Issyk Kul tour with hikes

Program’s name: Issyk Kul tour with hikes

Quantity of days: 5

Day 1: Bishkek – Belogorka gorge – Bishkek
Your friendly local guide will welcome you at the airport and drive to the city to start your tour in Kyrgyzstan. Today will be combination of nature and culture during your travel. Before lunch, you will explore Bishkek, the capital city. Sightseeing includes massive Pobeda Square, the oldest park Duboviy Park, beautiful Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square and National Philharmonic. The second half of the day, you  will drive up to Belogorka gorge. It is the one of the magical gorges of high mountains. It lies on the Kyrgyz Ala Too range, which over 4800 m above the sea level. After enjoying short hike, return to the city. Rest in a hotel.

Day 2: Bishkek – Burana – Chon Kemin
In the morning, travel to Chong Kemin Valley in the east-north part of Kyrgyzstan for a tour. En route, have a stop at the Burana Tower, the remains of old city Balasagyn, the capital of Karakanid State during 11-12^th centuries. There is a collection of Balbals, they are ancient warrior stones. In Chong Kemin, after having lunch, enjoy 3-hours of horse riding in the magnificent mountains. During riding, you can also have great view of the valley and some parts goes through spruce tree forest. In the evening, dinner and stay in a homestay.

Day 3: Chon Kemin – Issyk Kul lake northern shore
Today depart to legendary Issyk Kul Lake, known as “the pearl of the Tien Shan”. Issyk Kul is the second largest mountain lake after Titicaca in Peru, located at the altitude of 1608m and surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of Central Tien Shan Mountain system. For about 1500 years, the lake was considered as a holy and nobody swim and fish. The name of the lake from Kyrgyz language means “warm lake”, it has been derived from the fact that it has salinity and it keeps from freezing over during winter time. During the soviet time, government officials had summerhouses near the lake.

Day 4: Issyk Kul lake – Bishkek – Ala Archa – Bishkek
In the morning, there will be an interesting excursion to the natural collection of old stone paintings during your tour in Kyrgyzstan. Petroglyphs of Cholpon Ata dating back to 800 BC and were found on the foothills of mountains. According to some sayings, there shamans depicted drawings more than 2000 years ago. It is located on the foothills of mountain and offer a great view of the lake. Then you will drive back to Bishkek. After having lunch in the city, drive to one of the glorious gorge of Kyrgyz Ala Too range in the south of city. It is Ala Archa National Park. Before only people with special permission could come to here, however nowadays everyone can spend time to have a hike or enjoy weekends. This beautiful gorge is only 45 km from Bishkek. After having short hike, come back to city and overnight in a hotel.

Day 5: Bishkek – Airport
Today is the last day of Kyrgyzstani trip. In the morning, you will be picked up to airport.