Kyrgyzstan 4×4 Expedition: 9-Day Off-Road Tour

DAY 1: BISHKEK – SUUSAMYR

Driving distance/time: 200 km, 4 hours (including stops)

Meet our team at 09:00 at the Visit Alay office in Bishkek. After introductions and a short briefing, we will set off towards the Suusamyr Valley. The drive takes us through mountain passes and scenic gorges of the Central Tien Shan. Suusamyr is considered one of the most beautiful high-altitude valleys in Kyrgyzstan, surrounded by vast pastures and mountain ranges. After arrival, you will have some time to relax and explore the surroundings.

Accommodation: shared twin rooms in a guest house
Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (free of charge), hot shower, and western-style toilets

DAY 2: SUUSAMYR – KYZYL OI – KARA KECHE- SONG KUL

Driving distance/time: 250 km, 7 hours (including stops)

Today we have a long but very scenic drive to the high-altitude Song-Kol Lake. We will leave the Suusamyr Valley and travel through Kyzyl-Oi, a small mountain village surrounded by dramatic landscapes. From there, we will continue towards Kara-Keche, following remote mountain roads and gradually gaining altitude. Along the way, the scenery changes from deep valleys and rolling hills to vast high-altitude pastures. In the afternoon, we will arrive at Song-Kol Lake, located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, and settle into a traditional yurt camp.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (available at an additional cost for 500 KGS), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS

DAY 3: EXPLORE SONG-KUL

Today is dedicated to exploring Song-Kol and enjoying a slower pace after the previous days on the road. You can walk along the lakeshore, enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and experience the peaceful atmosphere of this high-altitude valley. During the summer months, nomadic families bring their livestock to the rich pastures around the lake, offering a glimpse into traditional Kyrgyz life. You will have free time to explore the area, relax at the camp or simply enjoy the vast mountain scenery. For those who would like to explore the area on horseback, horse riding can be arranged at an additional cost.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)
Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (available at an additional cost for 500 KGS), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS

DAY 4: SONG KUL – MELS ASHUU – TASH RABAT

Driving distance/time: 200 km, 6 hours (including stops)

After breakfast, we will leave Song-Kol and continue south through Kyrgyzstan. The route takes us through remote mountain valleys and over Mels-Ashuu Pass, offering impressive views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

In the afternoon, we will reach the Tash-Rabat Valley. Here we will visit the famous 15th-century stone caravanserai, located along one of the ancient routes of the Silk Road. After exploring this historic monument, we will settle into a yurt camp surrounded by mountains.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)
Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (available at an additional cost for 500 KGS), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS, western-style toilets

DAY 5: TASH RABAT – KOK KYIA VALLEY

Driving distance/time: 270 km, 6 hours (including stops)

Today we travel to one of the most remote areas of Kyrgyzstan, heading towards the high-altitude Kel-Suu Lake. The road takes us through vast valleys, mountain plateaus, and sparsely populated landscapes near the Kyrgyz-Chinese border.
The journey itself is an important part of the experience, with constantly changing high-altitude scenery along the way. In the afternoon, we will arrive in the Kok-Kiya Valley and settle into a camp near Kel-Suu, where we will prepare for the next day’s journey to the lake.

Accommodation: shared twin rooms in a guest house
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (available at an additional cost for 500 KGS), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS, western-style toilets

DAY 6: KOK KYIA VALLEY – KEL SUU – NARYN

Driving distance/time: 150 km, 4 hours (including stops)
Hiking distance/time: 10 km, 5 hours

After breakfast, we will set off on a hike to Kel-Suu Lake, following a scenic trail through the remote high-altitude valley. The hike leads to one of Kyrgyzstan’s most impressive mountain lakes, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and untouched alpine landscapes. For those who prefer not to hike, horse riding to Kel-Suu Lake is available as an optional activity at an additional cost. At the lake, there will be time to enjoy the scenery and, if conditions allow, take a boat ride.
Afterwards, we will return to the camp for lunch before continuing by vehicle to Naryn, where we will check into a comfortable hotel after several nights in yurts.

