At-Bashi Journey
A typical itinerary for our At-Bashi route, adapted as needed to weather and local conditions.
Example inbound flight: From London Heathrow with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, overnight to Bishkek.
Example outbound flight: From Bishkek to London Heathrow via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.
Arrive in Bishkek and transfer to the Asia Mountains Hotel. After time to rest or swim, enjoy lunch in the garden before a private guided tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, with its remarkable collection of Kyrgyz felt rugs, textiles and objects from nomadic life. Dinner in a local restaurant within walking distance of the hotel.
Drive south into the Naryn Region, stopping for lunch in Kochkorka with Fatima, who comes from a dynasty of felt makers. Continue to our first camp in a valley amongst pine-covered mountains. Dinner by oil lamp, followed by home-baked cakes and a campfire beneath the Milky Way.
Ride into the Selkinchek mountains, climbing towards the Kyndy Pass at 3,400m. Depending on the season, we pass summer yurts and herds grazing on the high pastures, with the possibility of being invited in for kumiss. Cross the pass for a picnic lunch in a remote valley before looping back to camp.
Descend through farmland and grazing herds towards the isolated village of Ozgorush before continuing to camp in the Zhol-Bogoshtu Gorge. In the early evening there is the opportunity to return to the village, with its cob houses, enormous haystacks, Taigan dogs and children playing chükö in the road. Tourism has barely touched this part of Kyrgyzstan.
Ride through the foothills of the At Bashi range, passing shepherds and the enormous hillside graveyards characteristic of rural Kyrgyzstan. Camp at the foot of a gorge beside a glacial river, cold enough for a bracing dip and used to chill our drinks before dinner.
Follow rocky mountain paths up the gorge to Shaar Waterfall, the deepest-drop waterfall in Central Asia. After a picnic lunch, the pace changes for the final 20km, with long canters across open foothills and through sea buckthorn, passing an 18th-century mosque before reaching camp outside Zhanyguch.
Begin at Koshoy Korgon, the remains of a great medieval mud-brick fortress that once guarded the Silk Road. Ride through the fortress before cantering across foothills and villages towards Pogranichnik. Camp beneath an extraordinary graveyard of mud-brick mausoleums, with magnificent views of the At Bashi mountains.
Cross immense open steppe with plenty of ground for long canters before entering a narrow rocky gorge. Follow the Kara-Koyun River past Tash Rabat, the remarkable stone Silk Road caravanserai, and continue higher into the mountains to camp near a yak farmer.
Drive back to Bishkek, stopping in Kochkorka for lunch in a private home. Arrive at the Asia Mountains Hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Visit Osh Bazaar for horse equipment, felt, kurut, nuts and mountain honey, followed by lunch at Faiza. In the afternoon explore Bishkek’s Soviet architecture and mosaics, where traditional Kyrgyz motifs appear within the city’s Soviet aesthetic. Dinner at a Georgian restaurant.
Transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
Routes 2026
Journeys run for around 11 nights, with slight variations between routes.
Prices are based on a minimum of eight guests. Single Supplement is GBP 800.
Read below for more details.
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
Rates
Rates include:
11 nights’ accommodation based on two people sharing a twin/double room and tent (three nights in a hotel, seven nights camping), all riding, guiding services and equipment, all meals within itinerary and tea, coffee and local beer with meals, group transfers within itinerary and airport transfers on first and last day at set times.
Rates do not include:
International flights/travel to Kyrgyzstan, taxes, visa fees, personal medical/travel insurance (which you must have), wine, spirits and additional non-included drinks, personal items at hotels (e.g. telephone calls, laundry, etc) and any tips you may wish to leave.
Single supplement:
Please note that if you book alone, you will need to pay the supplement for a single room/tent. This will be charged on all single bookings unless you have arranged a sharer.
Private rides and other dates available on request for groups between May and September.
More Information
Travel arrangements:
The meeting point for the Alexandra Tolstoy horse riding holiday is Bishkek airport. Arrival can be at any time on Day 1 and departure at any time on Day 11 as the first and last nights are spent in Bishkek. In most cases, the best option is to fly via Istanbul with Turkish Airways. Flights from London start from approximately £700 economy return plus taxes depending on time of year and availability. Our booking agent, The Ultimate Travel Company, is happy to advise on flights.
General visa and health information:
Please note that this is a brief outline; further information will be sent to you once your booking has been confirmed.
Visas:
Visas are not required for British and other European Union member passport holders visiting Kyrgyzstan for a stay of 60 days or less.
Health:
No inoculations are legally required to enter Kyrgyzstan if travelling from Europe, but tetanus is recommended for most travellers. You should always consult a health professional for further and more detailed personal medical advice.
For more information please read our FAQs.
Journeys in Kyrgyzstan by Alexandra Tolstoy