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Trips

Our adventure journeys take place in one of the world’s last great wildernesses, riding on local horses through Kyrgyzstan’s extraordinary Tien Shan (‘Heavenly’) Mountains.

Each 10-day journey is personally curated by Alexandra Tolstoy, taking in the finest landscapes of Sary Chelek, a remote ‘Garden of Eden’ located a 10-hour drive south-west of the capital, Bishkek.

Here, we ride through alpine meadows carpeted with vibrant wildflowers, past seven pristine lakes, through fruit orchards and walnut forests, and over dramatic mountain passes. We enjoy unparalleled access to the local nomadic community, which still lives much as it would have done for the last hundred years.

Alexandra’s personal itineraries

Alexandra Tolstoy has personally curated these horse riding holidays following many years spent exploring the region. Sary Chelek is the spot she loves most from her extensive travels, an area suited to those with an adventurous spirit who enjoy going off the beaten track and witnessing a community virtually untouched by the modern age.

An extraordinary country...

Kyrgyzstan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is a Central Asian state bordering China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Settled by nomadic Kyrgyz tribes from southern Siberia in the 17th century, the area was ruled by various regional powers before coming under Russian and then Soviet rule, until it became independent in 1991.

...And an extraordinary people

The majority of its six million people are Turkic-speaking and nominally Muslim, with a significant Russian minority population living harmoniously in the capital, Bishkek. Many of the Kyrgyz are semi-nomadic, spending their summers in yurts high in the jailoo (alpine pastures) with their numerous sheep and horses.

Alexandra’s trips support Uplift Aufwind, an important local NGO which empowers families with the skills and resources to look after children with disabilities at home, instead of sending them to state institutions where conditions are very poor. You can find out more here.

Alexandra Tolstoy Travel Sary Chelek Kyrgyzstan horse riding

Itinerary

Our trips are guided by highly-skilled and knowledgeable locals whom we have worked with for years, and the few people we encounter on our journey are local shepherds and their families who offer a warm welcome to visitors.

Travel with Alexandra Tolstoy

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