Horse riding adventures in the protected areas of Chatkal. VIP tour
From Sary-Chelek Lake to the Padysha-Ata Nature Reserve
Kyrgyzstan — the legacy of nomads! The nomadic peoples of Central Asia have long used horses as an integral part of their lives: for transportation through the Tien Shan mountain ranges, in everyday life and in the economy. Today, horses continue to play an important role in the lives of local residents. They serve not only as a source of meat and kumiss, but are also actively used in national games, horse racing, agriculture and for transporting goods. In the Western Tien Shan, horses have also become a popular means of transport for tourist trips through untouched corners of mountain nature.
Features of horse riding trips
Equestrian routes require special attention from tourists. Beginners who first sit in the saddle often focus on maintaining balance and controlling the horse, forgetting about the beauty of the surrounding nature. However, experienced riders who feel confident in the saddle can fully enjoy the new sensations and majestic landscapes.
Before the start of the route, guides and grooms conduct mandatory instructions, where tourists are introduced to the basics of horse control and the rules of safe behavior in the saddle. This allows each participant to feel more confident during the trip.
Route and attractions
The route passes through picturesque places of the UNESCO biosphere territory: the Sary-Chelek and Padysha-Ata reserves, the Aflatun gorge, the Kyzyl-Dzhar savannah and other unique natural sites. The views in the Aflatun gorge and on Lake Sary-Chelek are especially impressive – these are ideal locations for unforgettable impressions in the wild.
The daily length of horseback riding routes ranges from 6 to 10 kilometers, which allows you to comfortably combine active travel with the opportunity to contemplate the magnificent landscapes of Kyrgyzstan.
Conditions and comfort
After daily horseback riding adventures, you can relax in tent camps set up along the route in different gorges or in guest camps, yurt camps.
Tour duration 10 days \ 9 nights
Daytime horse riding: 10-15 km
Your journey will be accompanied by our transport and a cook at all field camps
Meeting at the airport. Accommodation at the hotel. Introduction to the program. Dinner at an ethno restaurant. For those who arrived on an early flight, a sightseeing tour of Osh will be organized.
Early departure from the hotel. On the way, you will visit the architectural and historical complex of the ancient capital of the Karakhanid 9th-10th centuries in the city of Uzgen. The route of the trip runs along the Fergana length. On the way, the major cities of Jalal-Abad, Tash-Kumyr. Lunch at a local teahouse. Visit to the savannah. After 6 hours, we will arrive in the village of Arkit, where we will stay in a guest house on the outskirts of the reserve.
On this day, the riders should get used to the saddle and the horse, and the horse to the riders. Therefore, accompanied by local instructors, you will take a horse test ride in the vicinity of the reserve. After lunch, an excursion to the famous lake Sary-Chelek. Dinner with national dishes. Night in a guest house.
On this day, you will make a long transition along an unforgettable route with magnificent panoramas of lakes and mountain ranges. The transition will take the whole day. Those who are tired of sitting in the saddle can make a hike, or go to our car.
In the morning, you will go up the Aflatun gorge. The route goes up the Aflatun valley to the confluence of the left tributary of the Bachik-Suu. The route runs through picturesque forest gorges. Having reached the pass, from where a panorama of the Köchkil River valley opens up, the route descends into the Aflatun Valley, where you can organize a field overnight stay.
The route through the Chal-Kandy Pass (2719 m) with magnificent panoramas. Then descent into the Utur Valley. The Utur Valley is the right tributary of the Aflatun River. Then descent to the confluence of the Utur and Aflatun Rivers. Overnight in a field camp.
In the morning, trek from the Aflatun Valley to the It-Agar River Valley. Along the way, magnificent landscapes and untouched nature of Chatkal. Monumental peaks and various forms of geoheritage. Shepherds' camps along the way. Stops for photography. Overnight in the river valley.
The trek from It-Agar to the Padysha-Ata Valley, about 10 km long, will take the whole day.
Overnight in a guest house in the Padysha-Ata Valley. National dishes for dinner.
You don’t need to get up early on this day. You will take a walking tour of one of the most beautiful nature reserves of the Chatkal Range. After lunch, departure to Osh.
Transfer to the airport
Tours to Kyrgyzstan
On request
6 days
Tours to Kyrgyzstan
On request
7 days
Tours to Kyrgyzstan
On request
6 days
Tours to Kyrgyzstan
On request
6 days
Tours to Kyrgyzstan
On request
14 days