Each journey follows a different route through the Tien Shan mountains.
In Sary-Chelek, we ride through wildflower-filled alpine pastures and walnut forests, over remote mountain passes and alongside a chain of mountain lakes. Among the extraordinary profusion of flowers are many now familiar from European gardens, brought back by Victorian botanists during the Great Game. Much of the route follows narrow drovers’ paths, so the pace is mostly at a walk, with occasional opportunities to canter. The journey ends at our head guide’s jailoo (summer pasture), tucked into a valley beyond a remote plateau, where we watch a game of kok boru.
In the At-Bashi region, we ride through wide foothills and open grazing country beneath the eponymous mountain range, whose peaks rise to over 4,000 metres. We pass summer yurts and shepherds with their animals, and ride through villages of cob houses and smallholdings, amid the bustle of generations living together and lives dependent on the land. The riding is faster, with plenty of trotting and long canters over the open steppe. The journey ends at Tash Rabat, the fifteenth-century Silk Road caravanserai on the ancient road to China over the Torugart Pass.
Private departures of both journeys can also be arranged. Please contact us to discuss dates and availability.
The camps
Our private mobile camp moves ahead of us each day, allowing us to ride deep into the mountains without sacrificing comfort. Spacious British-made tents have padded camp beds, while a separate mess tent is laid with tables, Uzbek crockery, tablecloths and oil lamps. Each evening, hot water is provided for washing in a separate shower tent.
Three cooks travel with us, preparing generous meals from fresh ingredients, as well as homemade cakes. Evenings are spent over dinner by lamplight and around the campfire, bringing an unusual level of comfort to some of Kyrgyzstan’s most remote country.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a country of exceptional natural beauty, with immense mountain landscapes, clear rivers and lakes, and alpine pastures filled with wildflowers, including tulips, ranunculi and peonies.
Beyond the cities, village life remains remarkably bucolic, while in the mountains most families still follow a truly nomadic way of life, moving with their horses, sheep and cattle between seasonal pastures and living in yurts throughout the summer.
The people
The Kyrgyz are a gentle and hospitable people, with a strong sense of family and traditions closely tied to horses and the land. Encounters with shepherds and their families are an important part of every journey, offering a glimpse into a way of life that remains remarkably unchanged.
Alexandra has worked with the same Kyrgyz horsemen and their families for over twenty years. They guide our journeys, bringing an intimate knowledge of the mountains, the horses and their country.
Each journey is hosted either by Alexandra herself or by one of her two longstanding guides, Vasily Berezhnoy and Vadim Savin.
Vasily Berezhnoy
Born in Kyrgyzstan, Vasily is a professional photographer and highly experienced mountain guide. Fluent in English, he has spent over twenty years exploring the Tien Shan and has guided Alexandra’s journeys for the past five years. His exceptional knowledge of the landscape, wildlife and traditions, combined with a photographer’s eye, brings a particular perspective to every journey.
Vadim Savin
Born in Kyrgyzstan, Vadim has been guiding in the Tien Shan for over thirty years and has guided Alexandra’s journeys for the past five years. Fluent in English, he has also worked extensively with international film crews, including productions with Joanna Lumley and Steve Backshall. Calm and immensely experienced, he has an instinctive understanding of the terrain and weather and a deep knowledge of Kyrgyz culture.
Routes 2027
Sary-Chelek Journey
SOLD OUT: May 4th to 15th, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Alexandra Tolstoy
May 14th to 25th, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Vasily Berezhnoy
September 11th to 22nd, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Vadim Savin
At-Bashi Journey
May 7th to 18th, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Vadim Savin
September 9th to 20th, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Alexandra Tolstoy
September 22nd to October 3rd, 2027 – £7,935
accompanied by Vadim Savin