Nomad’s Land · Since 2004
Central Asia.Come closer.
Private journeys and shared adventures along the Silk Roads, shaped by our Bishkek team. Kyrgyzstan is our home ground.
Winter, beyond the usual
Stanislas Stepanov / Winter Tourism Library owned by the Swiss Government
Life along the Silk Roads
Your journey takes shape
Choose a route. Picture a day and a night, then tell us what you would change.
Mountains and cities
Tien-Shan walks and horse days, then Uzbekistan’s caravan cities. One journey with two distinct rhythms.
A traveller with a horse near Song Kul; the route includes walking and riding.
Ruslan’s yurt camp, Song Kul. Regional example; camps and sleeping arrangements are agreed in your quotation.
Mountain activity and city visits share a route. Allow time for the connections between them.
Practical details
How the days connect
- Bishkek and Chong Kemin → walk to Kel Kogur.
- Issyk Kul → Song Kul → Kyzyl Oy, Toktogul and Osh.
- Kokand and Tashkent → Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand → Tashkent.
Walking and riding days sit between road and rail connections. Discuss the six-hour Kel Kogur walking stage, horse experience and overnight changes together; shortening a walk does not shorten every transfer.
What your nights feel like
Family hospitality, tent camping, yurt camps and city hotels give this journey several kinds of night. Ask about bedding, shared facilities and camping arrangements before agreeing the route.
The route is a starting point
Discuss dates, party size, guiding, connections and the stays you would prefer. The quotation sets out the agreed arrangements and inclusions; an enquiry does not confirm availability.
Uzbekistan’s caravan cities
Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent: city walks, living crafts and time on the road and railway.
A Bukhara street, between monuments, bazaars and courtyards.
Malika Prime, Samarkand. Regional hotel example; hotels and room arrangements are agreed in your quotation.
Four cities, hotel nights and craft visits. Longer road days and the train are part of the rhythm.
Practical details
How the days connect
- Days 1–2: Urgench → Khiva → Bukhara; the published desert crossing takes about six hours.
- Days 3–4: Bukhara → Gijduvan ceramics → Samarkand.
- Days 5–7: Samarkand → train to Tashkent → city visits and departure.
City walks are punctuated by a roughly six-hour desert crossing and a train connection. Keep those travel days in view when discussing extra visits or a slower pace.
What your nights feel like
The route specifies hotel nights in the cities. Agree the actual hotels, room sharing, bathroom arrangements and heating or cooling needs with the team.
The route is a starting point
Dates, party size, selected hotels, guiding and requested changes shape the quotation. Review its inclusions with the team before booking; publication alone does not confirm availability.
Kyrgyzstan’s mountain pastures
Issyk Kul, Song Kul and Tash Rabat. Walk or ride into the high country, with yurt nights and road connections.
Walkers near Chatyr Kul, from the programme gallery. Discuss walking and horse alternatives with the team.
Ruslan’s yurt camp, Song Kul. Regional example; your camp and sleeping arrangements are agreed in the quotation.
High passes and yurt nights need preparation. Discuss altitude, cold nights and your experience with the team.
Practical details
How the days connect
- Issyk Kul: lake-shore time, walking options and yurt nights.
- Song Kul: cultural stops on the way to the high pastures.
- Tash Rabat and Chatyr Kul: high-country stages, followed by the road journey back.
High-country stages include walking or horse travel and a pass above 4,100 metres. Discuss experience, altitude, route conditions and alternatives together rather than treating riding as an easier default.
What your nights feel like
Yurt camps at Issyk Kul, Song Kul and Tash Rabat are part of the published route. Ask about shared sleeping space, bedding, washing facilities and cold nights, as well as the other stays on transfer days.
The route is a starting point
Discuss the active days you want, your experience, dates, party size and overnight needs. Agree guiding, transfers, stays and inclusions in the quotation before booking.
Before you go
Follow the Silk Roads
Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kazakhstan
Winter journeys need room to adapt: snow and access can change the route. Start with the country guides, then discuss the details with our team.
Timing and practical questions
What does your month change?
Choose a month to explore the conditions. The team checks routes and stays for your dates.
No dates yet? Start with the journey; timing can follow.
January
January: plan around cold and daylight.
Winter is a separate Kyrgyzstan journey: snow activities, short days and road buffers. Confirm heated stays; high summer camps are not a default. Uzbekistan city visits also need cold-night planning. Discuss connections rather than compressing both countries.
February
February: keep a winter route’s flexibility.
