Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at hotel, 1 night at yurt
- Activities: Horse riding - optional, trekking - half day
- 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
- Proper hiking boots with ankle support for rocky, uneven trails
- Trekking poles to ease the climbs and descents
- A comfortable daypack with a refillable water bottle and snacks
- A waterproof, windproof jacket and warm layers for the passes
- 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.
You set out from Bishkek and stop first at the Burana Tower, then share a meal with a Dungan family for a taste of local home cooking and culture.
The drive carries on through Kochkor and over the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass at 3400 m before the land drops away to Song-Kul. You spend the night in a yurt on the high, quiet shore.
The morning brings an easy ride around Song-Kul, past yurts and grazing herds, with the option to head up into the hills if you want more time in the saddle.
In the afternoon you leave the lake, crossing the Terskey-Torpu Pass and passing through Naryn on the way to Tash-Bashat, an untouristed village where a cosy hotel and a short evening walk round off the day.
An early start sets you up for a rough, rewarding drive through the At-Bashy region and over the Kyndy Pass at 3200 m into the Kok-Kiya Valley.
From there you trek to Kel-Suu, an easy walk along a river that turns a little harder near the lake itself, where cliffs hem in startling water. There's an optional boat ride before you return to the guesthouse for dinner and the night.
The last day is mostly on the road, heading back toward Bishkek by way of Naryn along a scenic route. You stop in Kochkor for lunch and a short rest.
There's a quick look at the western end of Issyk-Kul before the final stretch into Bishkek, closing out the trip.
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.
Kel-Suu Lake
A remote, fjord-like lake hidden among cliffs near the Chinese border.
Tash-Bashat
A small mountain village offering warm homestays and rural calm.Gallery
Common questions
It runs 4 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 fast-paced, with Horse riding - optional and trekking - half day. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing.
A mix over the trip: 1 night at guesthouse, 1 night at hotel, 1 night at yurt.
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.
Enquiry received!
A local expert will email you within 24 hours about “Kel-Suu Lake Express - 4 Days”.
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