Song-Köl Lake 3-Day Horse Trek & Yurt Stay

Overview

This is the quintessential Kyrgyz experience, run by the herding families who spend every summer on the Song-Köl jailoo. You leave Bishkek, drive through Kochkor into the mountains, and swap the vehicle for a sure-footed local horse to climb over a pass and drop down to Song-Köl — a vast lake at around 3,016 metres with no road, no wifi and no crowds. Two nights are spent in traditional felt yurts, eating what the family cooks and waking to horses grazing at the water's edge. We keep the groups small, use guides we know personally, and handle every detail from the park fees to the sleeping bags, so all you carry is a day pack. No riding experience is needed — the horses are calm and a guide leads throughout.

Highlights

• ✦Ride to Song-Köl Lake at around 3,016 m over a Tian Shan pass
• ✦Two nights in an authentic herder's yurt on the summer jailoo
• ✦Home-cooked nomad meals and fresh kymyz with a local family
• ✦Sunrise and stargazing over a lake with no light for a hundred miles
• ✦Calm mountain horses — no riding experience required
• ✦Small groups and hotel pickup in Bishkek

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1
   Day 1 — Bishkek to Song-Köl

   Morning drive from Bishkek through Kochkor to the trailhead (about 5–6 hours). Meet your horses and ride up over the pass to the lakeshore, arriving at the yurt camp in time for dinner and sunset.

2. 2
   Day 2 — A full day at the lake

   A relaxed day riding the shoreline and surrounding pastures, visiting herders, and learning about jailoo life. All meals at the yurt camp; evening around the stove.

3. 3
   Day 3 — Ride out and return

   Morning ride back over the pass to the vehicle, then the drive to Bishkek (arriving late afternoon/evening).

Meeting point

📍 Bishkek — hotel pickup included

Frequently asked questions

How long is this experience?

3 days

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes — you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts.

Where does it start?

Bishkek — hotel pickup included

What's included?

Vetted English- and Russian-speaking local guide · All transport from Bishkek in a private vehicle · Accommodation as per the itinerary · All meals on the trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner) · National-park and conservation fees