Home / Tours / Issyk-Kul & Song-Kul Weekend - 3 Days
Issyk-Kul & Song-Kul Weekend - 3 Days
Three days, two lakes: the south shore of Issyk-Kul, a visit to an eagle hunter, then the climb to Song-Kul for a night in a yurt and an optional ride before the drive back to Bishkek.
Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at hotel
- Activities: Horse riding - optional
- Departures from: Bishkek
- Best time to go: May to October
- Local certified English-speaking guide
- Private transport & airport transfers
- Small group or fully private
- 24/7 support team in Bishkek
What to pack
- Motion-sickness tablets, as mountain roads can be winding and bumpy
- A light blanket or extra layer for long drives at altitude
- Comfortable shoes with grip for the short walks at each stop
- Sun protection: a hat or cap, sunglasses, and high-SPF sunscreen
- Some cash in Kyrgyz som for villages, where cards are not accepted
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
Day-by-day itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Every itinerary can be tailored to your dates, pace and fitness.
You head out from Bishkek toward the lakes, stopping first at the Burana Tower, an 11th-century minaret standing alone on the steppe, all that's left of a Silk Road town, with old stone carvings dotted around it. Lunch is with a Dungan family in Iskra Village, whose food mixes Chinese and Central Asian traditions in a way you won't taste anywhere else.
From there the road follows the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, the huge lake at the heart of the region. In the late afternoon you stop at the Fairy-Tale canyons, where wind and water have shaped the rock into odd, castle-like forms, before settling into a guesthouse in Bokonbaev Village.
The day starts with a local eagle hunter, who shows how these golden eagles are trained and flown, a skill handed down through the family for generations. From Bokonbaev you drive on to Kochkor Village for lunch and a short break.
The road then climbs into the mountains over the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass at 3400 m and brings you down to Song-Kul, a high lake ringed by summer pastures. There's time for a walk along the shore before dinner, and you spend the night in a traditional yurt; pack warm layers, as it gets cold once the sun drops.
After breakfast there's the option of an easy ride around the lake, passing yurts and grazing herds at a gentle pace, relaxed enough for anyone new to the saddle. Lunch is back at the yurt before you set off home.
The drive back to Bishkek crosses the Tuz-Ashuu Pass and runs down through the Kilemche pastures, with mountain views the whole way. It's a long day on the road, but a fitting last look at the high country before you reach the city.
Sights visited on this tour
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan's leafy, Soviet-planned capital and the gateway to the mountains.
Song-Kul Lake
A high alpine lake ringed by summer yurt camps and grazing horses.
Issyk-Kul Lake
A vast, warm mountain lake that never freezes, framed by snowy peaks.Gallery
Common questions
It runs 3 days, starting and ending in Bishkek.
The season runs May to October. June to September brings the warmest days, and the high-pasture yurt camps are open.
It's moderately paced, with Horse riding - optional. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing.
A mix over the trip: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at hotel.
Tell us about your trip
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