King of Nuts

Itinerary name:  King of Nuts
Day-by-day program: 

Day 1: Bishkek – Burana – Kochkor – Son Kul
Your tour guide will meet you at the Manas airport. Straight from the airport we will start driving to the lake of Son-Kul. Son-Kul is the second largest and the most pristine lake in the country. It sits at the altitude of 3013 m. The lake is surrounded by pasture lands that are used by locals to breed their cattle. They set up yurt in the beginning of the summer and stay there till late september. On our way to the final destination we will have a stop at the Burana Tower, near the town of Tokmok. The tower dates back to the 11th century and was built by Karakhanids in the capital city of their state, namely, Balasagun. The city had a great significance not just as a capital city but as one of the most important cities along the route of the Great Silk Road. We will also go to the museum right next to the tower after which we continue our way. The next stop will be at the village of Kochkor. There we will meet a family that makes felt carpets using ancient production techniques. These carpets are very popular in the country and beyond it. You will have an opportunity to participate in the production process. You will end up having a small piece of carpet made by you. Afterwards we continue our way. We will drive through the beautiful mountain pass and finally reach the lake. The night will be in the yurts.

Day 2: Son Kul – Kazarman
The final destination of the day is the village of Kazarman. The territory of the country is constituted by mountains to more than 90% making it impossible to have a trip without beautiful sceneries of rugged mountains. The country is very well suited for nature lovers. Today’s trip will be going through a beautiful mountain pass. We will have several stops for photos. The night will be in a homestay in Kazarman.

Day 3: Kazarman – Osh
Early in the morning we will start driving to the  ‘southern capital’ of the country, namely, the city of Osh. Our way to the city will be full of gorgeous views. We will have a stop at the town of Uzgen to see the architectural site. The town is famous for the Uzgen tower which is roughly as old as the Burana tower for it was built by the same Karakhanids. It stands alongside the mausoleums built as burial chambers for the rulers of the Karakhanid State. Afterwards, we continue our way till the city of Osh. The night is in a hotel.

Day 4: Osh – Arslanbob
In the morning we will go for a walk and visit Sulaiman Too, the mountain that the city is most famous for. The city itself is one of the oldest ones in the region. It is around 3000 years old. There are a lot of legends about the city and about the mountain of Sulaiman that stands right in the center of the city. According to one of them, biblical prophet Solomon was buried at the foothill of the mountain. Therefore, the mountain has turned into a place of pilgrimage for muslims. After lunch we will head to the one of the most unique and beautiful places on earth, namely, the largest walnut forest in the world. The forest yields around 1500 tons of walnuts a year. The night will be a homestay.

Day 5: Arslanbob
The land filled with walnut and fruit trees that covers 11 000 hectares is perfect for having rest and leaving behind all the worries of everyday life. The valley is home to around 15000 people. You will get to communicate with locals. Within an easy walking distance there is a small waterfall that we can go to. The night will be in the same homestay.

Day 6: Arslanbob – Bishkek
After breakfast we will be heading to the capital city of Bishkek. We will be driving along the highway that connects south and north of the country and is considered to be one of the most beautiful roads to take in the country. The road goes through several picturesque mountain passes. The panoramic view that you will see on the top of the Too-Ashu will certainly amaze you. You will see Suusamyr valley to the south of it, and rugged mountain gorges of Kyrgyz Ala-Too to the north. The night will be in a hotel.

Day 7: Bishkek
This day will fully be devoted to exploring the city. You will have a guided tour of the city which includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, the National Arts Museum, National Philharmonic, and many other places of interest. But no tour of Bishkek is complete without visiting our Asian Bazaar! We will show it to you today and you will be able to take a lot of dynamic photos of bustling local life. This bazaar is a noisy and colorful tapestry of fabrics, produce, and people selling and buying goods. You will spend the night in the same hotel.

Day 8: Bishkek – Airport
Transfer to the airport of Manas will be in the morning.