Accommodation

All of the accommodation arrangements are covered in the tour fee. In most places we will be staying in villas, guesthouses or traditional Kyrgyz yurts. 

Bishkek Villa

For the first two days we will stay in a large villa with a pool on the edge of Bishkek close to the mountains. It has lots of space, a kitchen, living room, dining room, bar, BBQ area and more. It is a very comfortable accommodation where everyone can get to know each other. 

Sauna Day 2

After a long day of hiking, we hire out a two-storey spa just for our group. It includes a sauna, Turkish hammam, cold plunge pool, swimming pool, dining area and snooker table. We also hire local chefs and prepare the area for a big feast so we can eat and relax after a long day.

Yurts

We will stay in yurts at specially set up yurt camps in Son-Kul and Beltam (south shore of Issyk-Kul). A yurt is a traditional dwelling for nomadic people and usually contains four or five beds. We will split the yurts by gender to make sleeping arrangements more comfortable.

Guesthouses

The rest of the time we will stay in guesthouses, where we will have several rooms with two or three beds in each room. We will again allocate the rooms as comfortably as we can for everyone.

Most guesthouses and many yurt camps have showers, toilets and basic laundry facilities. At the most remote camps (for example Son-Kul and Altyn-Arashan), there may be no showers. In Altyn-Arashan there are hot springs which are used for bathing.  It is important to note that the locations we visit are extremely beautiful, but also very remote.

Son-Kul, Altyn-Arashan and Kol-Tor are extremely high in the mountains. There is no mobile phone or internet connection and no mains electricity. These locations usually generate electricity with solar panels or diesel generators. Our accommodation arrangements will not be hotel-level, but more of a “glamping” experience.

Villa Issyk-Kul

On some of our summer tours, near the end of the trip and after a long journey, we stay on the north shore of Issyk-Kul in a large villa next to the beach. It is an opportunity to decompress, swim in the lake and relax before taking your flights home.