A short vehicle transfer takes us from the city out to the surrounding mountains. We take a short walk to take in the beautiful scenery and get acclimatized before we jump on our bikes and head down the valley back to Bishkek City.

Cycling Distance: 40km

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We transfer by vehicle from the plains and up, up, up into the mountains. Back on the bikes with a huge change of scenery and climate we cycle down into a river valley and on to our first local homestay guesthouse.

Cycling Distance: 55km

Accommodation: Homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We continue cycling down the river valley and through a continuously changing landscape from barren rocky gorges to lush green farmland. A relaxing afternoon gives us the chance to explore the town of Chaek.

Cycling Distance: 45km

Accommodation: Homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is an ‘altitude gain day‘as we begin our way towards our first mountain pass. We pass through some small towns and cycle up onto a plateau and camp in a remote river valley.

Cycling Distance: 40km

Accommodation: Camping

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Up and out of camp, we stretch our legs and climb to the top of our first mountain pass Kara-Keche at 3380m. Our descent is through rolling open grasslands being grazed by nomadic herders to Lake Son Kol. It is an awesome achievement and rewarded with 360-degree views.

Cycling Distance: Approx 60km

Accommodation: Yurt camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We warm up around the shores of Son Kol. Then we stretch our legs with a climb up and over our second mountain pass at 3467m. In the afternoon we roll down into the stunning Tolok valley and camp beside a mountain stream

Cycling Distance: 50km

Accommodation: Camping

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rolling up and down remote river valleys we pass through alpine meadows and small farm-lets that look like something out of a ‘Sound of Music’. Eagles soar overhead and marmots call from their roadside dens. Afternoon transfer to Kochkor.

Cycling Distance: 60km

Accommodation: Homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A well-earned rest day in Kochkor Town. Check out the local craft of felt making or sit with a beer in the main street and watch life go by in this bustling market town.

Accommodation: Homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We head away from Kyrgyzstan’s largest lake, Issyk Kol and back up towards the mountains, following a narrow river valley until it opens out into wide open grasslands.

Cycling Distance: 60km

Accommodation: Yurt camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A relaxed start to the day and then we roll along a wide-open valley dotted with small farming villages under a backdrop of snowy peaks. After lunch we descend to Bokonbaev, near the shores of Issyk Kol.

Cycling Distance: 38km

Accommodation: Homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A fun ride through a moonscape of eroded hills and valleys alongside the shore of Lake Issyk Kol. After

lunch and a final swim in the revered lake ‘the Kyrgyz sea’ and transfer to our hotel. 

Cycling Distance: 38km

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A morning transfer back towards Bishkek City. Our last ride of the tour takes us on rural back roads before delivering us neatly back into the city.

Cycling Distance: 60km

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Our final Kyrgyz breakfast together.  If you are flying out today we can help arrange your transfer to Bishkek Airport.

Meals: Breakfast

Your cycle tour includes rides of up to 70km per day, but should not be judged by distance alone! Please do read about the daily riding distances taking note of the riding terrain in the itinerary below and prepare accordingly. The more prepared you are the more you will enjoy your adventure! Heat, hills, altitude and road surface combine to offer a good challenging cycle tour…

– Heat is usually only an issue on the first day’s ride out of Bishkek, but may be up to 35-40 degrees C.
– For most of your cycle tour the altitude will range between 1500-3500m above sea-level with plenty of ups and downs. Some of the bigger days offer 5-10km climbs.
– The roads are mostly dirt or gravel and the surface can be anything from smooth, fast and flowing to gravelled and corrugated depending on when the grader last went through.

You should be comfortable riding 3-5 times a week with regular rides of 30-60km in length. Preparing for your cycle tour should involve plenty of gravel, dirt and off-road riding, with some good sized hills. Please do contact us if you would like some help with a detailed training plan.

In Kyrgyzstan we hire new mountain bikes through a local bike shop. Each season they are a brand new fleet of hard tail mountain bikes with hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano Alivio/Deore 27-speed components and available in S, M, L and XL. These bikes are often not as highly spec’ed as we would like, but they will be serviced and maintained by our crew and are certainly up for the job!   If you will be hiring a bike from us please let us know prior to your trip.  Please feel free to bring your own saddle (as yours always fits best!) and your own pedals if you normally clip in.

You are also welcome to bring your own bike!

Your tour leaders will take care of your meals and snacks throughout your adventure with us. This excludes one lunch and one evening meals which are at your own cost to give you the opportunity to explore eating options of your own choosing. We are able to cater for vegetarians* and special diets and if this includes you, it is essential to advise us of this before your tour begins, so that the support vehicle can be stocked with the necessary supplies.
Typical meals include:

• Breakfasts – Vary from oat or semolina porridge, muesli & fruit, local traditional breakfasts, and hot drinks.
• Lunches – Meat & Vegetable dishes in cafes** / and Picnic style lunches of fresh salads, cold meats, cheese & bread.
• Evening Meals – A range of delicious traditional meat and vegetable dishes.**

*Vegetarians – Please note that in Kyrgyzstan meat is considered staple and vegetarianism is not widely understood. We will be doing our best to request dishes with plenty of vegetables (and meat-free dishes) however vegetarian options are limited and hence can be repetitive.
**Kyrgyz traditional food consists of meat and potato dishes, rice, vegetables, eggs, traditional round breads and boorsok (delicious donuts). We will do our best to supplement with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

All accommodation for the duration of your tour is included – four nights in hotels, seven nights in local guesthouses/home stays and yurts, and two nights camping in tents. Guesthouses, home stays and yurts are mostly on a twin-share basis, however at times it may be necessary for up to four to share in home stays and yurts. The camping is ‘real camping’ in remote locations with basic facilities, but there is always the opportunity to wash at the end of the day. We supply dome tents which we will show you how to erect. You will need to bring your own 2-3 season sleeping bag, sleeping mat (thermarest or similar) and a small travel pillow.

Singles: We do not charge a single supplement! 
If you are traveling on your own, we will pair you with another single biker of the same gender to share a twin room.  If you do not wish to share, that is fine too, but a single supplement will apply!

This trip has 6-12 bikers, plus two experienced Escape Adventures guides and a small team of local interpreters and drivers.