Song-Kul lake Horseriding

420 $

Price starts from

3 Day

Duration

Always

Available

Trekking

Categroy

The Song-Kol lake is the crown jewel of the jailoos, a gorgeous 270 km2 of glittering water at 3016 m, surrounded by 3700 m mountains on all sides. The jailoos are the pastures where Kyrgyz shepherds manage their flocks in the summer. The best way to experience a jailoo is to travel from jailoo to jailoo and stay with shepherd families in rural meadows that are off the usual road. This will give you the entire jailoo experience. Enjoy fresh cream, homemade jam, hot out of the oven bread, and the greatest kymyz (fermented mare’s milk) in the area. The path travels through the isolated Jumgal rayon before crossing Jalgyz-Karagai (Lone Fir) Pass on the north shore to arrive in Song-Kol.

Day 1: BISHKEK– KILEMCHE

Transfer from Bishkek to the Jumgal region in the morning (3 to 4 hours of driving). Once you get at the Kyzart Pass via car, your guide team will be waiting to greet you there with saddled up horses. Transverse the Kyzyl-Kiya jailoo, a sizable, somewhat flat sea of grass, to begin your equestrian excursion. Continue across the Chaar-Archa Pass (3 061 m) into the Chaar-Archa Valley, where you may enjoy a delectable lunch while overlooking the revered Baba-Ata Mountain, which rises to a height of 4400 m. After eating, cross the river and take the trek to Kilemche Jailoo, which winds through lush hills. According to the moniker, which translates as "like a carpet," this expanse of grass covers entire mountain ranges with shadings that are just as subtle as any shyrdak (a shyrdak is a Kyrgyz felt carpet). Dinner and sleep in a yurt, naturally. Transfer by car for 3 hours. Horseriding time: 4-5 hours

DAY 2: KILEMCHE – SONG-KOL

Spend the morning ascending to Jalgyz Karagai pass (3400 m), past the Song-Kol Mountains, and into the basin of the lake after breakfast at Kilemche. Kilemche jailoo is beautifully visible from the morning climb, and the pass itself is thrilling and rough. Song-Kol is still far away from the pass, but as you make your way down the slopes, it grows bigger and bigger, while the mountains on the other side rise higher and higher. Eventually, the lake takes up the most of your field of vision, and the southern mountains tower above it. Follow the lakeshore west to the yurt at Tuz-Ashuu after lunch at Jaman Echki. Meet your host family of Kyrgyz shepherds when you arrive. Shepherds' yurts are where you'll sleep and have meals. 5 hours were spent trekking.

DAY 3: SONG-KOL – BISHKEK.

Last breakfast in SongKol Jailoo and leave to Kyzart village via TuzAshuu Pass. The pass opens you spectacular panoramic view to Jumgal valley and behind the SongKol valley. Say “Goodbye SongKol” and ride down to the village where your lunch will be waiting for you in family home stay. Late afternoon transfer back to Bishkek by car. Arrival in Bishkek around 19:00 pm.