Accommodation: shared twin rooms in a hotel
Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (free of charge), hot shower, and western-style toilets

DAY 7: NARYN – EKI NARYN – TOSOR PASS – TOSOR

Driving distance/time: 150 km, 4-5 hours (including stops)
Hiking distance/time: 1 km, 1.5 hours of light walking

Today is one of the most adventurous days of the journey. From Naryn, we travel through Eki-Naryn and continue along a remote mountain road across the Southern Tien Shan. The route takes us through spectacular gorges, high-altitude valleys and over the Tosor Pass, with a true off-road section through some of the wildest landscapes of the tour.

There are very few settlements along the way, giving us a real sense of the remoteness of Kyrgyzstan’s mountains. In the evening, we descend towards the southern shore of Issyk-Kul and arrive in the Tosor area.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)

Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (free of charge), hot shower, and western-style toilets

DAY 8: EXPLORE SOUTHERN SHORE OF ISSYK-KUL

Driving distance/time: 180 km, 6 hours (including stops)
Hiking distance/time: 2 km, 2 hours in total

After yesterday’s long mountain crossing, today offers a more relaxed schedule on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. You will have plenty of free time to enjoy the lake and, weather permitting, go for a swim in its clear waters. Later, we will visit the famous Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon, known for its colorful and unusual rock formations and beautiful views over Issyk-Kul. After exploring the canyon, we will meet a local eagle hunter (berkutchi), learn about this ancient Kyrgyz tradition and watch an eagle hunting demonstration. Afterwards, we return to our yurt camp for dinner. In the evening, after dinner, you will enjoy a traditional Kyrgyz folklore show, featuring local music and cultural traditions.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (free of charge), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS, western-style toilets

DAY 9: TOSOR – KOK JAIYK VALLEY

Driving distance/time: 45 km, 1 hour
Hiking distance/time: 12 km, 6 hours

After breakfast, we continue our journey along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul towards Barskoon before heading to the famous Jeti-Oguz Valley. Along the way, we will enjoy views of mountain rivers, forests and the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan.
We then continue into the Kok-Jaiyk Valley, where we will set out on a hike to a panoramic viewpoint. From here, we can enjoy impressive views towards Yeltsin Peak and the mighty Oguz-Bashy Peak, surrounded by the dramatic mountain scenery of the region. After the hike, we return to Kok-Jaiyk and settle into our yurt camp among the mountains.

Accommodation: shared yurt camp (3-4 people in a yurt)
Meals included: lunch, dinner
Facilities: Wi-Fi (available at an additional cost for 500 KGS), traditional Russian-style sauna (banya) – available at an additional cost for 500 KGS, western-style toilets

DAY 10: KOK JAIYK VALLEY – BISHKEK

Driving distance/time: 400 km, 8 hours (including stops)

After breakfast, we will travel to Karakol, the main town on the eastern side of Issyk-Kul. Here, we will take a short city tour to learn about its history and visit its main landmarks, including the famous Dungan Mosque and the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral. After the city tour, we will begin our journey back to Bishkek along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. In the evening, we will arrive at the Visit Alay office in Bishkek, where our 10-day journey through Kyrgyzstan comes to an end.

Accommodation: not includet

Price for the Song Kul & Kel Suu Horse Expedition

*Our group tours run with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 16 travelers.
If the group size is smaller, we’ll contact you to offer alternative options — such as joining another group or confirming the tour at a different rate.
Private tours are available upon request at a different cost.

Included:

– Comfortable transport 4×4 with AC from/to Bishkek
– All the accommodations
– Meals: B, L, D (full board)
– Meals of personnel
– Border permit for Kel Suu lake
– Eagle hunting show
– Felt making demonstration
– Demonstration of Kok Boru national game
– Entrance fee to Burana Tower

Not included:

– Meals and hotels in Bishkek city before and after the tour
– Alcoholic drinks
– Services out of the program
– Tips
– Bottled water
– Insurance

*Please let us know in advance if you are vegetarian/vegan or if you have food allergies.