Tours and Services

Yes, we offer both private tours and small group tours. You can choose which option works best for you. If you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a pre-formed group of friends/family traveling together, you can book any of our itineraries as a private tour just for you. We’ll provide your own guide, driver, and you’ll have private accommodation. Private tours are great if you prefer traveling at your own pace or have specific dates.

We can also create customized itineraries for private groups that combine tours or are a completely bespoke itinerary that meets your schedule and interests.

We also organize group tours with scheduled departures, especially for popular tours like the Pamir Highway or Best of Alay Trek. Group tours are typically 4–10 travelers from around the world who join together to share costs and experiences. This is a nice option for solo travelers or pairs looking to meet others and reduce the cost of the trip. If you don’t see a tour departure on our Group Tours page that fits your schedule, ask us if we can match you with others who have similar plans.

Whether you choose a private or group tour, our standard of service is the same; you’ll get an experienced English-speaking guide, reliable transport, local accommodation and hosts, and a carefully crafted itinerary.

Solo travelers are very welcome on all of our tours. You have the option to join a scheduled group tour as we frequently have groups forming for treks, horse treks, cultural tours and Pamir Highway road trips.

Joining a group is a great way to share costs and meet other travelers as these group tours often have mixed groups of solo travelers, couples and friends traveling together. If we don’t yet have a group on your desired dates, you can be the first to start one. We’ll list the departure and try to find a few more people to join you. Also, there’s no single supplement fee for joining a group tour. We arrange rooming by gender, unless you prefer to pay extra for a single room/tent.

If you prefer more privacy and flexibility, you can book a private trip just for yourself. It will cost more than a shared group, but you get one-on-one guiding and full flexibility.

We keep our groups small and personable. A typical group tour will have about 4 to 8 travelers for treks and cultural tours and up to 4 people on group Pamir Highway tours (maximum capacity for a 4×4 vehicle). We usually cap the group size at around 10 people maximum (depending on the tour).

By limiting group size, we ensure you get plenty of attention from the guide and have more personal experiences. It’s also easier for small groups to stay in family yurt camps or small guesthouses or homestays so that we can support local small businesses.

As for your fellow travelers, they tend to be like-minded adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. The group tours are often a mix of solo travelers, couples, or friends traveling together. Given the focus of our tours, our travelers are mostly interested in trekking, nature, and cultural interaction.

The age range varies as we’ve hosted people in their early 20s up to their 70s, but the average is probably mid-20s to mid-40s. English is our guiding language so everyone speaks English on the tour even if though they come from all over the world and speak different mother languages. Group dynamics are usually very positive as travelers enjoy sharing the challenge of crossing a high mountain pass or enjoying a hearty meal in the yurt together after a long day of hiking. We often see travelers become friends and keep in touch long after the trip.

If you’re curious about a specific group departure, we can tell you how many people are currently signed up and the general age/interest background. In any case, expect an intimate group experience on our group tours than a big, mainstream tourist experience.

Booking a tour with us is easy. You can contact us directly through our website’s “Book Your Trip” form, via email, or even WhatsApp/phone. Let us know which tour or what kind of experience you’re interested in, your preferred dates, and the number of people. Our team (we’re based in Osh and Bishkek, Kygyzstan) will reply promptly to fine-tune the details and answer any questions. Once we’ve confirmed your tour and itinerary, we’ll send you a booking confirmation and invoice for a deposit to secure your reservation.

Our payment policy requires a 20% deposit for a private tour or $100 per person on a group tour to secure your booking. This deposit allows us to start arranging your permits, accommodations, guides, transport and other tour logistics. After you’ve paid the deposit, we email you a confirmation receipt and any necessary pre-trip info (packing list, visa guidance, etc.).

The remaining balance of the tour price can be paid closer to the trip start (more on that below). If your tour start is still far out, we’ll keep in touch periodically with any updates or simply to say hello and ensure everything is on track for your trip. We’re quite flexible and personable – you’re always talking to real people who will likely also meet you when you arrive.

In summary, just reach out to us with the tour you want or your travel wish list and we’ll guide you step by step through the easy booking process in a very transparent and easy manner.

We encourage you to book as early as possible, especially for travel in the peak season (July-August).

