Arrive: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Depart: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
We stay in comfortable hotels in Bishkek and Karakol. Other days we're in more basic guesthouses, tent camps, or yurt camps. Tents and yurts are private, but there is a communal eating area and a communal toilet area (for 8 nights). Single rooms can be requested, but are not guaranteed. Wilderness Travel will do its best to secure single rooms for those who pay the single supplement, but even if this is confirmed in advance, arrangements may change during the trip.
All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are included, except breakfast on Day 1. Full breakfasts are included at hotels. When possible, we have arranged meals at local restaurants and in family homes. Village food tends to simpler than city food, but sampling it is an excellent opportunity to experience rural life. Please note that special diets may be difficult to accommodate on this trip. Bottled water is provided throughout the trip.
Road conditions can be very basic, and trip members should be prepared for drives of 3-6 hours on some days. Our expedition travels to areas that have experienced very little tourism. While traveling in rural areas, we may have stretches without public bathroom facilities, and you may need to do what the locals do and opt for a "nature break." The most important requirements for this trip are a spirit of adventure and the understanding that you are visiting a remote and fascinating region.
"Our trip with Wilderness Travel to Kyrgyzstan was a fabulous success. The country was magnificently beautiful, the people we met were warm and friendly. Trekking among the snow-capped mountains and high valleys among roaming horses, cattle, and sheep was picturesque beyond the photographs. I so enjoyed the trip's cultural aspects of visits with the local Kyrgyz people: experiencing yurt building, felt making, the livestock market, eagle hunters, and interacting with the nomadic shepherds and their family up close."
Arthur F.
Brooklyn, NY
"It was a great adventure and one that we thoroughly enjoyed!"
Diana M.
London, England
"Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country and each area we visited was a unique experience. I enjoyed the added cultural and historical additions to our hiking days. The felt demonstration, yurt building, home visit, eagle hunters, and boat ride added much to our adventure."
Lynn T.
Portland, OR
"A great trip in a terrific new destination."
Paul S.
Epping, Australia
"One of the most pleasurable and interesting trips I have been on. It is a part of the world that I have been interested in for a long time. The various opportunities to explore local culture through the food, felt making, yurt construction, and eagle hunting were exceptionally good. The walking allowed us all to enjoy the spectacular landscape at our own pace."
Philip M.
Cumbria, England
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
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With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.