Adventure Tours Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan
10-day Best of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan Tour
Discover some of the most beautiful natural and cultural highlights in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan during this 10-day Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan Tour: Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, Lake Kaindy, Karakol Gorge, Son Kul lake, Eagle Hunting Demonstration, and much more!
DATES 10-DAY BEST OF KYRGYZSTAN KAZAKHSTAN TOUR 2026:
July 13th – July 22nd (Bookings closed)
August 20th – August 29th (Departure confirmed – reserve your place now!)
September 6th – September 15th (Departure confirmed – reserve your place now!)
Tour cost: €1900 per person
REVIEWS: What travelers say about the Best of Kyrgyzstan KazakhstaN Tour
TOUR OVERVIEw: What to expect on the Best of Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Tour?
- When:
- July 13th – July 22nd, 2026
- August 20th – August 29th, 2026
- September 6th – September 15th, 2026
All tours will be guided by Emir or Elgiz, my local English-speaking guides from E2 Travel.
- Start: Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Finish: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Maximum group size: 10 people
- Housing & lodging: hotels, guesthouses, yurt camp
- Transport: Van with experienced driver
- Who can join: The 10-day Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Tour is suitable for adventurous travelers aged 18 and above. The average age of the travelers who joined my tours so far is between 20 and 65 years. The participants are usually solo travelers, friends, and couples. Families with kids aged 12 and above and who have an adventurous mindset are also welcome.
The 10-day Best of Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Tour offers the ideal combination to explore the culture and nature of these exquisite Central Asian countries. This tour is for you if:
- you’re interested in learning about the history and culture of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
- you like city tours and love spending time in nature
- you don’t mind (very scenic!) driving days as it’s the only way to get from one remote place to the other
- you’re in good physical shape to go on a few (easy and medium-hard) day hikes (max 16 km in one day)
- you feel comfortable sharing a room at the guesthouses with 1 to 2 people from the group and a yurt for 2 nights with 4 people from the group (single option only available in the cities)
- you are open-minded and comfortable with unexpected events that an adventure trip might bring
During this small group tour, you’ll to some remote destinations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that are otherwise hard (and expensive) to reach if you’d be traveling independently.
The 10-day Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan Tour begins in Almaty, Kazakhstan‘s former capital city. The trip starts by going on a guided city tour to learn more about Almaty’s interesting history.
After this introduction to one of Kazakhstan’s most important cities, you go on a 3-day road trip in Southeast Kazakhstan to explore its most beautiful natural attractions: Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai Lakes and the sunken forrest in Lake Kaindy.
You then travel to Kegen, the most remote Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan land border, to cross into Kyrgyzstan and continue our journey to the multi-cultural city of Karakol, situated near Kyrgyzstan’s largest alpine lake – lake Issyk Kul.
After visiting the highlights of Karakal and learning more about its history, you’ll head into nature again and go on a day hike to a waterfall in the beautiful and lush Karakol Gorge.
Then it’s time to explore the natural and cultural highlights on the south shore of Lake Issyk Kul. You’ll visit the remarkable rock formation of Jeti Oguz, the spectacular Skazka Canyon, also known as the “Fairytale Canyon” and you’ll see a demonstration of one of the last remaining Eagle Hunters and the traditional felt makers in Kyrgyzstan.
You spend the last couple of days of the trip at lake Son Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s second largest alpine lake, located at 3000 meters altitude, where we’ll be staying in a yurt camp near the shores of the lake. The tour finished in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, where you’ll visit the city’s highlights before saying goodbye to your new group of friends.
The 10-day Kyrgyzstan – Kazakhstan Tour is not your typical (group) tour.
Over the years, I’ve traveled extensively in and returned multiple times to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan (like you can read on my blog).
This tour is based on my experiences and personal highlights, and the outdoor destinations in this itinerary are very hard (and expensive) to reach if you’d be traveling independently. I work together with experienced freelance drivers and guides and small family-run businesses in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to support its local economy.
With the help of my friend and local partner Emir, we designed this tour for adventurous travelers who like to dive into the culture and history of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and immerse themselves entirely in its well-preserved and untouched nature.
This tour will give you the unique opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and experience the beauty and richness of both countries!
10-day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Almaty
Day 2: Almaty – Charyn Canyon – Saty
Day 3: Saty – Kolsai Lakes – Saty
Day 4: Saty – Kaindy Lake – Karakol (Kyrgyzstan)
Day 5: Karakol Gorge
Day 6: Karakol – South Shore Issyk Kul – Bokonbaevo
Day 7: Bokonbaevo – Kochkor
Day 8: Kochkor – Son Kul
Day 9: Son Kul
Day 10: Son Kul – Bishkek
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN Almaty
Welcome in Almaty, the former capital city of Kazakhstan!
Your guide will welcome you and the group at 2pm at the hotel before heading out together for our first city tour.
During this tour, we learn more about the history of Almaty and will see its highlights, such as the Ascension Cathedral, Panfilov Park, Arbat street etc. We also go by cable car to Kok-Tobe where you get fantastic views of the city.