Around 3-6 months in advance is a good timeframe for summer tours to ensure availability of your preferred dates and to allow time for any special arrangements like border permits which need a few weeks. If you plan to travel in shoulder season (May, June, September), booking your tour 2-3 months ahead is usually fine.

However, we understand sometimes trips come together last-minute and we have successfully organized treks and Pamir Highway trips with very short notice. But be aware that booking late can limit your options. For example, group tours might be full or not yet formed and specific yurt camps could be booked by other groups. Also, if your itinerary needs special border permits, we really appreciate having at least 3-4 weeks to arrange those so that there are no problems.

In summary, once you know you want to do or have an idea of where you want to go, just get in touch with us to book your trip. Then you can relax knowing your trip booked and secured.

Our tour packages do not include international airfare or domestic flights. You’ll need to arrange your flights to the country where you are starting your tour — Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan or Uzbekistan — on your own. However, we’re happy to advise on the best routes and airlines to get here. For example, there are direct international flights to Kyrgyzstan to Osh or Bishkek from Istanbul and Dubai.

For domestic flights within Kyrgyzstan or regional flights, we can either provide you the information or we offer domestic or regional flight booking as a service. A common one is the Bishkek–Osh or Osh – Bishkek flight which many travelers take as it runs 4-5 times per day and is a short 45-minute flight that goes over some stunning mountain scenery. You can book this flight directly online at bookit.kg or ticket.kg, usually one month before the date. If you prefer us to book your ticket we can do so for around $60 for the ticket. Just let us know the dates and a copy of your passport.

If you require a flight at the end of a tour, for example from Dushanbe back to Bishkek or Bishkek to Tashkent, we can either book it for you or provide you the website to book it easily yourself.

In summary, international flights – you book. Domestic/regional flights — we can handle upon request. And of course, all on-tour ground transport is included in the price of our tours. We aim to be a one-stop-shop for your Central Asia travel needs, so don’t hesitate to ask for help with any logistics.

We post group tour rates based on group size on our website for popular treks and tours. You will pay a deposit of $100 to secure your place in the group tour and the final balance will be determined based upon the final number of people who sign up for the tour and any changes made to the itinerary.

For private tours, you can see the prices in the individual tour description for the standard tour. For example, if you are traveling solo then the price for one person will be the price of a private tour. If you are a couple, then the price for two people will be the price of your private tour.

If you want to make changes to the tour, adjust the itinerary or make special requests (e.g., extra horse support, etc.), then please contact us for a quote for your customized private tour.  We aim to provide clear, upfront price quotes once you share your preferences and group size.

We specialize in cultural tours, treks and horseback riding trips that immerse you in local life and culture. This includes spending the night in remote and family-run yurt camps and visiting shepherd communities in summer high pastures (jailoos). You’ll find that interacting with Kyrgyz nomadic culture is a natural part of the tour as you may be invited for tea by a shepherd you pass on your hike or perhaps you help your host make traditional bread (naan) at the yurt camp.

We are a local tour company with deep roots in these remote mountain communities as many of our guides and drivers come from these places. We aim to connect our travelers with local people and culture in an authentic way, avoiding commercialized activities or stops whenever possible. If you want a deeper cultural encounter, let us know and we can design a trek or cultural tour with specific activities like cooking classes, hands-on experiences like milking animals or learning traditional handicrafts.

For private groups, we do our best to book private rooms or separate yurts whenever available.

In remote areas or small villages, sometimes accommodation options are limited. This means you might share common sleeping areas or yurts. If private accommodation is a priority, let us know early in the booking process so we can arrange the best possible setup for your needs.

For tours and treks in the Alay region (southern Kyrgyzstan), we suggest flying into Osh International Airport. You can fly there internationally via Istanbul (Turkish or Pegasus Airlines) or Dubai (Flydubai Airlines).  If you arrive first in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital city, you can then take a short domestic flight (~40 mins, around $60) or do an overland transfer to Osh (9–10 hours by car).

You can book domestic flights from Bishkek to Osh yourself at bookit.kg or tickets.kg.

Our treks in the Tian Shan Mountians either begin from Bishkek or from Karakol. You can reach Karakol with a short domestic flight or by bus. GoBus offers comfortable and safe bus trips from Bishkek to Karakol.

