Salam! This is Sugi from ASHU TRAVEL, your guide to scenic horse riding journeys in Central Asia.
“I want to enjoy as much of Central Asia as I can during the short Golden Week holiday!” To make that ambitious wish come true, we’ve put together a special 5-day trip.
This time it’s a sightseeing-focused program that first-time riders and those who aren’t confident in their stamina can enjoy too.
From a thrilling horsemanship show and World Heritage sites to a relaxing ride along the shining blue shores of Issyk-Kul, we’ve packed the very best of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan into one trip.
5 Highlights of the Tour
① Breathtaking traditional skills! A horsemanship show near Almaty
The journey begins with a horsemanship show that brings you face to face with the essence of nomadic culture.
Watch up close as riders perform traditional tricks, controlling their horses with ease, and compete in thrilling equestrian games. It’s an exciting experience that will build your anticipation for the rest of the trip.
② The world’s second-largest alpine lake! A relaxing ride on the sandy beaches of Issyk-Kul
Issyk-Kul is a huge alpine lake, nine times the size of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. You’ll spend a peaceful time swaying on horseback along its beautiful sandy shore.
Since this ride is designed for beginners, it’s mostly a slow walk while you enjoy the scenery. If you’d like, you can also try a light canter, just enough to feel the wind.
③ Sauna & pool! A comfortable stay at ASHU Guesthouse
In Kyrgyzstan, you’ll stay at ASHU Guesthouse, a favorite among our repeat guests. In the evening, gather around the campfire and chat with your fellow travelers under the starry sky. Warm, homey Kyrgyz hospitality and delicious food will refresh both body and mind.
*Depending on the weather, the campfire may not be possible.
④ A packed schedule with no compromises! Horse riding, World Heritage sites and bazaars
Visit the Burana Tower (a World Heritage site), a symbol of the Silk Road, explore a bazaar bustling with locals, and even shop at the “One Village One Product” store, which carries high-quality felt products. This plan lets you enjoy both sightseeing and souvenir hunting to the fullest.
⑤ Meals, accommodation, transfers, guide and Japanese staff all included
A worry-free, nearly all-inclusive package covering transportation, meals, accommodation, horse riding and cultural experiences.
With a guide and staff traveling with you, questions like “What is this?” or “What does that mean?” get answered right away, which makes the experience much richer.
The appeal is that it’s not just about seeing things; you’ll come to understand the meaning behind the culture as you enjoy it.
*Alcohol and airfare are not included.
Who This Tour Is For
This tour is designed for riding beginners and anyone who wants to enjoy Kyrgyz culture in a short time.
We avoid demanding terrain and choose relatively flat, gentle routes such as beaches and the areas around villages. Don’t worry: your guide will give you a short lesson on how to ride.
It’s an action-packed plan that’s perfect for people who think, “A little riding is enough” or “I want to enjoy history and shopping too.”
Experienced riders are also welcome to join if they feel, “A little riding is fine, I want to experience the culture too” and are happy to match the pace of beginners.
GW Special Tour Itinerary
This is a 4-night, 5-day plan from May 1 to May 5, 2026.
However, the schedule may be adjusted to match the flights of the first guests to book.
For those who book later, we can also arrange an optional extra night before or after the tour.
5/1 Day 1 | Arrive in Almaty → Rest at a hotel in the city
Our staff will meet you at Almaty International Airport.
- Accommodation: Hotel in Almaty
- Meals: None
5/2 Day 2 | Thrilling horsemanship show → To the Chong-Kemin Valley
In the morning, watch a traditional horsemanship show near Almaty.
After lunch, cross the border into Kyrgyzstan and head to the Chong-Kemin Valley. Crossing a border by car and on foot is a rare experience!
In the evening, enjoy a warm dinner and a campfire at ASHU Guesthouse.
- Accommodation: ASHU Guesthouse (shower, flush toilet and Wi-Fi available)
- Meals: Lunch, dinner
5/3 Day 3 | Village riding → Depart for Issyk-Kul
After breakfast, go horse riding around ASHU Guesthouse.
In the afternoon, travel by private vehicle to the south shore of Issyk-Kul.
After arriving, ride along the sandy beach by the beautiful blue lake.
- Accommodation: Yurt camp on the south shore of Issyk-Kul (basic shower and toilet)
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
5/4 Day 4 | World Heritage Burana Tower → To Bishkek
In the morning, visit the Burana Tower, which tells the story of the Silk Road.
After a lunch of warm home-cooked food at a local family’s house, head to the capital, Bishkek.
Enjoy picking out souvenirs at a department store.
- Accommodation: Hotel in Bishkek
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
5/5 Day 5 | Bazaar stroll → Return to Almaty
In the morning, visit a lively bazaar and the One Village One Product store.
After a final lunch in Bishkek, cross the border again and head back to Almaty.
After dinner at a café, we’ll take you to the airport.
