3-Day Horse Trek to Song Kol Lake from Kochkor with Yurt Stays

Have an early breakfast and transfer to Jumgal Valley to the starting point, where you will commence horse riding below the Kyzart Pass (2664 m).

Meet your guide and horsemen, then ride on to cross Kyzyl-Kiya Jailoo, an enormous and relatively flat bed of grass.

Continue over the Chaar-Archa Pass (3061 m) into the Chaar-Archa Valley and enjoy a tasty lunch at Kilemche Jailoo, with views of the holy Baba-Ata Mountain (4400 m). The name means "like a carpet," and this swathe of grass covers whole mountain ranges, with shades as subtle as any shyrdak, a type of Kyrgyz felt carpet.

Enjoy dinner in a yurt and stay overnight.

Spend the morning climbing up the Jalgyz Karagai Pass (3400 m) and entering the basin of Song Kol Lake. Enjoy the superb views of grassland and mountain ranges along your trek.

After lunch at Jaman Echki, follow the lakeshore east to Batai Aral and meet your host family of Kyrgyz shepherds.

Spend the night in a yurt and enjoy typical local food such as fermented mare's milk and grilled fish from the lake.

After breakfast, take a walk around the lakeshore.

Return for lunch.

Set out on the 3-hour return journey to Kochkor via the Kalmak Ashuu Pass (3446 m).

Arrive in Kochkor and check into your hostel accommodation.