Culture

Kyrgyz Handicraft Tour

9 days of felt, yurts and nomadic culture

Duration: 9 days
Route: Issyk-Kul – Kochkor – Song-Kul
Group: 2–12 people, private tour
Season: June – mid-September

Tour Highlights

Felt workshops in Tamchy and Kara-Suu.
The Kiyiz Duino felt centre and the Fine Arts Museum in Bishkek.
How yurts are made: a visit to the artisans of Kyzyl-Tuu.
Ak-Orgo craft community: felt carpets, bags and souvenirs.
Take home the pieces you make, where the workshop allows.
Hot springs and alpine meadows of Altyn-Arashan.
The red rocks of Jeti-Oguz and the petroglyphs of Cholpon-Ata.
Song-Kul Lake and everyday nomadic life.
Dungan cuisine and dinner with a local family.

Day-by-Day Programme

Day 01Arrival in Bishkek and Introduction to Felt Art
- Meeting at Manas International Airport and hotel transfer.
- Time to rest.
- Visit to the Kiyiz Duino centre, dedicated to Kyrgyz felt art.
- Meet local artisans and learn about the main traditions of felt-making.
- Dinner at a local restaurant.
- Overnight in Bishkek.
Day 02Bishkek — Burana Tower — Chon-Kemin
- City walk in Bishkek: Ala-Too Square, Oak Park and Osh Bazaar.
- The Fine Arts Museum and its collection of Kyrgyz decorative and applied arts.
- After lunch — drive to Chon-Kemin Valley.
- A stop at Burana Tower, a historic site associated with the ancient city of Balasagun.
- Traditional dinner at a family-run guesthouse.
- Overnight in Chon-Kemin.
Day 03Chon-Kemin — Tamchy: Silk and Wool Workshop
- Drive to Tamchy on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul.
- A local artisan shows a technique that combines silk and wool to create decorative felt.
- Make your own piece using traditional methods.
- Afternoon walk by the lake.
- Overnight at a guesthouse in Tamchy.
Day 04Cholpon-Ata — Karakol
- Drive along the shore of Issyk-Kul.
- The open-air petroglyph site, with rock carvings from different historical periods.
- In Karakol: the wooden Dungan Mosque and the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral.
- Overnight in Karakol.
Day 05Altyn-Arashan Gorge and Hot Springs
- UAZ off-road ride into the mountain valley of Altyn-Arashan.
- A walk through alpine meadows.
- Natural hot springs.
- Lunch outdoors.
- Return to Karakol and Dungan cuisine for dinner.
- Overnight in Karakol.
Day 06Jeti-Oguz — Barskoon — Bokonbaevo
- Drive along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul.
- The red rock formations of Jeti-Oguz, known as the Seven Bulls.
- In Barskoon — the Ak-Orgo craft community, where artisans show how felt carpets, bags and souvenirs are made.
- On to Bokonbaevo and a yurt camp near the lake.
- Overnight in a yurt camp.
Day 07Kyzyl-Tuu — Kara-Suu: Making Ala-Kiyiz
- Kyzyl-Tuu, a village known for its yurt-making artisans.
- How the wooden frame, felt covering and decorative elements of a yurt are made.
- Kara-Suu village near Kochkor: a craftsperson shows the traditional process of making an ala-kiyiz felt rug.
- Dinner with a local family.
- Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 08Kalmak-Ashuu Pass — Song-Kul Lake
- Over Kalmak-Ashuu Pass to Song-Kul Lake, at about 3,016 m and surrounded by summer pastures.
- A walk by the lake and watching the herds.
- The structure of a yurt and everyday nomadic life.
- Dinner and overnight at a yurt camp.
Day 09Song-Kul — Bishkek
- A free morning by the lake — on a clear day, the mountain peaks are reflected in the water.
- Lunch.
- Return to Bishkek and end of the journey.

What’s Included

Private vehicle with a driver throughout the route
Airport transfer on Day 1
English-speaking guide
Workshops in Tamchy and Kara-Suu
Visits to the Kiyiz Duino centre, the Ak-Orgo craft community and the yurt-making workshops in Kyzyl-Tuu
UAZ off-road transfer to Altyn-Arashan
Entrance fees and site charges as listed in the programme
Four nights in guesthouses, one night with a local family and two nights in yurt camps
Meals as per the programme, from Day 2 through lunch on Day 9

What’s Not Included

Accommodation in Bishkek on the first night and after the tour (can be arranged on request)
International flights
Travel insurance
Drinks, tips and personal expenses
Purchases of handicrafts and souvenirs

On the map

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Good to know

Part of the route runs at about 3,000 m (Song-Kul). At this altitude headaches, weakness and poor sleep are possible.
If you have heart or lung conditions, or are pregnant, talk to your doctor before the trip.
Nights at Song-Kul are cold even in summer: bring warm clothes.
We confirm the final list of services and accommodation details when you book.

Tour FAQ

01Do I need any craft experience?

No previous experience is required — artisans guide you through each activity. You can take home the items you make, subject to the workshop’s materials and arrangements.

02What is the accommodation like?

Guesthouses, a local family stay and yurt camps; shared bathroom facilities may be used in some locations. Nights at Song-Kul can be cold even in summer.

03How active is the tour, and when does it run?

Difficulty is easy to moderate. Some routes follow mountain roads, and the walk at Altyn-Arashan can be adapted to your abilities. The tour runs from June to mid-September; price available on request.