Best of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
Experience Overview
Spend two weeks discovering a part of the world well off the typical tourist track. Few Central Asia tours offer the cultural flavour this journey through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan does. Trek through the gorgeous landscapes of Jeti-Oguz, go horseback riding through the breathtaking valley at Chong-Kemin, stay a night in a traditional yurt, and discover the unforgettable warmth of the people in these regions. Visit Central Asia and you'll wonder why you didn't get here sooner.
Highlights
- Stop and marvel at Charyn Canyon
- Explore Karakol with guided city tour
- Settle into a Chong-Kemin homestay
- Visit the Mug Teppe settlement
Trip Details
Product Code: 1734
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Budget
Transport: Private vehicle, plane, walking.
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Budget
Tour Operator:
G Adventures
Supplier Code: AYBT
Starts: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Finishes: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Duration: 14 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: Yurt Building Demonstration, Barskoon Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group, Bishkek Your Local Living Moment: Overnight in a Yurt, Song Köl Your Local Living Moment: Tamga Village Stay, Tamga Your Local Living Moment: Community Guesthouse, Ghazza
- Bishkek City Tour
- Burana Tower
- Home-cooked traditional dinner
- Overnight in a Yurt
- Free time in Chong-Kemin
- Song Kul Lake
- Lunch with Local Family in Kochkor
- Skazka "Fairytale" Canyon
- Tamga Village Stay
- Yurt Building Demonstration
- Jety Oguz & the Seven Bulls
- Karakol City Tour
- Russian Orthodox Cathedral
- Dungan mosque
- Saty Village Stay
- 4x4 ride to Kaindy Lake
- Charyn Canyon
- Almaty City Tour
- Independence Square, Zenkov Cathedral, Panfilov's Park
- WWII memorial
- Free time in Almaty
- Dushanbe City tour
- Alexander the Great's lake
- Hike to Iskander Darya waterfall
- Fann Mountains
- Voru Village Hike and Blacksmith
- Free time in Ghazza Village
- Istaravshan Mosque and Lenin Bust visit
- Khujand City Tour
- Museum of Sughd
- Mausoleum of Sheik Muslekheddin
- Khujand market
Accommodation
- Hotels/guesthouses (11 nts), community homestay (1 nts), yurt (1 nt) up to 4 people per yurt
- 13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 7 dinners
Transport
- Private vehicle, plane, walking.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,239 ($231 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Bishkek
Arrive at any time.
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan's artsy capital and cultural hub, situated at the base of the Tian Shan mountain range. There are no planned activities until the evening welcome meeting, so get out there and explore!
Day 2: Bishkek/Chong-Kemin
After breakfast, embark on a city tour of Bishkek before travelling to the serenity of Chong-Kemin Valley. Along the way, stop at one of Kyrgyzstan's oldest sights, the Burana Tower and learn about this ancient structure, rare in nomadic culture. Tonight, stay in a cozy guest house run by Karal Dobo Villagers. Soak in the stunning scenery while exploring the village and savour a home-cooked traditional dinner.
Day 3: Chong-Kemin/Song Kul
In the morning, opt for a hike to the nearby mountains or explore the famous gorges of Chong-Kemin. In the afternoon, enjoy the scenic drive along the Kalmak-Ashuu mountain pass to Song Kul Lake. Immerse yourself in Kyrgyz culture with an overnight stay in a traditional yurt. Experience daily nomadic life and wander the breathtaking landscape. With an altitude of 3,016 meters above sea level, it's possible to experience four seasons in one day! Indulge in delicious home-cooked cuisine for dinner, then get cozy in the yurt around the stove.
Day 4: Song Kul/Tamga
Spend the morning soaking in all the beauty of Song Kul Lake before departing for Kochkor to enjoy lunch together with a local family. After lunch, head to the breathtaking Skazka Canyon, also known as Fairytale Canyon. Walk through the striking rock formations and take some beautiful photos. Afterward, head to Tamga village in the clutches of the Terskey Ala-Too and celestial Issyk-Kol' Lake, where you'll spend the night at a village guesthouse and get to know the local community members.
Tamga village was once famous for its Soviet-era military sanatorium, where Soviet cosmonauts relaxed and recovered after space flights.
Day 5: Tamga/Karakol
This morning we head to Ak-Orgo Workshop Centre, a G for Good supported organization, to observe how traditional yurts are built and learn about the importance of this Kyrgyz craft. Continue the drive to Jety Oguz, where we stop to visit the beautiful Seven Bulls rock formations, enjoy a picnic lunch with a stunning view and hike to the Jety Oguz viewpoint. Finish the drive to Kyrgyzstan's 4th largest city - Karakol and enjoy a city tour upon arrival, visiting notable sites like the Russian Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and the pagoda-style Dungan Mosque, built by Chinese Muslims in the early 20th Century.
Day 6: Karakol/Saty Village
Cross the border into Kazakhstan on the journey to Saty Village, part of the Kolsay Lakes National Park. On arrival, jump in a 4x4 vehicle for the ride to Kaindy Lake, then embark on a trek to explore the sunken forest. Soak in the bright hues and marvel at the eerie sight of submerged trees. Spend the night in a homestay and indulge in traditional Kazakh meals for a true Kazakh experience.
Day 7: Saty Village/Almaty
Depart early this morning for Almaty, the former Kazakh capital, stopping along the way to marvel at Charyn Canyon. Boasting stunning shades of red, orange, and brown, the Charyn Canyon is a natural wonder comparable in beauty to the Grand Canyon. On arrival in Almaty, join your CEO for an orientation walk around your hotel.
