Useful Information for Backpacking Kyrgyzstan

Fourteen: eight breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners. Breakfast comes with every night you stay, so you get one every morning from day two onwards.

The three dinners are the yurt camp nights on days three, four and seven, where the camp cooks for the group and there is nowhere else to eat anyway. The three lunches are the days out in the mountains, days four to six, including the home cooked meal with a local family. Every other meal is your own, which keeps the choice open and the cost down.

During your trip, you will experience a mix of accommodations. You will stay in comfortable hotels in cities like Bishkek and Karakol, and enjoy traditional yurt camping by Issyk-Kul Lake and in the Chon-Kemin Valley, offering a unique nomadic experience.

Awesome! Once you’ve booked, just let us know who you’re travelling with and we’ll make sure you’re roomed together. Easy as that!

It is best not to. Stick to bottled, boiled or filtered water, and do not drink from mountain streams without treating the water first, however clear they look. A reusable bottle with a filter is a good investment for this trip.

Hearty and meat-based, shaped by nomadic life: beshbarmak (noodles with meat), plov (rice with meat and carrots), laghman noodles, dumplings, kebabs and fresh round bread, usually with plenty of tea. Adventurous travellers can try kymyz, fermented mare's milk, at the yurt camps.

Vegetarian options are fine in Bishkek but more limited in the countryside, so tell us about any dietary needs when you book so the camps can prepare.

No, international flights to and from Kyrgyzstan are not included in the price of your tour. You will need to arrange these separately. Please remember that baggage allowances and check-in procedures vary by airline.

Manas International Airport (FRU), about 30 minutes by road north-west of Bishkek, for both your arrival and your flight home. Airport transfers are not included, so book a taxi through an app or at the official desk in the arrivals hall.

Day 1 is free until the welcome dinner in the evening, so you can land at any time that day. The trip ends after breakfast on day 9, and you can fly out any time that day.

Once you've booked your flights, log in to My Account on our website and enter your flight arrival details. That is how your group leader knows when you are landing.

Arriving before the tour starts, or staying on at the end? Let us know as early as you can so we can check availability and pricing on extra nights.

It depends on your passport. Many nationalities can visit Kyrgyzstan visa-free for short stays. For British citizens, the UK government's travel advice (checked September 2026) says you can stay up to 30 days without a visa in each 60-day period, and your passport needs at least six months' validity from the day you arrive.

Other nationalities may need an e-visa, so check before you book flights. See our Kyrgyzstan visa guide and the UK government’s entry requirements.

For group tours, your place is confirmed once enough travellers have booked, and always at least four weeks (28 days) before your tour starts. Most group tours are confirmed around six months before departure.

For volunteer or private bookings, please allow 2-3 working days.

If a tour does not run, you get a full refund.

Not at all! A small deposit will confirm your place on the tour. We ask that you please provide the remaining balance no less than 60 days before your tour begins.

Yes, as long as you give us at least 60 days' notice before your original departure date, so another traveller can take your place. A £30 administration fee applies to a date change.

Yes! After placing your deposit, you can pay off the tour in instalments of your choosing, whenever suits you. The remaining balance is due 60 days before your tour starts, and you can see it at any time in your account.

Layers are the key. Days can be hot and sunny, but nights at the yurt camps get cold, even in summer, so bring a warm fleece or down jacket, a hat and a waterproof. Sturdy walking shoes, long trousers for horse riding, swimwear for the hot springs, a head torch, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen for the mountain sun complete the list.

Pack light and keep it in a soft bag or backpack if you can, as it travels by van along some bumpy roads.

Kyrgyzstan uses round two-pin sockets (Types C and F), the same as most of mainland Europe, on 220 volts. UK, US and Australian travellers need a plug adapter.

Charging points can be limited at yurt camps, so bring a power bank.

This trip to Kyrgyzstan offers several memorable highlights. You will experience staying in traditional yurt camps, enjoy horseback riding through stunning landscapes, and explore the unique rock formations of Skazka (Fairytale) Canyon. Other draws include a golden eagle demonstration and a hands-on yurt-building experience.

All local transport during your trip is included and will be by private van or bus. This ensures comfortable and efficient travel between destinations as you explore Kyrgyzstan's landscapes.

This trip includes a full itinerary of activities designed to immerse you in Kyrgyzstan's culture and nature. There are no additional optional activities offered, ensuring you experience all the main highlights as part of your tour.

The trip starts and finishes in Bishkek.