About this tour
Art Tours with Professional Artists in the Tien Shan
An art tour in Kyrgyzstan is a unique journey designed for artists and creative travelers who want to combine plein air painting, nature, and nomadic culture. Over 12 days, you will explore the most picturesque regions of northern Kyrgyzstan: Lake Issyk-Kul, the gorges of the Northern Tien Shan, the high-mountain lake Song-Kul, and remote natural locations идеально suited for painting.
The art tour program is carefully designed to provide participants with ample time for plein air sessions and relaxation. We paint on the shores of Issyk-Kul, in the red landscapes of the Mars Valley, in the spruce-covered gorges of Jety-Oguz and Turgen-Aksu, and at Song-Kul — at an altitude of 3,016 meters, among yurts, horses, and endless pastures.
This art tour is suitable for both professional artists and enthusiasts. What matters is not the level of experience, but the desire to create and draw inspiration from nature. Transfers are comfortable, the маршрут is logically planned, and the group is small, creating an intimate and creative atmosphere.
During the tour, you will познакомитесь with the culture and traditions of Kyrgyzstan: visit ethno-centers and museums, take part in felt-making workshops, observe nomadic life, and taste national cuisine. Accommodation includes both cozy hotels and authentic yurts on the shores of Song-Kul.
An art tour in Kyrgyzstan is an opportunity to slow down, disconnect from everyday routine, absorb the energy of the mountains, and create powerful artworks in one of the most beautiful regions of Central Asia.
Why Choose This Art Tour
- Daily plein air painting in the mountains and by lakes
- The finest landscapes of Issyk-Kul and Song-Kul
- Remote and rarely visited painting locations
- A tour специально designed for artists
- Comfortable transfers and well-planned logistics
- Ethnic culture, museums, and workshops
- A blend of creativity, travel, and отдых
Who This Art Tour Is For
This tour is ideal for:
- Artists and illustrators
- Painting and sketching enthusiasts
- Architects and designers
- Photographers and visual artists
- Anyone seeking a creative reset
Tour Details
- Season: July–August–September
Duration: 12 days
Main region: Northern Kyrgyzstan
Tour start/end: Bishkek
Program
Arrival in Bishkek. Airport meet & greet. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Afterwards: currency exchange and SIM card purchase.
Dinner at the Navat ethno-restaurant (à la carte).
In the evening: tour briefing at the hotel, program presentation, and meeting with the guide.
08:00 — Breakfast at the hotel
08:30 — Departure towards Lake Issyk-Kul
The route проходит through the Boom Gorge, the same passage used by the great explorer P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky, who entered the Issyk-Kul valley in 1856 and became the first European to reach the lake. We then continue along the southern shore with scenic landscapes against the blue waters of Issyk-Kul.
Photo stops at scenic viewpoints.
13:00 — Lunch en route at a café
More photo stops along the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.
Visit to the Salbuurun Ordo Ethno-Center, where you will immerse yourself in traditional Kyrgyz culture: eagle hunting, taigan hunting dogs, and traditional archery.
18:00 — Arrival in Kaji-Sai, hotel check-in (double occupancy)
Dinner at a café
08:00 — Breakfast at the hotel
08:30 — Short drive (20 min) to the Mars Valley — red-colored mountains set against the blue Issyk-Kul. A rarely visited area with unique landscapes.
Plein air painting in the Mars landscapes.
13:00 — Optional lunch at a nearby café (20 min drive)
14:00 — Continue painting Issyk-Kul nature around Kaji-Sai. After a short orientation, participants choose their own painting locations. Alternatively: plein air near the hotel.
18:00 — Free time. Optional beach time.
Optional visit to the Y. Shygaev Art Museum. Y. Shygaev was a renowned Kyrgyz graphic artist and painter, People’s Artist of Kyrgyzstan, State Prize laureate, and honorary foreign member of the Russian Academy of Arts. He is known for combining national Kyrgyz motifs and imagery from the Manas epic with modern abstract and figurative techniques.
19:30 — Optional dinner at Mandarin café (à la carte)
Overnight at the hotel
08:00 — Breakfast
08:30 — Departure towards Karakol
09:00 — Stop at Skazka (Fairy Tale) Valley — striking red rock formations shaped by erosion against the lake backdrop (popular tourist site; optional for artists).
Drive through Tamga village, known for the Soviet-era military sanatorium once visited by cosmonauts including Yuri Gagarin.
