Exploring the raw beauty of Kyrgyzstan: Shooting breathtaking, untouched landscapes and sleeping in nomadic yurts
Kyrgyzstan is one of the seven Stans of Central Asia, and a gateway to the Himalayan mountains. Its history is rich with Silk Road tales and nomadic culture, which is still practiced to this day.
The landscapes of Kyrgyzstan are vast, wild, and incredibly varied: from glacial lakes such as Tulpar Kul resting under 7000-meter peaks, to high-altitude pastures such as Song Kul, or the dry, cracked river valleys of Kazarman. We like to refer to this relatively undiscovered paradise as a combination of Switzerland, Iceland, Peru, and Mars - with its high mountain ranges, mostly untouched natural environment, and highland pastures scattered with traditional yurt settlements.
Kyrgyzstan has lived a long tradition of nomadic history and is only just waking up to a world of visitors, which elevates our opportunity for candid experiences. Their culture sustains warm gestures of hospitality, openness, and kindness to strangers. The scenery makes for a thousand different angles to work on your photography and videography skills - from portraiture to ever-changing panoramas, and with a bit of luck, shooting the milky way with incredible clarity.
While not so strong on a diversity of food, the summers provide good nourishment through colorful, tasty fruits and vegetables, together with some pretty meaty traditional dishes (vegetarian and lactose-free still being an option).
This week-long journey lived from our sturdy 4x4s, comfortable city hotels, traditional guesthouses, and beautifully situated yurt camps will show you the true wilderness that Kyrgyzstan still holds - one of the few countries in the world where you can be taken back in time.
OPTIONAL ADD ON: Add a half-day camera workshop to your trip. You get an extra day (and night) in Bishkek. Your guides will go deep with you on what camera you have, and how all the settings work and then spend half a day shooting with you. In the afternoon we will drive up to Boz Boltok; Bishkek’s celebrated mountain from which we will be able to shoot a misty sunset over the city. During the workshop, we will get the opportunity to practice working with aperture, ISO, and shutter speed but we’ll also cover the basics of phone photography and storytelling. To celebrate our first evening together, we will go out for dinner at a lovely local restaurant and get a good night’s rest at the hotel. Price: $400 (includes two meals, a hotel night, and a workshop). Takes place 1 day before the official starting date of the exparience.
Boz Boltok mountain
Bridges Hotel
Lunch, Dinner included
We will be meeting in the morning to introduce the group and share an insight into the journey. Soon we will leave for a morning city walk to capture and enjoy the bustling bazaar, filled with colorful foods and goods. In the afternoon we will head out towards Kochkor but will stop on the way for a hike around Konorchek Canyon - a walk through a red sandstone gorge that will take us to a spectacular, grandiose view at sunset.
Bishkek Bazaar, Konorchek Canyon, Boom Gorge
Nomad Lodge Kochckor
Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
Today we head towards Song Kul, taking our time to explore the details of this incredibly rural location. The beauty and culture of this remote part of Kyrgyzstan are endless: from stunning landscapes and multi-colored mountains to yurt camps and encounters with shepherds and locals. We spend the afternoon and night at Song Kul, a massive freshwater lake that lies above 3000m and is surrounded by vast summer pastures. For sunset, we’ll be riding on horses (optional) up to a hill with an open view of the lake and mountains, where we’ll be able to spot the tiny jailoos (or yurt camps) where the shepherds stay over the summer season with their flocks. If we are lucky and the skies are clear, we will be able to spot the milky way, shooting stars and capture one of the most impressive light-pollution-free skies.
Terskey Torpok Pass, Song Kul yurt camp and hillsides, Song Kul night photography
Mirlan Yurt Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
We start our day by waking up in a yurt at Song Kul, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most scenic and tranquil sites. Today's drive will take us over two passes as we get closer to Kazarman - this winding road offers endless photography opportunities of its multi-colored dry landscapes. After a copious dinner, we will head out to Kazarman’s ancient cemetery, a very mystical experience that will be exalted during sunset!
