Horse Riding Holidays in Kyrgyzstan

Ride The Mountains Of Heaven (Horse Trek)

For anyone with an interest in horse riding, our horse treks in Kyrgyzstan are simply the best adventures we do. Riding high into the amazing Mountains of Heaven, following in the footsteps of warriors, nomads and a thousand Silk Road traders, you will experience life above and beyond the worries of mankind in one of the most pristine wildernesses left on earth.

This tour, on a real Silk Road trail, takes our clients on an exciting and adventurous route from one of the last remaining great Silk Road caravanserais at Tash Rabat via the Altai region to the beautiful lake Son Kul. Riding through these remote mountain areas will be sure to have you feeling like the real Silk Road travellers of old.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1: Join tour in Bishkek
(Kyrgyzstan): Due to the arrival times of our suggested flights, accommodation for this night is included in the tour cost. Those on the suggested group flight will arrive in the early hours of Day 2.
Hotel (no meals)

Day 2: Bishkek & Naryn: After a late-ish breakfast we will be driven east towards Lake Issyk Kul and then south to the small market town of Naryn where we will stay with a local family. En route we'll visit the village of Kochkor, famous for its felt carpet making.
Homestay (B, L, D)

Day 3: Naryn & Shyrpykty Pass: An early start will see us transfer to the village of Kyzyl-Too where we will meet our horses for the first time. After an initial briefing we start our journey heading up into the mountains proper.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 4: Shyrpykty Pass & Ak Sai river: Crossing the At-Bashy range we descend to the Ak-Sai river and follow the northern bank of the river westwards. This is the only night of the trip where we will not have vehicle back-up and so we will take enough provisions and equipment to be self-sufficient for the night just as travellers of old used to.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 5: Ak Sai river & Tash Rabat: Riding over a 3500m pass we will enter the main Tash Rabat Valley and, like a thousand Silk Road travellers before us, ride up to the famous caravanserai. Here we camp up in the main valley and sleep in yurts.
Yurts (B, L, D)

Day 6: Tash Rabat: Today we will have a rest day at this stunning location, where can ride, walk or just relax. Sheltering in the lee of a black granite cliff, in what must surely be one of the prettiest valleys in the country, this ancient Silk Road caravanserai, constructed of dark stone with a huge arched entrance, domed roof and corner turrets, appears like some ancient eastern castle, a mythical outpost from some long forgotten legend. Before it, sweeping out of sight behind a sheer ridge is a wide green valley, dotted with yurts and hundreds of animals: horses, cattle, yaks and sheep. A visit to Tash Rabat is certainly one of the highlights of any trip to Kyrgyzstan.
Yurts (B, L, D)

Day 7: Tash Rabat - Tuz Ashuu: Leaving Tash Rabat today we we will cross the main road to China and and climb to the Tuz Ashuu pass. This is the start of the trip north to Son Kul.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 8: Tuz Ashuu - Black Lake:
Continuing our journey northwards we will make our way to the Black Lake, on whose shores we plan to camp. We hope to see nomads in this region and spend some time getting to know them.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 9: Black Lake & Ak Tal Chat: Today we follow the Ak Tal Chat and Mazar rivers before setting up camp in another beautiful and remote spot in the mountains.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 10: Ak Tal Chat & Kurtka river: As we make our way ever closer to Son Kul, today we come to Kyrgyzstan's largest river & the Naryn. This river is a tributary of the famous Syr-Darya (antiquity's Jaxartes river) which meets its end in the deserts of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in the form of the dying Aral Sea. Here however it is a young a fresh waterway.
Camp (B, L, D)

Day 11: Kurtka river & Son Kul: After breakfast, we will continue onto the stunning 3,000m glacial lake of Son Kul on the final day of our main horse journey. Here we will meet Norgul and her family, who will be our hosts for the next 2 days. This is a wonderful place to relax after our mountain adventure.
Yurts (B, L, D)

Day 12: Son Kul: We will have a whole day free at the lake. There will be the option of having a last horse ride, going for a walk in the mountains or just relaxing and admiring the stunning scenery. There should also be the opportunity to sample the national drink,
Kymyz (fermented mare's milk).
Yurts (B, L, D)

Day 13: Son Kul & Bishkek: Reluctantly leaving the mountains we return to Kyrgyzstan's relaxed capital for a final dinner in this wonderful country.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 14: Bishkek: The tour ends after breakfast. For those on WF preferred flight a transfer to the airport will be arranged.
(B)

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Accommodation will be in a decent 3* hotel in Bishkek, family home stays, yurts and two-man mountain tents. That said there are few frills up in the mountains, but what you will witness in these breathtaking hills, with the unspoilt nomadic people who live among them, will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression upon you. Any hotels mentioned in the itinerary are subject to availability and if not available substitutes will be of a similar quality.

Single Supplements: These are NOT compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. Where single supplements are available please note that a single room cannot always be guaranteed for every night of the tour as depending on the destination, rooms may be limited. On this tour we
are able to offer an optional single supplement that will cover you for all nights except while at the homestay and yurts.
NB: for those nights when we are camping you will get a single tent.

Transport:
Transport on the tour will be horses! Jeeps carry all our equipment including personal items, tents, food and drink.

Flights: If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flight or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know.

Responsible Travel:
Awarded 5 star status by AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators), responsible tourism has always been an integral part of our Company ethos and our adventures are designed with the local people, culture and eco-system in mind.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Mon 19 Jul 2010 to Sun 01 Aug 2010
Mon 02 Aug 2010 to Sun 15 Aug 2010

+44 [0]20 7736 3968