Issyk Kul Adventure: Nomadic Culture & Nature

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Embark on a 3-day adventure around Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan. Discover the natural wonders, including Barskoon Waterfalls and Red Canyon. Enjoy eagle shows, yurt stays, traditional food, hiking, and immerse yourself in the authentic Kyrgyz experience.

Duration: 3 days

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Bishkek - Burana Tower - Boom Gorge - Bokonbaevo

Burana Tower - The journey begins with a visit to the 11th Century Minaret Burana. This site features a museum showcasing historical artifacts, an ancient cemetery with stone sculptures (balbal stones), and a souvenir shop.
Bokonbaevo - Bokonbaevo is a delightful town located on the southern…

Bishkek - Burana Tower - Boom Gorge - Bokonbaevo

Bokonbaevo - Bokonbaevo is a delightful town located on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan. Renowned for its rich nomadic heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and welcoming hospitality, it offers an authentic Kyrgyz experience, away from the more touristy northern shore.

Why Visit Bokonbaevo?
Issyk-Kul Lake – Revel in the serene beaches with fewer visitors and stunning mountain vistas.
Eagle Hunting Demonstrations – Bokonbaevo is celebrated for its Salbuurun hunters, who demonstrate the ancient art of eagle hunting.

Boom Gorge - A gorge encountered en route to Issyk Kul from Bishkek, where a lunch stop is planned.

Canyon Fairy Tale - Expansive canyons with magnificent landscapes, red rocks, and hills. The canyon offers views over Issyk Kul Lake, creating striking contrasts. A souvenir shop and nomadic outfits are available for photoshoots.

Tamga - Barskoon Waterfalls - Jeti Oguz - Karakol

Barskoon Waterfall - Three waterfalls are accessible at varying elevations. Visits can be tailored to preference, with free time in the area. A monument to the first man in space is also located here.

Jeti-Oguz Canyon (Seven Bulls Rocks) - The Seven Bulls Valley features seven massive red rocks and is a popular tourist destination.

Karakol - Overnight stay and dinner in the town of Karakol.

Karakol - Chon Oruktu - Bosteri - Bishkek

Dungan Mosque - A brief visit to a mosque over 100 years old.

Bishkek-City - The final destination of the journey.

Chon-Uryukty - A visit to natural mineral hot pools in the open air. The mineral water is sourced from 1,200 meters deep. Admission is 250 som.

Cholpon Ata - A drive through the resort city with a lunch stop at a renowned restaurant.

What's Included

Lunch
Dinner
In-vehicle air conditioning
Breakfast
All fees and/or taxes

Additional Information

Our three-day tour around Issyk Kul alpine lake is an excellent opportunity to discover the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage, steeped in rich nomadic history. Experience authentic nomadic living at a Kyrgyz Yurt camp on the lake’s shore. Enjoy a Golden Eagle presentation, showcasing a unique and ancient regional practice. Explore Issyk Kul,…

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

4.9

(28 Ratings)

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Seanmo46

Jan 26, 2025

We had an amazing time with our wonderful guide Maris. - Our guide Maris gave us the best tour of our trip to central asia. The car was super comfortable, the food was amazing and it was an absolute highlight. I highly recommend this agency, good communication and value for money,

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Michael_w

Jan 24, 2025

Very considerate and well organised 3-day tour to Issyk-Kul - My guide was Maksat from Atlas.kg who was very polite, friendly, helpful and considerate (as he altered the timing and sometimes the order of activities to suit me). He explained the features and history of many places and discussed the changes in traditions as a result of the country's independence. As my visit was during winter, Maksat made sure I was warm enough in the 4WD, the hotels and during the walks/horse ride. Due to roadworks, I had been told that certain locations were inaccessible so Maksat/Atlas substituted similar scenery for those I could not visit (canyon, river and hot springs). The accommodation was very good with wifi included. I was asked my preferences for all meals - something I am seldom asked during any other tours - thank you. The locations we visited were very good - especially being able to climb Burana tower, hold an eagle (without being scratched), see the huge Issyl-Kul lake, stand on a frozen waterfall, see the different rock formations/colours at the Fairy-Tale canyon, swim in the hot springs pool and see the small town (Chon Kemin) on horseback (-20oC in some places mid-morning). Thank you very much Maksat & Atlas.kg. PS: I understand the weather was too cold to stay in a traditional Yurt tent so I appreciated being able to see them.

