Full-Experience Heart of the Steppe Kyrgyzstan Route (With Traditional Yurt Accommodation)

Istanbul – Bishkek – Nomad Civilization Museum – Rukh Ordo Cultural Center – Cholpon-Ata – Issyk-Kul Lake Boat Tour – Cholpon-Ata

After meeting at Istanbul Airport International Terminal, we fly to Bishkek on a Turkish Airlines scheduled flight following your baggage and ticket procedures at the Turkish Airlines counter. Upon arrival, we meet our guide and private vehicle that will welcome us at the airport and transfer to Bishkek for breakfast. After breakfast at a local restaurant, we set off for Cholpon-Ata, located on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake and one of the most important tourism centers of the region. During our approximately 250-kilometer journey, we have the opportunity to observe Kyrgyzstan's vast steppes, mountainous geography, and rural life. Our first stop on the way will be the Nomad Civilization Museum, which offers the opportunity to get to know the traditional Kyrgyz nomadic culture and the lifestyle shaped over centuries closely. In this cultural center created around traditional yurts, we see various works reflecting the basic elements of nomadic life, such as period costumes, traditional shoes, jewelry, textile products, national decorative motifs, and daily use items made of leather and wood. Inside the museum, we also get information about the region's cultural history through maps, photographs, and visual materials that describe the seasonal migration routes of the Kyrgyz people, their livestock-based lifestyle, and the traditional migrations they carry out between different regions. After our trip, we move to the Rukh Ordo Cultural Center located on the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. In this large open-air complex established to protect and promote Kyrgyz cultural heritage and create a common understanding that brings together different beliefs and cultures, we see ten different mini-museums, the museum house dedicated to the world-famous Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, monuments belonging to the country's important cultural figures, and five different chapels representing the world's major religions side by side. In the center, which attracts attention with its location on the lake shore and open-air layout, we have the opportunity to get to know Kyrgyzstan's historical, literary, and spiritual heritage together. After our Rukh Ordo trip, we continue our journey to Cholpon-Ata, and upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel and settle into our rooms. In the evening, we take a pleasant boat trip on Issyk-Kul Lake, one of the world's largest high-altitude lakes. We complete our first day in Cholpon-Ata with a boat trip accompanied by the calm waters of the lake, the mountain silhouettes surrounding it, and the peaceful atmosphere that forms in the later hours of the day. Overnight at our hotel.

Cholpon-Ata – Kyrchyn Valley – Karakol – Jety-Oguz Valley – Skazka Canyon – Issyk-Kul Lake Yurt Camp

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we set off for the Kyrchyn Valley, which attracts attention with its vast meadows and alpine pastures on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. In this impressive region, also known as Semenovskoye Valley and used as one of the main event areas of the World Nomad Games, we have the opportunity to get to know Kyrgyzstan's traditional highland life closely. Guests who wish can participate in an optional horse ride lasting about an hour to advance in the high-altitude pastures called "jailoo", and guests who wish can take a light-paced walk in the valley. During both experiences, we have the opportunity to see the daily life of shepherd families who spend the summer months in these pastures, the vast pastures, and the mountain views surrounding the environment. After our Kyrchyn Valley trip, we continue our journey by following the eastern end of Issyk-Kul Lake towards Karakol, which carries the traces of Russian, Dungan, and Kyrgyz cultures together. After arriving in Karakol, we start our city tour; we see the wooden Holy Trinity Church, which carries the characteristic features of traditional Russian architecture, the Dungan Mosque, which attracts attention with its unique structure that combines Chinese pagoda architecture with Islamic elements, and important points reflecting the local texture of the city. After our Karakol trip, we move towards the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. Our first stop on the way will be the Jeti-Oguz Valley, which means "Seven Bulls" in Kyrgyz and is known for its giant red sandstone cliffs rising side by side. Here, we see the Seven Bulls cliffs, which have become the symbol of the region, and the famous rock formation called "Broken Heart" due to the distinct crack in its middle. Then we move to Skazka, also known as the "Fairy Tale" Canyon, which was formed by the wind and water shaping the red and yellow sandstone over centuries. We discover one of the most impressive natural landscapes of the region among extraordinary rock formations that resemble castles, towers, and mythological creatures. In the evening, we reach our yurt camp located on the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, and we have our dinner at our camp accompanied by the panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. Overnight at our Yurt Camp.

