18/06/2016
Duration: 8 days horse riding + 3 return way of the horses.
Best season: early June – early September
Group size: 5 -6 persons
Notes: The participants of horse riding trip should be well trained horse riders.
Itinerary:
Day 1. Arrival in Smashy Gorge. Lunch in Yurt Inn. Afternoon walking in the fir-tree forest and enjoy nature. Dinner and accommodation in Yurt Inn.
Day 2. Meet horsemen and guides’ team, load all the stuffs and start horseback riding towards Shamshy pass (3 570 meters). Full Board. Overnight in tents before the pass. Horse riding time: 6 hours
Day 3. After breakfast continue tour and cross the Shamshy pass (3 570 meters). Discover the nice view of Kochkor-Shamshy valley and hike up to Sarala-Saz jailoo, which opens beautiful views of the Sandyk mountains. Meet local nomads and see local traditions and customs. View of nomad’s yurts from the top of the mountain look like Parisian’s mushrooms. Full board. Set up the tents near the nomad’s yurts in Sarala-Saz. Horse riding time: 6 hours.
Day 4. Horse riding tour towards Karakol river. Descend to Iri-Suu jailoo, and then take an evening walk over the hill into the beautiful Karakol River valley. Overnight in tent. Full board. Horse riding time: 4 hours.
Day 5. Loading of the gears for a long day tour through nearly-empty country. Pass over the Buchuk Pass (3400 m). On the other side, after a brief break for lunch on the trail, descend into the beautiful Sook Valley. Wild onions cover the high cold ridges, while lower down whole hillsides of wildflowers bloom. You can see eagles soar and plenty marmots in the amazing pasture. Set up the tents close to Sook river. Full board. Horse riding time: 5-6 hours.
Day 6. Breakfast. Detour to the next valley west, the K*m Bel to approach to the 3 600 m K*m Bel Pass. From the pass, follow a ridge to the peak, 3656 m above sea level, with fascinating 360 views and sheer drops to the north. After lunch descend into the Jumgal valley, and follow it down to the Kyzart Pass (2664m). Set up the tent camp before the pass. Full board. Horse riding time: 6-7 hours.
Day 7. Pass the Kyzart Pass (2664m) and then cross Kyzyl-Kiya jailoo, an enormous, relatively flat sea of grass. Continue over the Chaar-Archa Pass (3 061 m) into the Chaar-Archa Valley. After lunch cross the river and follow the trail over hills to Kilemche Jailoo. The meaning of the jailoo is “like a carpet,” and this swathe of grass covers whole mountain ranges, with shadings as subtle as any shyrdak (shyrdak is a Kyrgyz felt carpet). Full board. Overnight in the tent. Horse riding time: 5 hours.
Day 8. After breakfast spend the morning climbing to Jalgyz Karagai pass (3400 m), over the Song-Kol Mountains and into the lake’s basin. The morning climb affords wonderful views of Kilemche jailoo, and the pass itself is rocky and exciting. From the pass, Song-Kol is still distant, but as you traipse down the slopes, it gets larger and larger; the mountains on the other side get higher and higher, until finally the lake fills most of your field of view and the southern mountains tower above it. After lunch at Jaman Echki, follow the lakeshore east to the yurt at Batai Aral. Upon arrival meet your host family of Kyrgyz shepherds in Son-Kul lake. Meals and overnight are in a yurt of shepherds. Horse riding time: 5 hours.
Day 9. Horses and horseman return to Shamshy gorge, 3 days. End of horse riding tour.
Services provided by Shamshy gorge:
– Accommodation in Yurt Inn in Shamshy Gorge: accommodation + full board
– Horses for horse riding (10 days, including return way) for tourists + guide interpreter
– Horses to load equipments
– 2 Horsemen (10 day, including return way), including their meals
– Food for clients and staffs (full board)
– Kitchen and dining utensils
– Cook for horse riding trip for the group more than 4 persons
Extra:
– Tents, carry mats, sleeping bag
– Transportation
– Interpreter – guide
– Accommodation in Son-Kul lake + meals
Notes:
1. The offered program can be conducted from early June till early September
2. The horse riding program must be ordered in advance at least 7 days before arrival dates to Shamshy Gorge. Otherwise we can guarantee arrangement of the horse riding tour for such long days
3. Meals during horse trekking for the group up to 4 persons should be prepared by horseman assistant and guide-interpreter to avoid high price for the trip. Cook for group up to 4 persons can be arranged by request as an extra service