Song-Kol
Nine days from Bishkek across the country to Osh, then up onto the Pamir Highway.
This is the long one. Nine days crossing Kyrgyzstan from the Chuy valley in the north to the Trans-Alay range on the Tajik border, taking in the summer pastures, the Silk Road cities and the highest road in Central Asia.
The second half is genuine high-altitude travel. The Taldyk pass tops 3,600 metres and the Kyzyl-Art reaches 4,280, with two nights spent above 3,500 in the Achik-Tash meadows below Lenin Peak. Fuel, water and repairs are all scarce up there and we carry our own.
We run it with a maximum of eight travellers in two vehicles, from mid-June to late September. It is demanding, it involves several long driving days, and it is the most spectacular thing we do.
Open any day to see where you sleep, how far you travel and what the day actually feels like.
Arrival and hotel check-in, afternoon city tour taking in Ala-Too square, the Osh bazaar and the state museum. Expedition briefing and welcome dinner with your guide and the two drivers.
South over the Too-Ashuu pass and through the Suusamyr valley, climbing to the lake in the afternoon. First night at 3,016 m in a family yurt camp, deliberately early in the trip to start acclimatising.
Down the switchbacks and east along the river to Naryn, the last real town before the south. Afternoon resupply, a walk through the bazaar and a comfortable guesthouse night.
A rough and beautiful day crossing two passes on an unpaved road that closes with the first snow. Around seven hours of driving through empty country, ending in the small town of Kazarman.
Over the Kaldamo pass and down into the Fergana valley, where the climate changes completely — cotton, apricots and forty degrees. Arrive in Osh in the late afternoon for a hotel night and dinner in the old town.
A full day in the oldest city in the country: Suleiman-Too at first light, the Jayma bazaar along the river, and the afternoon free. This is the last day at low altitude before the highway.
South out of Osh and up. The Taldyk pass at 3,615 m opens onto the Alay valley with the whole Trans-Alay range on the southern horizon. Camp in the Achik-Tash meadows at 3,600 m.
A day walking from camp towards the base of Lenin Peak, gaining a few hundred metres to a viewpoint over the glacier. An optional longer route reaches 4,100 m. Second night at Achik-Tash.
Back over the Taldyk to Osh, arriving in the early afternoon. Domestic flight or overnight transfer to Bishkek can be arranged, and airport transfers are included either way.
Three days involve seven hours or more on rough roads. This is unavoidable on a country traverse and we would rather you knew before booking.
Two nights at 3,600 m after a week of gradual gain. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should discuss the route with a doctor first.
The Alay valley sits close to the Tajik border and passports are checked at several posts. Carry the original with you, not a copy.
Send us a note and we will reply within one working day with availability and the exact plan.
Other routes that cover similar ground or pair well as an extension.
Son-Kol, Kel-Suu, Issyk-Kul and Ala-Kul in one week — the most action-packed route we run, with hiking, horses and two nights in yurt camps.
From
€1,190
per person
Bishkek, Song-Kol and Kel-Suu in one loop — horse riding, two nights in yurts and two of the most striking lakes in Central Asia.
From
€890€1,040
per person
The short version of the classic Kyrgyz trip: over the Too-Ashuu pass, two nights in yurts at Song-Kol, and back with time for an evening in Bishkek.
From
€560
per person