After breakfast at our yurt camp in the morning, we set off for Chong-Kemin National Park. Our first stop on the way will be Bokonbaevo, one of the important cultural centers on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake and one of the main settlements where Kyrgyzstan's traditional eagle hunting tradition is kept alive today. Here, we watch a special demonstration performed by a local berkutchi, a traditional eagle hunter, and have the opportunity to get to know the eagle hunting tradition, which has been an important part of the Central Asian nomadic culture for centuries, up close. We listen to our guide about the strong bond between trained golden eagles and their hunters, and the fundamental features of this deep-rooted tradition passed down from generation to generation. After our visit, we continue our journey to Kyzyl-Tuu, known as the "village of yurt masters." In Kyzyl-Tuu, where a significant portion of the villagers are engaged in the construction of traditional Kyrgyz yurts, we attend a special demonstration showing how the wooden skeletons of the yurts are prepared. We see the process of cutting willow wood, softening it with steam, and bending it by hand by the masters to transform it into the characteristic parts of the yurt skeleton, and then we learn how this wooden structure is covered with felt to transform into a traditional yurt, one of the most important symbols of Kyrgyz nomadic life. After our Kyzyl-Tuu visit, we set off for Chong-Kemin, one of the most impressive regions of Kyrgyzstan with its dense forests, wide valleys, and lush nature, stretching between the Kungey and Zailiysky Ala-Too mountain ranges. Upon our arrival, we move to our yurt camp located at the foothills of Ala-Kush Mountain, and have the opportunity to experience the region's traditional highland life and rural Kyrgyz atmosphere up close. Guests who wish can participate in horse riding tours organized in the region or spend time in the high-altitude highland areas called "jailoo." In the evening, we watch a traditional performance of the Epic of Manas, one of the strongest symbols of Kyrgyzstan's national identity. Thanks to this impressive performance, which is performed from memory in a rhythmic and semi-melodic style by epic storytellers called Manaschi, we get to know the oral storytelling tradition of Manas, considered one of the longest epics in the world, which has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. Overnight at our Yurt Camp.

After breakfast at our yurt camp in the morning, we leave Chong-Kemin and set off for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Our first stop on the way will be the Burana Historical Complex, located near Tokmok and one of the important stops on the historical Silk Road route. The current complex contains the surviving traces of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was one of the important centers and capitals of the Karakhanid Empire in the 11th century. Here, we see the Burana Tower, which was built during the Karakhanid period and has risen as one of the most important historical symbols of the Chuy Valley for centuries. Guests who wish can climb to the upper part of the tower and have the opportunity to see the wide view of the surrounding Chuy Valley. Continuing our trip, we see the stone figures called balbals, which are exhibited in the open-air section of the complex and reflect the burial and memorial culture of the ancient Turkic communities of Central Asia. These processed stones, which were collected from different parts of the region and taken under protection here, are among the important archaeological artifacts that shed light on Kyrgyzstan's pre-Islamic history and Central Asian steppe culture. After our visit to the Burana Historical Complex, we continue our journey to Bishkek and arrive in the city in the afternoon. Upon our arrival, we transfer to our hotel and check into our rooms. Free time for the rest of the day to explore Bishkek on our own. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we start our city tour to explore Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. In Bishkek, one of the greenest cities in the country with its wide boulevards, parks, and tree-lined streets located at the foothills of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Mountains, we first see Ala-Too Square, which is considered the center of the city's political and social life. The national flagpole rising in the square and the changing of the guard ceremony performed at certain hours are among the iconic images of the city. Then, we see the Manas Monument dedicated to Manas, the legendary hero of the Kyrgyz people and one of the most important symbols of their national identity, the State Historical Museum reflecting the country's historical past, and Oak Park, one of the most popular spots in Bishkek with its open-air sculptures, shaded walking paths, and large green areas. After our city tour, we set off for Ala-Archa National Park, located approximately 40 kilometers from Bishkek. In this impressive nature area, which has been under protection since 1976, we have the opportunity to get to know Kyrgyzstan's magnificent mountain geography, which extends from forest-covered lower slopes to peaks rising over 4,500 meters and glaciers, within a short distance. Among the natural beauties surrounded by Tian Shan spruces and juniper trees, we take a pleasant walk along the marked path extending along the Ala-Archa River and enjoy the impressive views of the mountains and the valley. After our Ala-Archa visit, we return to Bishkek and go to the local market to do our last shopping. Here, we have the opportunity to see and shop for souvenirs and local products unique to Kyrgyzstan. After the completion of our program, we transfer to Manas International Airport at night.

In the early hours of the day, we depart for Istanbul with the Turkish Airlines scheduled flight. With our arrival in Istanbul, our unforgettable Kyrgyzstan tour comes to an end.