Kyrgyzstan
Departures
24th – 31st August 2026 18th – 25th May 2027
Per person
£2,800Fully inclusive
Kyrgyzstan is a country of high mountain pastures, felt-lined yurts and traditions shaped by nomadic life. This journey takes you from the capital into the valleys and shores of Ysyk-Köl, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world — to the workshops of felt-makers, the homes of eagle hunters, and the last yurt-making families who still build them by hand.
As with every MAVKA journey, the group is small, the pace is unhurried, and everything is arranged around the people we visit. Nataliya travels with you throughout.
ITINERARY
Day 1 — Bishkek
We meet around midday in Bishkek — a city where nomadic philosophy, Soviet modernism and contemporary life coexist beneath the snow-capped Tien Shan. A walking tour takes in the Golden Quarter, Ala-Too Square and the National History Museum, before a welcome dinner of Central Asian food.
Day 2 — The Silk Road to Chong-Kemin
Along the old Silk Road to Burana Tower, the last standing minaret of the ancient city of Balasagun, then through the dramatic Boom Gorge. Lunch of freshly baked kattama bread and milk tea, arriving by afternoon in Chong-Kemin National Park. Two nights in a family-run guesthouse.
Day 3 — Valley Life
A gentle 7–10 km valley walk through farmland, pastures and forest edge, with a picnic lunch. In the afternoon we join a local woman in her home kitchen to cook a traditional Kyrgyz dish together. A quiet evening under bright stars.
Day 4 — Ysyk-Köl & the Felt Makers
To Ysyk-Köl, one of the world’s largest alpine lakes and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In Bokonbaev we meet a women’s artisan cooperative specialising in shyrdaks — the bold felt carpets of Kyrgyzstan — and try the techniques ourselves. Two nights here.
Day 5 — Village Life & the Eagle Hunter
A day with a local family — nomadic heritage, livestock, seasonal routines and Kyrgyz snacks — then a meeting with a traditional eagle hunter, whose bond with his bird carries generations of ecological knowledge.
Day 6 — Skazka Canyon & the Yurt Camp
Along the southern shore to Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon, where wind and water have carved the sandstone into surreal red formations. A lakeside picnic — and a swim, weather permitting — before settling into a traditional yurt camp, where we cook a Kyrgyz meal with our host and sleep beneath a vast, star-filled sky.
Day 7 — The Yurt Makers of Kyzyl-Tuu
A morning walk to sacred landscapes and shrines above the lake, then to Kyzyl-Tuu, a village where nearly every family makes yurts. We watch willow frames steamed and bent by hand, share a meal, and stay overnight with a family of yurt makers.
Day 8 — Independence Day in Bishkek
Back to Bishkek via the Orto-Tokoi Reservoir, arriving for the Independence Day celebrations and the opening of the World Nomad Games. A farewell dinner brings the journey gently to a close.
What's Included
English-speaking local guide
Private transportation throughout, with airport transfers
All meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner
7 nights in authentic guesthouses and a yurt camp
All cultural activities and workshops
Nataliya as your host throughout
Not included: international flights, travel and medical insurance, personal expenses, and alcoholic drinks.