Note: The regular check-in time at the hotel is 2 pm. If you would like to check in earlier, please let us know. We’ll book an extra night of accommodation (at an additional price), so a room will be available for you.
Meals included: Dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel
Facilities: wi-fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilets.
Day 2: Almaty – Charyn Canyon – Saty
After having breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to hit the road. We pack our belongings in the van and start the 4-hour drive to the Charyn Canyon. The Charyn Canyon (or Sharyn Canyon) is part of the Charyn Canyon National Park.
For more than 12 million years, wind, water and sand sculpted Charyn’s red sandstone to form the wonderful shapes and shades that vary from deep orange to light brown. Some of the cliffs resemble fantastical figures, the reason why some parts of the canyon are also called the Valley of Castles, the Devil’s Gorge and the Ghosts Gorge.
Upon arriving at Charyn Canyon, we’ll have a walk to enjoy its magnificent landscapes, which many people often call “the Grand Canyon’s little brother”.
After our visit to the canyon, we’ll get back in the car and drive another 2 hours to finish the day at Saty, a small village near the Kolsai Lake National Park, where we have dinner and spend the night at a small guesthouse.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Limited Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
DAY 3: Day Hike to the Kolsai Lakes
After enjoying breakfast at the guesthouse, we get in the car to make the short drive to visit the picturesque Kolsai Lakes.
The Kolsai Lakes National Park houses a system of three lakes, nestled among the hills of the Northern Tien Shan Mountains, approximately 300km east of Almaty. They are also called “The Pearl of the Northern Tien Shan” and after visiting the lakes, you’ll totally get why!
The lakes are so clear that, when the sun is out, the surrounding forests, hills, and snowy mountain peaks are mirrored in the water.
The first lake is easily accessible by car, from where we go on a hike to the second lake as it can only be reached on foot. This medium-hard 6-hour hike is a 16km round trip, and the trail can be steep in some parts but the views are very rewarding!
Note: You can always choose to spend the day at the first lake while the rest of the group goes on the day hike to the second Kolsai Lake.
We have a rest and enjoy our picnic-with-a-view at the second lake before returning via the same trail to the first lake. We finish the day by returning to Saty and spend the night at the same guesthouse in the village.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Limited Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
Day 4: Saty – Lake Kaindy – Kegen (border with Kyrgyzstan) – Karakol
After an early breakfast, we pack up our belongings and drive to another breathtaking mountain lake, situated not very far from Saty village, – Lake Kaindy. It’s one of the most unique lakes in the world!
This 400m long lake was formed in 1911 after an earthquake triggered an enormous limestone landslide, which formed a natural dam in the gorge that was covered by spruce trees. The lake is almost 30 m deep and if you look underwater, you can still see the needles on the submerged trunks of this “sunken forrest”.
We’ll make the short walk around the lake to get the best views (and photos!).
We then get back into the car and make the 2-hour drive to Kegen, the most remote land border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. After crossing the border, we drive another 2 hours to reach the city of Karakol, situated at the eastern end of famous Issyk-Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan.
We check-in at our guesthouse and head out again to go on a guided city tour to visit the highlights of Karakol in the afternoon. In the evening, we go to a restaurant and taste the local cuisine and specialties of this region.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
day 5: Day Hike to the Karakol Gorge
Today we’ll head into nature again and go on an easy day-hike (16km – 6 hours) to the picturesque Karakol gorge. You’ll see the stunning beauty of this mountain gorge by walking along the river that comes from the glaciers further in the Tian Shan Mountain Range.
The rich vegetation with its vivid colors and beautiful landscapes will be a pleasure for the eyes! We’ll hike to a roaring waterfall and then hike the trail back to the starting point, from where we return by car to Karakol and spend another evening in the guesthouse there.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
Day 6: Karakol – Jeti Oguz – Skazka Canyon – Bokonbaevo (Eagle Hunting)
After our breakfast at the guesthouse, we pack up and hit the road again to travel along the southern shore of Issyk Kul where we’re going to visit some of its remarkable natural highlights.
Our first stop is at Jeti Oguz, a magnificent red rock formation, which translates from Kyrgyz language as “Seven bulls”. We’ll go on a short walk to get a panoramic view of the rock formation and the surrounding valley.
We hit the road again and stop at another wonderful destination: the Skazka Canyon. It’s nicknamed “Fairytale Canyon” because of its irregular rock formations that resemble animals, fantastical characters and castles.
Not only the shapes in this canyon are remarkable, but also the colors of the rocks are very unique. You’ll find yourself in a world of red, pink, orange and yellow and it almost feels like you’re walking in a very colorful painting!
After a short one-hour-walk in the canyon, we continue our way to Bokonbaevo. This village is the home to the few remaining eagle hunters in Kyrgyzstan. Hunting with eagles is an ancient tradition among the nomadic people of Central Asia. Nowadays, there are only a few people left in Kyrgyzstan who practice this art.
We’ll meet one of the eagle hunters who will tell us about his work and give us a demonstration on how he trains his eagles.
