Meeting the nomadic peoples of Kyrgyzstan

Walking tour of the capital Bishkek and the Grand Bazaar Osh. Lunch and dinner at a restaurant.

A stop on the road to Lake Issyk-Kul for a hike in the magnificent Konorchek Canyon, with its incredible colors. Hike up the canyon to reach a plateau with extraordinary colors and striking geology. Pass through a small, amazing "cave" to get around a narrow section of the canyon.

Hike in 2 parts:

1. Part 1: Discover the magnificent Ak Say canyon and its thousands of ravines stretching as far as the eye can see. An absolutely surreal landscape. Swimming is possible in the second largest mountain lake in the world after Lake Titicaca: Issyk-Kul.
2. Part 2: After a very short transfer by minibus, you'll cross the Red Mountain, which offers incredible panoramic views of the entire Issyk-Kul lake. You'll walk through a world of sublime color contrasts: the ochre of the rocks, the intense blue of the lake, the green of the cultivated fields, and the white of the glaciers. We'll also visit the Buddhist petroglyphs of Ak Say.

Transfer then by minibus to the yurt camp at the renowned Son Kul lake. Sunset over the lake.

The hike begins at the yurt camp on the shores of Son Kul Lake, heading towards the Tuz Ashuu Pass, which reaches an altitude of 3,300 meters. The closer we get to the pass, the more magnificent the views of the lake become. We then realize the sheer size of the lake and the vast steppes that surround it. After crossing the pass, another landscape unfolds before us, with mountains stretching as far as the eye can see, all the way to the village of Kizart, where a delicious meal awaits us with a local family. In the afternoon, we transfer by minibus to the Suusamyir Valley.

The first leg of our 4-day trek will take us to the other side of the Suusamyir Valley. This first leg is a horseback ride through steppe landscapes straight out of our wildest dreams: endless grasslands amidst snow-capped mountains where hundreds of sheep, horses, and cows graze. We occasionally pass a yurt with a nomadic family. Our trek ends with a nomadic family who warmly welcome us into their yurt. Moments of profound humanity.

Departure from the yurt for a day across the magnificent steppes of the Suusamyir Valley. We'll set up camp in a small alpine valley at the foot of Edipamasyeti (3500m). Those feeling adventurous can make a round trip ascent of the mountain in the afternoon, starting from the campsite.

We'll ascend an alpine pass at 3,550 meters to reach the Cirque de la Panthère des Neiges (Cirque of the Snow Leopard), named by locals because they've seen this iconic Kyrgyz animal there several times. Will we be so lucky? In any case, it's a magnificent day as we leave the steppes behind and climb towards glaciers and more alpine peaks, before descending back to the yurt camp at Ters. A true immersion in the wild mountains of Central Asia. We guarantee we won't meet any other hikers!

For the more adventurous, we can hike to Boru Korboz Lake (14km, 850m elevation gain/loss) and back at sunrise. Then we descend to the Toktogul road where our minibus will pick us up. We'll then transfer to Bishkek and enjoy a final meal together in Bishkek.

Transfer by minibus to Bishkek airport and return flight to Istanbul then Paris.