Day 8: Almaty
Explore the amazing city of Almaty on a city tour, visiting sights such as Independence Square, Zenkov Cathedral, Panfilov's Park, and the striking WWII memorial. Enjoy a free afternoon to continue the adventure through Almaty. Opt to climb Green Hill for panoramic views, visit the local markets, or sip coffee in one of the plentiful cafés.
Day 9: Almaty/Dushanbe
Today, we'll transfer to Almaty airport and board a flight to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on the Varzob River. Upon arrival enjoy a tour of Dushanbe, visiting the main monuments, museum, and mosque.
Day 10: Dushanbe/Kuli Iskandarkul/ Ghazza Village
Enjoy a morning drive through the valleys and mountains to Kuli Iskandarkul. Pass along Alexander the Great's lake and go on a short hike to Iskander Darya waterfall. After lunch continue the drive to our overnight stay at a Community Guest house in Ghazza Village. Meet the local people and explore the gorgeous landscape of the Fann Mountains. Upon arrival to Ghazza village the group will set out on a walk followed by dinner at local family's home.
Day 11: Ghazza
After breakfast, embark on a hike alongside Voru River to visit Voru village (one of the oldest Villages of the Fann Mountains). Visit the local blacksmith's workshop. We'll learn about the different products they make, like knives and horseshoes. After the village exploration, head back to to Community guest house. Spend the afternoon at leisure. Opt to enjoy the roof top terrace at the guest house. Have dinner in a community guest house with the group in the evening.
Day 12: Ghazza/Khujand
Continue on to Khujand, stopping first in Istaravshan to explore a local mosque the largest bust of Lenin. Enjoy an optional lunch in a local chaikhana (teahouse) before continuing the drive to Khujand. Wander the city in the afternoon, visiting the Historical Museum of Sughd, resembling a castle, and the Mausoleum of Sheik Muslekheddin.
Day 13: Khujand/Tashkent
Visit the Khujand market (largest in Tajikistan) before continuing on to the border. Cross into Uzbekistan and drive to the capital city of Tashkent, where modern skyscrapers mix with Soviet-era architecture and mosaic mausoleums. Enjoy a short orientation walk in the evening before an optional dinner.
Some travellers will be joining the group here as they start their journey into Uzbekistan.
Day 14: Tashkent
Depart at any time.
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Jihong J., - Traveled, October 2023
professional service, travel style, itinerary
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/19/2023
Brittany W., - Traveled, October 2023
This was an amazing trip - a really beautiful mix of culture, nature, food, history and great people! Most importantly, our guide Leila was phenomenal - the best guide I've ever had and anyone would be lucky to get her as their guide!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/22/2023
Mathew J., - Traveled, October 2023
G Adventures is a responsible company and goes out of it's way to ensure travellers have a good experience but also exposes travellers to more culture and local experiences.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/07/2023
Mark L., - Traveled, October 2023
A solid trip with good experiences
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/28/2023
Caren D., - Traveled, October 2023
Good balance of planned activities. and free time to explore. Great for travellers that don't want to plan themselves
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/30/2023
Keira E., - Traveled, October 2023
I have been with G Adventures numerous times, and overall the experiences have been brilliant.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/05/2023
Paul B., - Traveled, September 2023
I am fortunate enough to have visited many places in the world (135 countries) and therefore I have experienced many overseas holiday/travel experiences. This tour was exceptional. The tour guides for Kyrgyzstan/Kazakhstan and Tajikistan/Uzbekistan were brilliant and worthy of praise. The landscape and environment especially Kyrgyzstan/Kazakhstan and Tajikistan were absolutely breathtaking. We benefitted from a good group but that just added to the splendour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/30/2023
Nanlu W., - Traveled, September 1982
Met the most amazing people on this trip. Truly unforgettable
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/30/2023
Megan M., - Traveled, September 2023
The CEOs were very competent and enjoyable to interact with, and I was impressed with the variety of activities and level of planning
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/05/2023
Leo L., - Traveled, September 2023
Excellent low cost trip with lots of highlights friendly group members and very compotent CEO
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/16/2023
Florian H., - Traveled, September 2023
Very exciting and well planned itineraries with great and unique experiences of the countries.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/05/2023
Richard J., - Traveled, September 2023
G Adventures is our goto tour company. Combinatio of comfort, itinerary, activities, great CEO, adventure is great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/07/2023
Daniel M., - Traveled, September 2023
well thought out itineraries and good value, decent amount of inclusions, travel with like minded people
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/07/2023
Christoph Heinz Josef L., - Traveled, September 2023
G Adventures offers great tours and experiences for competitive prices. The value of making new friends from all over the world on each trip cannot be measured.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/12/2023
Bradley Raymond Dale A., - Traveled, August 2023
Generally very easy - everything is pre-arranged/organised.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/05/2023
Kayra S., - Traveled, August 2023
Great trip! Fitted our travelstyle. The CEO were great. The trip was very high tempo, maybe a little to high tempo.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/05/2023
Thijs S., - Traveled, August 2023
In general the tour was well organized. The CEO were well informed and skillfull in their job. G also brings you to more remote places which offers an escape from mass tourism. Which I like.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/16/2023
Joel E., - Traveled, August 2023
This was my third tour with G and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/06/2023
Annika S., - Traveled, July 2023
I have traveled with G Adventures for years and the tours have been well organised with a good mix of activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/29/2023
Robert Z., - Traveled, July 2023
Enjoyed the nature, the hikes and of the beaten path locations.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/21/2023
Greg S., - Traveled, July 2023
Very satisfied, both Leaders were exceptional
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/29/2023
Brittany H., - Traveled, July 2023
The itinerary and the guides. I also like the business culture of providing local services to villages, towns, and small businesses.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/29/2023
Sydney H., - Traveled, July 2023
This was my third trip with G Adventures and I have been continually impressed by the quality of the tours and knowledge of the CEOs.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/14/2023
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