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Horseback riding Summer transhumance
9–18 June 2023

Through this very special program, organized with a family of shepherds, you will be in the skin of a nomad from sunrise to sunset during 8 days. Each participant will have his own horse and your level must allow you to spend more than 10 hours on horseback and ride more than 35 km per day.

Share shepherd's nomadic way of life

Since ancient times, the Kyrgyz have led a nomadic life, and over the centuries, their system of organizing their lives has been perfected. The yurt, their mobile habitat, can be assembled or disassembled quickly. Also, many objects and multifunctional instruments allow them to travel long distances. 

Now, the Kyrgyz have become a sedentary people, but they have retained the traditions and culture of nomads and continue to transhumance animals from spring to autumn in search of abundant grass.

Nomad's Land and its team would like to make you discover a fascinating region perched in the middle of the Tien Shan. Kyrgyzstan, a country of nomads, located in the heart of Central Asia, offers largely unexplored mountains, a formidable playground for all lovers of nature and virgin lands. The Kyrgyz people have preserved their tradition of hospitality and live peacefully in a surprising variety of landscapes that make this country the pearl of Central Asia: steppes, grasslands, deserts but also canyons, high alpine valleys, lakes and rivers with turquoise waters. 

Per pers.
$ 1,093
Confirmed
0/6
Followers
3

Program


            Bishkek - Kara-Suu
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan!
Bishkek - Kara-Suu

Our guide and driver will meet you at the airport. We reach the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, where you will be able to change money into local currency, the Kyzgyz Som.

Then we head to Kara-Suu, the village where we stop for acclimatization. Here we participate in the making of the felt carpet. 

 

Dinner and overnight in a guesthouse.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
250 km
04:00

            Kara-Suu - Ters Tor valley
Visit of the cattle market.
Kara-Suu - Ters Tor valley

We get up early in the morning to go with the owners to the cattle market. We will go to the village of Kochkor, located 6 km from the village of Kara Suu and where a big cattle market is held on Saturday. They start bringing in the cattle early, just after midnight, to sell the cattle to other areas.

We will visit the cattle market and return to the village and ride to the pasture called Ters Tor from where we will start our transhumance. 

2 hours of riding and we are in Ters Tor, at the home of the shepherd family. We will get to know the family and have dinner in a warm atmosphere. 

Dinner and night at the yurt camp.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
830 m
0 m

            Ters Tor valley - Lake Kol-Ukok
Preparation for the transhumance.
Ters Tor valley - Lake Kol-Ukok

We will dedicate this day to the preparation of the transhumance. We wake up early in the morning and with the family, we learn how to take care of the animals. Our shepherds will explain our work during the transhumance. 

Our family will teach them how to handle the animals and show them their way of life, tell and show how their ancestors used to set up and dismantle the nomadic camp, and how cars have now made this task easier.

 

In the afternoon we will ride to the Kol Ukok lake, enjoy the view of its turquoise waters.

 

Dinner and overnight at the yurt camp.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
02:00
460 m
460 m

            Ters Tor valley - Kurgak Ukok
Beginning of the transhumance: from Ters Tor to Kourgak Ukok.
Ters Tor valley - Kurgak Ukok

The beginning of our migration. We will get up early, we have to help the horsemen with the cattle, load the utensils on the horses and be perfectly prepared for the transhumance.

After breakfast, we begin our transhumance towards the Song Koul lake. At the end of the day, we will arrive in the valley of Kourgak Ukok.

Dinner and night in tents.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            Kurgak Ukok - Sary Bulak
Second day of the transhumance. From Kurgak Ukok to Sary Bulak.
Kurgak Ukok - Sary Bulak

Waking up early in the morning and after breakfast the usual preparation for the trip.

We will start climbing the mountains, picnic on the way. This day we will descend from the valley of Sary Bulak and part of the road will be along the main road, then we will go up the mountains and set up a camp in Sary Bulak.

Dinner and overnight in tents.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            Sary Bulak - The Archaly Gorge
Third day of the transhumance. From Sary Boulak to Archaly.
Sary Bulak - The Archaly Gorge

We will also get up early in the morning and after breakfast, we will continue our transhumance to the Dolon Pass which altitude is 3030 m. But before crossing it we climb for 15 km on the main road from Naryn to Kochkor, and although the local population is used to these transhumances, we will have to be very careful. Then we climb to the second pass called Kumbel Ata, which means "grandfather's sand back", located at 3536 meters above sea level.

At the end of the day, we will reach the Archaly valley, where we will set up our camp.

Dinner and night in tents.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            The Archaly Gorge - Kumdu Suu (Song Kul)
Fourth day of the transhumance. From Archaly to Kumdu Suu.
The Archaly Gorge - Kumdu Suu (Song Kul)

Early wake up and after breakfast the usual preparation for the trip.

We will start climbing the mountains, meal along the way. This day we climb to Kumdu Suu through many valleys on the high plateau of the Song Kul basin. At the end of the afternoon, we are in the pasture. All the cattle we bring will stay in the Kumdu Suu valley until September. 

