4x4 adventure in the country of Celestial Mountains

By car across Kyrgyzstan
(4x4 adventure in the country of Celestial Mountains)

Kyrgyzstan is a country of crystal clear rivers and lakes, high mountain ranges with snow peaks, clean mountain air and amazing untouched nature. The mountains are everywhere and they are so attractive in their diversity. Gentle hills rise from the plain and smoothly turn into erecting giants with snow caps on their heads; that is why Kyrgyzstan is rightly called the country of the Celestial Mountains. Kyrgyzstan is a hospitable country where many people still lead a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle, dominated by cattle breeding and handicrafts. What Kyrgyzstan lacks in an established history, it fills with a variety of nomadic traditions and mountain paradise, that is ideal for hiking and camping. Horse riding tours and hiking trips, geological and speleological expeditions, mountain cycling and mountaineering are popular here, but in this tour we suggest you to drive along the mountain roads of Kyrgyzstan, try your driving skills and get unforgettable impressions of high mountain passes, wide valleys, mountain lakes, magnificent views and panoramas.

You will discover the whole country and its most interesting places - places where the neighboring houses are located a few kilometers from each other, where it is possible to see wild animals and yaks, which seem to be grazing completely unattended. Yet on these open spaces here and there grow up like mushrooms, nomads living in the yurts pay tribute to their ancestors and continue the traditions of their fathers, leave their homes each summer and go up high in the mountains leading cattle to high-mountain pastures.

3000 km of roads; Bishkek, Cholpon-Ata, Karakol and Naryn; famous Chui valley and Issyk-Kul lake; large lakes of Kyrgyzstan, located at an altitude of more than 3000m above sea level, which can only be reached in the summer months; the real Tash-Rabat fortress and the Burana tower built in the 10th century; hospitable Kyrgyz people and of course amazing, unique, unusual and diverse nature!

All this is waiting for you here, all this is waiting for you in Kyrgyzstan!

Available dates:

Jul 16 – Jul 24, 2022 | 6 places Book
Aug 16 – Aug 24, 2022 | 6 places Book
Aug 25 – Sept 02, 2022 | 8 places Book
Sept 03 – Sept 11, 2022 | 10 places Book
Individual dates are also available. Contact the program manager.

Trip details

Level 1

Season Summer, Autumn

Begins in Bishkek

Ends in Bishkek

Airport Airport Manas (FRU)

Airport out Airport Manas (FRU)

Wildlife Mountain goats, Marmots, Birds, Predator birds, Rodents, Yaks, Hares

Price: $ 3,000 (≥ 3 people)

Great for

In this tour you will learn the country from the inside, drive along its roads, passes, stay on the shores of mountain lakes, learn how the local population lives, see historical and cultural monuments, get acquainted with the magnificent nature and enjoy the fresh air filled with the smell of mountain herbs. You will see places untouched by civilization where herds of yaks graze, where marmots build their holes without fear, where there are no people and you can only rarely see a shepherd collecting cattle scattered across the expanses of the hills.

Join us

What's Included:

Car rental with petrol and car transfer back to the starting point
All Transfers according to the program
A support car with all the necessary equipment, with a local driver, who is a skillful mechanic too
English speaking guide
Accommodation according to the program (3 *-and Best accommodation along the way)
Camping
Nutrition according to the program
Off road driving
Boundary zone permits and visa support if needed
Sightseeing tours according to the program
Domestic flights (economy class) from Osh to Bishkek

What's not included:

Single supplement
Early check in into the hotels and extra breakfast
International flights
Alcohol
Personal expenses
Tips
Any changes in the program

Day

Bishkek / ~ 80 km . Arrival in Bishkek. Transfer to the hotel. Rest. Meeting with our team. Drive to the natural park Ala-Archa (self-driving). The valley of the Ala-Archa River is one of the main attractions of the Bishkek area. Here, in a narrow valley, so many beautiful landscapes, waterfalls and unusual rock forms are concentrated, so rich in flora and fauna that many consider this area to be a real symbol of the Kyrgyz ridge (Ala-Too). Return to the capital. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day

Bishkek – Karakol / ~ 420 km. On this day we will go to the northern coast of the Issyk-Kul lake. On the way, we will visit the Burana Tower and drive along the mountain roads from Grigorievsky to Semenov Gorge. Then in the city of Karakol we will visit the Przhevalsky Museum, the wooden church of the Holy Trinity and the ancient Dungan mosque. Overnight in one of the hotels of Karakol.

Day

Karakol – Tosor pass (Alternative – Arabel valley) – Naryn / ~ 300 km . On this day we will have the most difficult driving through the mountains. Over 200 km along a bumpy mountain road will test your driving skills. However, the surroundings are so picturesque, green and virgin that you will appreciate this trip anyway. In the evening we finally get to the city of Naryn. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day

Naryn – Kel-Suu lake / ~ 190 km . After breakfast, we will drive to the Ak-Sai valley, ascend the Kyzyl-Bel pass and then go down to the At-Bashi valley. The Ak-Sai river valley is one of the largest alpine valleys in Kyrgyzstan. The height of the valley floor ranges from 3,000 to 3,900 meters above sea level, and this high mountainous area is an ideal habitat for the famous Marco Polo. If possible, we will reach the lake Kel-Suu (the area here is marshy, so we must be very careful not to get stuck). Lake Kel-Suu is located at an altitude of 3500 m above sea level and is surrounded by high cliffs. The lake appeared as a result of a landslide, which blocked the river. Then it turned into a 12 km long pool. Accommodation in the yurt camp.

Day

Kel-Suu lake – Tash-Rabat / ~ 140 km . On this day, we will continue our journey along the road to Chatyr-Kul Lake, which is located near the border with China. We will try to reach the shore of the lake and spend the night near the Tash-Rabat caravanserai. Accommodation in the yurt camp.

Day

Tash-Rabat - Son-Kul Lake/ ~ 240 km . This morning we drive to Son-Kul Lake to see all its beauty. The lake is located at an altitude of 3016 m in the center of a small plateau surrounded by a ring of mountains. This lake is one of the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan. The shores are dotted with yurts (nomad houses) in which Kyrgyz families live. They spend summer here and graze cattle (sheep, yaks and horses). Arrival at the yurt camp. Dinner and overnight.

Day

Son-Kul Lake - Suusamyr valley / ~ 220 km . We will leave Son-Kul lake and drive to the Suusamyr valley. Our first stop will be in the Jumgal Valley. The valley is the same size as the Suusamyr valley but it is much drier. We will stop in the village of Kyzyl-Oi for lunch and enjoy the view of one of the most beautiful rivers of Kyrgyzstan - the Kekemeren River. We will continue our way to Suusamyr through the mountains and valleys and finally we will reach the Bai-Tour Kumys Complex. We will spend the night in the cozy guest rooms of this complex.

Day

Suusamyr valley – Bishkek / ~ 160 km. On this day we will return to Bishkek via the Too-Ashu pass. Hotel accommodation. Free time for exploring the city and shopping. Farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day

Departure. This morning the car will take you to the airport for your flight home.