Be A Nomad Horse Trek

Experience the way nomads live

Destination: Alay Mountains, Osh region, Southern Kyrgyzstan 

Itinerary: Osh city – Alay Mountains – Osh city

Title: Be A Nomad

Type: Horse Trek

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights

Distance: 32 km

Max elevation: 3150 m

Min elevation: 1686 m

Total Gain/Loss: 2111m + / 2834m –

Season: May – October

Starting Point: N40° 14.702′ E73° 19.154′

Horse Trek Map

DAY 1: OSH CITY – KARA BULAK VILLAGE – TEPSHI YURT CAMP 

Riding distance/time: 12 km / 4 hours,  Max Elevation: 2854 m,  Min Elevation: 1654 m,
Total Gain/Loss: 1218 m+ / 154 m-  

Start your ride up a dirt road after driving to Gulcha from Osh along the Pamir Highway. The road follows the Kara Bulak stream towards the Tepshi camp, passing shepherds’ yurts set up among junipers. Near the top of the climb, you will leave the road for a trail ascending the ridge on the left. Here, you will eat lunch and enjoy the rugged mountains of the Alay across the gorge formed by the Gulcha river. At the end of the ridge, you will descend into the Tepshi camp to meet with your host for the night. Dinner. Overnight in a yurt camp at 2710m. 

DAY 2: TO SARY OI CAMP OVER AIRY BELL PASS

Riding distance/time: 14 km / 4 hours,   Max Elevation: 2956 m,   Min Elevation: 1903 m,
Total Gain/Loss: 613 m + / 1087 m-

Breakfast. Start the day heading up to Airy Bell Pass on a small trail starting from your yurt. A steep, hour-long ride will bring you to the summit and an impressive panorama of the Kum Bell Mountains to the west. Descend to the Cholo Kaiyng Gorge and stop for lunch. In the gorge, a dirt road follows a small river to the Sary Oi camp. Arrive at your yurts and join your hosts in the daily activities of nomads. Dinner. Overnight in a yurt camp at 2270m.

DAY 3: TO CHYYIRCHYK PASS – OSH CITY 

Riding distance/time: 15 km / 5 hours,  Max Elevation: 3130 m,  Min Elevation: 1000 m,
Total Gain/Loss: 996 m + / 795 m-,

Breakfast. Ride 2hr to get to the Kum Bell pass at 3150 m. See shepherds busy with making bread and milking mares. Have lunch at the top of the pass. Enjoy the stunning beauty of great Alay Valley. Ride down to Chyyirchyk pass, 2 hr. Meet your driver and drive to Osh city, 1 hr. Stay in a hotel

Price of the Be A Nomad Horse Trek

Number of people1234
Price per person in USD550425360320

Included: 
– Shared accommodation in a yurt camp 2 nights 
– All meals as indicated in itinerary*
– Private transport from/to Osh
– Horses + horseman (horseman is for more than 2 people)
English-speaking guide

Not included:
– Helmet
– Tips

– Bottled water
– Travel and Health Insurance

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

    Be A Nomad Horse Trek Photo Gallery

    Reviews of our Horse Trek Tours

    We took the 5 day horse trek through the Alay mountains. It was a great experience. The typically day had about 2 hours of horse riding in the morning, then lunch, then 2 hours of horse riding in the afternoon.

    Christopher
    It was a wonderful experience. Riding in these wild territories and being in contact with a nomadic family and living their life was truly a life lesson. Thanks in particular to our extraordinary guide Daniel, a young man of 24

    Paolo L
    I did an Alay horse trek with Visit Alay and Timur. It was a mind blowing experience and one of the best times of my life. Timur as my guide was fantastic and outstanding. He took us through some amazing

    Vamsi
    • Kyrgyz Nomads
    • Only Yurtstays
    • Experienced Guides
    • Authentic Life
    • Stunning Mountain Sceneries
    • Towering Peaks

    FAQ: Practical Information about Horse Treks in Kyrgyzstan

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    Yes, most of our horse treks are beginner-friendly. Our local horse guides will match you with a calm, gentle horse and making sure you feel comfortable with it. Before heading out, you’ll get basic instructions on how to manage, guide and control the horse. We’ll adjust your saddle and stirrups so you feel comfortable and secure.

