Colours of Kyrgyzstan

Arrive in Bishkek and check in to the Hotel Ambassador (or similar).

Transfer to Hotel Ambassador for a rest and breakfast. Explore the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where plazas and well-kept parks lead to triumphant monuments. Visit Ala-Too Square, with its statue of national hero, Manas, flanked by distinctly Soviet architecture. Continue to the Old Square, followed by Victory Square, which memorialises World War II. Finish the morning at Bishkek's Museum of Art. Later, visit Osh Bazaar, a market filled with Kyrgyz produce.

Journey by car to Lake Issyk-Kul's northern shore, arriving via Boom Gorge. Here you visit ancient petroglyphs adorning boulders near the resort town of Cholpon-Ata. These carvings date from as far back as 800 BC, and mostly depict deer, snow leopards and hunters. You also stop by the Ethnographical Museum. This afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat ride on Lake Issyk-Kul, one of the world's highest navigable lakes, with a salinity that means it never freezes even in subzero temperatures. Stay overnight at Baytur Resort & Spa (or similar).

Journey to Lake Issyk-Kul's northern shore, to take in the ancient petroglyphs adorning boulders near the resort town of Cholpon-Ata. These carvings date from as far back as 800 BC, and depict deer, snow leopards and hunters. Later stop by the Ethnographical Museum. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Issyk-Kul, one of the world's highest navigable lakes.

This morning, drive to the village of Tepke to visit a stud farm and its Kyrgyz horses. The farm also raises cows and sheep in this rustic corner of the Issyk-Kul region. After lunch here, return to Karakol for a visit of Dungan Mosque, with its colourful and distinctly Chinese architecture; and the 19th-century wood-built Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Begin with a journey by road along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, pausing en route at several beauty spots. Continue to the Djety-Oguz Gorge to admire its striking red rock formations, followed by Barskoon Gorge, walking to one of its famous waterfalls. Finally, transfer to your yurt camp near the quiet town of Tamga, for a folklore performance, dinner, and an overnight stay.

En route to Kochkor, stop at Fairytale Canyon for a thirty-minute walk amid its unusual red rock formations. Meet a local eagle hunter to learn about the ancient tradition of hunting with raptors, and to watch a demonstration using a pelt as bait. Then travel on to Kochkor, pausing in Kyzyl-Tuu, to meet a family that specializes in traditional yurt production.

After breakfast, visit a local artisan's workshop. In Kochkor workshop masters produce huge carpets, using their own unique machinery, fashioned partially from old tractor parts. Later, transfer on to Bishkek.

Visit the stunning Chunkurchak Gorge for a full morning among its breathtaking natural scenery; return to Bishkek in the afternoon.

Tour ends in Bishkek