Song Kul, Moldo Pass, Kaldamo Pass, Kazarman
CBT Guesthouse Kazarman
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
This morning we'll leave Kazarman early, to drive west to a 3500 meter-high pass and then descend towards Fergana valley - slowly leaving the mountains behind and immersing ourselves back into civilization and paved roads. This valley is well known for beekeeping, so we might be lucky to try out fresh honey if it’s ready! After a “recovery session” at our hotel in Osh, we will go over our footage in a short session before heading out to Mount Sulayman - the only World Heritage Site located in the country of Kyrgyzstan - for sunset shooting with a panoramic view of the city.
Fergana valley, Sulayman Too
Rayan Hotel Osh
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
This morning we are dipping our hands in the dough as we’ll join a workshop on how to make ‘lepyoshka’, Kyrgyzstan’s traditional (and delicious) flatbread. Afterward, our destination is the Chong-Alay Valley. It'll be a scenic and comfortable drive in our 4x4s. The road will take us through a beautiful valley and colorful mountains into the Alay area, so we will stop plenty of times to shoot the different landscapes and villages on the way. Our cozy accommodation is just by Taldyk Pass, from which we will go on an afternoon hike up the ridge to contemplate the mesmerizing ice wall of mountains from the northern Pamir range with peaks soaring up to more than 7000m. A scene to remember.
Osh city, Alay Valley, Pamir mountain range
Pamir Alpine Dome Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
Today we explore the Chong-Alay region in detail. We’ll enjoy a quiet morning at our Dome hotel or, for those motivated to rise early, we’ll go for a sunrise shooting if the weather forecast accompanies to catch the rose-gold sunrise over the snowy peaks of the Pamir mountain range. Afterward, it’ll be a beautiful and comfortable drive in our 4x4s, ending at our yurt camp, which hides at the foot of that mountainous wall, nestled in between lakes and a lush, hilly landscape in between. In the afternoon we’ll go for a hike up the red mountain. These are possibly the best views we will get on the whole trip, especially if we get the common random storms forming over neighboring mountains. Keep your eyes open for cute funny marmots on the way and edelweiss flowers, and perhaps we might be able to find some yacks too! On our way back, we’ll enjoy a typical Kyrgyz meal together and look out for some stars and the Milky Way if the night is clear. Great spot for night photography!
Pamir mountain range, Tulpar Kul yurt camp and area, Tulpar Kul night photography
Lenin Peak Yurt Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
En route to Osh! Waking up by Tulpar Kul lake area and the sunrise we will try to catch will blow your mind. Hopefully, Lenin Peak (7143 meters) will be visible this morning! After shooting and breakfast, we'll drive back to Osh and we'll finish the day off in the city with an editing session full of tips and a nice dinner outdoors. Today is a chill day—a perfect moment to reflect on all the experiences together.
Sunrise in Tulpar Kul
Rayan Hotel Osh
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Snacks included
Time for an early breakfast and taxi to Osh airport to catch our flight back to Bishkek. Once in Bishkek, we will say goodbye to those flying back home from there that morning, and for those who decide to extend their trip in Kyrgyzstan, we can help you transfer back to the city.
Breakfast included
Tulpar Kul - The hidden gem. This lush spot very close to the Tajik border and at the foot of mighty Peak Lenin (7134m) is one incredible photography playground. We will go for a hike in the nearby gorge and cross some streams on our way to Peak Petrovsky, from which we get an amazing overview of the Alay valley and see the countless little lakes and probably cross some yacks on the way. At the top we will see from up close one the many glaciers in the area and sit down to capture and watch the clouds or storms rolling over the valley.
Konorcheck Canyon - Red sand rock gorge. This million year old landscape of picturesque rocks and red sand columns is the perfect playground to work with our wide angle lenses. We will follow the bed of a dried river and narrow canyon until it’s opening a couple kilometers away, climbing up and jump down what used to be little waterfalls (now dried out, but will require using our hands too) and enjoying the change of light creeping into the gorge. At the end, the landscape opens up and we will see the most amazing red sandstone rock formations.
Song Kul - High altitude pastures. Getting to the summer pasture is an adventure itself - the serpentine roads will take us to the beautiful alpine lake of Song Kul (Kyrgyzstan’s second largest lake), known for its vastness and scattered yurts. This ideal location is as tranquil as life can get (forget about phone reception or electricity) and instead enjoy a ball game with the local kids or watch the cows chew grass. We will enjoy an amazing panoramic sunset view on the lake and, if the skies are clear, the chance to look out for shooting stars and capture the milky way.
Kaldamo Pass - Deserted mars looking landscapes. On our ride to Kazarman we cross a painted like landscape very different to anything we have seen on our trip. The greens fade into brown dessert tones bringing textures and rock formations of all kinds of interesting shapes - almost as an otherworldly location.
Sulayman Too - A sacred mountain. This historical and sacred mountain dominating the Fergana Valley and the backdrop of Osh used to be one of the most important stops on the Central Asian Silk Road. Its five peaks and slopes contain numerous ancient places of worship and caves with petroglyphs.
Bishkek Bazaar - Submersion into a colorful street market. We will submerge ourselves into the bustling bazaar of Bishkek, where locals visit daily to buy all kinds of things. The smell of freshly baked Kyrgyz nan (bread) and fragrant spices will accompany in this labyrinth filled with colorful foods and goods. It’s a perfect chance to learn some basic Kyrgyz words as we approach locals for a portrait or image of their plentiful stalls.
We've been where you are — a myriad of gear choices, locations to travel, and subjects to document. Where to start, and in which direction to advance? After years of extended bicycle travel and sharing the story of our journeys, we’re ready to show you how we’ve each downsized our camera kit, formed a better understanding of our own workflows, and learned to capture with meaning. Here are some things you'll learn:
Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO: These are the building block setting of any photo or video, and we’ll take you through what they mean, how they can help you create the perfect shot and how to set them up quickly for the best results.
Long Exposure (night photography): The star-filled skies of Song-Kul and the Alay valley are the absolute perfect opportunity to practice our night photography skills. There’s almost zero light pollution, and since both places have vast landscapes we can easily catch the beauty of the night sky, and the Milky Way!
Framing and Composition: In learning how to capture light, composition is likewise crucial to creating a great photo or video. We'll show you our take on framing your shots amongst the yurts, mountain valleys, and little storefronts of the bustling city markets.
Low Light Photography: While the sun sets over the steppe during our trip, we’ll teach you how to interact with low light, much like night photography but more so focussed on when the sun still lights your setting. Most phones and cameras are quite powerful nowadays when it comes to lower light.
How to Pack Lightly for an Extended Trip: We know it's always hard not to pack everything, and the kitchen sink, for those "what if!" moments. We'll help you boil down your gear to the essentials that you really need.
Understanding of Kyrgyz Culture and Values: To truly tell the story of your adventure, be it in pictures, video, or just words, you need to understand where you are and what surrounds you. Understanding local culture is a major part of the story you wanna tell, and will help you get the complete picture to take that complete picture.
Don't have a camera besides your smartphone? No problem. Shoot & edit on whatever device you want!
4 nights in a hotel (Prices per person, based on double occupancy rooms. Single room upgrade available for $200)
1 night in a guesthouse (Prices per person, based on double occupancy rooms)
2 nights in a yurt (Prices per person, based on up to triple occupancy)
Entrance to all activities
4x4 car transportation around Kyrgyzstan
Domestic Flight from Osh to Bishkek on the last day
Photography and editing lessons. All activities, 2 Moment Guides & 1 local guide/translator
3 great meals per day + snacks (from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 8)
SIM card to access an internet connection
Airfare to and from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Airport transfers
Alcoholic beverages
Guide gratuities
Insurance of any kind, including travel insurance