What Is ASHU TRAVEL? A Local Tour Company Sharing Scenic Horse Riding and Nomadic Culture in “Undiscovered Central Asia”

Salam! This is Sugi from ASHU TRAVEL, your guide to scenic horse riding trips in Central Asia.

Do you know which countries make up Central Asia? Many people probably feel less familiar with it than with Europe or Southeast Asia.

In fact, the region has so much to offer—nature, culture, people, and the history of the Silk Road—making it perfect for anyone looking for a trip off the beaten path.

At ASHU TRAVEL, we share the many charms of Central Asia through scenic horse riding and nomadic culture.

What kind of company is ASHU TRAVEL?

Who founded it?

ASHU TRAVEL is a local tour company founded by Nuriya, a Kyrgyz guide who speaks fluent Japanese. Over more than 10 years she has guided over 3,000 travelers, and she went independent with one wish: “to offer trips where people can enjoy Kyrgyzstan more deeply and with more peace of mind.”

How it all began

During her many years as a guide, Nuriya kept hearing comments like these:
“I’m interested in traveling to Kyrgyzstan, but there’s so little information that I feel uneasy.”
“I’m worried about the language barrier.”
“I’d love to enjoy both horse riding and the culture, but I don’t know who to ask.”

So she founded a company that makes “trips where travelers can go on adventures with peace of mind” a reality.
She set up a one-stop system covering guides, accommodation, meals and transfers, so that she could offer “trips where you can truly enjoy nature and culture while safety is also taken care of.”

Why travelers choose ASHU

• Japanese-speaking or English-speaking guides always on hand
• Accommodation, transfers and meals all arranged in one place
• Professionals in horse riding, scenic spots and safety management
• Flexible arrangements thanks to a strong local network
• High-quality hospitality that blends Japanese and Kyrgyz “omotenashi”

Guests tell us things like “It was my first time in Central Asia, but all my worries disappeared” and “I want to come back!”, and our surveys show a high average rating of 4.8/5.

Ashu Guest House: “another strength”

The “Ashu” in ASHU TRAVEL comes from Ashu Guest House, where Nuriya worked as manager. It is a long-established lodge inside the national park in Kyrgyzstan’s Chong-Kemin Valley, and every year many repeat guests visit from Europe and Asia.

• Private rooms, showers, heating, sauna and swimming pool
• More comfortable than a typical guesthouse—a reassuring base for your trip
• Known for its delicious food, with many repeat guests
• ASHU TRAVEL guests can use the sauna & pool for free

This isn’t just an outdoor trip abroad—the key point is that you can rest properly in comfortable facilities. Get moving in the mountains, then fully recharge at the guest house.

What matters to ASHU

When ASHU TRAVEL designs a trip, we make sure to balance “the power of nature” with “comfort.”

“More than sightseeing” through scenic horse riding

In the mountains of Central Asia, there are places you can only reach by trusting your horse to carry you.
There’s no cell signal, and all you can hear is the wind and the sound of hooves.

Faced with overwhelming scenery, you may feel that you’re part of nature, or that your big worries suddenly seem small…

ASHU values these “moments to pause” as a true part of what makes a trip worthwhile.

A focus on wellness

ASHU trips are designed so you can move your body, rest well and spend your time in good balance.

In the morning, you ride up into the mountains and get moving;
in the afternoon, conversations start over tea with nomads;
at night, you rest quietly in a warm private room at Ashu Guest House.
There’s also time to unwind in a sauna, pool or hot spring.

“Move, connect, recharge” flows naturally, making the trip itself a pleasure.

“Omotenashi” hospitality blending Japan and Central Asia

Central Asia has had a culture of welcoming travelers since the days of the Silk Road.
What makes ASHU special is that we add Japanese attention to detail to that warm hospitality.

Nuriya, who founded ASHU, has
• lived in Japan for an extended period
• supported Japanese travelers as an interpreter
• worked at the Embassy of Japan in Kyrgyzstan
so she knows both Japanese “attentiveness” and Kyrgyz “warmth” inside out.

That’s why guests often tell us how thoughtful and considerate we are.

The more, the better value! How ASHU’s pricing works

ASHU tours are set up so that “it’s easy to join even if you travel solo, and the more people there are, the better the value.”

1 | Shared tours are the standard

You’re welcome to book even on your own. As more people sign up, your trip may become a “shared” tour with others on the same dates.

2 | The price varies with the number of people

The price may go up or down as people join or cancel.
(Of course, we’ll let you know each time in advance.)

3 | Ask in advance if you’d like a private tour

If you’d prefer a private tour, please contact us in advance.
As a rough guide, it costs about 1.5 times the regular price.

4 | The final price is fixed 3 weeks before departure

The final price is confirmed 3 weeks before departure and won’t change after that.

5 | Group discounts available

Some tours offer a discount when 6–9 people book together.

The future ASHU TRAVEL is working toward

We don’t just want to deliver trips—we also want to value the connections and meaning that come after. That’s the future ASHU has in mind.

A bridge between Kyrgyzstan and Japan

Nuriya, ASHU’s guide and founder, has lived in both Japan and Kyrgyzstan. Because she understands not only the languages but also the cultures, she hopes to create moments where the two countries gently connect through travel.

Trips that are valuable for local people too

Travel isn’t only for the guests to enjoy.
Local guides, nomads, their families, the horses and the communities are all part of the trip as well.
We aim for “trips that energize both those who come and those who welcome them.”

A sustainable way to travel

So that nature and culture aren’t lost to overtourism, we consistently stick to:
• Small-scale trips with small groups
• Respecting the skills and way of life of local people
• Avoiding unnecessary consumption
We hold to these principles throughout.

So that the landscape isn’t burdened and travelers’ experiences go deeper.

What you can experience with ASHU

An ASHU trip doesn’t end with “seeing great views” and “riding horses.”
Because nature, culture and comfort are all in balance, it creates many layers of “quality experiences.”

Scenic horse riding

Ride up into the mountains to places you can’t reach on foot or by car.
Looking out over high plateaus and valleys from up high is an experience unique to Central Asia.

Meeting nomads

Chat over chai, or hear stories about their livestock.
Rather than passing through as a tourist, you get to become a small part of their daily life for a while.

Time to “recharge” in comfort

Private rooms at Ashu Guest House, hot showers, a sauna and a pool.
With an environment where you can rest properly, the fatigue of travel is less likely to build up.

The luxury of doing nothing

Gazing at wide views from the top of a mountain, your thoughts become simple.
Unlike busy everyday life, time to “do nothing” comes naturally.
That breathing room greatly increases how satisfying your trip feels.

Covering all of Central Asia

With a network across Central Asia, we can arrange trips not only in Kyrgyzstan but also in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan—and even Georgia.

“Since I’m going all that way, I want to visit several countries.”
“I want to enjoy both the mountains and the cities.”
We’re happy to discuss ambitious itineraries like these, too.

Suggestions tailored to your travel style

Even within “a trip to Central Asia,” everyone’s travel style is different.
At ASHU, we often get requests like these:

• I want a route focused on scenery that just feels amazing
• I want to take my time enjoying the culture and food
• I want serious riding, with plenty of cantering
• I want to stay in a yurt & try putting one up
• I want to visit another country before or after

Our approach at ASHU is to create, together with you, “a trip you can enjoy at your own pace without pushing yourself.”

Who ASHU trips are perfect for

People who want to enjoy “all the best parts” of Central Asia with peace of mind

From mountains and plateaus to Silk Road cities and lively bazaars.
Perfect for anyone who wants the experience of thinking, “Central Asia is way more interesting than I expected!”

Don’t worry about the language barrier.
With a Japanese-speaking guide by your side, you can really understand the cultural background too.
Instead of “just looking around,” it becomes a trip that’s “interesting because you understand what you’re seeing.”

People who want to stay active and recharge properly

By day, ride into the mountains on horseback. By night, enjoy the sauna, pool and the warmth of a private room at Ashu Guest House.
A trip with the perfect balance of “playing hard in nature → returning to civilization to recover.”

If you want an active trip without fatigue lingering into the next day, ASHU is a perfect match.

People who respect local culture and want to “travel like family”

Central Asia has long been a land that warmly welcomes travelers.
That said, guests here aren’t treated like royalty—they’re more like family.

There may be moments when values and pace differ a little from what you’re used to, so it’s ideal for people who can see those differences as “interesting” and enjoy the journey while laughing together.

Whether it’s chai time with nomads or chatting on the road, instead of “being guided,” it feels more like creating the journey together as family.