    The pace of our horse treks is generally walk-only or light trot so there is no crazy galloping. In addition, our horse guides will assist you with any challenging assents or descents. That way you can focus on enjoying the scenery and the ride.

    You’ll want to dress similarly for a horse trek as to how you would for a hike or trek on foot, with a few considerations for riding comfort. It actually feels a bit colder riding a horse than hiking because you’re not generating as much body heat, so bring warm layers even if the day is mild.

    Wear long pants (jeans or durable trekking pants) to protect your legs from friction against the saddle. On your upper body, dress in layers – a t-shirt or light long-sleeve, plus a fleece or light jacket you can put on when it’s cooler. A rain jacket or poncho is important too as weather can change quickly in the mountains. Sturdy shoes or lightweight boots with a small heel are ideal. Hiking boots are good. Just avoid completely flat sandals or open-toed shoes for safety in the stirrups. We provide basic riding gear, but we recommend bringing some light gloves to help prevent blisters from holding the reins.

    In summary, the best way to prepare for a horse trek is to dress warm, cover up from sun and chafing, and be ready for mountain weather. Our team will brief you on what to bring specific to your route as well.

    Western riders often ask about helmets. In Kyrgyzstan, locals typically don’t use riding helmets, and we do not automatically provide them. If a helmet is important to you, please bring a lightweight equestrian helmet or we can try to source one with advance notice.

    Our priority is safety and the well-being of the horses and riders, so fast galloping is generally not part of our horse treks. Many of the areas where we ride are narrow mountain trails, steep slopes, and rocky terrain. It’s simply not safe or feasible to go faster than a walking pace or gentle trot on these mountain terrains. The horses need to navigate carefully to avoid injury.

    Toward the end of a day or on certain flat stretches where the terrain is open and safe, our guides may allow an experienced rider to do a short canter or gallop for fun. This is always at the guide’s discretion. Keep in mind these horses are working at high altitude and on tough paths, so we don’t want to exhaust them with a lot of fast riding or galloping. We ask guests to be understanding and gentle with the animals.

    Expect a leisurely pace on our horse treks so that you can take in the scenery and experience. The joy of horse trekking here is less about speed and more about reaching beautiful remote places on horseback, like alpine lakes or jailoo (high altitude) pastures, which would be arduous or take a long time to reach on foot.

    Yes, we can arrange short horseback riding excursions as well. We understand that everyone might now have time for a multi-day trek or that they just want a taste of horseback riding in Kyrgyzstan for a couple of hours.These are often included as side activities on one of our cultural tours. For example, we could add a horseback riding trip outside of Karakol or at Song-Kul Lake for the day.

    For any custom short horseback riding trip, just contact us and we’ll see if we can add it to your itinerary.

    We recommend the following packing list for a horse trek.

    • Warm clothes and layers as it gets warm during the day, but can go below freezing at night and when it rains
    • Good trekking shoes • Day pack to carry camera, water, sunscreen, etc.
    • Sun protection as the sun is very strong at altitude: Sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF 30 or above), and a sun hat /cap
    • Water and windproof jacket and pants. It gets especially windy on the mountain passes
    • Medical kit for treating blisters, traveler’s diarrhea and other minor illnesses.
    • Water purification tablets or drops if you want to clean the spring water
    • Refillable water bottle • Lip balm: your lips get chapped very easily in the mountains
    • Wet wipes and/or anti-bacterial gel to clean hands
    • Hat and gloves to wear at night for warmth
    • Head lamp to navigate campsite and yurt camps at night
    • Warm sleeping bag (we provide you with this if you don’t have one). Yurts and homestays provide blankets.
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