Bird wathching in Kyrgyzstan NL
16 day tour, in small groups, since 2007
From 6 participants, a professional foreign ornithologist will accompany the tour, if less than 6 participants a local guide will come a long
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
Kyrgyzstan is home to more than 390 different kinds of birds.
On this tour, you will travel around Lake Issyk-Kul, the second largest mountain lake in the world. At the lake, numerous migratory birds spend the winter. You will also visit Son-Kul, a lake at 3.100 m. On the northern shore, there will be visits to bird reserves where a number of aquatic birds have their nests – In Ala Archa National Park, and in Kara-Kyz, live many well-known and lesser-known species of songbirds and woodland birds.
If 6 or more participants, you will be accompanied by a professional ornithologist and an interpreter who will be ready to help you at all times. Accommodation will be in guesthouses, yurts and with local families. Travel will be by minibus.
On this journey, you will get to know the great variety of biotopes, their bird populations and also see the great diversity of landscapes in Kyrgyzstan. It may also be possible to visit the snow leopard reserve on the north side of lake Issyk-Kul. This rehabilitation centre is set up to protect and rescue snow leopards and other rare animals that have been caught in poachers’ traps and rescued. However the rehabilitation centre is not always open for visitors, and so we cannot guarantee this visit.
This tour is not for those seeking luxury but for those with a little more adventurousness, who are interested in discovering different cultures and new, unknown places. This tour will provide you with many good memories for a long time to come.
The itinerary can be changed.
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 Umai Hotel. A short rest and lunch followed by a visit to the nearby fishing ponds (start at 4:30 a.m.) just outside Bishkek or looking for birds in the green spaces of the capital (Bishkek is a very green city). Stay in hotel. |
| Day 3 | Day trip to the forests in the mountains of the Ala-Archa National Park, 40 km south of Bishkek. |
| Day 4 | Departure early morning to drive to the north shore of lake Issyk-Kul. In Toru-Aigyr you will stay in a yurt camp at the waterfront. Here you will see a lot of different birds. |
| Day 5 | In the morning we will be looking for sandgrouse and in the afternoon to waterfowl not far from Balykchy. Stay in guesthouse. |
| Day 6 | Staying in the area you start with an early morning a trip into the mountains. In the afternoon to Ananievo to visit another reserve for waterfowl. Stay with local family. |
| Day 7 | Day in Ananievo. In the morning to the lake and in the afternoon birdwatching in the mountains that form the border with Kazakhstan. Stay with local family. |
| Day 8 | If possible today you will visit the snow leopard project in the mountains at 2.000 m. First part by car, last part hiking. This rehabilitation centrewas created to cure and protect the snow leopards that have been caught in traps and injured. In the afternoon by car to the yurt camp Kara-Kyz, south- east of Karakol. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 9-10 | Two days birdwatching in Kara-Kyz valley, an unspoiled area with foliage and coniferous trees. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 11 | Along the south shore to Sonun yurt camp. This yurt camp is located in a dry semi-dessert area close to the edge of the lake. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 12 | Continue along the shore of lake Issyk-Kul and turn to the south to Naryn. Driving through a beautiful mountain area. Stops will be made to watch bids. Stay in guesthouse. |
| Day 13 | Along the Naryn River to Ak-Tal, then up the Moldo-Ashu pass of 3.345 m to Son-Kul Lake, alt 3.100 m. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 14 | Day at Son-Kul lake to watch the kind of birds living at this altitude. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 15 | Transfer to Bishkek, decend over the Kalmak-Asuu pass, a rather long drive. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 16 | 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 22 | June 5 |
| Group | |
| 6 to 10 persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| Price | € 1.525 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.