Winter Nomad Group Tour: Song-Kol on Horseback & Issyk-Kul Eagle Hunters

Travelling solo but dreaming of winter in the mountains? Join our Kyrgyzstan winter group tour and share the adventure, and the cost.

In four days you’ll ride with local horsemen across snow-covered pastures to Song-Kol, a high-altitude lake at 3,000 m that almost nobody sees in winter. You’ll cross the Tuz-Ashuu Pass, sleep in stove-heated yurts and eat hot, home-cooked meals with nomad families. Then you’ll descend to the shores of Issyk-Kul to meet a berkutchi, a traditional golden eagle hunter, and watch his bird fly across the winter steppe.

No riding experience is needed, just good fitness and a love of wild, quiet places. The group is small (max 10), so the more travellers join, the lower the price for everyone.

Group departure: 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2026

Quick facts: 4 days · Bishkek to Bishkek · max 10 people · 3 days horse riding (3–5 h/day, weather dependent) · 2 nights winter yurt camp + 1 night guesthouse at Issyk-Kul · full board · max altitude 3,400 m

Itinerary of the Kyrgyzstan Winter Group Tour

Before You Go: Winter Reality at Song-Kol

Song-Kol in winter has no villages, no roads and no neighbours. From late autumn until spring, the only shelter on the lake is a tiny camp of two yurts: a kitchen yurt, where your hot meals are cooked, and a sleeping yurt, warmed by a stove all night. Every traveller who reaches the lake in winter stays here, so your group will share the camp with anyone else who arrives that day.

How the nights work

• Everyone sleeps together in the heated yurt, and on busy nights that can mean 8–12 people or more
• There are no private or twin options at the lake
• Outside, temperatures can fall to between −30 °C and −40 °C; inside, the stove and warm sleeping bags keep you comfortable enough to rest
• Think of it as an expedition shelter, not a hotel: warmth and safety come first

Why it’s so simple
There is no road to Song-Kol in winter. Every bag of food, every piece of firewood and all equipment travel up by horse, just like you. That is what makes a winter camp here so hard to run, and why it stays small and basic.

Why it’s worth it
You come here for the silence, not the comfort. Picture hours of riding across a frozen plateau with no other people in sight, only your horse, the snow and the mountains. Very few travellers ever see Song-Kol like this. After two nights at the lake, the guesthouse on Issyk-Kul and the hot spring in Kadji-Sai will feel like pure luxury.

Riding With Us: A Quick Guide

Most of our winter riders are beginners, and that’s completely fine. Your guide and horsemen ride with you the whole way; just listen to their advice and ask whenever something feels unclear.

On the horse

• Keep both feet in the stirrups at all times, especially on uneven or snowy ground
• Sit upright and in the middle of the saddle, in line with the horse’s mane
• Steer and brake with the reins: pull gently back to slow down, and to the left or right to turn
• To move forward, say “chu” (the Kyrgyz command), and add a light heel squeeze if needed
• Going uphill, lean forward; going downhill, lean back
• If your horse keeps stopping to nibble at grass or snow, lift its head and ride on

Around the horse

• Never pass directly behind a horse; stay at least 2 m away, because horses can’t see behind them and may kick when surprised
• Approach from the side and speak so the horse knows you’re there
• Horses have characters of their own. If yours is stubborn, stay calm and firm

Kit and comfort in the saddle

• Tell your guide before you take off or put on a layer, because a rustling jacket can spook a horse
• Tie down cameras, phones and bottles securely, since anything that falls can startle the whole group
• Riding is tiring in the cold: drink regularly (use a thermos, as normal bottles freeze) and eat well at every meal
• Experienced riders, please keep a pace that suits the whole group, because excited horses make it harder for beginners

Full winter packing list: see our 3-Day Winter Horseback Riding Tour to Song-Kol.