We also offer services to book domestic flights from Bishkek to Osh (and vice versa) and arrange airport pickups. Just let us know what you need.

Yes, we can organize private transfers from Osh to Tashkent (or other Uzbek cities) via the Dostuk border crossing. It is also easy to travel independently by catching a shared taxi or bus at the border. We can provide you the information you need if you prefer this option.

Crossing times and costs vary depending on your group size so let us know what you need. Travel typically takes 5–7 hours total, including border formalities. We’re happy to advise on or arrange the logistics.

The cost of guided trekking tours in Kyrgyzstan varies depending on the duration, route, services included, and quality of guide. It usually ranges between $70 – $175/day, depending upon the group size and transfers needed. All of our guided treks and hikes include an experienced English-speaking guide, transportation, accommodation, meals, and luggage transfer (on horses).

You can choose to book a private trekking tour, but if you are on a budget we recommend that you try to join one of our group tours as this will reduce the costs considerably. You can find the prices for each of the treks above depending upon group size in tour details.

The price of our Pamir Highway tours includes an English-speaking driver/guide, transportation (4×4 vehicle and fuel), the driver’s accommodation and meals, and included activities (e.g., day hikes).

The cost of accommodation, meals and entry tickets for attractions is not included in the price of our Pamir Highway Tours.

You can estimate around $20-$30/person per day for a homestay with dinner and breakfast included.

You can find all the details of our payment and refunds policy here, but here is a summary of the payment schedule and methods to pay for easy and secure payments.

Deposit Payment: To confirm your booking, we require a deposit that is 20% of the total tour cost for private tours or 100 USD per person if you’re joining a scheduled group tour. We will send you a link to pay this deposit via WeTravel (a safe and secure online payment system) after we finalize and confirm your itinerary. You will get a confirmation after paying the deposit.

Remaining balance: This can be paid just before the tour begins or when you arrive at the start of the tour. You can choose to pay by one of the following methods:

• Online in advance via WeTravel. We will send you a link with the final payment amount and you can choose to pay by credit card (3+ % charge) or bank account (1-2% charge).
• By credit card in our office in Osh or Bishkek with a 3% charge.
• By cash in the Visit Alay office in Osh or Bishkek. Please bring new large denomination banknotes (50s or 100s) of USD since our banks offer lower rates for smaller banknotes. Note: some ATM machines in the big cities of Bishkek or Osh offer the option to withdraw USD.

In summary, pay a deposit to lock in the trip and then pay the rest by whichever method is easiest for you – cash or credit card on the ground or online in advance. We’ll confirm all payments via receipt.

We understand that plans can change. Our cancellation and refund policy is as follows:

• If you need to cancel your tour, please notify us as soon as possible in writing and at least 3 weeks before the tour start date. We will refund your deposit payment by WeTravel minus any bank/payment fees. Cancellations made after that cutoff time will unfortunately result in losing your deposit since by then we will have committed to reservations, permits, and staffing needs.
• If you want to change your dates and not fully cancel, we do our best to accommodate that without penalty by shifting the booking to later in the season or even next year, subject to availability. But we cannot make any guarantees.
• Once the tour has started, if you have to leave early, we typically cannot issue refunds for unused days as we’ve already made those reservations and commitments.
• In the rare event we had to cancel because of unexpected border closure or something that makes the tour impossible, we would offer you alternative tour options or determine a refund.

Travel insurance can cover cancellations in many cases so we encourage everyone traveling to Kyrgyzstan to have comprehensive travel insurance.

If your travel plans must change, please communicate with us as soon as possible and we will work with you to find the best resolution. Our goal is to provide you with some flexibility, but we have to balance that with commitments and payments we’ve made to our partners.

We provide all necessary private transportation during our tours, using comfortable and reliable vehicles suited to the local terrain. In cities or on good paved roads (for example, transfers around Bishkek, Osh, or Issyk-Kul region), we typically use a minivan or SUV depending on group size.  For the Pamir Highway and transfers to mountain villages for our treks or horse treks, we use sturdy 4×4 vehicles since the roads are rough and often unpaved. These 4WD vehicles have high clearance and are driven by experienced local drivers who know the roads well.

