“You can see why they call it the ‘Seven Bulls’,” our guide said, pointing towards the dramatic red rock formations of the Jety Oguz canyon. It was day five of our road trip, and each day had brought a new, iconic landscape. We had started in the capital, Bishkek, and were now looping around the magnificent Issyk-Kul Lake.
This 8-day tour is the perfect introduction to Kyrgyzstan. It’s a comfortable yet deeply engaging journey that showcases the country’s incredible diversity. One day we were hiking through the otherworldly Konerchek canyons, remnants of an ancient volcano. The next, we were bouncing up to the Altyn Arashan valley in a Soviet-era military truck to relax in natural hot springs with views of the 5,130m Pobeda Peak.
The experiences were perfectly paced. We enjoyed a gentle hour of horseback riding in the Grigorevka Gorge, watched in awe as a golden eagle demonstrated its hunting skills for us, and spent a night in a traditional yurt camp on the lake’s southern shore, falling asleep to the sound of the wind.
It’s a tour that proves you don’t need to be an extreme adventurer to fall in love with Kyrgyzstan. With comfortable hotels, easy-paced activities, and a knowledgeable guide, it offers a rich, accessible, and complete taste of this beautiful country’s culture and nature.
