A horse riding tour with Kyrgyz eagle hunters on the south shore of Issyk-Kul. For three days you ride with the berkutchi, their golden eagles and hunting dogs – about 55 km on horseback, up to 3,260 m. This is a real hunt, not a fixed trail: the hunters read the land and choose the route where they expect foxes and hares, so no two tours are the same. Often there is no path at all – steep slopes up and down, fast stretches, then long, quiet waits in ambush. You need confident riding skills and patience. Private tour for 1–5 riders, October to April, from 640 $ per person.
Price per person, depends on group size
Moments with the eagle hunters
Included
Not included
Accommodation Simple family houses and a yurt camp: basic but clean, rooms for 2–3 people, warm blankets and a stove. The toilet is outside (drop toilet); a hot shower or banya is available in Bokonbaevo. A single room costs 80 $ extra. Guide and driver Your English-speaking guide is a local from the Issyk-Kul area and is with you on the hunting days. The driver for the transfers from and back to Bishkek does not speak English, so Burana tower and Aksay canyon are self-guided visits. Every hunt is different The map shows a typical route. The eagle hunters read the land and decide each day where to ride, so your route will be unique – often without any path. The hunt can be dynamic, with fast stretches, or slow, with long waits in ambush. Day 3 can be shortened from about 25 km to about 20 km if the weather or the group requires it. Season and group October to the end of April, when the eagles hunt. Private tour for 1–5 riders. Price per person from 640 $ (5 riders) to 1,430 $ (1 rider). What to bring Warm layers (thermal underwear, fleece, down jacket), windproof trousers, warm boots that fit in a stirrup, gloves, hat and buff, sunglasses, sunscreen, headlamp, a thermos and personal medicine. Helmets are available on request.
Yes, confident riding skills are needed. You do not follow a classic horse trail: the hunters ride wherever the game is, often off-trail, steeply up and down and sometimes at a fast pace. The local mountain horses are sure-footed and the horsemen stay with you. On day 3 the route can be shortened from about 25 to about 20 km.
The route is never the same. The eagle hunters choose where to ride each day, depending on where they expect foxes and hares, so you often ride where there is no path. The day can be dynamic, with fast stretches, or quiet, with long waits in ambush. You need patience as well as riding skills.
Yes. From October to April the berkutchi hunt foxes and hares with their golden eagles, and you ride with them. It is a real hunt, not a show, so a catch is never guaranteed. Prefer a lighter trip without riding? See the Golden Eagle Hunting Tour – 3 Days.
Night 1 in a guesthouse in Bokonbaevo, night 2 in a yurt camp or winter hut in the Boz-Salkyn valley, night 3 in a farmer’s homestay. You share twin or triple rooms; a single room costs 80 $ extra. Rooms are basic but clean, the toilet is outside. Hotels in Bishkek are not included.
Price per person for a private tour: 1,430 $ for 1 rider, 880 $ for 2, 720 $ for 3, 660 $ for 4 and 640 $ for 5 riders (maximum group size). Send us your dates; we confirm the program and you book with a deposit of 10–30%, the rest is paid on arrival.
Choose the Golden Eagle Hunting Tour – 3 Days for the lighter version: a comfortable family guesthouse in Bokonbaevo and no riding skills needed – you follow the hunt by car. Choose Horse Riding with Eagle Hunters – 4 Days to ride with the hunters: about 55 km off-trail up to 3,260 m, a yurt camp and a farmer’s homestay. More rides in summer: all horse riding tours in Kyrgyzstan.
Tell us your dates and group size. You get a personal offer within 24 hours, no commitment.
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