Day 1. (05/07) Airport – Bishkek city – Bokonbaevo village (30 km, 40min) Upon arrival in the international airport “Manas” you will be met by “Ak Sai Travel” guide. Short drive to Bishkek and early check in to hotel. Rest after flight till afternoon. After lunch we have a sightseeing tour aroun Bishkek, which includes: the Monument of Kyrgyz National hero Manas, Changing of Guards of Honor, Kurmanjan Datka Monument. A sightseeing tour of Bishkek comes to an end at Victory Square. After excursion we will go to ZUM (Central department store) to buy souvenirs. In the late afternoon we drive to Issyk Kul Lake, the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America. Measuring 182 km long by 58 km wide, the lake appeared as a result of volcanic activity. It is heated from below by thermal activity and never freezes even in the depths of winter. In the summer the water temperature reaches 25-28 degrees centigrade (warmer than the air) and you can swim in the lake enclosed on all sides by the snowy peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains. Extremely deep and nicely warm over the centuries the lake has been something of an oasis in this inhospitable mountain environment. With diverse flora and fauna Issyk-Kul Lake and the surrounding environments are rightly considered to be one of Central Asia most remarkable locations. We drive along southern shore of Issyk Kul to Bokonbaevo village. Accommodation, dinner and overnight in yurt camp. Read more

Yurt Camp - 1 night

Day 2. (06/07) Bokonbaevo – Djety Oguz gorge – Karakol town (170 km /2-3 hours) After breakfast, we continue drive along southern shore of Isyyk Kul lake to Karakol town. On the way, we have an excursion to Djety Oguz gorge located in the Northern slopes of Terskei Ala Too some. The length of the valley is 40 km. There is a chance to see the well-known redsand rock formations – “The Broken Heart” and “Seven Bulls”. The slopes in the gorge are covered with the world-famous Tien Shan blue spruce for about 25km along the fast mountain river. In gorge we meet a hunter and his bird. After the demonstration you will have a chance to ask the hunter about tradition of eagle hunting and his bird features. You can take a closer look at the Bird and hold it in your hands! Continue to Karakol, accommodation in a guest house. Dinner in café and overnight in guest house. (Breakfast- yurt camp, lunch-en route, dinner-cafe) Read more

Yurt camp - 1 night

Day 3.  (07/07) Karakol town – Tepke – Cholpon Ata (150 km / 2-3 hours) After breakfast we visit 2 the main and the most interesting objects of Karakol: 1) Dungan mosque built in the beginning of the 20th century in a style of Buddhist temple, but serve for all Muslims of the region. This a real masterpiece of the Dungan architecture, built without any single nail. 2) Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of 19th century. Unique wooden construction with a long history and very strong spiritual atmosphere After excursion we drive to Cholpon Ata town. En route we visit Tepke horse farm. There they breed only brood animals, rearing up Engelmann Spruce and cultivate the seeds of grain crops and many other things. Lunch on the farm. Continue to Cholpon Ata. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner and overnight in hotel. (Breakfast-hotel, lunch-horse farm , dinner-hotel) Read more

Hotel

Day 4. (08/07)  Cholpon Ata – Son Kul Lake (285 km / 4-5 hours) In the morning after breakfast we drive along north shore of Issyk Kul to Son Kul. You will reach the lake via beautiful and dramatic canyons and gorges of Central Tien Shan Mountains. We will make a stop in Kochkor village for a lunch. Son Kul is a fabulous mountain lake located in the Tien Shan Mountain Range at an altitude of 3016m. Son Kul is used by the shepherds from the Kochkor, Naryn and At Bashi regions as a jailoo – a pasture during the summer months. It is considered the pearl of Kyrgyz djailoos. The route to Son Kul winds through mountainous terrain until it seems to disappear into the very sky itself. This is probably why Son Kul is translated from Kyrgyz as “the last lake”. Dinner and overnight in yurt camp. (Breakfast-hotel, lunch-local family, dinner-yurt camp) Read more

Yurt camp - 1 night

Day 5. (09/07) Son Kul Lake – Kochkor village (140 km / 2-3 hours) After breakfast you can walk in the area of Son Kul Lake. Today you have a chance to explore the area, seek for edelweiss flowers, take pictures, walk along the lake or hike to the nearest Petroglyphs site, and taste national dishes and drink. We watch the demonstration how nomads set up the yurt. You will learn main elements of Kyrgyz dwelling. You can take part and help locals to erect the yurt. After lunch in a yurt camp, we leave for Kochkor. In Kochkor we will watch shyrdak show. Shyrdak is a traditional carpet used by nomads to cover the floor. The technology of carpet making is included into UNESCO list of World Heritage. It is a hard labor that has a lot of subtleties (color choice, decorative patterns, and production techniques) Dinner and overnight in local family. (Breakfast- yurt camp, lunch- yurt camp, dinner- local family) Read more

Local Family - 1 night

Day 6. (10/07)  Kochkor village – Bishkek (250 km / 3-4 hours) In the morning, we drive to Bishkek. On the way, we make a stop at Burana Tower (UNESCO site) near Tokmok town (1,5 hours). That minaret was constructed in Balasagun town, one of the capitals of Karakhanid State existed in 8-12 centuries AD. Here we explore ruins of one of the most important trading point at the Great Silk Road and also visit a little local museum that tells about that civilization by items of ancient. Our attention will be drawn by the collection of Balbals - Turkic ancient tomb stones and stone carvings called petroglyphs. After excursion at the archeological complex you have lunch at local family in Tokmok town, where tourist can learn about the life of local people. Horseback riding games played a vitally important role for Kyrgyz people. The main aim of these games was to teach children to ride horse professionally.  Nowadays it is an entertainment. You have a chance to watch various kinds of traditional Kyrgyz horseback riding games (Ulak Tartysh, Kyz Kuumai, Tyiyn Enmei, etc). Accomodaton in hotel upon arrival. Dinner at a local cafe. Overnight in hotel. (Breakfast- local family, lunch- local family, dinner- café) Read more

