Horseback to Lake Son-Kul NL
15 day tour, competent horse riders, since 2019
This new two-week horse-riding tour has been created for people who are competent horse riders
During your bike tour there will be plenty of time to enjoy the local nature
In the yurt camp on the shore of lake Issyk Kul you can go for a swim in the clear blue water.
In the mountains you can go for a hike, ride a horse or pay a visit to the nomadic families who live in the mountain pastures during the summer.
About tour
This new two-week horse-riding tour has been created for people who are competent horse riders.Over 5 days you ride from a small village (alt 1.800 m) on the Kökomeren river to Lake Son-Kul at 3.100m. You will sleep 4 nights in small tents, on the 5th day you arrive at Son-Kul where you will stay in a yurt. Before starting this trek you will stay at lake Issyk-Kul in a yurt camp and practice your horse-riding skills at our yurt camp in the mountains.
The group will consist of 4-8 people and 10 or more horses.A guide, horsemen andan English speaking interpreter will also be with you. In Bishkek you will stay in a small pleasant hotel close to the city centre and on tour you will sleep in yurts,tents and with a local family. You need to bring your own warm sleeping bag and Iso-mattress, warm clothes and raingear.
For 7 days you will be on horseback for up to 5-7 hours daily. You ride through green pastures, and sometimes over dry barren paths. You will cross some passes on the way to Son-Kul. You need to be in good physical condition. Do not expect luxury as you will be living the life of Kyrgyz nomads.
In the price everything is included except: flight, visa (if required), insurance, personal expenses, tipping money and bottled beverages.
Day By Day Programme
Here you can find a detailed description of the tour with routes and locations
| Day 1 | Departure from your local airport. |
| Day 2 | Arrival at Manas Airport and transfer to the hotel. After a short rest a light lunch and then some sightseeing in Bishkek. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 3 | By minibus to the Sonun yurt camp on the south side of the Lake Issyk-Kul (alt 1.600 m). Time to relax and get used to the new time zone and change in altitude. Swimming and hiking. Stay in yurts. |
| Day 4 | After lunch transfer to our yurt camp at Tuura-Suu (2.200 m). Stay in yurts. |
| Day 5 | Day in Tuura-Suu. Horse-riding in the surrounding mountains and visiting village. Meet the herdsmen who are in the mountains with their families and flocks. Stay in yurts. |
| Day 6 | First to Kochkor and then over the Kyzart pass to the village of Kyzyl-Oi on the Kökomeren river. Here you will stay with a local family. |
| Day 7 | Day to prepare for the trekking, getting used to the horses and horse-riding. |
| Day 8 | By car to the starting point of the trekking (12 km). Here the guide and horses are waiting for you, after a few hours riding lunch in a nice valley. Stop to see petroglyphs. After about 6 hours horse-riding, you will put up your tents for the night near a waterfall at 2.300 m. |
| Day 9 | Today another day of 6 hours’ horse-riding, we cross the Kolmo-Ashu pass (3.000 m) and descend to 2.700 m where we put up our tents near a shepherds yurt. |
| Day 10 | Through a spruce forest to Uch-Airyk. Here we will have lunch, then continue to the Kolmo stream where we will put up tents at 2.000 m. Total 7 hours of horse riding. |
| Day 11 | Today a long horse riding day, first to the village Dyikan where we have lunch with a local family, it is possible to arrange a sauna here then on to the Acha-Ashu pass, camping before the pass at 2.700 m. |
| Day 12 | Over the Acha-Ashu pass (3.500 m) we reach the north side of lake Son-Kul around noon. In the afternoon, free time. |
| Day 13 | Day in Son-Kul. Time to relax and to enjoy the beauty of this area. Stay in yurts. |
| Day 14 | By car back to Bishkek, a rather long ride. Stay in Hotel Umai or equivalent. |
| Day 15 | Transfer to Manas Airport and departure. |
Due to unforeseen circumstances, it might be necessary to make small changes in the program.
We ask for your understanding.
Tour specifics
Our tours can be organized for individual travelers or groups of up to 10 people (and sometimes more) and for families with (young) children. For the majority of our tours you can specify the start date and length of the tour.
| Date | |
| ?? | ?? |
| Group | |
| 4 and more persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| Price | € 1.550 p.p. |
For bookings of 4, or more, persons we offer a 5% discount. In case there are less participants than required, if you pay an additional fee, the trip will go on as planned.
Terms of payment
• Transportation by own minibus
• All meals
• Stay in hotel, guesthouse, yurt, tent
• Programme as described
• English speaking guide/ interpreter
• Camping equipment except sleeping bag and Iso-mattress
• Porters to carry luggage (max 12 kg pp.)
• Cook
• Trekking guide
• Road taxes
• Flight
• Insurances
• Personal expenses
• Entrance fees
• Tips
• Alcoholic and other bottled beverages
• Activities not mentioned in the programme
If you have to cancel a tour you already booked, we have to charge you cancellation fee.
If Ecotour cancels the tour, of course you will get back the full amount you paid.
If you cancel your trip, depending on the time your message reaches us, you owe Ecotour the following amount:
| till 42 days before departure | one pays the deposit |
| day 42- till day 28 | 35 % |
| day 28- till day 21 | 40 % |
| day 21- till day 14 | 50 % |
| day 14- till day 5 | 75 % |
| day 5 – till day 2 | 90 % |
| on the last day before and the day of departure | 100% |
A trip with Ecotour means an unusual and unforgettable vacation.
Our trips are suitable for those who do not insist on luxury, love the mountains,
appreciate the silence and do not want to travel in large groups.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
Kyrgyzstan is a land full of beautiful experiences and wonders unique…
click the link below
Mountain passes, bad tracks, off-road, and firm climbs over 3000 m characterize this route.
Not all slopes are steep, but some are very long and on dirt roads.
But it is worth the effort.