Dinner and night at the yurt camp.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            Kumdu Suu (Song Kul) - Batay Aral (Song Kul)
The end of the transhumance
Kumdu Suu (Song Kul) - Batay Aral (Song Kul)

Our transhumant breeding has come to an end.

After breakfast, we will ride to the bridge where we have the appointment with our driver. He will take us to the yurt camp on the shore of Song Kul lake to spend a night.

Dinner and overnight at the yurt camp.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            Batay Aral (Song Kul) - Bishkek
Back to civilization.
Batay Aral (Song Kul) - Bishkek

In the morning after breakfast we leave our yurt camp for Bishkek.

Lunch on the way. Visit of the 11th century minaret Burana.

Arrival in the city of Bishkek. Accommodation in the hotel.

Dinner in a traditional restaurant.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

            Bishkek - Manas International Airport
Transfer from Bishkek to Manas International Airport.
Bishkek - Manas International Airport

Depending on your flight time, your guide will join you to the airport and help you check in for your flight.  If your flight is later in the day your guide will show you more places in Bishkek before your flight. We hope you enjoyed your trip to Kyrgyzstan and we hope you come back again to explore other counties in Central Asia with us. 

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
40 km
00:40
0 m
100 m

On your way

Bishkek KG

Bishkek is one of the greenest cities in Central Asia. About 150 different kinds of trees and bushes are planted in the streets of the city. There are many cinemas, Opera House, Kyrgyz and Russian Drama Theater, Mosques and Orthodox churches, historical complex of the national hero - Manas- “The Manas Ailly”, zoological, geological art and other museums, exhibitions of decorative and applied art, colorful oriental bazaars are others interesting places you are invited to visit.

On bazaar one can see really traditional handiwork of Kyrgyz land and goods from all around the world at reasonable prices. There are remarkable parks and shadowy boulevards Erkindik and Molodaya Gvardia, pensioners like to walk there, sportsmen run along its alleys, kids play and young people date here.

Bishkek - capital, heart of the Kyrgyz Republic, its political, economic, scientific and cultural center, the main transport unit. Bishkek - the location of the supreme bodies of the government of republic, embassies and representations of the foreign states. Bishkek is located in the center of the Chuy valley, at bottom of snow-white mountains of Kyrgyz Ala-Too, at height of 750 m. above sea level.

The area of territory - 160 sq. km, the population - about 1 million person. The city residential areas which have arisen at various times, differ on the planning structure and a degree of an accomplishment. Last years are characterized by occurrence on adjoining to city of territory of some new buildings with the microstructure. The city on administrative-territorial division is broken into 4 areas: Leninsky, Pervomajsky, Sverdlovsky, Oktjabrsky.

In Bishkek the most part of all industry of Kyrghyzstan is located. Feature of planning structure of the city of Bishkek is development of industrial zones along the railway. In city two industrial zones are allocated: east and western. The system of transport and foot ways connects industrial and administrative areas among themselves. Gardening is submitted by squares, parkways, parks, adjoining to city the territory is planted by forest plantations, there are lakes and water pools.

The science and education are submitted by the National academy of sciences and a plenty of average special and higher educational institutions. Bishkek - the center of national culture of Kyrghyzstan. Here there are theatres, a philharmonic society, libraries, museums.

Intensively the information infrastructure of city develops: some Internet providers already work, a plenty of local, global, corporate computer networks is created. Two operators of cellular communication, some operators of a paging and trunk radio communication work.
 

Kol-Ukok lake (Kel-Ukek, Kel-Ukok) KG

Kel Ukok Lake is a lake located 3048 meters above sea level south of the city of Kochkor. The lake was formed after the glaciers retreated, and its wall was formed by moraines. At the bottom, there are several small lakes in the moraine, then the first lake on the plateau is called Aral. The lake attached to Aral is Kel Ukok Lake which is 2330 meters long and 530-730 meters wide. 3 km higher in the Karakum Gorge is another smaller lake Kol-Tor at 3481 meters above sea level, and 700 meters long. Even higher, there are still 3 small glacial lakes.

Pricing

The right price for you, however many you are

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1 people

$3,244

2 people

$1,907

3 people

$1,461

4 people

$1,262

5 people

$1,121

6 people

$1,093

What is included

  • All transportation in a private vehicle

  • All airport transfers

  • Accommodation as described in the program

  • Meals (3 per day)

  • Bottled water (when possible) & tea

  • English-speaking trekking guide

  • Horses with local saddles

  • Pack horses with saddle bags & horsemen

  • Camping & cooking equipment (tents, mats, gas, stove, etc)

  • All the activities listed in the program

  • Entry fees at national parks and/or border zones listed in the program

  • Entry fees at museums and historical sites listed in the program

  • Domestic flights mentioned in the program

  • A contribution to our sustainable development projects

  • Organisation of the trip & local taxes

What is not included

  • International flights

  • International banking fees (PayPal, ...)

  • Travel & repatriation insurance

  • Visas / LOI (if applicable)

  • Alcoholic and soft drinks

  • Personal expenses

  • Personal equipment (sleeping bag, headlight, personal medication, etc)

  • Additional costs due to unexpected personal events (health, loss of luggage, ...)

  • Tips for guide & driver (always optional, always appreciated)

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