Song Kul Lake Tour: Explore Nomadic Lifestyle with Yurt Stay and Horseback Riding

Embark on a 2-day tour to Song Kul Lake and immerse yourself in the Kyrgyz nomadic lifestyle. Stay in a cozy yurt, go horseback riding, and experience breathtaking sunsets and stargazing. Discover the rich traditions and lifestyles of the Kyrgyz people.

Duration: 2 days
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Bishkek - Burana Tower - Orto-Tokoy Reservoir - Song-Kol Lake

Bishkek - In the morning, the operator will pick you up from your hotel to embark on an awe-inspiring journey to Son Kol Lake. The first stop is Burana Tower in the quaint town of Tokmok, located 80km from Bishkek. As you travel along the Kazakhstan border, clear weather will reveal…

What's Included
  • Kyrgyz Family Lunch
  • Horseback riding
  • Air-Conditioned 4x4 car with pick up and drop off in Bishkek
  • Professional English Speaking guide
  • Overnight in a yurt
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
What's Not Included
  • Personal expenses
  • Health insurance
Additional Information

Embark on a 2-day excursion to the mesmerizing Son-Kul Lake, where you’ll enjoy a picturesque trek around its turquoise-blue waters, enveloped by lush greenfields and elevated pastures used in the summer. Submerge yourself in the nomadic life of the Kyrgyz by spending a night in a warm yurt while tasting authentic food and experiencing local customs….