Visit Jety-Oguz Gorge — a classic Issyk-Kul mountain-forest valley. Plein air painting and landscape exploration. About 7–8 hours here including lunch.
14:00 — Picnic lunch in nature
15:00 — Continue painting the Northern Tien Shan landscapes
~17:00 — Departure to Karakol
~19:00 — Hotel check-in (3★)
~19:30 — Optional dinner (à la carte)
08:00 — Breakfast
08:30 — City tour of Karakol, a small town founded by Russian explorers and settlers in the late 19th century. Visit key historical landmarks.
12:30 — Lunch at an ethno-restaurant (à la carte)
13:30 — Drive to Turgen-Aksu Valley (~1 hour)
14:30 — Plein air painting in Turgen-Aksu (4–5 hours)
19:00 — Return to Karakol
20:00 — Optional dinner at Hotel 78 (à la carte)
Overnight at 3★ hotel
08:00 — Breakfast (included)
08:30 — Departure along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul
Scenic stops along the way.
Visit Grigorievskoe Gorge and Kyrchyn Valley with beautiful mountain landscapes.
13:00 — Lunch in Cholpon-Ata (à la carte)
14:30 — Hotel check-in (3★)
15:00 — Visit to the Nomadic Civilization Center — one of the best museum complexes in Central Asia.
17:00 — Transfer to the pier and boat trip on Lake Issyk-Kul (1 hour)
19:00 — Dinner at a restaurant (à la carte)
08:30 — Breakfast
09:00 — Departure to the Inner Tien Shan and high-mountain Lake Song-Kul
The road climbs higher into the mountains: alpine scenery, winding serpentines, yurts, and nomads.
13:00 — Lunch en route in Kochkor village in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt
14:00 — Visit to a felt handicraft shop
15:00 — Continue to Lake Song-Kul (3,016 m). Mountain passes, dramatic landscapes, and inspiring scenery along the way.
~18:00 — Arrival at yurt camp on the lakeshore
Accommodation in 2–3-person yurts (shared shower/toilet)
19:30 — Dinner in an authentic nomadic setting
08:30 — Breakfast
09:00 — Enjoy mountain scenery and plein air painting: mountains, yurts, horses, nomadic life. Optional horse rental. About 4 hours for painting.
13:00 — Optional lunch (à la carte)
14:00 — Drive to Naryn via the winding mountain road and Moldo-Ashu Pass (190 km). Spectacular landscapes throughout.
18:00 — Arrival in Naryn, guesthouse check-in
19:00 — Dinner at a café (à la carte)
20:30 — Return to guesthouse
08:30 — Breakfast
09:00 — Drive to a mountain panorama viewpoint above Naryn or to Char Valley. Creative session (about 3 hours). Optional picnic lunch in nature.
13:00 — Return to Naryn for lunch (à la carte) or picnic (decided on site)
14:30 — Trip to a waterfall or return to panorama site to continue painting
15:30 — Return to Naryn. Rest / free time
19:00 — Dinner at Ala-Too restaurant (à la carte)
08:00 — Breakfast
08:30 — Departure to Karatal-Japyryk Nature Reserve (75 km)
10:00 — Arrival in the reserve with pristine landscapes. Painting and nature immersion (about 4 hours including lunch).
13:00 — Picnic lunch
14:00 — Continue creative work
15:00 — Departure to Kochkor with photo stops
17:00 — Arrival in Kochkor, guesthouse check-in
18:00 — Shyrdak felt carpet show and felt-making мастер-class
19:00 — Dinner in an authentic atmosphere
08:30 — Breakfast
09:00 — Departure to Bishkek
Scenery of Orto-Tokoy Reservoir, Ak-Oleng rocky semi-desert, and Balykchy town along the way.
Lunch en route at a café (à la carte)
Visit to the Burana Tower historical-architectural complex (9th–11th c.)
Arrival in Bishkek
Dinner at Navat ethno-restaurant (à la carte)
Hotel check-in (3★)
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to the airport
See you again!
Price
1/2 DBL price
По запросу
Included / Excluded
- Airport meet & greet and transfers
- Accommodation: hotels / yurts, double occupancy
- Transportation: 15-passenger bus
- Picnic meals in nature
- Entrance fees
- Guide–tour organizer
- Folklore show
- Eagle hunting show
- Felt-making show
- Meals
- International flights
- Single room accommodation
- Boat trip on Lake Issyk-Kul
- Travel insurance
- Visa
