Cycling tour (medium/difficult)
15-day tour, experienced cyclist, since 2019
A 15-day tour through uncharted territory for experienced cyclist
Meet the nomads and their culture
This is a 15-day tour, on your own or rented bicycle, in a country not often visited by western tourists. Meet the nomads and their culture. Sleep in yurts, the nomadic tents made of felt. Visit the herdsmen in the summer pastures and watch kymyz (fermented mare’s milk) being made.
About tour
This is a 15-day tour, on your own or rented bicycle, in a country not often visited by western tourists. Meet the nomads and their culture. Sleep in yurts, the nomadic tents made of felt. Visit the herdsmen in the summer pastures and watch kymyz (fermented mare’s milk) being made.
During this tour you will stay in small hotels, with local families and in yurt camps where a family from the village will take care of you. If you are in good physical condition, have experience with cycling in mountainous areas and do not get upset by unexpected situations, you will enjoy this tour very much. Our trips are especially suitable for those who do not insist on luxury, love the mountains, appreciate the silence and do not want to travel in large groups.
Level of difficulty – this is not an extremely difficult tour. The tour passes through mountainous regions with frequent slopes and every now and then a stiff climb (usually graded as 3rd level). You need to bring a good tracking bike with wide tires and a helmet. Roads are sometimes rather stony and not very smooth. It is also possible to rent a good bike in Bishkek.
The average cycling distances per day are between 40 and 95 km. If necessary you can ride along in the minibus. Your luggage will be transported by minibus, along with the English or German 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 and take you to your hotel in Bishkek. After lunch we will go sightseeing around Bishkek along with our guide/interpreter. |
| Day 3 | By minibus to Tokmok where we will visit the Burana Tower, a remnant of a town from the old Silk Road. From here we cycle over a secondary, rather flat road, to the village of Kemin, and then continue by minibus to Cholpon Ata on the north side of Lake Issyk-Kul. Stay in hotel. 50 km cycling. |
| Day 4 | Continue by minibus to the Kyrchyn Valley where we can have a short hike in the valley, then cycle to Karakol. After Tup you will have the first short climb and descent. Stay in guest house. 85 km asphalt road. |
| Day 5 | First we cycle along the south shore of Lake Issyk-Kul to Jeti Ögus, famous for its red rocks, and then continue to the village of Jenish, by the lake. Stay in guest house. Still rather good road, partly asphalt. 35 km and 55 km – 90 km in total. |
| Day 6 | Cycling into the Juuku Valley, not far from Jenish. In this valley there is a hot spa where we can take a bath. Then on to the Tosor Canyon. Here a more difficult part of the itinerary will start. Stay in Tosor in yurt or guesthouse. 34 km tarmac and, sometimes, stony road, 36 km good road, total 70 km cycling. |
| Day 7 | Ascend in 21 km over a rather difficult stony road from 1.650 to 2.100 m to the end of the gorge, then through alpine meadows and passing some small villages. This is the most difficult part of the tour, though a wonderful landscape. The road is bumpy and stony, with small climbs between 2.100 and 2.500 m. Descent in 13 km. to Bokonbaevo at 1650m., the capital of the Tong district, then cycling down to the lake direction to Sonun yurt camp. If necessary, we can ride along in the minibus. Stay in yurt. Total 56 km. |
| Day 8 | In Bokonbaevo we will meet a man who hunts with golden eagles. He will show his bird and tell about his profession. Then continue to the yurt camp Temir-Kanat at 2.450 m. Partly asphalt, partly gravel. Last 100 m up is very steep and we have to walk. Stay in yurt. 28 km |
| Day 9 | Descend to the Kongur Olung Valley, next to the village of Kyzyl-Tuu, on a road by the lake. We visit a family that makes yurt frames and yurt decorations and continue to Kara Tala Village where we will spend the night with a local family. Rather good road with one long climb from 1.700 to 2.100 m (false flat). Total 57 km. |
| Day 10 | We continue along the lake, then turn into a dry semi dessert area to reach the road to Kochkor, center of felt making. Stay in B&B. Total 68 km. |
| Day 11 | We leave Kochkor and turn to the west to Kyzart. If interested we can stop on the way to visit a salt mine with a sanatorium for respiratory illnesses. Now we will cross a pass of 2.660 m to the village. Stay with local family. Main part of the road gravel with stones, before reaching, sometimes bad asphalt. Climb from 1.800 – 2.660 m, and descending to 2.230 m. Total 72 km. |
| Day 12 | Continue to the west, and the road becomes better, even new asphalt in places. We pass Chaek (1.700 m) and continue along the Kokomeren River to the village of Kyzyl-Oi (1.775 m). Stay in B&B. Total 95 km. |
| Day 13 | We continue cycling along the river though the Suusamyr Valley until we reach the junction with the main road Osh- Bishkek, 50 km cycling. From here by minibus through the Tor-Ashuu Tunnel back to Bishkek. Stay in the Umai Hotel or equivalent. |
| Day 14 | Day without set program and we have time for shopping and/or visiting museums and the Osh Bazaar. Prepare bikes for departure. Lunch is not included. Farewell dinner. Stay in hotel. |
| Day 15 | Transfer to the 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 | |
| On request | On request |
| group | |
| 4 and more persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| price | € 1.350 pp |
| For two persons | |
| price | € 1.695 pp |
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.