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Greetings from New Zealand !!
It was a long, complicated journey from Down Under to Kyrgyzstan but more than worth every bit of effort - I had the trip of a lifetime. I did the Long Horse ride with Ecotour in summer 2009 and cannot fault the way the trip went, I had an utterly brilliant time, the horses were fabulous, my guide and horsemen deserve a huge amount of praise – thank you Meerim, Talant and Marat. The communication in the run up to the trip was fast and informative, Ecotour were very willing to answer all questions etc.
As for horse riding in Kyrgyzstan - it rocks !, seriously this trip gives you a range of scenery in a 3 week period I don't think you could experience anywhere else - and plenty of excitement and adventure along the way. If you like to be challenged, like to have the opportunity to meet the people of the country and love to be awestruck by nature then this is definitely the trip.
The Kyrgyz people are more than generous and hospitable, they are genuinely interested in you and where you're from and they have a brilliant sense of fun and humour. As yet the people and country don't exhibit traits of being over touristy which is so refreshing.
I was a female solo traveller and after my Ecotour trek they helped me sort further travel with CBT and I explored more of the country by myself, I never encountered any problems along the way only friendly, generous people.
As for me the highlight would have to be galloping at huge speed across the hills to the glaciers above Temir Kanat.....the memory of that ride on a gorgeous horse still thrills me to bits !!....not many places in the world you can do that....wow !
Thanks Ecotour I loved every single moment of my trip.
Cheers, Barbara Tily

We can give our warm recommendations to anyone considering going to Kyrgyzstan in general, and with Ecotour in particular! In June 2008 we spent two weeks in some of Ecotour's yurt camps, and it was a highly memorable experience. Ecotour was very flexible and had arranged a programme that suited our wishes perfectly. We got horse riding, camel riding, hot springs, hiking in the mountains, varied landscapes (from semidesert to green, lush vallies and high, dramatic mountains) and delicious and very varied food. Our guide/interpreter was also excellent and felt more like a friend than a guide.
All in all it was an unforgettable journey for us. The landscapes were more beautiful and breathtaking than any photos can convey, and the people we met were all so friendly. The whole country was very exotic for us in a way, but still we felt very much at home.
We realize that this might sound overly positive, like something that the Ecotour staff has made up to put on their homepage, but the fact is that we were so happy with everything that we have to say it anyway.
Tom & Karin Airaksinen
Stockholm, Sweden

Today I mailed our good and cheerful guide Nurzat that I placed my photos of the September trekking on internet. And then I thought: let me mail it to you too. Perhaps you find it interesting with what eyes I looked to your beautiful country.
The address is: www.landvaninkt.nl/kyrgyzstan
 
I enjoyed the trekking a lot. The views on Son Kul lake changed every hour and were breath-taking, the silence in the mountains was delicious and soothing and the valley of Temir Kanat was one of the most beautiful I have seen.
When you manage to route the first part of the trekking a bit more in the direct neighborhood of the Tien Shan mountains (the views on these huge white peaks I liked the most), then you have the perfect trip, I think.
The guides did take very good care of us. Talant - you don't hear him much, but we could see he felt very responsible and took notice of everything. And Nurzat, she is top class! Cheerful, very social, intelligent - really a good one. 
 
Well, I wish you all the best,
I hope a lot of tourists will find their way to Kyrgyzstan,
 
with all regards,
 
Sietse Brouwer
The Netherlands

Today it is already more than a month ago that we left Kyrgyzstan, but it is still every day that we think about our wonderful time we spent there. One of the things mostly staying in our mind is that from the very beginning we felt we were your personal guests where ever we are staying. That kind of hospitality is unique.
And of course we had a lot of extraordinary experiences; the overwhelming nature, the flowers, the meals, the kymyz...
We hope we will see you back soon!

Arnoud van Grieken en Marion van den Ende
the Netherlands

I want to thank you for my wonderful time in Kyrgyzstan! It was so great. I really felt as at home.
I'm now 2 weeks back in Holland and it's so strange here, all stress etc. The biggest problem for me was that I made real good friends in Kyrgyzstan. In 6 hours I was back home, back to the normal live. I am really missing my time in Kyrgyzstan and all nice people. See you next year! I really want to come again!

Jorn van Veen
the Netherlands

One week ago I came back from my vacation in Kyrgyzstan and I am still full of it. What a fabulous country! The moment we arrived at our first camp our hasty, stress full lives were forgotten. We were absolutely spoiled by our Kyrgyz hosts (great food!) and were made to feel very welcome. We had a lot of fun together, such open, good-natured people! And compliments to Ecotour for the excellent organisation and care. They make an important contribution to preserving the authenticity of this country (that is unspoilt by mass-tourism!) while supporting the local economy.

I will definitely come back!

Simone vd Zande
the Netherlands

In Holland we e-mailed a lot with Ecotour and they made a lovely trip for us. We have enjoyed every part of it. At all yurt camps the food was different and very tasty. The people were so friendly and hospitable that I cannot describe my feelings. It was just wonderful.

Marian Groenewould
The Netherlands

I had wonderful time in Kyrgyzstan. Some places look like the paradise in the earth. The people are very friendly and want to know a lot of us. With the interpreter we could speak with them and had very nice conversation. With Ecotour you know a lot of the country. The organization is more than perfect. I am thankful that I have found you.

Willem
The Netherlands

After 18 months we finally went to your country. I had read something about it and we had some e-mails together. The last three weeks I enjoyed very much. I liked the camps, the people and the country. It was a wonderful time now I am going home with a lot of good memories.

Theo van Miltenburg
The Netherlands

One week in Bishkek and two weeks in the yurt camps were a wonderful experience. We think that Ecotour does not only give a good time for the tourists but also it has a lot of importance to the Kyrgyz people.

Herman & Nel
The Netherlands

I thank you for your very kind and warm welcome. It was like being with friends. I had never that kind of vacations before. My young friend added a lot to the pleasure of discovering your country and horse riding. Maybe I will come back.

Madeleine
France

So why go there now? For one reason: the mountains. After the Himalayas, Kyrgyzstan`s Tien Shan peaks are the world`s Big Daddies. I had a dream: I wanted to ride off on horseback into these mountains and sleep in a nomad yurt. Thanks to a local travel company called Ecotour, that dream came true. It was at Temir-Kanat that my equestrian fantasies were realised. Up here, Edelweiss, which European botanists can search ten years to find, grows like a weed, its tiny star-shaped flowers lending a silvery sheen to the pastures.

Lucinda Labes
London UK

In May 2007, I guided a two-week trip for Ecotour in Kyrgyzstan. As I will write an article about birding in this country for Dutch Birding magazine, probably published sometime in 2008, this report is shorter than usual. After publication, I will post the article on my website as well. The itinerary and the bird list of this trip, as well as some photos are presented there. We made a circuit around Issyk Kul at 1600 m, the second largest high altitude lake in world after Lago de Titicaca, Peru. In this time of year, the pass to Son Kul was still closed due to snow. As this site e.g. holds breeding Demoiselle Cranes, Lesser Sand Plovers and Hill Pigeons, future trips will probably be later in the year, so it can be included in the itinerary as well. Ornithologically, Kyrgyzstan is still somewhat of a mystery, and that's just what makes this country interesting for the more adventurous birder. Birding while you don't exactly know what to expect, in truly breathtaking landscapes: it made this country one of the most interesting places I ever visited. Here is more.

Vincent van der Spek
The Netherlands