Saddle & Summit - 7 Days in Kyrgyzstan
3 days on horseback to Song-Köl · 3 days on foot to Ala-Köl · Jun – Sep · 7 days
Seven days. Two of the most celebrated landscapes in Central Asia. Three days of horseback riding through nomadic summer pastures. Three days of serious alpine trekking. One road trip along the south shore of Issyk-Kul with red canyons, waterfalls and an eagle hunting encounter along the way. No prior riding experience is needed for the horse section. Prior hiking experience is required for Ala-Köl.
🗓 7 days Jun – Sep
🐎 64km Horse riding in 3 days
🥾 45km Trekking in 3 days
🏔 3,900m Highest at Ala-Köl Pass
The elevation profile
Two distinct adventures at altitude — a horseback ascent to Song-Köl followed by a trekking traverse to Ala-Köl. The profile shows the rhythm: up on horse, down to Issyk-Kul, up again on foot to the crown jewel.
Why this is two journeys in one
Most tours do one or the other — horse riding to Song-Köl, or trekking to Ala-Köl. This one does both. And the contrast between the two is exactly what makes it unforgettable.
No riding experience required
Day 1 begins with riding instructions from your guide. The horses are calm, the terrain is open steppe. By the time you reach Song-Köl, you feel like you've always done this.
Song-Köl from the saddle
You cross the Jalgyz-Karagai Pass at 3,300m on horseback and see Song-Köl for the first time from above — the entire lake spread below you. This view is impossible to reach any other way.
Eagle hunting on the south shore
Day 4 opens with a private berkutchi demonstration — a Kyrgyz eagle hunter whose golden eagle has been trained since birth. One of the most visceral cultural experiences in Central Asia.
Ala-Köl — the 3,900m crown jewel
The trekking section builds to Ala-Köl: a turquoise glacial lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The final 200m to the pass are steep scree — then the view opens. Worth every step.
Natural hot springs after the hardest day
After crossing Ala-Köl Pass and descending through Keldike Gorge, the Altyn Arashan hot springs are waiting. Soak in natural thermal pools in one of the most remote valleys in Kyrgyzstan.
Jety-Oguz · Barskoon · Fairy-Tale Canyons
Day 4 is a south shore road trip that most tours skip: Fairy-Tale (Skazka) Canyon, Barskoon Waterfalls, and Jety-Oguz's red Seven Bulls cliffs — all in a single remarkable day.
Day-by-day adventure
Seven days structured as three distinct acts: horseback into the mountains, a road trip along the most beautiful shoreline in Central Asia, and a serious alpine trek to one of Kyrgyzstan's most celebrated lakes.
ACT I — DAYS 1–3 · HORSE RIDING
Kyzart Village → Kilemche Pasture → Song-Köl Lake → Tuz-Ashuu · total ~64km on horseback
Bishkek → Kyzart Village · 280km · Horse riding 21km · Kilemche yurt 2700m
Into the saddle — Chaar-Archa River to Kilemche
You drive four hours from Bishkek to Kyzart Village — your last sight of tarmac and WiFi for three days. At the guesthouse you leave your main luggage behind and take only what fits in a small backpack. After lunch and a riding briefing from your guide, you mount up and head south along the Chaar-Archa River. The path is gentle — wide meadows, a river alongside you, mountains rising on every side. By evening you arrive at the Kilemche yurt camp at 2,700m, run by a nomadic herder family. Dinner in the yurt. The only sounds tonight are wind and horses.
🐎 21km · 4–5h
🏕 Yurt · 2700m
🍽 Lunch + Dinner
No prior riding experience required. Leave your large bag at the Kyzart guesthouse — collect it on Day 3.
First horse dayChaar-Archa RiverNomadic yurt · 2700m
ACT II — DAY 4 · SOUTH SHORE ROAD TRIP
Eagle hunting · Fairy-Tale Canyon · Barskoon · Jety-Oguz · Karakol · ~150km
Bokonbaev → eagle hunting → Fairy-Tale Canyon → Barskoon → Jety-Oguz → Karakol
The south shore in full — four of Kyrgyzstan's finest sights
The day opens on open steppe with a private eagle hunting demonstration — a Kyrgyz berkutchi and his golden eagle. The bird circles, stoops, lands. You are handed the gauntlet. Then east along the south shore: Fairy-Tale (Skazka) Canyon with its wind-carved red sandstone formations that look like something from another planet. Lunch in Tamga Village. Barskoon Gorge and its waterfalls. Jety-Oguz — the Seven Bulls red rock canyon and the Broken Heart formation. By evening you are in Karakol — the region's mountain capital, with a Dungan Mosque and a Russian Orthodox church within walking distance of each other.
🚗 ~150km
🏨 Hotel · Karakol
🍽 B / L / D
Eagle hunting is a demonstration with explanations. Real hunting on horseback happens only in winter. The demonstration is optional — inform your guide if you prefer to skip.
Eagle hunting · berkutchiFairy-Tale CanyonJety-Oguz · Seven BullsKarakol city
ACT III — DAYS 5–7 · ALPINE TREKKING
Karakol Gorge → Sirota Hut → Ala-Köl Pass 3900m → Altyn Arashan → Ak-Suu · ~45km on foot
Karakol → Karakol Gorge → Sirota Hut yurt · 14km trek · ~3200m
Into Karakol Gorge — forest trail to Sirota base camp
Transfer 20km to the trailhead. You shoulder a daypack — your main luggage stays in Karakol — and begin the trail into the gorge. The first hours are gentle: tall alpine forest, a river alongside you, the sound of waterfalls from the rocks above. The trail then steepens, the trees thin and you emerge onto stony terrain. By late afternoon you reach Sirota Hut — a yurt camp in a small gorge that functions as base camp for Ala-Köl. Other trekkers from around the world are here; the atmosphere is electric with anticipation. Rest well. Tomorrow is the biggest day of the entire seven.
🥾 14km · 5–6h
🏕 Sirota Hut yurt · ~3200m
📶 Wi-Fi available
🍽 B / Picnic / D
Karakol Gorge trailSirota Hut base campWi-Fi at camp
What's included
✓ All accommodation (hotel, guesthouses, yurt camps)
✓ All meals as listed per day
✓ Horses + horse guide for riding days
✓ English-speaking tour guide throughout
✓ All ground transport and transfers
✓ Eagle hunting demonstration
✓ Altyn Arashan hot springs access
✓ All entrance fees to listed sites
✗ International flights to/from Bishkek
✗ Travel and medical insurance (required)
✗ Personal equipment and gear rental
✗ Personal expenses and tips
✗ Private yurt (available on request)
✗ Alcoholic drinks and beverages