Home / Tours / Song-Kul Ride & Altyn-Arashan Trek - 5 Days
Song-Kul Ride & Altyn-Arashan Trek - 5 Days
The short version of our ride and trek. One long day on horseback up to Song-Kul, a yurt night, and the ride back to Kyzart. Then the south shore of Issyk-Kul and two days on foot into Altyn-Arashan and out.
Why you'll love this tour
Good to know
- Accommodation: 1 night at hotel, 1 night at yurt, 2 nights at guesthouse
- Activities: horse riding - 3 days, trekking - 2 days
- 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
- 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.
We drive out to Kyzart Village, where lunch is waiting at a homestay. Then you climb into the saddle and ride through open fields toward the Tuz-Ashuu Pass at 3300 m, a steady ascent that pays off with wide mountain views.
From the top of the pass you descend to the shore of Song-Kul and settle into a yurt hosted by a nomad family. There's time to walk by the water before dinner and a first night under the high-pasture sky.
You ride back to Kyzart over the scenic Kara-Kiya Pass at 3300 m. After saying goodbye to your nomad hosts, you climb up for one last sweeping look at Song-Kul, then descend to the village for lunch and a rest.
In the afternoon we drive on to Issyk-Kul, following its southern shore toward Bokonbaev Village. You arrive in the evening at a guesthouse, with time to relax before dinner.
The day starts with an eagle hunter showing how he works with his bird, a tradition still kept in these villages. From there we drive to the Fairy-Tale Canyons to wander among the dramatic rock formations.
Lunch is in Tamga Village at the home of a Soviet-era mountaineer, then we visit the Barskoon Waterfalls and the red cliffs of the Jety-Oguz Valley. You reach Karakol in the evening, with an optional look around town before settling in.
We drive the short distance to Ak-Suu village, where the trail to Altyn-Arashan begins. With your pack on, you follow the river up through alpine forest, the mountains closing in around you, and stop for a picnic by the water along the way.
You reach the guesthouse in the early evening. After the trek, the natural hot springs are the place to ease tired muscles before dinner and a quiet night under the stars.
After breakfast you trek back down to Ak-Suu, retracing the river trail through the forest with one more chance to take in the scenery. Lunch is in Karakol.
From there we follow the northern shore of Issyk-Kul back toward Bishkek, the lake alongside for much of the drive. You'll reach the city in the evening, around 8-9 PM, at the end of 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.
Altyn-Arashan
A green hot-springs valley cradled by peaks above Karakol.
Kyzart
A quiet farming village and trailhead for the horse route to Song-Kul.Ak-Suu
A high pasture region of clear streams on the way to Kel-Suu.Gallery
Common questions
It runs 5 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 3 days horse riding and 2 days trekking. 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 hotel, 1 night at yurt, 2 nights at guesthouse.
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 “Song-Kul Ride & Altyn-Arashan Trek - 5 Days”.
Other tours you might like
Combined8 daysSong-Kul, Kel-Suu & Altyn-Arashan - 8 Days
- Riding from Kyzart over the Jalgyz-Karagai pass to Song-Kul
- The 14 km walk to Kel-Suu lake
- Eagle hunter, canyons and Jety-Oguz on the south shore
Combined8 daysKyzyl-Oi, Song-Kul & Chong-Kemin - 8 Days
- A first night in the village of Kyzyl-Oi
- Two days riding from Kyzart to Kilemche and Song-Kul
- The south shore of Issyk-Kul
Combined9 daysSong-Kul, Kok-Kiya & Kel-Suu - 9 Days
- Two days riding over the Jalgyz-Karagai pass to Song-Kul
- Off-road to Kok-Kiya, then on foot to Kel-Suu
- Eagle hunter, canyons and Jety-Oguz on Issyk-Kul's south shore