored price within 24 hours: https://azattours.com/tours/issyk-kul-karakol-canyons-3-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