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(31 Ratings)
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Chui
Aug 29, 2025
Amazing trip to Song Kul Lake - Our guide and driver, Azamat, truly made our trip to Songkul Lake a wonderful experience. He was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. He shared insights into Kyrgyz history and gave us a deeper understanding of local life. We even had moments of cultural exchange and laughter. 😂 Songkul Lake is a must-see. During the day, the lake was tranquil and peaceful. We sat by the lake, observing the nomads and their horses, sheep, cattle, and more. At night, the shimmering Milky Way was breathtaking. Staying in a yurt, enjoying the local cuisine, and riding horses were all unique experiences I thoroughly enjoyed.
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Rebecca
Aug 19, 2025
Unforgettable experience. - An amazing experience. You feel like you are on top of the world and the vistas are massive. Staying in the yurt was unforgettable and riding out on the plain seeing the mountains and people and animals living there was mind blowing. The guides were easy to get on with and very attentive to our needs. Our only criticism is that we travelled in a car rather than 4x4 (unavailable at the time) which meant it took longer to reach the destination - this trip needs 4x4. We were made to feel very welcome by all and at meal times we ate very well. Overall, a once in a lifetime experience.
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P1231eqpeterg
Aug 15, 2025
Very special experience - incredibly remote and beautiful - This tour involves very long drives - and totally worth it! Being up in the high steppe riding horses and sleeping in a yurt was incredible. Huge thanks to our guide Azamat. Definitely recommended
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Josephva1969lg
Aug 15, 2025
Otherworldly experience - My wife and I did a two day private horse riding trip to Song Kul lake in June 2025 and had the most amazing experience. Datka Travel was the best agency we could have hoped for to plan such a trip. The booking process was very efficient and smooth. Talgat, the owner/manager, was very responsive and helpful in the booking process and throughout. He went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience possible and answered all our questions. We also booked transport to and from Almaty which was very comfortable and efficient. We were very pleasantly surprised by the level of comfort we experienced in the yurt camp (good toilets and heating)! The only negative was that we underestimated how tiring it would be to ride a horse for such long hours on sometimes tricky terrain (uphill/downhill riding). Make sure you are reasonably fit and willing to experience some level of physical discomfort before booking such a tour. Also make sure to bring drinking water or filtered devices as there is no possibility of buying mineral water around the lake.
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Arshyaaja
Apr 30, 2025
2 Days Winter Trip with Datka Tours - I had such a wonderful experience with Datka Tour!⭐️ Talgat, Matti, Beka, our driver, and all the local guides were incredibly attentive and constantly made sure we were okay and comfortable–which meant a lot, especially since we were doing a winter tour coming from a tropical country with a very different climate 😆❄️ The facilities provided were great, and the food was delicious throughout the trip! My visit to Son Kul was truly the highlight of my trip to Kyrgyzstan — it left such a deep impression on me, and I truly can’t stop thinking about it… Hopefully I can visit again in the summer, and bring more of my friends along next time. Definitely recommended for adventurer’s out there! ❤️
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129patrician
Feb 14, 2025
Absolutely wonderful!! - A wonderful experience with Datka Travel! Lake song kul is an absolute Beautiful Place! We loved everything about our trip!
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Dasatravels
Feb 10, 2025
Beautiful vistas and great guide - Enjoyed a fantastic trip to Song Kul. My driver/guide, Aps, was very polite and a nice person to talk with for the long drives. I felt safe and comfortable, and the scenery was unbeatable. Highly recommend when in Kyrgyzstan.
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Pioneer461679
Jul 10, 2025
"Breathtaking Views and Memorable Moments at Song Kul Lake" - Our trip to Song Kul Lake was absolutely breathtaking. The landscape is stunning; open, peaceful, and incredibly beautiful. The highlight of our experience was definitely the horseback riding; it was unforgettable and such a unique way to connect with the surroundings. Our driver was kind, funny, and made the long journey enjoyable with his great attitude. The only thing we wish had been different was having more information or context about the places we visited. It would have been even more meaningful to learn about the history of Song Kul Lake, the local traditions, and the communities living there. Overall, it was a magical experience, but a bit more storytelling and cultural insight would have made it perfect.
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775oreny
Sep 14, 2025
Fantastic scenery, however should better cater to tourists - Some really special things about this tour, some things to watch out for. - Our first point of contact Talgat was excellent. Very responsive, detailed, responded to all our questions with regards to going to a completely new region and how to experience horse riding and the different options. - We were a bit let down when we arrived as we had asked to get gas canisters from Bishkek on our way to Kyzart. We were told it could be found in local supermarkets which wasn't the case, so there was a bit of a goose chase for 2 hours which delayed our start time. We had also shared details of our flight in advance --which had got delayed-- but the taxi driver wasn't informed and ended up at the airport 2 hours early, so there could have been some better coordination at the start --and we had to really persuade the agency to still let us do the trip that day which was stressful! - There were 2 options: a horse trip around the lake, and a more adventurous horse trip from Kyzart to the Lake. We chose the more adventurous option which was definitely the better option on the way up, but be conscious is much more painful --and a lot more scary-- on the rear end on the way down. I would say the way down was "very" challenging and required a lot of upper body strength to stop yourself from falling off the horse + a good level of pain tolerance to deal with the pressure on your bottom and between the straps and your calves which rubs after a while. - Our tour guide was impressive for a youngster (he was early twenties) but gave us very little attention on the trip. Kyrgyz standards are very different so we cannot fairly judge, but at least by standards he was irresponsible when it came to the more dangerous parts of the hike, and was willing to ride far ahead and leave us alone on a cliff at times which was terrifying which very little guidance! We also didn't get anything in the way of narrative, history, stories, knowledge about the local culture which could have added a lot (and I can see many others did get). He wasn't "bad" but was clearly not trained to be a guide for tourists, more just "a guy who can ride a horse well". - The hike itself and the scenery is stunning, the lake is beautiful, the stars are breathtaking and the yurt came so welcoming. 5 stars on that. Prepare for the cold though. - After the horse trek, we went back to a hostel where they served lunch -- the people were really hospital and wonderful, 5 star attitude for that as well. All in all we had a good experience, but substantial improvements could be made to cater better for tourists wanting to go out their comfort zones on this adventure.
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Donefrain
Jun 5, 2025
They're not operational and they take you down at the last minute. But they keep getting paid... - I find it very irresponsible to publish and accept reservations when, the tour operator knows that you can not make the visit because it is all snowy. I wait the day before to warn and offer a poorer and less attractive alternative. That did make sure to collect in advance and to return the money paid, they take another 5 days. Nice pictures. Bad experience
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From $325
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).