We maintain our vehicles well for safety and comfort with seat belts for all passengers and A/C (although often we drive with windows down to enjoy fresh mountain air.

If you want to book additional transportation or transfers for before or after your tour, just let us know and we can arrange this.

Our tour prices are designed to be comprehensive and cover nearly all your essential expenses during the trip. Inclusions vary a bit by itinerary, so it is important to check the specific details of your tour as to what is included in the price and what isn’t.

In general, the tour price includes:

• All accommodation at local hotels, guesthouses, homestays, yurt camps, or tents (camping).
• Private transportation and transfers during the tour.
• An English-speaking guide who may also be your driver on Pamir Highway road trips or a separate guide on cultural tours or trekking trips.
• Most meals on the tour. This varies per the type of tour as trekking tours usually include all meals while cultural tours may only have select meals. Check the specific details for your tour.
• All entrance fees for scheduled activities (e.g., entry tickets to museums, border zone permits, national park fees).

In general, what’s not included in the tour price:

• International airfare to Kyrgyzstan or transport to the tour starting point. We can assist with domestic flights or transfers to the starting point.
• Visas (if required) or special permits like the GBAO permit to travel along the Pamir Highway
• Travel and international health insurance
• Alcohol or personal snacks, although sometimes a welcome drink is provided
• Accommodation before the tour begins or after it ends.
• Lunches and dinners in bigger cities (e.g., Bishkek, Osh or Karakol) on cultural tours might be left open so you can explore restaurant options. We’ll note it in the itinerary.
• Optional or additional activities not included in the itinerary.
• Tips for guides and drivers are not included. Tipping is optional, but appreciated.
• On Pamir Highway tours accommodation and meals at homestays are paid by travelers on the spot in order to keep flexibility, but we give you an estimate of how much cash to bring so you are prepared.

Every tour description has a list of what is included and excluded in the tour price so there are no surprises and you can budget accordingly.

On our Kyrgyzstan cultural tours or outside of the nights in the mountains, we choose local accommodations that are the best available in each location, with an eye for comfort, cleanliness, and local charm. In towns and cities, we typically use well-regarded family-run guesthouses or B&Bs. These usually are private rooms (single or double) with private bathrooms, hot showers, Wi-Fi, and breakfast included. In more remote towns or villages, sometimes the facilities are shared and these will be more basic homestay experiences.

For the yurt stays like at Song-Kul Lake, accommodation is in traditional yurts run by shepherd families or community cooperatives. Yurts are shared (2-4 guests per yurt, usually gender-separated unless you’re a couple/family) with mattresses on the floor and plenty of blankets. It’s snug and an authentic nomad experience, often one of the favorite experiences from a trip to Kyrgyzstan.

Our goal with our accommodation is that they become part of your travel experience as you’ll have an opportunity to meet local families and enjoy cultural and culinary traditions. In addition, we work with families or small businesses to ensure that the money stays local.

If you have a specific accommodation request, please let us know when you book your tour.

In cities and larger towns like Osh, Bishkek, and Karakol, you’ll have regular electricity (220V, European-style two-pin outlets) and usually free Wi-Fi at hotels and guesthouses. Many cafes and restaurants in these places also offer free wifi.

Once you go into the mountains or rural areas, you might expect limited electricity and very little internet in remote villages. Yurt camps in the mountains often have some electricity, usually solar-powered or generator-based, for lighting in the evenings and maybe charging phones. We suggest you bring a power bank to recharge your devices on multi-day treks or Pamir Highway trips, since you might not have nightly access to outlets.

As for mobile data coverage, most villages and towns have at least a 3G or 4G signal if you have a local SIM card, but once you get deeper into the high mountains and go into valleys expect little to no signal. While some rural homestays and guesthouses advertise free Wifi, it is often from mobile data and is not very strong. It’s best to assume you’ll be off-grid for portions of the trip, especially during high altitude treks and in remote areas of the Pamir Highway.

If you really want to be connected, we suggest you buy a local SIM card or eSIM (e.g., like Airalo). Kyrgyzstan’s and Tajikistan’s SIM cards and prepaid data plans are very inexpensive. Our guides can help you buy a local SIM card.

