NEWS
Lake Issyk-Kul. Be careful who you upsetLake Issyk-Kul. Be careful who you upset.
In the northeast of our country, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lies Lake Issyk-Kul, the second largest mountain lake in the world. At some point, on almost all our tours, you will come to this beautiful lake with clear blue water.
There are several legends about its origins, and this is one of our favourites. It is about the young woman who sacrificed her life for her loved one.
How it started
It is said that in ancient times there was a city that belonged to an old and powerful Kahn. He heard about this young woman who was said to be beautiful, but poor. He decided he wanted her. However the girl loved someone else. Her loved one had to travel far away, but before he left he gave his ring to her. He told her never to take off this ring for as long as she wore the ring nothing could happen to her; and he left and promised to return soon.
The Kahn makes his move
As soon as he had gone the Kahn’s deputies arrived laden with gifts, but the young woman refused to go and said she loved another man. She left for the mountains and hoped to find her lover there. Suddenly she noticed that the ring was missing, she cried and decided to return home. Unfortunately along the way she was ambushed by the Khan’s armed horsemen who took her to his castle.
The Kahn showered her with gifts and expensive jewelry, but still she refused his advances. Ultimately the Khan decided to make her his bride by force. When he walked up to the young woman to grab her, she ran to the open window and leapt out with a loud scream.
Never upset a lady
At that moment the walls shook and the granite arches of the castle collapsed. Torrential water flowed from all the gorges, it rose higher and higher, the Kahn’s castle disappeared and the valley filled with water. And so Lake Issyk-Kul was create
10/04/2024 Festival Visits – A Great Addition To Your Holiday
Make your holiday in Kyrgyzstan extra special with a visit to a festival. Festivals happen on various dates in July and August. The festivals, which are all local, will give you a chance to get to know some of the life-style and traditions of the nomads.
During the festivals you will see traditions that have been revived and which test the skills and agility of the nomads on horseback or flying their eagles in competitions and games.
Music, dancing and the tasting of all kinds of nomadic dishes will take place. Festivals are a great way to sample nomadic traditions.
Festival visits can always be included in your holiday trip. Please contact us for dates and further information. www.ecotour.kg
19/03/2024 26 years of travelling with Ecotour
Just over 26 years ago, two young Kyrgyz sisters decided that tourism, then still unknown, could play a large part in the future of our country. But tourism should not have a negative effect on the country, the environment and the people.
So on the 19th March 1998 Ecotour was registered as a legal entity. Not only was it one of the first companies, but also it was and still is, owned and managed by two Kyrgyz women – a somewhat unique event.
The yurt camp and the homestay concepts were both introduced by Ecotour. The principal of working with locals and helping rural communities was, and still is, a critical part of our culture. We now organize, horse-riding, trekking tours, cycling tours and cultural tours. Also, family tours, even with young children. Our staff are all Kyrgyz (with 2 notable exceptions), and our guides and drivers work in the areas where they grew up and know.
We had a party to celebrate our birthday and now, as we enter our 27th year of operation, we look forward greeting you in our homeland. Over the years we have made many friends, and even today many of our first guests still keep in touch, sometimes revisiting and sometimes coming to see us at the travel fairs.
Make this year the year you visit one of the most beautiful countries, and meet some of the most generous and wonderful people. Hope to see you soon.
13/03/2024 Lake Merzbacher
New this season, a trek to Lake Merzbacher, nestled between the North and South Engilchek glaciers.
In springtime this lake fills with water from the melting snows and in August it suddenly empties over 2 or 3 days.
If you are a fit and healthy mountain hiker and would like to see this wonder then join our adventure and book this trip – info@ecotour.kg or our website www.ecotour.kg
09/03/2024 New trekking tour for 2024 – mysterious Lake of Merzbacher
Announcing an exciting new tour for 2024.
Nestled between almost 7,000 metre peaks there is a lake that mysteriously disappears every year. An amazing trek to an amazing place.
For more details contact info@ecotour.kg
02/02/2024 Visit us at Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Utrecht on February 23, 24 and 25
11/04/2023 Food for Life
About 400,000 people in Kyrgyzstan, about 6.4 percent of the country’s population, suffer from malnutrition and hunger.
In 2022 “Food for Life” was registered and started operating in 2023, staffed completely by a group of volunteers, now numbering over 20. The mission – to prepare and distribute hot, and delicious, food so that there are no hungry people. This is a goal that is monumental, but achievable.
We provide meals on Saturdays and Wednesdays. In the last 3 months we have provided over 5,000 meals, each one cooked with love. We distribute the meals close to a large bazaar, and also take some to a homeless shelter.
Our volunteers, and there are others who wish to join, would like to increase the number of days we operate by 2 to 3 days per week. Ideally we would like to purchase a small plot of land where we can build a permanent kitchen that will allow us to cook hundreds of meals every day. But to increase our activities we need help in the form of financial assistance. For each meal we prepare we need to buy the ingredients, clean and prep, then cook and transport to our distribution point.
