Heartland of the Ancient Nomads

Meeting at the airport, you will become acquainted with the Baibol Travel team, after which we will take the short (45mins) but beautiful flight to Osh City - one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia. The city is gradually acquiring modern features, but it still preserves the traditions of antiquity. Once settled and rested at our hotel, we will take a trip to the Aravan region to explore the ancient Chil-Ustun Cave. Walking through the intricate labyrinths of the cave and exploring the stalactites will transport you to a world of mysteries and riddles.

To welcome us back to reality, we will take fragrant green tea and generous eastern treats in a teahouse. In the afternoon you will have free time. It will be possible to climb Sulaiman-Too mountain, also called the throne of King Solomon, with its shrine established by the King Babur on his journey to become the Mughal Emperor. Sulaiman-Too is one of the most important Islamic sites Central Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can admire the beautiful panoramic view of Osh city from the top or wander through the ancient oriental market where you can find many souvenirs: from ceramic hand-painted plates to felt goods. We will have a dinner, enjoying the famed cuisine of Osh, and overnight at the hotel.

From Osh, we will take to 1.5-2 hour journey north to the town of Uzgen. A walk through the city of Uzgen brings us back in time to when the city was an important link on the Great Silk Road. We will visit the colossal minaret and mausoleums built in the heyday of the strongest Turkic state, the Karakhanid Empire. These beautifully and intricately decorated ancient buildings will take you back to the past, when they presided over the noisy city square along which thousands of caravans carrying valuable goods from east to west and back. The bazaar here remains one of the best.

After our visit to Uzgen, we will continue our journey northward to Arslanbob, location of the largest nut orchards on the planet. The mighty giants growing in the walnut groves reach an incredible height, and some of them are over a thousand years old – old enough to remember when Alexander the Great stopped here on his military campaign to the East. Arslanbob itself is one of the most beautiful places in all of Kyrgyzstan, surrounded by souring mountains and beautiful waterfalls. Whether you come to Arslanbob during the nut-flowering season or during harvest, you will find yourself entranced.

Our next stop is one of the jewels of Kyrgyzstan.  Sary Chelek (yellow chalice) Lake is a turquoise and aquamarine-colored gem that looks like it is straight out of a dream. The location of the lake is equally spectacular, cupped among the mountains and resembling a beautiful bowl filled with crystal-clear water. This is also one of the greenest and biologically diverse areas of the country, listed as a protected biosphere reserve. Upon arrival, we will organize a small picnic and enough time to wander along the coast and explore. We can take our time, enjoying the moment and allowing the quiet waters of the lake to give us peace and fill restore our energy. Those who want to explore the lake in more detail can take a boat ride. From the lake we will go to Arkit village where we will have supper and spend the night in a guest house.

From Arkit, we continue to Chychkan (Mouse) Gorge. On the way, we will pass along the edges of the Toktogul reservoir - the largest reservoir in the country and a beautiful sight in its own right. In favorable weather we can stop for a swim to truly enjoy the clean and transparent water. Upon arrival at our accommodation in a cozy guest complex, we will take a short rest before beginning our walk. The innumerable sights of the Chychkan Gorge make it really special. On the slopes of the mountains grow tall fir trees and shrubs with wild juicy berries. Sometimes, it is possible to see ibex, roe deer, argali or other wild animals that come to the river for water. We will enjoy our dinner and overnight in yurts at the Chyckan guest complex.

After our days exploring the wild nature and colorful traditions of our nomads, we will explore the history of the Kyrgyz people. We will begin our journey into Manas in Talas town. On the way there we will pass stunning mountain passes on our way to visit the "Manas-Ordo" complex - the center of spiritual energy for the Kyrgyz people. Here you will see the legendary collection of the largest oral epic of the world and visit Manas’ grave. The Manas epic is the oral history of the Kyrgyz people and is listed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. After lunch, where we will taste exquisite national dishes at Baibol restaurant we continue our cultural program visiting the remains of the ancient fortifications of Ak-Dobo and Kulan-Koruk (according to some reports, the fortress city of the leader of the Hsiung Zhizhichen and the place of the first military confrontation between the ancient Chinese and the Romans). Dinner and overnight will be in Baibol’s own guest house which is decorated in ethnic style.

Today you will discover the amazing and diverse world of nomadic civilization. After breakfast at the foot of Echkil mountain we will enjoy a spectacular program featuring the national horse games "kok-boru" and "kyz-kuumai". We will have a picnic in the forest. Afterward, we will stop for a professional decorative carving workshop from Daniyar Abylaev. On our return to Talas we will enjoy a dinner of ancient tash-kordo accompanied by a performance by one of our national folklore ensembles. In the evening, you will have the opportunity to ride on a horse-drawn cart through the village. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.

In the morning we will drive to to the picturesque Besh-Tash (Five stones) Park, located on the northern slopes of the Talas Ala-Too mountains, where the alpine meadows harmoniously alternate with thickets of juniper and spruce. Upon arrival, we will stop in a yurt camp and enjoy a snack in the yurts of hospitable shepherds (chabans). You will then get acquainted with the local guides who will tell you about the role of the horse in the life of the ancient nomads. After that, we will select our horses, taking into account the experience of the riders, and have brief instruction on riding. We will go on a beautiful horse ride through the park and to the turquoise lakes of Besh-Tash, stopping for lunch no far from the upper lake. Return to the yurt camp. In the evening, we will become even better acquainted with the life and culture of nomads, enjoying more national games (demonstration or participation at will). For dinner, we will enjoy the national dish of Kyrgystan, besh-barmak (five fingers), enjoyed at the Kyrgyz toi (national party). The peculiarity of the dish is that it is traditionally eaten by hands. Overnight in the yurt.

Transfer to Bishkek via the stunning high altitude Sussamyr Valley and Too-Ashuu Pass. Upon arrival we will find our accommodation at the hotel and rest a little before our walk around the capital. Our walk will take us along the central Ala-Too square of the capital for a visit to Manas Monument, the State Historical Museum and Lenin statue. We will get a chance to watch the changing of the guard at the flagpolebefore we go to the old square, government house and monument to the Alai Kyrgyz leader Kurmanzhan Datka. After our walk, we will go to the central department store (TSUM) where you can buy souvenirs from the craft stalls. We finish the tour with a farewell dinner with Baibol Travel staff. Transfer to the airport in the morning or the next. Departure home.