Otherwise, think of the trip as a chance to disconnect in order to reconnect with nature, culture and new experiences.

Our guides are one of our greatest assets as they are all local experts in their field. You’ll be accompanied by a friendly, knowledgeable local guide throughout your tour. Our guides speak English (some are fluent, others conversational but very understandable) and of course they speak the local languages (Kyrgyz, Russian, and often Tajik or Uzbek if in those regions). This means that they can also act as impromptu interpreters when talking and interacting with local people.

Many of our guides have 5+ years of experience leading tours and most grew up in the very regions you’ll be visiting, so you’re truly getting a local’s insight. For example, on a trek in the Alay Mountains, your trekking guide might from one of the mountain villages who has been hiking those mountains or going with his family in the summer months to the jailoo (high pasture) with their animals since childhood. We aim for guides who are not just competent in outdoor skills and logistics, but also passionate about sharing their culture with you. They’ll happily teach you a few Kyrgyz phrases or introduce you to a shepherd friend along the way.

On overland road trips like the Pamir Highway tour, often the driver is also the guide. These driver-guides speak English and act as interpreters when interacting with locals. In some cases where we have a large group or by request, we have a separate dedicated guide plus a driver.

All our guides are experienced, well-trained and genuinely care about your experience, as well as benefiting the local communities we visit. They’ll handle all the on-the-ground arrangements, from check-ins to meal orders, and troubleshoot any issues.

If you have specific language needs like a German or French-speaking guide, we can sometimes arrange that as well. Just ask us in advance when you book your tour.

We are a locally owned company and very committed to community-based, sustainable tourism practices. This means we operate and make decisions in order to try and ensure that our tours and operations provide positive socioeconomic impact on local communities and limit our environmental footprint.

Our commitment to sustainability principles and community tourism includes:

• We hire local staff and work with guides, drivers, horsemen, homestay families and local coordinators from the places you are visiting so that tourism income benefits the local people in these communities. For example, many of our trekking guides are local university students so that they can earn additional income in the summer to support their studies. We pay fair wages and ensure that they have proper gear.
• On our treks we use yurt camps run by local families or shepherds so that they can earn additional money from hosting and feeing trekkers and hikers in the summer months. We helped set up many of these yurt camps by providing special hospitality training to the families and financial support to buy additional yurts to host trekkers. In remote high mountain regions without a lot of job opportunities, this additional money often is used for schooling, health costs, home improvements and more.
• We buy food and supplies from local businesses and village markets to support local farmers, producers and businesses.
• We choose accommodation in cities and towns that is locally owned and usually family-run. This ensures that we are supporting local small businesses and the money is staying local.
• We aim to preserve the natural environment by enforcing a “leave no trace” policy on treks – e.g., all trash packed out, no picking rare flowers or plants, staying on the trail, etc. — and educating travelers on respecting the fragile high altitude mountain landscapes. After the trekking season ends we often organize cleanups where our staff picks up litter and trash left on the trails from the summer.
• We try to limit single use plastics by encouraging use of reusable water bottles and boiling water at yurt camps to provide clean drinking water
• We encourage respectful cultural exchange by briefing our guests on respectful behavior like modest dress, asking permission before photographing people, and understanding local customs. This helps avoid negative cultural impacts.
• We support animal welfare by having weight limits on what pack animals can carry, the number of hours per day they should work, ensuring proper rest and food.
• A portion of some tour proceeds go to a local development fund that helps support local family yurt camps and businesses to invest in and grow their business.

By choosing to travel with Visit Alay, you’re supporting a network of Kyrgyz and Tajik families and small businesses, many of whom live in remote mountain regions. We believe tourism can and should benefit everyone involved with the traveler having an immersive and memorable experience while the local communities benefit from their visit. We’re always looking for ways to improve our sustainability approach. Feel free to ask us more if you’re curious.

Tipping is not mandatory in Central Asia, but it is always very welcome if you are happy with the service and had a good experience. Our guides and drivers never demand tips, but they certainly appreciate them. Although they are paid a fair wage, these extra thank-you amounts do help, especially in countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where salaries are modest.

