Day 1
Arrival in Almaty
Airport pick-up and transfer to the hotel. If you have the energy in the evening, the cable car goes up Kok-Tobe hill for a view over the city and the mountains behind it.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan in 18 Days
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Eighteen days from Almaty to Tashkent: Charyn and the Kolsai lakes, Karakol and Song-Kul, then Samarkand and Bukhara by fast train.
Eighteen days across three countries. The first eleven are in the mountains: Almaty, Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai lakes in Kazakhstan, then over the border by road to Karakol, the hot springs of Altyn-Arashan and a night in a yurt on Song-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
From Bishkek a short flight takes you to Tashkent, and the Afrosiyob fast train does the rest: two nights in Samarkand, two in Bukhara, and back to Tashkent for your flight home.
Most days have a few hours of driving at most. The longest are the drive to Song-Kul and the road down to Bishkek, both around six hours with stops.
Highlights
- Three countries in one trip, with only one internal flight
- Two nights in yurt camps, one of them on Song-Kul at 3,016 metres
- Samarkand and Bukhara by Afrosiyob fast train
- Private trip: only your group, with a local guide in each country
Itinerary
Day 2
Almaty and the mountains above it
Morning in the centre: Panfilov Park, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral from 1907 and the Green Bazaar, where you can taste before you buy.
In the afternoon, up to the Medeu ice rink at 1,691 metres and the Shymbulak cable car towards Talgar Pass at about 3,200 metres. Back in Almaty for the night.
Day 3
Charyn Canyon, then Saty
About three hours east to Charyn Canyon. A walk down through the Valley of Castles to the Charyn river and back, about 3 km each way.
Then two more hours to Saty, a village at the foot of the Kolsai lakes. Dinner and the night in a family guesthouse.
Day 4
Kaindy and Kolsai lakes
Kaindy first, while it is quiet. The lake formed after the 1911 earthquake flooded a spruce forest, and the trunks still stand in the water. The last stretch of road is done by 4×4.
In the afternoon, a walk along the first Kolsai lake at 1,818 metres. Second night in Saty.
Day 5
Across the border to Karakol
Over the border at Karkara and on to Karakol, about four hours with the crossing. Your Kyrgyz guide meets you on the other side.
In the afternoon, the Dungan mosque, built from wood without nails, the wooden Holy Trinity cathedral and the bazaar. Night in Karakol.
Day 6
Up to Altyn-Arashan
A rough 4×4 track up the valley to the hot springs of Altyn-Arashan at about 2,500 metres. The afternoon is free for the springs and short walks. Night in a mountain guesthouse.
Day 7
A free day in the valley
Walk or ride up towards the Ala-Kul lake for as long as you like and turn back when you want, or stay at the springs. Horses can be arranged locally. Second night at Altyn-Arashan.
Day 8
The south shore of Issyk-Kul
Down to Karakol and along the south shore of Issyk-Kul: the red cliffs of Jeti-Oguz and the eroded clay formations of Skazka canyon.
In the evening, near Bokonbayevo, a local eagle hunter shows his bird. Night in a yurt camp by the lake.
Day 9
Song-Kul
Through Kochkor and over the pass to Song-Kul, a lake on open pasture at 3,016 metres. About six hours on the road. Night in a yurt camp; nights are cold even in July.
Day 10
Down to Bishkek
A slow morning at the lake, then about six hours to Bishkek, with a stop at the Burana tower, an 11th-century minaret in the Chuy valley.
Day 11
Ala-Archa and Osh Bazaar
A morning walk in Ala-Archa National Park, about 40 minutes from the city. In the afternoon, Osh Bazaar, the biggest market in Bishkek.
Day 12
Flight to Tashkent
A flight of about an hour and a half to Tashkent. In the afternoon, Chorsu bazaar and a few stations of the Tashkent metro, which are worth seeing for the interiors. Night in Tashkent.
Day 13
Train to Samarkand
The morning Afrosiyob train to Samarkand, a little over two hours. The Registan in the afternoon and again after dark, when it is lit. Gur-e-Amir, where Timur is buried, is a short walk away.
Day 14
Samarkand
The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis in the morning, then the Bibi-Khanym mosque and the Siyob bazaar next door. Second night in Samarkand.
Day 15
Train to Bukhara
About an hour and a half by train to Bukhara. An evening walk around Lyabi-Hauz, the pool square in the old centre.
Day 16
Bukhara
The Kalyan minaret and mosque, the Ark fortress, the covered trading domes and the four towers of Chor Minor. Second night in Bukhara.
Day 17
Back to Tashkent
The train back to Tashkent, about four hours. A last evening in the city.
Day 18
Departure
Transfer to Tashkent airport at the time that suits your flight.
Want to change a day? The guide adapts the pace and stops to your group.Ask the guide →
What’s included
Included
- Private transport with a driver for the whole route
- English-speaking guides in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
- 4×4 on mountain tracks (Kaindy, Altyn-Arashan)
- Help at the Karkara border crossing
- Afrosiyob train tickets Tashkent–Samarkand–Bukhara–Tashkent
- Accommodation: 3–4★ hotels in cities, guesthouses in Saty and Altyn-Arashan, yurt camps on Issyk-Kul and Song-Kul
- Breakfast every day, full board in the yurt camps
- Park fees and entrance tickets on the programme
- Medeu and Shymbulak cable car
Paid separately
- International flights
- The Bishkek–Tashkent flight (we book it for you)
- Lunches and dinners in towns
- Visas, if your passport needs them
- Horses at Altyn-Arashan
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour starts — full refund. After that — according to the operator’s rules.
Reviews
Questions & answers
Have a question about this tour? Ask us — a local planner will answer in the chat.
Practical info
Good to know
- Meeting place
- You choose the meeting point: an address, hotel or airport in Almaty, arranged at booking
- Suitable for
- Travellers with close to three weeks · Families with children from 8 years · People who like both mountains and old cities
- Not suitable for
- Travellers who need a private bathroom every night · People who should avoid altitude above 3,000 metres
What to bring
- Identity card or passport
- Trekking shoes with good tread
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+), sunglasses, and a hat
- A warm jacket or fleece — it is cool in the mountains even in summer
- A light raincoat or membrane jacket in case of mountain rain
- A water bottle (refill in villages and hotels) and a light snack for the road
Safety notes
Please follow the guide's instructions, check the weather forecast before departure, and bring appropriate clothing and footwear.
Tour season: May 1 – October 30 (Season: May 1 – October 30 (mountain roads closed in winter))
Not sure? Ask a local expertDates, a different hotel, a child seat, another day order — we’ll reply within 2 hours.