Review provided by Viator

Paul-tara

Nov 7, 2024

Fabulous experience . Ticked all the boxes - From our first enquiry to even after the trip ended communication was excellent and responsive to our queries. Vehicle was very comfortable with plenty of space. Our fabulous guide Maksat (Max) was very informative and we learnt so much about the area but also about life in Kyrgyzstan as well. He is a walking wikipedia. Max adapted the tour to suit the weather and our requirements and abilities which was great. We stayed in two very different places, both unique in their own individual ways (one a yurt camp and one a family guest house). We were made to feel very welcome by the owners who went out of their way to make sure our stay was memorable. There was far too much food even for Europeans! You must try the strawberry jam. Our final meal was of fresh fish caught and cooked by the restaurant owner a lovely elderly gentleman. We will remember that meal and his kindness for many years to come. We had a difficult onward journey and Max provided assistance with arranging it for which we were very grateful. He went above and beyond. 10/10.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Paradise06889764527

Mar 26, 2024

Recommendable - Huge recommendation from here! Maksat as a guide is fantastic, present and skilled. Worth all the money and something I would recommend to anyone coming to Kyrgyzstan as the trip includes everything in one trip!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Stuartl298

Feb 27, 2024

Excellent Kyrgyzstan trip - Excellent way to see the best of Kyrgyzstan, with a wonderful guide and very memorable local experiences, good accommodation and meals, English-speaking, safe and organized.

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Connector17547156355

Feb 22, 2024

Amazing Trip around Issyk-Kul Lake 😍 - I've been a frequent traveller to Europe and I can safely say that my mind has been blown away by what Krygyzstan could offer just by taking me around the lake. You name it - Mountains, clean rivers, lake (duh), forests, good food and definitely great people. The best person definitely being Mr Mars. Krygyzstan has it ALL. I have seen the winter wonders and now I'm excited to visit again back in Summer

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Linnahs

Feb 14, 2024

Amazing Kyrgyzstan Adventure! - I would definitely recommend going on this trip with Mars! We saw so many diverse landscapes with him – from the beautiful lake to magical mountains and colorful, rocky canyons. He shared so much about Kyrgyzstan tradition and culture and we really learned so much from him. Seeing the Eagle breeder was one of the highlights, but honestly, each activity with him was so memorable and the days passed way too quickly. We also love staying in the yurt overnight. You will not regret taking a trip with him - he also has great energy and is super easy to get along with!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Helene

Feb 14, 2024

Awesome tour and tour guide! - We had a great time on our 3 day tour to Issy-Kul Lake with Mars. He was so knowledgeable and hospitable, and we learned so much from him. We got to try all different types of diverse regional cuisine (all of the restaurants he brought us to were delicious!) and he also bought us some local ice cream to top it off! Mars was so thoughtful and always proactively helped us take photos of ourselves at different beautiful sites. The landscapes he showed us were incredibly beautiful and many of our friends now want to come to Kyrgyzstan after seeing our photos. Highly recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Stutisusanj

Oct 22, 2023

A trip worth remembering! - We had a lovely time travelling around Issyk Kul lake. Shoutout to Mars for being the best guide. Everything from travel to food to accommodation was prepared and all we had to do was relax and enjoy. Can’t say enough about Mars and would highly recommend him. Extremely knowledgeable, funny, accommodative and a good singer too lol. On the whole it it was an amazing experience and something you should definitely consider. We had soo much fun. A trip to remember for sure :)

Review provided by Tripadvisor

655himanshil

Oct 22, 2023

Amazing Trip with our Guide Mars! - Mars is a very sweet, caring, and funny person. He made sure to do everything to make our experience memorable. We visited many pretty locations, tried local cuisine, and overall enjoyed our trip to the fullest. Thank you, Mars!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

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