- Accommodation: None
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
*Safety comes first on our tours, so the order or content of the itinerary may change depending on weather and traffic conditions. Your guide will make decisions based on the situation; thank you for your understanding.
Your Guides
We’ll be giving our all to support you on this Central Asia trip!
ASHU TRAVEL Director Nuriya (Dushalieva Nuriya)
A professional guide loved by guests, who has guided more than 3,000 people. She speaks fluent Japanese and is a special guide who combines Japanese-style attentiveness with Kyrgyz warmth.
On the ground she puts safety first while sharing the charms of Kyrgyzstan with you in depth.
*Because Nuriya also directs several other tours, another Kyrgyz guide will take over partway through. We’re arranging this now and will let you know as soon as it’s decided!
Sugi
Customer contact & marketer. I handle trip planning and information sharing to bring travelers from Japan “trips that are anything but ordinary.” I’m here to turn your worries into peace of mind and help you prepare for an exciting journey!
Price
This is a special package price for Golden Week only.
| Number of participants | Price per person (USD) |
| 1 person | 2,600 USD |
| 2 people | 1,900 USD |
| 3 people | 1,700 USD |
| 4 people | 1,600 USD |
| 5 people | 1,500 USD |
| 6 people | 1,400 USD |
| 7 people | 1,300 USD |
What’s included
• Hotels and guesthouses for the entire trip
• All meals throughout the trip
• Horse riding
• Japanese-speaking guide for the entire trip
• Vehicle, driver and fuel for the entire trip
• Japanese-language support for trip preparation (our Japanese staff will answer your questions about what to bring and more)
What’s not included
• Round-trip airfare
• Alcoholic drinks
[Until the end of February] GW Early Bird Campaign!
Starting your trip preparations early makes the excitement grow even more. With that in mind, anyone who books by the end of February 2026 will get $50 off the tour price!
Use the money you save to pick out a special souvenir for yourself or enjoy a drink while you’re there… and make your trip even more fun.
*Notes on the campaign
If you book with this campaign applied, any cancellation fees due to cancellation or changes will be calculated based on the discounted price.
ASHU’s Unique Feature: Our Shared Tour System
To introduce the charms of Central Asia to as many people as possible, we use a system in which the price gets lower as more people join.
- Price confirmation: The final price is confirmed 3 weeks before departure. In other words, if other guests book before then, the price may go down; conversely, if someone cancels, it may go up.
- Peace of mind: Even if someone cancels after the price is confirmed, the amount you pay will not increase. You can book with confidence.
For more details on the system, please also see this article.
From Booking to Tour Day
We’ll guide you through every step so that even first-timers can join an ASHU TRAVEL tour with peace of mind.
① Inquiry & booking request: Contact us via the form or LINE
First, please send us the name of the tour you’re interested in via our inquiry form or official LINE account.
② Confirmed booking: Fill out the booking form
Once we hear from you, our staff will send you the confirmed booking form. This form is an important step for safety management in case of emergency, as it asks for your blood type, allergies, health condition and so on.
③ Cancellation policy applies Once your booking is complete, the following cancellation policy applies.
- From 18:01, 20 days before the tour, until 18:00, 10 days before: 20%
- From 18:01, 10 days before the tour, until 18:00, 3 days before: 30%
- From 18:01, 3 days before the tour, until the start time on the tour day: 50%
- After the start time on the tour day: 100%
④ Final price confirmed 3 weeks before departure
At ASHU TRAVEL, the price varies depending on the number of participants.
- If more people join: The price goes down.
- If someone cancels: The price may go up.
- When it’s confirmed: Your final payment amount is confirmed 3 weeks before departure. Even if the number of participants changes after that, the confirmed price will not change.
We fix the price 3 weeks in advance so you can book with peace of mind. Even if someone cancels within 3 weeks of departure, your price stays the same.
⑤ Join the tour & pay in US dollars on site
As a rule, we ask that you pay in US dollars cash. This lets us cut costs such as card processing fees and put that money back into improving the quality of our tours. Please hand the payment to your guide when checking in at the hotel on Day 1.
About Flights
Please book your flights yourself.
Sample flight combination (May 2026)
Here is one example using Air China (CA) via Beijing and Chengdu to make the most of this packed schedule.
*This is just one example; there are other options.
*Please note that the connections in this example are a little tight.
*The tour schedule may be changed to match the flights of the first guests to book.
- Outbound: Friday, May 1
- CA 182 Haneda 14:00 → Beijing 16:45
- CA 799 Beijing 17:50 → Almaty 20:30
- Return: Tuesday, May 5 (national holiday in Japan) – Wednesday, May 6
- 3. CA 456 Almaty 23:25 → Chengdu 06:30 (next day)
- 4. CA 459 Chengdu 09:55 → Narita 15:50
[Flight information]
- Approximate cost and time: Around ¥150,000 for the combination above (as researched in January 2026). Costs and travel times vary depending on the combination.