The following is a rough guideline for tips for guides, drivers and other support staff during your tour in Kyrgyzstan and along the Pamir Highway. For private tours you may want to add more than this for the personalized care and services.

• Guide on treks, horse treks or cultural tours: $50 to $200, depending upon the length and complexity of the tour
• Pamir Highway drivers (who also act as guides):  $50 to $100
• Horsemen (for luggage) and porters: $30 to $100

We can advise discreetly if you want guidance on tipping for your specific tour setup.

Accommodation on the Pamir Highway is a highlight and experience in itself as you’ll stay in authentic local guesthouses and homestays in remote towns and villages along the way. These accommodations usually have basic services (e.g., toilets might be outside) and are in a local family home, but they are clean and comfortable. They also offer a unique opportunity to experience local Pamiri and Kyrgyz culture, hospitality and traditional cuisine.

Accommodation options along the Pamir Highway mainly include guesthouses and home stays in the small towns and villages along the way.

On our Pamir Highway tours the driver will book accommodation in the villages, but you have the option to book your own accommodation in the cities of Khorog or Dushanbe (e.g., on Booking.com). Accommodation in villages with dinner and breakfast usually costs around $20-$30/person per day.

Here are some typical overnight stops along the Pamir Highway and their accommodations, but please check your itinerary for specific details.

• Tulparkol Lake (Kyrgyzstan): Stay in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt camp at 3,500 meters after a hike up to Traveler’s Pass (4,130 meters). Alternative accommodation is a homestay in Sary Mogul village.
• Karakul Lake (Tajikistan): A small village where we stay in traditional yurts. No running water (outhouse toilet), but lots of blankets and a hearty meal by a stove.
• Murghab: A high plain town where accommodation is usually a family homestay, usually with twin or shared rooms (up to 4 people). Shared facilities, usually outdoors.  Rooms might be private or shared twins, some with shared bath.
• Langar (Wakhan Valley): Homestay or village guesthouse, often Pamiri style house (distinctive design with pillars). Cozy sleeping arrangements on mats or beds, shared facilities.
• Khorog: This is the main town in the Pamir Region and it has small guesthouses or hotels, sometimes with en-suite facilities. Electricity and wifi is usually available.
• Jizeu: This small, remote village has simple homestays with shared rooms and facilities.
• Kalaikhum: Comfortable guesthouse with shared facilities and rooms.

In summary, you’ll be staying with local families and hosts each night, which means that your trip is supporting the local communities and economy in addition to being a memorable experience.

Yes, creating customized itineraries for private tours is one of our specialties! Think of our listed tours as a starting point for ideas. Then we are happy to customize an itinerary to suit your interests, schedule, and budget.

Many of our clients mix and match or combine tours. For example, combine a cultural tour around Issyk-Kul and Song Kul Lake with a trek into the Tian-Shan mountains. Or add a multi-day trek in the Alay Mountains after a Pamir Highway road trip. We’ve arranged everything from photography-focused tours to ultra-specialized itineraries like mountain biking or attending a local festival. Because we’re a local company with partners throughout Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, we can create unique and lesser known routes and itineraries.

Creating a customized itinerary usually starts with you telling us your wish list of things you definitely want to see or do, your group size, and how many days you have. Then we propose a draft plan and refine it together until we agree on the perfect itinerary for your interests and schedule.

We pride ourselves on not being a cookie-cutter tour operator and we love putting together unique and unusual itineraries based on our local expertise and network. Just reach out and let us know what you’re dreaming of doing and we’ll try to make it happen.

We use 4×4 SUVs (e.g., Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol) with experienced local drivers who have safely navigated the Pamir Highway for years. They know the terrain, high-altitude passes, and road conditions intimately. Our drivers are also trained in basic vehicle repairs for remote areas.

Yes, vegetarians and vegans are very welcome on our treks and tours! We can absolutely accommodate a vegetarian or vegan diet and have a lot of experience in this over the years. The homestays, guest houses and yurt stays are able to cook vegetarian food and will offer more eggs, dairy products (e.g., yogurt, kefir), and vegetables. Vegan eaters will be served more vegetable, fruit and grain options during meals.

Please inform us in advance that you are vegetarian or vegan so we can make the proper arrangements for the food needed along this tour.