Salam! This is Sugi from ASHU TRAVEL, your guide to Central Asia’s spectacular scenery.
Our 5-day, 4-night horse riding tour starting in Kyrgyzstan on November 25, 2025 (effectively November 26) is confirmed to run!
Along with this, we are looking for a few more people to join on the same dates as a shared tour.
This tour is designed so that even beginner riders can join with confidence. Ride through Kyrgyzstan’s mountain valleys, gaze at crystal-clear lakes, and visit a World Heritage site and local markets.
It’s a journey that lets you connect deeply with nature and culture in a way ordinary sightseeing can’t. One participant is already confirmed, and if 3 or more people join, each person saves up to $2,070.
It’s a great chance especially for those who think, “Traveling solo makes me a bit nervous, but if the dates work, I’d love to go.”
Tour Highlights
🏇 A beginner-friendly scenic horse riding tour to enjoy Kyrgyzstan’s nature
Over 5 days and 4 nights, you’ll ride through the Chong-Kemin Valley and the villages and mountains of the Issyk-Kul region. Local staff carefully teach you how to ride, so even beginners can join with confidence. You’ll start with a shorter trek, so there’s nothing to worry about.
🫓 Plenty of cultural experiences, including bread making, market strolls, and a World Heritage site
The itinerary includes making the traditional fried bread “boorsok,” sightseeing in Bishkek, and a visit to the Burana Tower, a World Heritage site. It’s not just a riding trip; contact with local culture is another highlight.
🛏 Accommodation and meals throughout, with flush toilets and Wi-Fi for a comfortable stay
All accommodation is in comfortable hotels and guesthouses with flush toilets and showers. Wi-Fi is available too, so even on your first trip to Kyrgyzstan you can relax. Transfers from Manas airport are included for smooth travel.
📷 A year-round tour with different scenery in every season
Autumn foliage, snowy winter fields, spring flowers: Kyrgyzstan’s nature shows a completely different face depending on when you visit. This tour takes place at the end of November, with beautiful landscapes wrapped in stillness and crisp, clear air.
Dates and Schedule
✈ Dates: Tuesday, November 25 to Saturday, November 29, 2025 | Starts and ends locally: 5 days, 4 nights
*Assuming T’way Air flights: the outbound flight arrives in Bishkek late at night on 11/25 at 24:30 (0:30 a.m. on 11/26), and for the return flight departing at 1:30 a.m. on 11/30, we transfer you to Manas airport on the evening of 11/29. So it is effectively 5 days, 4 nights.
[Day 1 | Arrival in Kyrgyzstan & rest at a city hotel (actual arrival around 0:30 a.m. on 11/26)]
After your long journey, you arrive at Manas airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. A private vehicle takes you to your hotel in the city, so you can rest right after arrival.
The first day has a relaxed schedule, so please take it easy and get ready for the riding journey starting the next day.
Accommodation: Hotel in Bishkek (with shower and flush toilet)
Meals: None
🛬 Note on arrival
If you fly T’way Air from Japan, for this tour the expected arrival is late at night on 11/25 at 24:30 (effectively 0:30 a.m. the next day).
Since your arrival counts as the following day, please be aware of the gap between the date shown and how it feels.
✈ About flights
ASHU TRAVEL does not arrange flights. Please book your own flights.
[Day 2 | Wednesday, November 26: Travel to Chong-Kemin Valley & experience village life]
After breakfast, depart by private vehicle for the Chong-Kemin Valley (about 3–4 hours). In a quiet village surrounded by mountains, enjoy making the traditional fried bread “boorsok”.
In the afternoon, head out on a beginner-friendly horse trek of about 5 km.
Local staff teach you the Kyrgyz way of riding from scratch, so even first-time riders can give it a go with confidence.
Accommodation: ASHU Guesthouse (with Wi-Fi, shower, and flush toilet)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included
[Day 3 | Thursday, November 27: Travel to the Issyk-Kul region & horse riding]
After breakfast, drive to the Issyk-Kul region.
Along the way, you can enjoy the beautiful surface of Lake Issyk-Kul from the car window.
In the afternoon, enjoy a horse ride through villages and mountains in the Issyk-Kul region. The route goes through forests and hills, with scenery that’s different again from the day before.
Accommodation: Hotel or guesthouse in the Issyk-Kul region
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included
🧊 About this tour’s riding route
In winter, the lakeshore area is affected by freezing and snow, so for safety the ride takes place on village and mountain routes in the Issyk-Kul region rather than around Lake Issyk-Kul itself.
However, you’ll still get a good view of Lake Issyk-Kul itself while driving, so don’t worry.
[Day 4 | Friday, November 28: Visit Burana Tower & return to Bishkek]
After breakfast, leave the Issyk-Kul region and visit the 11th-century ruins of the Burana Tower.
A local guide explains the cultural background as you take in the history of this former Silk Road trading hub.
Then return to Bishkek with a lunch stop along the way, and rest at your hotel.
On your last night, relax and look back on the memories of your trip.
Accommodation: Hotel in Bishkek
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included
[Day 5 | Saturday, November 29: City sightseeing & airport transfer for your late-night flight]
The last day of the tour is a relaxed sightseeing day in Bishkek.
Visit Osh Bazaar, where locals gather. You might find souvenirs such as dried goods and knickknacks to remember your trip. You can also stop by craft shops or cafés as you like.