- Schedule adjustment: At ASHU TRAVEL, we flexibly adjust the tour start time to match the flights of the first guests to book.
FAQ (Q&A)
We’ve gathered common worries and questions about the tour. If your question isn’t here, feel free to contact us via LINE or another channel!
[Riding & Health]
Q: Is it okay if I have little riding experience?
A: If you have experience with a light canter, you’ll be fine. If you have any concerns about your stamina, coordination or age, please feel free to consult us in advance.
Q: I’m worried about altitude sickness.
A: Almaty is at about 1,000 m above sea level, the Chong-Kemin Valley at about 1,200 m, and Issyk-Kul at about 1,600 m.
Because you’ll be staying at higher altitudes than most places in Japan, your physical condition may change.
If you have any health concerns, be sure to consult a doctor beforehand.
Also, in case of a fall from a horse or illness, we require all guests to have overseas travel insurance with unlimited medical treatment and rescue coverage. We also recommend bringing preventive medication.
[Accommodation & Cancellation]
Q: How are rooms assigned?
A: Because ASHU tours are shared tours, you may share a room with other guests. Especially at yurts and camps in remote areas, the number of beds is limited, so we hope you’ll enjoy the nomadic style of sharing a space with your fellow travelers.
As a rule, men share with men and women share with women.
If you’re joining with your parent or child, family or friends, we’ll do our best to put you in the same room, so please let us know when you book.
Q: What happens to the price if someone cancels on a shared tour?
A: Until 3 weeks before departure, the price changes with cancellations or additional participants. If someone cancels and the group gets smaller, the price may go up; in that case, we’ll let you know by email 3 weeks before departure.
Once the price is confirmed 3 weeks before departure, we will not charge you extra even if the number of participants changes after that.
Q: Which insurance should I get? A: We currently have no partnership with any specific insurance company, so we can’t name one, but we recommend (and require) a plan that meets the following three conditions.
- Medical treatment and rescue coverage of ¥30 million or more ASHU TRAVEL requires this level of coverage. Advanced medical care in countries like Kyrgyzstan and emergency transport back to Japan are very expensive, so ¥30 million or more is the safe line.
- Covers the countries you visit (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, etc.) Check in advance that it will properly apply if something happens in your destination country. A “worldwide” or “Asia” setting is usually fine, but it’s important to confirm just in case.
- Comes with Japanese-language chat support Even if you panic in an emergency, it’s reassuring to have a contact point where you can consult in Japanese via LINE or a dedicated app. Even in places where phone calls don’t connect easily, you may be able to call for help by message if you have Wi-Fi.
For more on how to choose insurance, please also see this article.
▶︎ Choosing the right insurance for a Central Asia horse riding trip
[Clothing & What to Bring]
Q: What should I wear?
A: During Golden Week, mornings and evenings can be as cold as winter. A light down jacket and a windproof jacket are a must.
- Recommended layering: Warm shirt + light down jacket + outer jacket
- When riding: Your face gets cold in the wind, so a neck warmer is handy. Leave bulky outerwear that restricts movement at your lodging or in the car.
Q: Is there anything I must bring?
A: Please refer to the checklist below.
- Essentials: Warm clothes, rain gear (poncho, etc.), sunglasses, sunscreen, gloves (riding gloves; work gloves are fine too), power bank, regular medication.
- Nice to have: Insect repellent (July–August), motion sickness medicine, pain-relief patches (for muscle aches and bruises).
- For fun: Swimsuit (for the sauna and pool at ASHU Guesthouse).
*During your stay at ASHU Guesthouse, tour guests can use the sauna and pool free of charge, but there may not always be time to do so.
[Money]
Q: How should I handle payments and currency on site?
A: Cards are accepted at most shops, but if you want cash, Japanese yen cannot be exchanged. Be sure to bring US dollars in cash.You can exchange them into local currency on site.
- Tour price: Please pay in US dollars cash at the hotel on Day 1.
- Spending money: About $50 should be plenty for food, drinks and souvenirs. You can exchange US dollars into Kyrgyz som locally.
- Card use: Cards can be used in Bishkek, but in rural areas and at bazaars it’s cash only.
Why not dive into the unknown world of Central Asia this Golden Week?
Kyrgyzstan, the country you’ve always thought “I’d like to visit someday,” plus the energy of neighboring Kazakhstan. This action-packed plan lets you experience both at once, and with peace of mind.
Central Asia in May, when fresh green leaves sprout and you can feel life bursting all around. Be amazed by traditional horsemanship in Almaty, then cross the border to reach Issyk-Kul. Riding along its clear sandy shore will make you forget the busyness of everyday life in an instant.
Take the step and set out on an adventure through two countries, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
We’re looking forward to feeling the winds of Central Asia together with you on this special Golden Week trip.
Contact Us
Feel free to get in touch.
▶︎ Inquiry form
https://ashu-travel.com/contact/
▶︎ Instagram (DMs welcome)
@ashutravel_jp
