Until the middle of September, we will drive up to Lake Song Kul. Later, Song Kul is not accessible due to snow and it is replaced with the mountain valley of Chon Kemin. See below the different itineraries for this day, depending on your selected departure.
Until 15 September: Kochkor – Song-Kul
In the morning we learn how boorsok (deep fried bread, a speciality of Kyrgyzstan) is made and will taste it for breakfast. After breakfast, we start our ascent towards mountain lake Song Kul. The lake is not very far from Kochkor, but due to bad road conditions, it will still be a quite long and bumpy ride to the lake (c. 3 hours). Lake Song Kul is a mountainous lake on the altitude of 3016 meters above the sea level. The nomads pass their summer on the “jailoo” (summer pasture) with their animals. We will arrive in time for lunch, which will be served in the yurt camp. Free time in the afternoon to go on a walk to the shore or horse ride and observe nomadic life. The yurt camp is located about 3 kilometers from the shore of the lake. We will also watch a match of Kok Boru – a traditional spectacle of horsemanship.
Overnight in a yurt (2 people in a yurt, shared western toilets outside, simple shower)
After 15 September: Chon Kemin – Kochkor
In the morning we learn how boorsok (deep fried bread, a speciality of Kyrgyzstan) is made and will taste it for breakfast. After breakfast, you can walk into the village, observe the life of the local people; or opt for a short horse ride into the surrounding hills. We will also have a chance to watch a match of Kok Boru – a traditional spectacle of horsemanship. After lunch, we drive about two hours through the mountains to the village of Kochkor. Before dinner, you can see a demonstration of how shyrdak, traditional felt carpets, are made. Dinner in a family guesthouse and overnight in a simple hotel.
Overnight in hotel Nomad Lodge or similar