own dates.
Your own adventure.
Can't make the departure? We'll build it entirely around you — your dates, your crew, your pace.
Early departure for Charyn Canyon — Kazakhstan's most breathtaking natural wonder (4–6 hrs). Walk the Valley of Castles: a 2 km trail through towering red rock formations with a river flowing below. Continue to Saty Village for an overnight stay, experiencing local hospitality in a cozy guesthouse.
Drive to Kolsay Lake — one of Kazakhstan's most scenic lakes surrounded by lush forest and mountains. Enjoy a lakeshore walk or optional horseback riding. Continue to the Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border and cross into Kyrgyzstan. Drive to Karakol, a cultural hub at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. Arrive in time for an evening folk music show featuring traditional Kyrgyz instruments.
Visit the Dungan Mosque and the wooden Russian Orthodox Church in Karakol. Continue to the Jety-Oguz Valley with its famous "Seven Bulls" red rock formations. Drive along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake to Barskoon Valley for a short hike to scenic waterfalls at 2,500m. Visit the extraordinary Skazka Canyons — a fairytale landscape of sandstone formations.
Morning panoramic viewpoint over the Skazka Canyons, Issyk-Kul Lake, and snowcapped peaks all at once. Drive to Kyzyltuu village for a 30-minute yurt assembling demonstration — learning the Kyrgyz nomadic tradition of raising a home in minutes. Continue along the Kashgar–Bishkek road to Naryn for the night.
Depart early from Naryn toward Kol-Suu Lake — 160 km but 5–6 hours on rugged unpaved roads crossing three mountain passes, two above 3,000m, plus border checkpoints. Upon arrival, hike 4–5 km or ride horseback to the stunning glacial alpine lake near the Chinese border. Return to the yurt camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Early morning departure from Kol-Suu, drive back through Naryn and continue to Son-Kul Lake — a vast alpine lake at 3,016m ringed by rolling green hills and nomadic yurt camps. Arrive with free time to explore, ride horses, or simply absorb one of the most peaceful places in Central Asia.
Depart Son-Kul at a leisurely pace. Stop at Burana Tower — a 24-metre-high 10th-century minaret built by the first Central Asian empire to adopt Islam. Continue to Bishkek for a short city tour before drop-off at your hotel or the airport. We hope to welcome you again on another Crazy Puffin adventure!