Caring for our neighbours needs to be a priority in society, and by feeding those in dire need will not only feed their hunger, it will also help to satisfy the “hunger of their hearts” and show them that they are valued members of our community. We need to create a healthy and prosperous society, and our contribution is to provide meals for those in need.
However, we need support and contributions to help us achieve our goal. Your contribution, however small or large, will help us help others by enabling us to cook and distribute hot meals to the needy.
We would like to thank you for your compassion and support.
07/02/2023 MEET US AT ITB, BERLIN
ITB, Berlin, March 7, 8 and 9.
The ITB is back and we will be there. Come and find out about Kyrgyzstan and the options available. Now in our 26th season, we have all the knowledge you need to know.
You can find us in hall 7.2b, stand 107.
02/02/2023 WE ARE AT FIETS EN WANDELBEURS IN BELGIUM
Fiets en Wandelbeurs, Flanders Expo Centre, February 18th and 19th 2023.
Travel is back, and we will be at the exhibition to meet everyone who wished to know more about holidays in Kyrgyzstan.
Our stand will have members of the Ecotour Team and old clients who have travelled to Kyrgyzstan with us in the past, often more than once.
Come and see us. We will be in het Verzamel paviljoen, on stand 1C05. Everything you have always wanted to know about visiting and holidaying in Kyrgyzstan.
WE ARE AT FIETS EN WANDELBEURS IN BELGIUM
Fiets en Wandelbeurs, Flanders Expo Centre, February 18th and 19th 2023.
Travel is back, and we will be at the exhibition to meet everyone who wished to know more about holidays in Kyrgyzstan.
Our stand will have members of the Ecotour Team and old clients who have travelled to Kyrgyzstan with us in the past, often more than once.
Come and see us. We will be in het Verzamel paviljoen, on stand 1C05. Everything you have always wanted to know about visiting and holidaying in Kyrgyzstan.
01/05/2022 COVID RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
The covid infection rates in Kyrgyzstan have been low, less than 5 cases every day, for well over a month.
Even better news, we now have NO entry restrictions to the country, so no vaccination or current PCR is required.
Come and see us soon.
21/12/2021 Kyrgyz Entry Requirements – a Dutch perspective
There is a new website put together by Dutch tour operators. This site gives the latest information about requirements and restrictions when travelling to a foreign country, which insurance to use and recommendations about safety measurements (from a Dutch perspective).
The best news is that Kyrgyzstan is regarded as a simple to enter country as our COVID infection numbers recently have been low.
28/11/2021 The History Museum reopened
After a five-year refurbishment, the Kyrgyz National History Museum has now reopened. The refurbished museum is truly wonderful and a visit there will included in many of our programmes. Too good to miss.
26/11/2021 COVID refunds
Until further notice, if a booking has to be cancelled due to government or airline imposed COVID restrictions, all money paid, less any bank charges incurred by us, will be refunded.
27/09/2021 We congratulate you on World Tourism Day
Today, 27 September, is World Tourism Day. To travelers everywhere, and to everyone working in the travel / tourism industry, we congratulate you on this day.
The last 2 years have dramatically changed how tourism works. Ecotour have adapted their programmes to reflect today’s world. Kyrgyzstan is open to visitors, let us show you the way.
23/09/2021 Covid rules and regulations:
At present the Covid-19 situation in Kyrgyzstan seems to be in control. Many people have already been vaccinated and the number of cases is still going down each day, and is much lower than in many European countries.
To enter Kyrgyzstan, one needs either to be fully vaccinated or to have a negative PCR test that is no older than 72 hours upon arrival. If a PCR test is needed for the return trip, this can be done in Bishkek.
Although life in Kyrgyzstan is back to normal, we still stick to safety measures like keeping distance, avoiding large crowds and frequent disinfection. If one takes these precautions in our opinion, it is safe to visit our country again.
14/03/2020 The Power of the Sun
Something a bit more positive. We have had solar panels installed at the Umai Hotel and they went live today. Ecologically this is a good move, eventually financially it will be a good move, and one benefit we did not expect is that it seems we have more and hotter water than before. Thank you Sun.
14/03/2020 Kyrgyzstan Closes Schools
Kyrgyzstan has no confirmed cases of COVID 19. So far the steps taken by the authorities to protect the country are successful. The Government today announced that it will be closing all schools and universities for the next 3 weeks. This follows the suspension of all public gatherings such as concerts. These steps are being seen as precautionary.
12/03/2020 List of Countries on Restriction List Increased
The list of countries whose citizens will not be allowed entry into the country has been expanded to include Italy, Germany, France and Spain. This includes other nationals who have visited these countries.
06/03/2020 Kyrgyzstan Restricts Entry to Some Foreigners
Kyrgyzstan has announced that people travelling from China, South Korea, Iran, or people who have traveled in or through those countries within the last 30 days, will not be allowed entry into Kyrgyzstan.