Horse riding
15-day tour, in small groups, since 2000
This 2 week tour has been created for people who enjoy horse riding
but possibly do not have the confidence or skill to undertake a hard trek
You will ride through green pastures along old animal tracks, sometimes using a dirt road
The group will consist of 4-8 people and 10 or more horses. There will be 2-4 good guides and an English or German speaking interpreter will also be with you.
About tour
This 2-week tour has been created for people who enjoy horse riding but possibly do not have the confidence or skill to undertake a hard trek. The group will consist of 4-8 people and 10 or more horses. There will be 2-4 good guides and an English or German 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 or with local families.
For 9 days you will be on horseback for 4-6 hours daily. You should be able to master step and trot and have some riding experience. You ride through green pastures along old animal tracks, sometimes using a dirt road. From time to time, we spend two nights in a village and ride from there in different directions into the mountains.
You need to be in good physical condition. Do not expect luxury as you will be living the life of Kyrgyz nomads. The average altitude of the tour is around 2.000 m.
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 you will be met and taken to your hotel. After a short rest, a light lunch, and then some sightseeing in Bishkek. Stay in the Umai Hotel or equivalent. |
| Day 3 | By minibus to the Sonun yurt camp on the south side of Lake Issyk-Kul (1.600 m). Here we have time to relax and get used to the new time zone and changes in altitude. Swimming and hiking. Stay in yurts. |
| Day 4 | By car to the place where the horses and horsemen will be waiting for us. This is the start of the horse riding programme, and today we will ride up through alpine meadows, to the yurt camp Temir-Kanat. This is a ride through a beautiful landscape. Stay in yurts.. |
| Day 5-6 | Two days of horse-riding around Temir-Kanat. We can ride up into the mountains, till about 3000m from where we have a wonderful view of Lake Issyk-Kul and the snow-capped mountains of Kazakhstan across the lake. We will meet herdsmen who, during the summer, stay in the mountains with their family and cattle. Taste kymyz, the fermnted mare milk Stay in yurts. |
| Day 7 | Head west through small villages and stop in Toguz Bulak where we will spend the night with a local family. In the afternoon riding in the nearby mountains. Stay with local family. |
| Day 8 | Continue through the Kongur-Ölong Valley to the village of Tuura-Suu (alt 2200m ) . Here we will spend the night with a local family. |
| Day 9 | Day riding in and around Tuura-Suu. Stay with local family. |
| Day 10 | By car we descent to the main road around from Lake Issyk-Kul and next to Kochkor, the cente of felt making. From here it is another 100 km to Lake Son-Kul where we will spend the night in a yurt. |
| Day 11 | Horse riding in Son-Kul. This lake at 3100m, it is the 2nd largest lake of Kyrgyzstan and located on a plateau, surrounded by mountains of about 4000 m. At night it will be cold here, so bring warm clothes. Stay in yurt. |
| Day 12 | We leave Son-Kul by car and drive over a rough but very scenic road to Kyzyl-Oi in the Suusamyr valley. Stay in B&B. |
| Day 13 | Day of horse riding in and around Kyzyl-Oi, a nice village at the Kökomeren river. Stay in B&B. |
| Day 14 | We return to Bishkek. We drive through the Tor Ashuu tunnel at 3100m and descent to Kara Balta. From there over the main road back to Bishkek. Stay in the Umai Hotel or equivalent. |
| 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 | |
| June 18 | July 2 |
| Group | |
| 4 and more persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| Price | € 1.595 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.