We spend the night in a small guesthouse in Bokonbaevo where you’ll have some free time to visit the village in the late afternoon.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Limited Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
Day 7: Bokonbaevo -Shatyly Panorama – Kochkor
We start the day with a short hike to Shatyly, a panoramic spot from where we get fantastic views of lake Issyk Kul.
After our morning walk, we return to Bokonbaevo, where we attent a felt-making class and learn all about the art of making felt carpets. You can even participate in the process if you like!
After having lunch in the village, we pack up and go on a 3-hour drive to the village of Kochkor, where we will spend the evening in a small guesthouse.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Limited Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, indoor toilets.
Day 8: Kochkor – Son Kul
After having breakfast at the guesthouse, we go on a 3-hour drive to Son Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s second largest alpine lake, located at an altitude of 3000 meters. We arrive at our yurt camp near the shores of the lake around noon.
After having lunch at the yurt camp, we go on a walk to explore and enjoy the peace, quiet and beauty of this area. Son Kul lake is an important jailoo – summer pasture – in Kyrgyzstan, where the nomads bring their herds of animals during the summer months. You’ll see lots of sheep, cows and horses.
Dinner is shared with the group at the yurt camp and we spend the night in a shared yurt. On a clear night, you’ll get treated to a spectacular starry night sky!
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared yurt.
Facilities: No wi-fi, no electricity, no hot shower, outdoor toilets
Day 9: son Kul
After having breakfast in the yurt camp, we pack up our belongings and drive to the other side of the lake, from where the views are also magnificent.
You can opt to go for a horseback ride for several hours to explore this area. You can also go for a walk to the nearest hills that offer stunning views of the lake and its surroundings.
We settle in a new yurt camp and after having lunch there, you have the rest of the afternoon free to relax, go for a swim in the lake, go walking or just enjoy the beauty of the area.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Shared yurt.
Facilities: No wi-fi, no electricity, no hot shower, outdoor toilets
Day 10: son Kul – bishkek
On the final day of this tour, we get up early in the morning to pack up and make the 7-hour drive to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
We arrive in Bishkek in the afternoon. We go on one last guided city tour together and visit the capital’s highlights, such as Ala-Too square, Oak park, The White House, etc. and learn more about the history of the city.
The tour and this trip finishes around 6pm. There’s an optional dinner to say goodbye to our amazing group of friends!
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
Most international flights from Bishkek leave in the early morning. You can choose to spend the evening in Bishkek before going to the airport after the farewell dinner or stay an extra night at a ho(s)tel in Bishkek and leave the day after. We can help organizing your accommodation in Bishkek.
If you want to return to Almaty, you can take the bus or a shared taxi from Bishkek (5-hour journey) in the early evening. You’ll receive an info guide upon booking with further information.
Note: This itinerary can be modified in case of weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.
FAQ: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW about THE Best of Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan TOUR
In case you have more questions about this tour, don’t hesitate to contact me.
TOur Costs
Price for the 10-day Best of Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tour: €1900 per person
What’s included in this price?
- English-speaking tour leader
- All transportation: van with experienced driver
- All accommodation mentioned in the itinerary (shared rooms and sleeping spaces)
- All meals mentioned in the itinerary
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary
- Entrance fees for all sites listed in the itinerary
What’s not included in this price?
- International airfares to and from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
- Airport transfer to and from the airport (you’ll receive an info guide with detailed information on how to get from and to the airport)
- Visa fees if applicable
- Medical or travel insurance (mandatory to join this tour). I recommend SafetyWing, HeyMondo or IATI Backpacker if you want a good insurance provider (in case you don’t have one yet).
- Early check-in at the hotel in Almaty
- Accommodation in Bishkek on day 10 (you’ll receive recommendations in the info guide upon booking)
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Personal expenses (such as souvenirs, snacks,…)
- Single supplement in the hotel and guesthouse in Almaty and Karakol (€140).
- Horse riding in Son Kul and other optional activities
Booking & Cancellation
Confirm your participation with a deposit of €350 per person.
Deposits can be made via a standard bank transfer in EUR or via online transfer (Wise) in EUR or USD.
As soon as I receive your booking, I’ll send out the payment details. You have 48 hours to pay the deposit. If not, I have to cancel your participation and reserve the place for the next person who books.
The remaining tour costs can be paid either in cash on the first day of the tour or via online transfer (a 2% fee might apply) at the latest three weeks before the start of the trip.
If you have any more questions or want more info, please contact me here!
Cancellation policy
If for any reason you can’t join this tour, we’ll refund your deposit – minus €100 administrative costs – if you cancel at the latest 3 months before the start date of the tour.
In case we have to cancel this tour due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control (pandemic, political reasons, natural disasters,…), you’ll receive a full refund of the tour costs (minus transaction costs). We’re not responsible for and therefore don’t refund any flight cancellations and/or flight expenses.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
- 14-day Highlights of Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tour
- 14-day Highlights of Uzbekistan Adventure Tour
- 17-day Highlights of Tajikistan Adventure Tour
☛ Are you looking for a private guided tour with your partner, family and/or friends?
Have a look at my tour & itinerary planning services
Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive more info about my upcoming tours!