Discover Kyrgyzstan — 14 Days around the Country
Overview
The big loop: south-west over the Töö-Ashuu pass to Sary-Chelek and the walnut forests of Arslanbob, across the remote Kazarman road to Son-Kul and the Tash Rabat caravanserai, then the full circuit of Issyk-Kul. Two weeks, three yurt nights, one country seen properly.
Private 4x4 and driver-guide; guesthouses in villages that see a handful of foreigners a year.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers who want the whole country, not only the lake
- Return visitors
- Anyone who likes long drives through empty country
- You dislike gravel roads: the Kazarman and Tash Rabat days are long and rough
- You want comfort — eight of thirteen nights are guesthouses or yurts
Our honest opinion
- Arslanbob and Sary-Chelek are green and empty
- Tash Rabat at dusk is one of the great sights of the country
- Three days of 6–8 hours in the car
- The Kazarman road is closed outside June–September
Sit on the right on the Kazarman road; the drop is on the left.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Pickup, city walk and briefing.
Over the Töö-Ashuu pass and across the Suusamyr plateau to the reservoir town.
Into the biosphere reserve; walk along the lake in the afternoon.
South through the walnut country to the village under the Babash-Ata cliffs.
Walk to the big waterfall and through the forest to the holy walnut tree; lunch with a family.
The long mountain road over the Kaldama pass to Kazarman.
Over the Moldo-Ashuu pass and down to the lake; yurt camp.
South via Naryn to the stone caravanserai; yurt camp beside it.
Back north to the felt town; shyrdak workshop.
Eagle hunters, the Fairy Tale canyon, the south shore.
Red cliffs and Karakol’s mosque and cathedral.
Semyonov and Grigoriev gorges; lakeside resort.
Petroglyphs, Burana tower, the capital; farewell dinner.
Airport transfer.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season. Hotels are inside or beside the historic centres wherever the town has one.
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–June and September–November are warm and clear — ideal for walking the old cities. July–August afternoons exceed 35°C; winter departures run at reduced prices.
Uzbekistan uses European plug types C and F, 220V. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter — one per device is enough, hotels have plenty of sockets.
Everyday dress is relaxed across all four cities. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Your included eSIM is activated on arrival, so you’re online from the airport. Hotel Wi-Fi is reliable in all four cities; your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. 50% refund up to 15 days before; after that the booking is non-refundable, but you can move to another date once for free.
Medical insurance for the tour days is included. We still recommend personal travel insurance covering cancellation and baggage — we can suggest trusted providers.
You may also like
All tours
Mountains first 
With the Aral Sea Any date All five countries 