Around 21:00, our staff will take you to the airport in time for your late-night flight.
Accommodation: None (transfer to the airport late at night)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included
✈ Example flight: Departs Sunday, November 30 at 1:30 a.m. (T’way Air)
Prices and How Shared Tours Work
This tour uses ASHU TRAVEL’s own “shared tour” system. A shared tour means joining a tour that has already been booked by another customer and confirmed to run.
This time, if just 3 more people join, each person saves up to $2,070! One participant is currently confirmed, and with 3 more the maximum discount applies.
The tour price per person changes with the number of participants as follows:
Participants
Price per person (USD)
Discount (vs. 1 person)
1 person
$2,940
–
2 people
$1,480
▲$1,460
3 people
$1,090
▲$1,850
4–5 people
$870
▲$2,070
💡 Please note: prices and payment
Shared tours as standard
This tour can run with just 1 person, but once other participants join, it automatically becomes a “shared tour”.
Price varies with group size
The price may change as other participants join or cancel.
Even after your participation is confirmed, the price may go up or down depending on changes in the shared tour. (For example, if someone cancels, or more people join)
Final price confirmed 3 weeks before
We close the shared tour roster about 3 weeks before departure, and the final price is set at that point.
After that, even if there are cancellations or changes in the number of participants, the price will not change.
This rule is so you can prepare with peace of mind.
📌 Cancellation policy
Cancellation timing
Cancellation fee (of the tour price)
From 18:01, 20 days before departure, until 18:00, 10 days before
20%
From 18:01, 10 days before departure, until 18:00, 3 days before
30%
From 18:01, 3 days before departure, through the day of departure
50%
After the tour starts
100%
Payment Method
The price of this tour is paid in cash in US dollars after you arrive. We do not accept bank transfers or credit card payments, so please prepare in advance.
To avoid the need for change, please bring the exact amount if possible
📌 Notes and requests
In Kyrgyzstan, Japanese yen and cards can be used only in very limited situations. ATMs may also not work in some places, so we strongly recommend getting USD before you leave home.
For payment, your guide or attending staff will explain the procedure after you arrive at your Bishkek hotel or on the morning of the first day.
About Flights
This tour starts and ends locally. Please book your own flights.
“I’m not sure how to book flights…” “I’d like to know an agency that’s strong in Central Asia.”
If that sounds like you, we can introduce a reliable Japanese travel agency (specializing in ticketing). If you need this, feel free to ask when you apply.
✈ Example flights for this tour (T’way Air via Seoul)
Below is an example of commonly used flights matching this tour’s dates (depart November 25 / return November 30).
[Outbound] Departing Tuesday, November 25, 2025
T’way Air (TW437)
19:45 Depart Seoul Incheon (ICN) → 0:30 next day arrive Bishkek (BSZ) | Wednesday, November 26
*Flights between Japan and Seoul are available from multiple cities, including Narita, Kansai, and Fukuoka.
[Return] Departing Sunday, November 30, 2025
T’way Air (TW438)
1:30 Depart Bishkek (BSZ) → 10:45 arrive Seoul Incheon (ICN)
→ Return via Seoul to your home city (Narita, Kansai, Fukuoka, etc.)
Applications and Deadline
📅 Approximate application deadline
We will confirm the number of participants and set the price about 3 weeks before departure (around November 4, 2025).
However, applications will close as soon as all remaining spots are filled.
🏃♀️ Applications are first come, first served!
Even if you’re just a little curious, feel free to get in touch.
A 40-something editor who loves the outdoors. Wanders around Japan and abroad in search of unique experiences. Longing for a digital detox, she goes on a trip, but in the end, she can't give up her computer, which is a problem.
About Us
We are a local travel company based in Kyrgyzstan, sharing the spectacular Tian Shan mountains and the charm of nomadic culture. Our founder, Nuriya, is a Kyrgyz guide fluent in Japanese who once worked at the Embassy of Japan. Blending Japanese attention to detail with warm Central Asian hospitality, we can also arrange trips that cross borders.
Our base is Ashu Guesthouse, located inside a national park. With a sauna and a pool, it is a comfortable place for a retreat that restores body and mind in the heart of nature. What matters most to us is sustainable travel.
By keeping groups small to protect nature, and by paying local guides and nomads fairly, we want travel to bring new energy to the region. Through safe, meaningful experiences, both our guests and our hosts come away uplifted. Why not come and discover something “beyond sightseeing” with us?
Why Travelers Choose ASHU TRAVEL
Japanese- or English-speaking guides
No language worries, and a real understanding of the culture and background. Not just “seeing” Central Asia, but enjoying it because you understand it.
A pro who has guided 3,000+ travelers
Founded by a guide with many years in the field. Every trip is planned with safety, routes and pacing in mind so it never feels rushed.
Shared tours: join solo and save
Solo travelers are welcome. When other travelers book the same tour on the same dates, you share it and the per-person price drops with the number of participants. The final price is fixed about three weeks before departure.
Based at a trusted guesthouse with 20+ years of history
Our base is Ashu Guesthouse, a long-established guesthouse inside a national park. With private rooms, showers, heating, a sauna and a pool, you stay comfortable even in the wild.
Sustainable travel built as equal partners
Our trips are made together with guides, nomads, their families and the community. As a locally run company, we pay fair wages, so the livelihoods and skills of everyone involved are protected.
