Home / Tours / Karakol, Cholpon-Ata & Chong-Kemin - 4 Days
Karakol, Cholpon-Ata & Chong-Kemin - 4 Days
Four private days that circle Issyk-Kul and end in the green Chong-Kemin valley. You see Burana Tower, an eagle show and a yurt camp on the south shore, then Skazka, Barskoon, Jeti-Oguz and Karakol. The last night is at a family guesthouse, where you bake boorsok in the morning and ride before heading home. A softer pace, with choices built into every day.
Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at yurt, 1 night at hotel, 1 night at guesthouse
- Activities: sightseeing - 3 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 picks you up at your Bishkek hotel and we set off for Issyk-Kul. At Burana Tower you walk among the balbal stones and climb up for a wide view of the Tien Shan.
Further east there is an optional stop at Konorchek Canyon. The easy hike through red rock takes about 2 to 3 hours. Skip it if you would rather reach the lake earlier.
In the afternoon, on the south shore, you meet a golden eagle and its hunter. You learn how the old tradition works and get your photos with the bird.
In the evening you check in at a yurt camp by the lake. After dinner there is a bonfire.
After breakfast we follow the south shore east. First is Fairy Tale Canyon, also known as Skazka, where wind shaped red sandstone into castles, animals and walls. Your guide walks you to the best photo spots.
In Barskoon Gorge, among pine forest and peaks, a short hike takes you to the waterfalls fed by glacier water. We go at your pace.
After lunch we reach Jeti-Oguz and its famous red rocks, the Seven Bulls and the Broken Heart. Take a relaxed walk, or add a horse ride toward Kok-Jaiyk Valley.
In the evening you check in at a hotel in Karakol. On request we stop at natural hot springs before dinner.
The morning is a short tour of Karakol. You see the Dungan Mosque, built in Chinese style without nails, and the wooden Russian Orthodox church. If you like, we add the local museum and its story of the town's Russian and Chinese communities.
We then drive along the north shore and stop in the Semenov and Grigoriev gorges for short walks and photos.
Lunch is at a lakeside restaurant in Cholpon-Ata. Then you visit Ruh Ordo and the open-air petroglyphs, and take a boat out on the lake, with life jackets for a swim. Hot springs can be added too.
In the afternoon we drive on to Chong-Kemin and a family-run guesthouse. Dinner is home-style and the evening is quiet.
The day starts with a boorsok class. You make this traditional Kyrgyz bread with your hosts and eat it warm at breakfast.
Then pick one activity: a hike into the forest, a 2-3 hour guided ride through the valley or by the river, or a horse carriage ride.
Traditional horse games such as Kok-Boru, horse wrestling, Tyin Enmei or Kyz Kuumai can be arranged at extra cost. Rafting is possible as well.
In the afternoon we drive back to Bishkek and drop you at your hotel or the airport.
Sights visited on this tour
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan's leafy, Soviet-planned capital and the gateway to the mountains.
Karakol
A characterful eastern town with a wooden mosque and Russian church.Cholpon-Ata
Chong-Kemin
A long river valley and national park threaded with forest and meadow.Burana Tower
Gallery
Common questions
It runs 4 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 3 days sightseeing 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, 1 night at hotel, 1 night at guesthouse.
From $1200 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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Other tours you might like
Road trip3 daysIssyk-Kul Shore Ride, Eagles & Boat - 3 Days
- Optional 2-3 hour hike in Konorchek Canyon
- Eagle hunting show and a yurt night in Bokonbayevo
- Beginner ride in the hills or along the lakeshore
Road trip4 daysIssyk-Kul Full Circle & Boat Ride - 4 Days
- Golden eagle show on the south shore near Bokonbayevo
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Combined5 daysIssyk-Kul Loop via Chong-Kemin - 5 Days
- Three-hour horse ride in Chong-Kemin National Park
- Boorsok cooking class with a local family
- Ride into Kok-Jaiyk Valley and sleep in a yurt