SONG-KOL LAKE ON HORSEBACK – 4 DAYS

Sights visited on this tour

Song-Kol Lake

Kilemche Pasture

Why you will love this tour

Itinerary

Day 1. Horse riding to Kilemche

• After a brief horse-riding instruction from your guide, you’ll start a gentle horseback ride along the beautiful Chaar-Archa River, passing through wide valleys and peaceful mountain landscapes on your way to Kilemche. The path is smooth, making it a great opportunity to gain confidence and build a good connection with your horse.

• After a few hours of riding, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch by the river and give the horses a well-deserved break while you rest. In the afternoon, you’ll continue your ride and arrive at a yurt camp run by a local herder family.

• After settling in, take time to walk in the surrounding hills, enjoy the fresh mountain air, and observe the daily life of Kyrgyz nomads. Finish your first day of horse riding with a warm dinner in the yurt.

Transfer:

Total: 0 km

Horse riding: 21 km – 4-5h.

Meals:

lunch-picnic,

dinner at yurt

Overnight: yurt (2700m)

WC: Sharing WC

Internet: N0

Shower: No

NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS

– No prior horse-riding experience is required.

– You will leave your large bag at the guesthouse in Kyzart and take only a small backpack with essential items and clothing for the next three days.

Day 2. Horse riding to Song-Kol Lake

• Today’s horse ride will be more demanding. After breakfast, you’ll begin your ascent toward the Jalgyz-Karagai Pass. (3300m). The climb is challenging at times, but the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains make the effort worthwhile. As you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with your first sweeping view of the magnificent Song-Kol Lake shimmering below.

• After a rest break on the pass, you’ll descend toward the lake and arrive at a yurt camp for a well-deserved lunch. In the afternoon, you’ll continue riding west along the lakeshore, passing traditional nomadic yurts, grazing animals, and wide-open pastures that define the highland landscape.

• Your destination for the night is the Tuz-Ashuu pasture, beautifully situated by the lake. Once you arrive, you’ll release your horses for the night, settle into the yurt, and enjoy a dinner surrounded by the peaceful atmosphere of Song-Kol.

Transfer:

Total: 0

Horse riding: 23 km – 5-6 h.

Meals:

Breakfast at yurt,

lunch at yurt,

dinner at yurt

Overnight: yurt (3100m)

WC: Sharing WC

Internet: Mobile phone

Shower: On request

NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS

– Although daytime temperatures can be warm at Song-Kol Lake, evening can get chilly, so be sure to bring warm clothing.

Day 3. Horse riding to the western shore of Song-Kol Lake

• Today you’ll enjoy a relaxing day of horse riding along the shores of Song-Kol Lake. After two days in the saddle, you are feeling more confident, and your guide will lead you at a canter or even a gallop across the smooth lakeside terrain, without needing to ride over any mountains.

• By midday, you will reach the Ozbek-Ashuu pasture on the western shore of Song-Kol, where you’ll stop for lunch in a yurt owned by local nomads. This is also where you will spend the night. After lunch, you have free time to walk by the lake, observe the peaceful nomadic life around you, or head out for another short ride into the nearby hills.

Dinner will be served in the yurt before you settle in for an overnight stay.

Transfer:

Total: 0 km

Horse riding: 16 km – 4 h.

Meals:

Breakfast at yurt,

lunch at yurt,

dinner at yurt

Overnight: yurt (3100m)

WC: Sharing WC

Internet: Mobile phone

Shower: No

NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS

Day 4. Horse riding to back to Kyzart Village

• Today, you’ll begin your return to Kyzart Village via the scenic Ozbek-Ashuu Pass. After saying farewell to the welcoming nomadic family, you’ll set off on horseback, gradually riding up to the pass at 3,300 m. From the top, take in your final sweeping views of the magnificent Song-Kol Lake, surrounded by wide open pastures and dramatic mountain landscapes.

• You’ll then descend along a picturesque trail that leads you back toward Kyzart Village.

• Upon arrival, you’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch and have time to rest and refresh after the morning ride. From here, you can choose to stay overnight in Kyzart or continue your journey to your next destination, depending on your travel plans.

Transfer:

Total: 0 km

Horse riding: 20 km – 4-5 h.

Meals:

Breakfast at yurt,

lunch at guesthouse

NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS

Map

Additional information

Month	May, June, July, August, September, October
Start from	Kyzart
Duration	4 days
Tour speed	Moderately paced
Accommodations	3 nights at yurt
Total drive	0 km
Activities	horse riding – 4 days

What to pack?

Clothing:

Warm layers (fleece or down jacket) for chilly mornings and evenings
Lightweight clothes for daytime (t-shirts, long-sleeve shirts)
Waterproof and windproof jacket
Hat or cap for sun protection
Gloves and warm socks
Scarf or buff for wind

Horseback Riding

Long pants for riding
Comfortable trekking pants and shorts
Riding gloves (optional)
Lightweight, breathable clothing

Other Essentials:

Small daypack for essentials
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Reusable water bottle
Personal toiletries and towel
Basic first aid kit and any personal medications
Camera or smartphone for photos
Power bank and charging cables
Passport, ID, and copies of travel documents

Optional:

Binoculars for wildlife spotting
Light snacks for trekking
Notebook or travel journal

Before you go

Tour Overview:

You can find this horse-riding tour in our ACTIVE KYRGYZSTAN trips, where it is featured as the horseback riding component of the itinerary
The tour starts and ends in Kyzart Village, the closest village to Song-Kol Lake. You can begin between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and the tour returns to Kyzart around 1:00–2:00 PM.
Private transfers from Bishkek or other locations are available for an additional fee.
Yurt accommodation is limited, so you may need to share a yurt with other travelers. If you prefer a private yurt, please inform the tour manager in advance.
Your guide is an experienced local horseman with basic English. If you prefer a guide with advanced English, just let us know.
This tour is suitable for beginners. Horses are well-trained and easy to handle. Please share your riding experience so we can assign the most suitable horse.
If you arrive by car, you can park at the guesthouse. Leave your large luggage there and take a small bag with essentials. It will be safely stored in saddle bags on your horse during the ride.

Meals:

Meals provided are traditional Central Asian cuisine.
Vegetarian options are available – please inform your tour manager of any dietary restrictions or allergies.
Buying bottled water is not possible during the horse-riding trip in the mountains, so you should bring 2–3 liters with you before the ride. You can also bring a water purifier or get boiled, cooled water from the yurts.

Money & Payments:

Credit card payments are not accepted during the tour. Please bring cash in Kyrgyz Som if you wish to buy anything from local vendors.
Avoid exchanging USD at the airport; better rates are available at banks or official exchange offices in Bishkek. Your guide can assist with currency exchange.

Communication & Internet:

Stable internet is only available at the top of the passes. Kilemche Valley has no signal, and at Song-Kol Lake, MEGA operator works, but the connection is not always reliable.
Consider purchasing a local SIM card for better coverage. Recommended operator: MEGA.

Electricity: