Lakescapes | Eid Journey through Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan

This Eid, we’re offering the combo trip of your dreams with this journey across two of Central Asia’s most beautiful and intriguing countries.

Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan each offer many incredible sights, but the loudest “wows” are usually heard by their pristine, high-altitude lakes, ranging from deep blue to green to electric turquoise. So we’ve cooked up a trip which takes in the most stunning bodies of water in the region, sure to take your breath away – especially if you decide to take a dip!

Mysterious, mountainous Kyrgyzstan awes visitors with its idyllic backdrops of green pastures, alpine lakes and glaciers, surrounded by dense forest and jagged mountain peaks. Exploring these untouched landscapes on foot and by horseback, traversing hills and valleys where nomads roam, it’s possible to witness a traditional Kyrgyz way of life which continues as it has for centuries.

Scenic vistas abound in the magnificent Tchu Valley, in the northern part of the famed Tien Shan Mountains, a massive mountain range that runs throughout the ‘stans’ and all the way to China. This beautiful, forested river valley stretches more than 100 km from east to west, and is home to an array of wildlife such as alpine ibex, ermines, snow leopards, deer, golden eagles, saker falcons, and bearded vultures.
Enjoying the pure air and clear, starry skies, our adventure will take us to verdant jailoos, high-altitude summer pastures that Kyrgyz nomads take their flocks to for grazing in the warmer months. Staying with friendly locals, we’ll learn about the nomadic way of life and spend our nights in cozy yurts.

Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth largest country, is a rugged natural wonderland of steppes, mountains, woodlands, canyons and lakes. Within its borders lies a section of the Tien Shan range, offering up the gorgeous Alpine terrain of forests, valleys and snowy peaks found in the Kolsay Lakes National Park.

In this magical landscape shaped by time and tectonics, more than 100 years ago, a great earthquake shook these mountains, resulting in the formation of a new body of water: Lake Kaindy, with its eye catching, bright turquoise waters. What makes this lake really stand out are the partially submerged spruce trees which stand in its waters to this day. Ghostly, bare trunks rise out of the chilly waters, making for a striking panorama – and amazing pictures!

Nearby are the Kolsay Lakes, known as the "Pearls of Tien Shan", reached by a hike through dense, tranquil forest. Trails connect these stunning bodies of water which range from altitudes of 1800 to 2850 meters, making for a great excuse to stretch our legs.

We’ll descend from green heights to dusty depths as we trek into the gorge known as Kazakhstan’s Grand Canyon. Known for its stunning similarity to its bigger brother in States, Charyn Canyon National Park’s red sandstone rock formations are a stark contrast to the country’s mountainous regions. The second largest canyon in the world, Charyn Canyon stretches about 154 km (96 mi) along the banks of the Charyn River. Over millennia, the elements have weathered and shaped the sedimentary rock into pillars, winding corridors and crevices just begging to be explored.

Ready to lake it all in? Let's go!

DAY 0 // TUE 3 JUNE // DXB DEPARTURE
Meet at DXB Terminal 3 at 20:30 for our 22:45 flight to Bishkek.

DAY 1 // WED 4 JUNE // KYRGYZSTAN ARRIVAL, JAILOO VISIT & KÖL-ÜKÖK LAKE HIKE
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! We’ll arrive in Bishkek in the early hours. Once we’ve cleared immigration, we’ll grab some breakfast before hitting the road to spend time visiting nomadic villages and immersing ourselves in the rhythm of rural life.
We’ll make the 2-hour drive to Kochkor village, heading towards the valley to Tez-Tör jailoo (summer pasture). There, we will hop on our horses and make the 3-hour journey to our yurt camp (2400 m). After lunch and a short rest, we’ll discover more about the flora and fauna of the high mountains, and learn how nomadic communities have thrived here for generations. In the afternoon, we’ll tackle the hike to Köl-Ükök lake (3000 m), offering a beautiful view of the glacier. Dinner at the camp and overnight in our yurts.

DAY 2 // THU 5 JUNE // NOMAD LIFE, ISAKEEV HIKE & TCHU VALLEY
This morning we’ll enjoy a traditional nomad breakfast and the warm hospitality of our hosts, sharing in the daily life of a Kyrgyz family in their environment. After, we’ll hit the trail for a 3-hour hike to Isakeev, then transfer to Kochkor village, where we’ll enjoy another local welcome with lunch at a home stay. In the afternoon, we’ll make the drive through the beautiful Tchu Valley before arriving back in Bishkek, where we’ll visit the market for a bit of souvenir shopping, followed by dinner. Overnight in hotel.

DAY 3 // FRI 6 JUNE // INTO KAZAKHSTAN & ALMATY
Today we’ll set off on the drive to Almaty, taking in the stunning scenery along the way. We’ll make the land border crossing into Kazakhstan and stop for lunch. Upon arrival, we’ll take a quick city tour of Almaty, then head to our hotel for overnight.

DAY 4 // SAT 7 JUNE // KOLSAY LAKES & LAKE KAINDY
After breakfast we’ll hit the road to Kolsay Lakes National Park. Today we’ll power through two treks, first making our way between the Kolsay lakes, taking in the fresh air and natural beauty that surrounds us. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch, then follow the trail to Lake Kaindy, where there will be plenty of time to get some incredible pictures of this submerged forest. In the afternoon, there’s an option to do some horse riding at the village. Overnight at a homestay.

DAY 5 // SUN 8 JUNE // CHARYN CANYON
Today we head into a completely different landscape, driving through semi-arid desert to reach Charyn Canyon. Home to a large number of rare and endangered species of animals, and featuring impressive cliffs and dramatic rock formations, we’ll trek inside the gorge to see it from various angles and marvel and at the multicolored layers of sediment, worn and shaped by weather and time.
In the afternoon we’ll return to Almaty and enjoy dinner in local restaurant followed by airport transfer for return flight to Abu Dhabi.

Level of difficulty: easy, available for beginners.
Activities: trekking, sightseeing, optional horse riding.
Accommodation. & meals: included - accommodation in yurts, hotel, guesthouse - double sharing, local meals. Single room at extra cost, subject to availability.

Cost: AED 4200 excluding flights, until MAY 28.
Past this date please inquire about cost and availability.

Flights: Recommended DXB-FRU flydubai + ALA-AUH Wizzair to Abu Dhabi at 1850 AED. You can choose any other connection.

Specifically excluded: Any costs related to visas, insurance, restaurant meals on transfers (Almaty, Bishkek), optional horse riding, entry fees if any.

Visas: cost not included in trip budget. It is sole responsibility of participant to secure entry to country of destination at the time of travel.

Kyrgyzstan:
Many passports get visa free entry, for the rest e-visa:
Visa free entry for UAE residents, holders of passports such as Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan.

Kazakhstan:
At the time of writing 60 nationalities are visa free, such as:
EU, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, UK, US, Vietnam.

Other Passports: Consulate or Evisa, third party support available.

See yah at Lakes x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 - 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup