2-Days in Song Kul Lake as Nomad - horseback riding & Yurt stay
Overview
Available languages
2 days
Mobile ticket
Discover the stunning Son-Kul Lake on this 2-day tour that takes you on a scenic hike around the azure waters, surrounded by green meadows and high altitude summer pastures. Immerse yourself in the Kyrgyz nomadic lifestyle with a night spent in a cozy yurt, experiencing traditional cuisine and culture. Horseback riding is the best way to explore the area, with breathtaking sunsets and stargazing opportunities at night. This tour offers an unforgettable adventure, providing a glimpse into the rich traditions and lifestyles of the Kyrgyz people.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Bishkek - Burana Tower - Orto-Tokoy reservoir - Song-Kol lake
Accommodations
Overnight in the yurt camp
Food and Drinks
LUNCH
Lunch
We will have lunch in Kochkor village with Kyrgyz family.
DINNER
Dinner
We will have dinner in the yurt camp in Song-Kol lake
Bishkek
In the morning you’ll be picked up from a hotel and we’ll head straight towards the breathtaking journey to Son Kol lake. We’ll head towards Burana Tower to the small town of Tokmok (80km from Bishkek). You will drive along the border with Kazakhstan and, if the weather is clear, you will see the beautiful scenery of the Tien Shan mountains. Tokmak was the second largest industrial city in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet times, and you can see some of the Soviet monuments while driving through the city. Then you will pass through several small but picturesque villages, and you will be able to see the life of the locals outside the capital.
Burana Tower
Your guide will show you the mausoleums and other buildings discovered by archaeologists during excavations, you will have a chance to climb to the top of the ancient tower, where there is a beautiful view of the Chui valley and the Tien-Shan mountains open. Visit the small museum, which presents various archaeological artifacts, as well as an open-air museum, which contains ancient gravestones, rock drawings, and other interesting historical objects found on the territory of our country.
Boom Gorge
The Boom gorge is the connecting link between Chui valley and Yssyk-Kul lake. In the gorge flows one of the largest rivers of Tien-Shan – Chu. The river broke this large and picturesque gorge among the mountains. Boom is characterized by a variety of landscapes. Wooded and green slopes, covered with trees and shrubs, are suddenly replaced by drained clay canyons. The complex relief of the gorge is also noteworthy: narrow and winding in the western part, it widens considerably in the eastern part, forming a wide valley. It will be our stop for snacks and tea at one of the restaurants. National puff cakes with soar cream and tea boiled in russian samovar with unique taste.
Orto-Tokoy Water Reservoir
This place is very picturesque, from the panoramic view: staying on one side of the shore, one can contemplate the opposite shore, where the rocks and hills rise, and the clouds are so low that it seems as if you are swimming among them. We will spot to take some pictures and countinue to Song-Kol lake
Kalmak-Ashuu
Here we will start our elevation to Son-Kol lake. The surrounding view changes color and texture all the time: from stony dunes to green hills. Here you can meet peacefully grazing mountain yaks - majestic animals that amaze with their power. Also in the vast meadows of the pass the mountain edelweiss grows. These beautiful flowers have become a real symbol of the mountains; lyrical works are dedicated to them. From the highest point, you can see the surrounding mountain peaks and the valley, from where the ascent began. There is an opportunity to estimate the scale of the done path and is breathtaking. Further, the road leads to descent, and hiking down is greatly accelerated. Very little remains until the meeting with the Son-Kul Lake. The journey through the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass is an exciting adventure.
Song Kol Lake
Around 5 PM we will finally arrive at our yurt camp in Song-Kol lake. Check in to our yurts, have some rest after long drive. Have free time before dinner, and as soon as it gets dark we will make a fire and enjoy the lake and stars.
Song-Kol - Kochkor - Bishkek
Accommodations
Not provided on the last day of the tour
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Breakfast in a cozy yurt camp
LUNCH
Lunch
We will have lunch on our way to Bishkek at Kochkor village
Song Kol Lake
After breakfast, we start our horse riding. We will ride to the mountains and see a small nice waterfall there. The main thing is not the waterfall itself, but the stunning nature on the way to it. The way is quite long, you will have time to have a rest and take beautiful pictures of nature. Further, we will ride up to the hill on our way back to the yurt camp to see the amazing panorama of Song-Kol lake.
33 Parrots Waterfall
On our way to Bishkek, we will drive through one of the most spectacular roads in Kyrgyzstan leads to the Terkey Torpok Pass, which is over 3000m high and whose more than 30 serpentines.
Kochkor
Stop in Kochkor village for the lunch and move on.
Bishkek
Arrival in the capital city. Have dinner in nice restaurant in Bishkek. After you'll be dropped off at your hotel (not included). This is the end of our intense but awesome tour, thank you very much!
Options
2-Days in Son-Kol Lake
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Horseback riding
Air-Conditioned 4x4 car with pick up and drop off in Bishkek
Kyrgyz Family Lunch
Professional English Speaking guide
Dinner
Breakfast
Overnight in a yurt
Personal expenses
Health insurance
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
35 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
An Unforgettable Song-Kul Experience with an Outstanding Guide
yilmazmd,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked the tour through Viator two days in advance (we were a group of three — a couple and a friend). Afterwards, we were contacted via WhatsApp and received helpful information about the weather, what to bring, and other details. On the day of the tour, we were picked up directly from our hotel in a comfortable vehicle for a small additional fee. Since it was just the three of us, the experience felt very much like a private tour. As planned, our first stop was the Burana Tower. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast of kattama and kaymak at a roadside restaurant. We then visited the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir and later had lunch in Kochkor. As we got closer to Song-Kul Lake, the roads gradually turned into rough off-road tracks. After crossing Kalmak-Ashuu Pass, we finally arrived at the yurt camp overlooking the breathtaking lake. The camp was very clean, and contrary to our concerns, the toilets were exceptionally clean as well. The staff were wonderful, and both dinner and breakfast were plentiful and delicious. Horse riding around the lake was an unforgettable experience. After breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on the second day, we started our return journey around 9:00 a.m. However, due to poor weather conditions and concerns about road safety, we decided not to visit the waterfalls and instead followed the same route back. This allowed us to arrive in Bishkek at a very convenient time in the afternoon. Our guide, Bek (Nurbek), was absolutely outstanding. He was kind, knowledgeable, and spoke both Turkish and English exceptionally well. He helped us at every stage of the trip and always made sure we were comfortable and informed. Traveling with him was truly a pleasure, and he played a huge role in making this experience so enjoyable. For all these reasons, we highly recommend this tour to everyone!
Wonderful 2-day Song Kul Lake tour with Bek
Amon O,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a wonderful 2-day trip to Song Kul Lake. My tour guide, Bek, was very kind and helpful throughout the tour. Even though I was the only participant, he always explained things carefully, introduced me to many delicious local foods, and taught me how to enjoy the experience at Song Kul, including how to ride a horse safely and comfortably. Thanks to Bek, I was able to have a really fun and memorable time even as a solo traveler. He was also very flexible with my requests, which I truly appreciated. Overall, it was a great experience, and I’m very happy I joined this tour. Highly recommended!
Kyrgyzstan in a nutshell!
ghefiran2025,Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Spent 2 unforgettable days with my mom and a few other travellers. It was a mini open trip consisting of 7 people. We visited so many cool places with a lot of history and cultural experience along the way. We unfortunately had a very short time so I only did this tour during my whole visit to Kyrgyzstan and it was such a great decision. Talgat even assisted us in acquiring our e-Visas. The driver and the 2 guides were so friendly and so joyous. Definitely go for this tour for good vibes with insane views!
Amazing tour of Song Kul
mattsQ5822TC,Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was great, very well ran by our tour guide Azamat (Aza), he was very warm and welcoming. Aza was always making sure we enjoyed our time and a safe driver. The camp is a set up well, with a delicious spread of food. Options of horse ride are good with amazing scenery. Communication leading upto the tour was great roo
Fantastic scenery, however should better cater to tourists
775oreny,Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Some really special things about this tour, some things to watch out for. - Our first point of contact Talgat was excellent. Very responsive, detailed, responded to all our questions with regards to going to a completely new region and how to experience horse riding and the different options. - We were a bit let down when we arrived as we had asked to get gas canisters from Bishkek on our way to Kyzart. We were told it could be found in local supermarkets which wasn't the case, so there was a bit of a goose chase for 2 hours which delayed our start time. We had also shared details of our flight in advance --which had got delayed-- but the taxi driver wasn't informed and ended up at the airport 2 hours early, so there could have been some better coordination at the start --and we had to really persuade the agency to still let us do the trip that day which was stressful! - There were 2 options: a horse trip around the lake, and a more adventurous horse trip from Kyzart to the Lake. We chose the more adventurous option which was definitely the better option on the way up, but be conscious is much more painful --and a lot more scary-- on the rear end on the way down. I would say the way down was "very" challenging and required a lot of upper body strength to stop yourself from falling off the horse + a good level of pain tolerance to deal with the pressure on your bottom and between the straps and your calves which rubs after a while. - Our tour guide was impressive for a youngster (he was early twenties) but gave us very little attention on the trip. Kyrgyz standards are very different so we cannot fairly judge, but at least by standards he was irresponsible when it came to the more dangerous parts of the hike, and was willing to ride far ahead and leave us alone on a cliff at times which was terrifying which very little guidance! We also didn't get anything in the way of narrative, history, stories, knowledge about the local culture which could have added a lot (and I can see many others did get). He wasn't "bad" but was clearly not trained to be a guide for tourists, more just "a guy who can ride a horse well". - The hike itself and the scenery is stunning, the lake is beautiful, the stars are breathtaking and the yurt came so welcoming. 5 stars on that. Prepare for the cold though. - After the horse trek, we went back to a hostel where they served lunch -- the people were really hospital and wonderful, 5 star attitude for that as well. All in all we had a good experience, but substantial improvements could be made to cater better for tourists wanting to go out their comfort zones on this adventure.
Amazing trip to Song Kul Lake
Chui Yi C,Aug 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide and driver, Azamat, truly made our trip to Songkul Lake a wonderful experience. He was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining. He shared insights into Kyrgyz history and gave us a deeper understanding of local life. We even had moments of cultural exchange and laughter. 😂 Songkul Lake is a must-see. During the day, the lake was tranquil and peaceful. We sat by the lake, observing the nomads and their horses, sheep, cattle, and more. At night, the shimmering Milky Way was breathtaking. Staying in a yurt, enjoying the local cuisine, and riding horses were all unique experiences I thoroughly enjoyed.
Unforgettable experience.
Rebecca M,Aug 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An amazing experience. You feel like you are on top of the world and the vistas are massive. Staying in the yurt was unforgettable and riding out on the plain seeing the mountains and people and animals living there was mind blowing. The guides were easy to get on with and very attentive to our needs. Our only criticism is that we travelled in a car rather than 4x4 (unavailable at the time) which meant it took longer to reach the destination - this trip needs 4x4. We were made to feel very welcome by all and at meal times we ate very well. Overall, a once in a lifetime experience.
Very special experience - incredibly remote and beautiful
P1231EQpeterg,Aug 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour involves very long drives - and totally worth it! Being up in the high steppe riding horses and sleeping in a yurt was incredible. Huge thanks to our guide Azamat. Definitely recommended
Otherworldly experience
josephvA1969LG,Aug 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I did a two day private horse riding trip to Song Kul lake in June 2025 and had the most amazing experience. Datka Travel was the best agency we could have hoped for to plan such a trip. The booking process was very efficient and smooth. Talgat, the owner/manager, was very responsive and helpful in the booking process and throughout. He went above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience possible and answered all our questions. We also booked transport to and from Almaty which was very comfortable and efficient. We were very pleasantly surprised by the level of comfort we experienced in the yurt camp (good toilets and heating)! The only negative was that we underestimated how tiring it would be to ride a horse for such long hours on sometimes tricky terrain (uphill/downhill riding). Make sure you are reasonably fit and willing to experience some level of physical discomfort before booking such a tour. Also make sure to bring drinking water or filtered devices as there is no possibility of buying mineral water around the lake.
"Breathtaking Views and Memorable Moments at Song Kul Lake"
Pioneer461679,Jul 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Our trip to Song Kul Lake was absolutely breathtaking. The landscape is stunning; open, peaceful, and incredibly beautiful. The highlight of our experience was definitely the horseback riding; it was unforgettable and such a unique way to connect with the surroundings. Our driver was kind, funny, and made the long journey enjoyable with his great attitude. The only thing we wish had been different was having more information or context about the places we visited. It would have been even more meaningful to learn about the history of Song Kul Lake, the local traditions, and the communities living there. Overall, it was a magical experience, but a bit more storytelling and cultural insight would have made it perfect.
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Operated by Datka Travel