Suggestions for a travel plan to Kyrgyzstan in June-July

[bamboo]

This is my plan for an approximately 2 weeks in Kyrgyzstan:

• 1st and 2nd day: Bishek (I'll spend 1-2 days here, exploring the city by myself without a guide).
  
  3rd day: drive to Burana tower, after visiting the tower, drive to Issyk-Kul lake, yurt stay here (I need a driver and help to book a yurt. No guide).
  
  4th day: horseriding or trekking around Issyk- Kul Lake?
  
  5th day: travel to Karakol, need guide to visit the Valley Flower (trekking or horseriding?), yurt stay here (help with transport and book a yurt, and a guide for Valley Flower and back to Karakol)
  
  6th day: travel to Tamga to see the Buddist inscription on rock, and continue to Lake Son-Kol. Overnight in a yurt camp (need transport, and book a yurt, no guide).
  
  7th day: enjoy Lake Son-Kol.
  
  8th day: to Kazarman to see Saimaluu Tash, sleep at Saimaluu Tash (need transport, and book a guesthouse, no guide). 9th day: travel to Tash Rabat (horse riding), yurt stay overnight (need transport; if horse riding, need a guide).
  
  10th+11th+12th days: Osh (need transport, no guide). 12th day: leave Kyrg to Tajikistan from Osh to Murghab (need help to arrange transport).

I'm leaving rooms for possible trekking or horseriding. Any particular places that I should spend more time in and explore?

[bwv812]

In my opinion that's an extremely ambitious plan unless you already have all transportation arranged before you begin your trip. It isn't that easy to quickly arrange things on the fly.

Even with transport arranged, it still seems quite busy. I would suggest going from Burana to Karakol, and then combining your Song-kul excursion with a horse-trek to get there.

Kazarman is on the way from Naryn/Tash Rabat to Osh, so I would head straight from Song-kul to Tash Rabat and then make the stop in Kazarman on the way to Osh. I believe you are almost certainly going to need a guide/support if you want to sleep at Saimaluu Tash unless you have a GPS track and camping equipment.

On the road to Osh I would make a short stop in Ozgen to view the mausoleum and minaret.

[bamboo]

In my opinion that's an extremely ambitious plan unless you already have all transportation arranged before you begin your trip. It isn't that easy to quickly arrange things on the fly.

Even with transport arranged, it still seems quite busy. I would suggest going from Burana to Karakol, and then combining your Song-kul excursion with a horse-trek to get there.

Kazarman is on the way from Naryn/Tash Rabat to Osh, so I would head straight from Song-kul to Tash Rabat and then make the stop in Kazarman on the way to Osh. I believe you are almost certainly going to need a guide/support if you want to sleep at Saimaluu Tash unless you have a GPS track and camping equipment.

On the road to Osh I would make a short stop in Ozgen to view the mausoleum and minaret.

Hi bwv812,

Thanks for the suggestions. That's very helpful. I connected with a local driver in Kyrgyzstan and receive a quote of $1000 for the driver only. The cost exclude accommodations, meals, and horse riding/ trekking. That price is quite high for me so I'm thinking to explore public transportation instead. Do you think it's doable to travel between these locations with public transportation? Of course I don't think I will take public transportation for the entire trip but maybe some if it's possible and hire a driver in to/from remote locations.

[bwv812]

For what you want to do and the time in which you want to do it, it will be very difficult to rely on public transport. You could take a marshrutka from Bishkek to Kakrakol, but you won't stop at Burana tower. You could also do Karakol to Kochkor, but they run even less regularly. From Kochkor to Osh you will pretty much need private transport.

[bamboo]

For what you want to do and the time in which you want to do it, it will be very difficult to rely on public transport. You could take a marshrutka from Bishkek to Kakrakol, but you won't stop at Burana tower. You could also do Karakol to Kochkor, but they run even less regularly. From Kochkor to Osh you will pretty much need private transport.

Got it! Thanks, bwv812