Hotel - 1 night

Day 7.  (11/07) Bishkek city – Ulaanbaatar. (35 km/ 40-45 min) Morning transfer to airport to catch your flight to Ulaanbaatar by TK 342 S 11JUL 4 FRUULN HK1 - 0415 1005 (City tour + Naadam festival) Arrive in the city, you will meet with your tour guide at the airport after custom formalities and drive to the Naadam Festival venue. The festival is locally termed as an “Eriin gurvan Naadam”, meaning “Three manly games. The games are wrestling, horse racing and archery. As early as 3,000year BC the holiday became a regular national event when all the nomad tribes would come together to show the best of their physical strength, riding and shooting skill, qualities vital for the survival of the nomad herders and hunters. On this day we only can see wrestling, archery and knucklebone shooting in venue. Lunch is nearby the Naadam venue in walking distance. In ther aftertoon, transfer to the hotel for standard check-in and some rest. At 18:00 we meet at the hotel lobby and take a walking to the Central Square of Ulaanbaatar and get some introduction of the city of Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, we have welcoming dinner at the fine restaurant. After dinner, transfer back to the hotel & rest. (Breakfast- hotel, lunch- cafe, dinner- restaurant) Read more

Hotel - 1 night

Day 8. (12/07) Ulaanbaatar. Whole day at Naadam Festival.   (1hr 30 min apprx drive) At 7.00 after early breakfast we will start driving to the horse racing competition Valley. We watch the Naadam festival horse races and visit a horse trainer’s special Ger. Visiting in the specialized horse trainer’s ger is one of the best cultural experience could tourist can get. The riders are aged from 5-12 years old. Mongolian kids are excellent riders as both girls and boys have been rinding since their infancy. As the popular saying goes” The nomad is born in the saddle”. Competitions are not held on special racetracks, but right across the steppe, where riders are confronted with various obstacles like rivers, ravines and hills. We drive back to the Ulaanbaatar for lunch. After lunch we drive back to the Naadam Festival venue and watch the final rounds of archery and wrestling competitions as well as the awarding ceremony. In the evening, we drive to the restaurant for dinner. Return to the hotel, and rest. (Breakfast- hotel, lunch- restaurant, dinner- restaurant) Read more

Hotel - 1 night

Day 9. (13/07) Ulaanbaatar –Terelj National Park. (1hr 30min driving) After breakfast at 8am, check out from the hotel by 9am. Start travel to Terelj National Park, which is the one of the famous places of Mongolia-spectacular granite mountainous area with forest, meadows and rivers, suitable for hiking, bird watching, flower watching, horseback riding and rafting. On the way to the park we make a stop at the biggest equestrian statue of the world Genghis Khan statue complex, which locates in legendries spot that Khan himself found a horse whip here and took it as good omen, and won an important battle subsequently. Upon arrival at the ger camp, we will have a lunch. In late afternoon, we take a short horseback-riding excursion to the temple of Meditation and symbolic Turtle Rock. For the beginners we will instruct the horse riding rules in Mongolia at the same time we will provide necessary safety equipment for each rider-chaps and helmet. Dinner and overnight in a Ger Camp in Terelj NP (en-suite upgrade available) (Breakfast- hotel, lunch- ger camp, dinner- ger camp) Read more

ger camp - 1 night

Day 10. (14/07) Terelj National Park – Hustai National Park We will have relaxing time in the ger camp until the lunch. Check out from the Ger camp at 12pm and drive to Hustai National Park with lunch stop in Ulaanbaatar. On arrival at Hustai Ger-camp we will visit in Hustai NP information hall and learn about the world’s only remaining wild horse species called TAKHI (science name Prezewalskii named after Russian explorer) and other wildlife in the national park. Then we will drive around half an hour to look for wild horses. They are beautiful and fun to watch them in the wilderness. Dinner and overnight in the Ger Camp. (Breakfast- ger camp, lunch- ger camp, dinner- ger camp) Read more

ger camp - 1 night

Day 11. (15/07) Hustai National Park – Ulaanbaatar After breakfast before departure from the ger-camp, we visit a nomadic family to experience the nomadic way of life in local family. While we are enjoying their great hospitability we can learn how to cook Mongolian popular cuisine that called –Buuz or simply steamed dumpling. Eat our special lunch with the family. Upon return to the capital, we visit the Gandan Monastery, and the Bogd Khan’s Palace Museum. The Gandan Moastery known as the only functioning religious center under the strict supervision of the communist government was reopened as a temple of prayers in 1944. Today in Gandan there are over 500monks practice and participate in morning chanting in different styled temples. From there we will drive to Bogd khan-s palace museum which dedicated to the 9th Bogd of Mongolia in early 19th century and whose considered last king of Mongolia. In the evening, we go for a farewell dinner in nearby restaurant, we will have a chance to watch traditional folklore concert of well-known Tumen-Ekh ensemble. Concert will took an hour included Mongolian traditional arts such as –throat singing, ethnic dance, contortion and so on. Transfer to hotel and rest. (Breakfast- ger camp, lunch- family, dinner- restaurant) Read more

hotel - 1 night

Day 12. (16/07) Departure to Istanbul Transfer to the airport at 9am for a flight TK 343 H 16JUL 2 ULNIST HK1   1105 1725