# Song-Kul on Horseback & Issyk-Kul - 4 Days

Two lakes in four days. You ride for three days from Kyzart over two 3,400-meter passes to Song-Kul, sleeping with herders in Kilemche and in a lakeside yurt. Then we drive you to the south shore of Issyk-Kul for an eagle show, Skazka Canyon and the Barskoon waterfall. Any riding level is fine, and it runs all year.

- Duration: 4 days
- Type: Horse riding, Combined
- Best season: All year round
- Starts and ends in: Bishkek
- Pace: Moderately paced
- Activities: horse riding - 3 days, sightseeing - 1 day
- Accommodation: 1 night at shepherd's house, 2 nights at yurt
- 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/song-kul-on-horseback-issyk-kul-4-days/

## Highlights

- Three days riding from Kyzart to Song-Kul and back
- A night in a shepherd's house at 2,500 meters
- Golden eagle show on the Issyk-Kul south shore
- Skazka Canyon and the Barskoon waterfall hike

## Itinerary

### Day 1: Bishkek to Kyzart, ride to Kilemche

We collect you early from your Bishkek hotel. The 4 to 5 hour drive heads south into Naryn Province and passes the wide Orto-Tokoy reservoir, where the real mountains begin.

Around midday you reach Kyzart and sit down to a home-cooked lunch at a local guesthouse. Then you meet your horses. Your guide shows you how to sit, steer and stop before you set off.

The trail climbs gently through green valleys. After 3 to 4 hours you arrive in Kilemche, a meadow at 2,500 meters. You stay the night with a shepherd family in a simple home, with a warm dinner.

- Transfer: Bishkek to Kyzart · 4-5 h
- Activity: Horse riding · 3-4 h
- Meals: Lunch, dinner
- Overnight: Shepherd's house in Kilemche

### Day 2: Kilemche over Jalgyz-Karagai Pass to Song-Kul

After breakfast with the shepherd's family, you ride up to the Jalgyz-Karagai Pass at 3,400 meters. Your guide stays with the group the whole way and sets an easy pace.

As you climb, thousands of horses, sheep and cattle graze in the valleys below. From the top you get your first look at Song-Kul, huge and calm, with nothing on its shore to block the view.

You reach the yurt camp in the early afternoon, with time to walk along the water. Dinner is in the yurt, and with no city lights for miles, the Milky Way fills the night sky.

- Activity: Horse riding · 3-4 h
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight: Yurt camp on the Song-Kul shore

### Day 3: Song-Kul over Kara-Kiya Pass to Kyzart and Issyk-Kul

Wake early for mist on the lake and horses grazing as the last stars fade. Breakfast is in the yurt, with no rush.

Your final ride crosses the Kara-Kiya Pass, a different trail from the way in. From the top you see Song-Kul behind you and the open valley ahead. The ride down to Kyzart takes 2 to 3 hours.

A farewell lunch at a Kyzart guesthouse ends the trek. Then we drive you 2 to 3 hours down to the south shore of Issyk-Kul, one of the largest lakes in the world. The night is in a yurt camp by the water.

- Transfer: Kyzart to Issyk-Kul south shore · 2-3 h
- Activity: Horse riding · 2-3 h
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight: Yurt camp on the Issyk-Kul shore

### Day 4: Eagle show, Skazka Canyon and Barskoon Gorge, then Bishkek

The morning starts with a berkutchi, a Kyrgyz eagle hunter. He shows how golden eagles have been trained to hunt here for more than a thousand years. You can hold the bird and take photos with him.

Next is Skazka Canyon, whose name means fairy tale in Russian. Wind and rain have shaped its red and orange walls into strange forms. A short walk takes you inside, with views over Issyk-Kul.

Then we hike to the waterfall in Barskoon Gorge, a narrow rocky valley in the forest. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, liked to rest here.

From Barskoon we drive back along the south shore, about 4 to 5 hours with mountains in view. You are at your Bishkek hotel by early evening, around 7 to 8 pm.

- Transfer: Barskoon to Bishkek · 4-5 h
- Activity: Eagle show · Canyon walk · Waterfall hike
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch

## Common questions

**How long is this tour?** It runs 4 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 3 days horse riding and 1 days sightseeing. Good general fitness is enough, and there is no technical climbing.

**Do I need horse-riding experience?** No. Our guides match each horse to your level and keep the first day gentle, so complete beginners ride this route every season.

**Where will I stay?** A mix over the trip: 1 night at shepherd's house, 2 nights 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/song-kul-on-horseback-issyk-kul-4-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