Winter is a separate Kyrgyzstan journey: snow activities, short days and road buffers. Confirm heated stays; high summer camps are not a default. Uzbekistan city visits also need cold-night planning. Discuss connections rather than compressing both countries.
March
March: lower spring routes and winter mountains coexist.
Spring favours lower valleys and Uzbekistan’s city walks. Snowmelt can still limit high roads and passes; warm arrivals do not mean Song Kul camps are ready. Choose lower stays and leave time for country connections.
April
April: city walks need different timing from high pastures.
Spring favours lower valleys and Uzbekistan’s city walks. Snowmelt can still limit high roads and passes; warm arrivals do not mean Song Kul camps are ready. Choose lower stays and leave time for country connections.
May
May: green valleys do not promise open high camps.
Spring favours lower valleys and Uzbekistan’s city walks. Snowmelt can still limit high roads and passes; warm arrivals do not mean Song Kul camps are ready. Choose lower stays and leave time for country connections.
June
June: late-month access must be checked place by place.
Summer opens the high-country conversation: walks, horses and yurt stays depend on each route’s access and camp readiness. Nights at altitude remain cold. In Uzbekistan, protect midday from heat and allow substantial transfer time.
July
July: allow mountain nights and city shade their own rhythm.
Summer opens the high-country conversation: walks, horses and yurt stays depend on each route’s access and camp readiness. Nights at altitude remain cold. In Uzbekistan, protect midday from heat and allow substantial transfer time.
August
August: reliable high-season access also attracts more people.
Summer opens the high-country conversation: walks, horses and yurt stays depend on each route’s access and camp readiness. Nights at altitude remain cold. In Uzbekistan, protect midday from heat and allow substantial transfer time.
September
September: discuss cooler high nights and the camp calendar.
Autumn shifts the balance toward city walks and lower routes. High passes, cold nights and camp closures need a route-specific check. Ask which stays remain open, and protect time for border or train connections rather than adding another stop.
October
October: lower routes outlast classic high-country loops.
Autumn shifts the balance toward city walks and lower routes. High passes, cold nights and camp closures need a route-specific check. Ask which stays remain open, and protect time for border or train connections rather than adding another stop.
November
November: choose a specific route, not a summer itinerary by default.
Autumn shifts the balance toward city walks and lower routes. High passes, cold nights and camp closures need a route-specific check. Ask which stays remain open, and protect time for border or train connections rather than adding another stop.
December
December: ask what a winter night actually involves.
Winter is a separate Kyrgyzstan journey: snow activities, short days and road buffers. Confirm heated stays; high summer camps are not a default. Uzbekistan city visits also need cold-night planning. Discuss connections rather than compressing both countries.
When are the high pastures ready?
Check the particular roads and camps, not just the month. Late June to September is a planning window for Song Kul; altitude can change the answer.
Effort or comfort: what can change?
Discuss walking and riding days separately from sleep. A shorter active day does not make a yurt a hotel. Ask about bedding, washing facilities and transfer alternatives.
Two countries without rushing?
Give road, rail and border connections their own time. The combined published programme takes sixteen days; discuss priorities before compressing mountain and city stages.
Ways to travel
Choose the arrangement
Private journeys
Existing private programme
Start with a published itinerary and discuss changes. Your party travels privately.
Private journeys
Tailor-made private journey
Bring your interests and dates. Shape a private route with our team.
Shared journeys
Travel Circles
Join a conversation about travelling together, or propose a Circle. Interest does not confirm a departure.
This mini tour worked out very well, and we couldn't have done this route by ourselves in the same time or style.
People and experience
People make the journey
Guide
Bakyt
Bakyt guides cultural, trekking and horseback journeys in Kyrgyzstan. He speaks Kyrgyz, Russian, English and French.
At the planning table
Gulzat
Gulzat plans tours, accommodation and transport. Talk with her about your walking days, overnight needs and the pace between places.
Sustainable tourism
Hospitality, built together
- A family-run campShepherd families welcome travelers into daily nomadic life.
- Seasonal local incomeHosting visitors gives families an additional source of seasonal income.
- Practical improvementsContributions can support yurt maintenance, guest comfort, water, waste management and host training.
It was a wonderful experience to live with the shepherds and their families and lead the flocks of sheep, goats, cows and horses to their summer camp.
Your next journey
Bring the idea. We’ll help shape the journey.
Share your interests, dates and priorities. We’ll discuss a practical route together. An initial request is not a confirmed booking.