Textile DE
15-day tour, in small groups, since 2003
See traditional Kyrgyz textile traditions is practice,
learn the techniques and put try them out
Our workshops will cover many aspects of our textile traditions, and there will be an expert there to help and guide you
As you travel around you will meet our people and learn about nomadic traditions and get to know our culture
About tour
Discover the culture and sample the life of the Kyrgyz nomad. You will learn to make felt the Kyrgyz way, follow workshops and practice different ways of making textile art products.
Embroidery on felt will be taught in Bishkek and you will have the opportunity to visit museums and art galleries, see a fashion show of traditional clothes and enjoy short concert by a duet playing traditional Kyrgyz instruments will be arranged. If you have special wishes or requirements please contact us in advance and we will try to fit it into your programmme.
There will be plenty of time to enjoy our magnificent nature and to go on some of the myriad of walks available.
In Bishkek you stay in a pleasant hotel, and when in the countryside you will stay in a hotel, B&Bs, yurts, with a local family who will take care of you.
Throughout the whole programme you will be accompanied by and English-speaking guide/interpreter.
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 where we will meet you and take you to your hotel. After a light lunch we will go sightseeing around Bishkek, visit a museum and an art gallery. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 3 | Workshops in Bishkek, including embroidery and making corsage, and a demonstration on elechek making, the traditional millinery of married women and consisting of many layers of fabric. In the evening a fashion show of traditional women clothes. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 4 | Leave Bishkek after breakfast, and near Tokmok we will visit a centre of handweaving. After lunch we continue to Kara-Suu Village. Here starts the first workshop making felt traditional way. We stay in the house of a shyrdak-making family. Stay in the house in Kara-Suu. |
| Day 5 | We will continue with the workshops (shyrdak), learning about the meaning of Kyrgyz patterns and making chi, the reed mat that is used as insulation between the frame and the felt of the yurt. In the afternoon we will visit Kochkor. Stay in the house in Kara-Suu. |
| Day 6 | In the morning the final workshop in Kara-Suu, and in the afternoon we visit Kochkor to seet Altyn-Kol, a cooperative shop of the women from the surrounding villages, and to visit the bazaar and small museum. Stay in the house in Kara-Suu. |
| Day 7 | Today we drive down to Lake Issyk-Kul. In Kyzyl-Tuu we will visit a family who will show how yurt frames and yurt decorations are made. Here we will also have lunch. The next stop is in Bokonbaevo to meet a man who hunts with golden eagles. From here we continue to the yurt camp Manjyly close to the shore of the lake. Stay in yurts. |
| Day 8 | On the way to Karakol we first stop in Fairy Tale Valley for a short hike in the colourful hills, and then in Jeti Ogus, one of the most famous valleys of Kyrgyzstan with bright red rocks. Continue to Karakol where we will stay in a nice guesthouse. |
| Day 9 | Day in Karakol where will we visit the town and the museum. In the afternoon we drive to a hot spa in Kench where we can bathe in the hot mineral waters (bathing suit required). Stay in guesthouse. |
| Day 10 | Drive along the north side of Lake Issyk-Kul to Kyrchyn Valley, the home of the World Nomad Games and a gathering point for the Kyrgyz tribes through the centuries. We will have a short hike along the river. From here we continue to Cholpon-Ata, a nice bathing resort. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 11 | In Cholpon-Ata we visit the small the museum and the archeological open-air museum with rock drawings from the Scythian period. On the way back to Bishkek we will stop in Chon-Sary-Oi to visit the new Nomad Museum. Near Tokmok we will go to the Burana Tower, a remnant of a town on the old Silk Road. On to Bishkek and stay in the hotel. |
| Day 12 | Day in Bishkek with time to visit Museums and the Osh Bazaar, with time for shopping (lunch not included). Stay in hotel. |
| Day 13 | 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 | |
| May 20 | June 1 |
| Group | |
| 6 and more persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| Price | € 1.195 p.p. |
For bookings of 6, 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
Your booking will be confirmed upon receipt of a deposit of euros 250 per person. The outstanding balance must be paid either 8 weeks before departure or in cash upon arrival. We do not accept debit or credit cards.
• Transportation by minibus
• Transfer from and to the airport
• All meals, breakfast, lunch and supper
• Stay in hotel, B&B, guesthouse, yurt and homestay
• Programme as described
• English/German (as required) speaking guide/interpreter
• Flight
• Insurances
• Personal expenses
• Entrance charges if applicable
• 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.