An active and cultural day trip to the East part of the Chuy Oblast
The Burana tower, along with grave markers, some earthworks and the remnants of a castle and three mausoleums, is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was established by the Karakhanids at the end of the 9th century. An external staircase and steep, winding stairway inside the tower enables visitors to climb to the top.
The tower was originally 45 m (148 ft) high. However, over the centuries a number of earthquakes caused significant damage to the structure. The last major earthquake in the 15th century destroyed the top half of the tower, reducing it to its current height of 25m (82 ft). A renovation project was carried out in the 1970s to restore its foundation and repair the west-facing side of the tower, which was in danger of collapse.
The entire site, including the mausoleums, castle foundations and grave markers, now functions as museum and there is a small building on the site containing historical information as well as artifacts found at the site and in the surrounding region.
A small Creek canyon!
The main valley named Konorchek, and the small canyon starting from the train bridge named Kyzyl Terek can be visited in 2 hours walk.
1 Day • Discovery tours • Kyrgyzstan
1 people: $113
2 people: $72
3 people: $58
4 people: $51
5 people: $47
6 people: $44
Program

Hike in Konorchek red canyon and visit of historical site of Balasagun and its minaret "Burana"
8:30 Depart from Bishkek 11:00 Arrival to the Kurgon Terek red’s canyon (part of the great valley of Konorchek), walking in the canyon (to reach the amazing part of the canyon, it takes around 45-60 min. 12:00 Picnic in the canyon 13:00 Depart to Burana tower: visit of the museum, petroglyphs fiels and the tower 15:00 Transfer to Bishkek 16:00 Arrival in Bishkek
We arrived in Bishkek with no plans. We went to the Nomad's Land office and they were really helpful. They tailored a trip for us and the organisation was incredible. We got to do some horse trekking and some hiking with knowledgeable guides. We definitely recommend (100%!!). Greetings to all the team !
Dear Nomad's Land - especially Alex Johnson. You have helped us during preparation of our trip, arranging border zone permits, transportation to mountains, advise in arranging maps and also being a contact person in case of emergency. We had arranged most stuff over internet beforehand. It was generally very helpful and I would recommend to our friends Nomad's Land for tracking in Kyrgistan. And there is so much to see in that country yet. It would be great to visit Kyrgistan again. Thank you.
On your way

Konorchek canyon KG
A small Creek canyon! But you can walk two days around the red cliffs. The main valley named Konorchek, and the small canyon starting from the train bridge named Kyzyl Terek can be visited in 2 hours walk. A good option on the way to Issyk Kul lake.

Burana Tower KG
Burana Tower is seven km. far from the city of Tokmok. It is an 11th century minaret, and one of the first buildings of such type in Central Asia. The original height of minaret was 45 meters. Today the tower is 24.6 meters high, the remaining part came down during an earthquake in the 15th century. In the 10th to 12th centuries, Karakhanids khanate was a great feudal state of Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
The founders, "karakhans", chigil tribes by birth, lived in the Tien-Shan and for a short time of the second half of the 10th century they conquered a large territory. One of the capitals of this state was Balasagun. In Karakhanids' time new towns and settlements were developing, the centers of big cities were improved and Moslem religious buildings were built in the town of Balasagun. Burana tower, mausoleums and other buildings found after archeological excavations are the witnesses of that build up. The town's life declined slowly, people left it, the buildings fell apart and finally in the 15th century it ceased to exit.
Info
What is included
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All transportation in a private vehicle
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All airport transfers
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Accommodation as described in the program
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Meals (3 per day)
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Bottled water (when possible) & tea
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English-speaking trekking guide
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Pack horses with saddle bags & horsemen
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Camping & cooking equipment (tents, mats, gas, stove, etc)
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All the activities listed in the program
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Entry fees at national parks and/or border zones listed in the program
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Entry fees at museums and historical sites listed in the program
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Domestic flights mentioned in the program
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A contribution to our sustainable development projects
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Organisation of the trip & local taxes
What is not included
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International flights
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International banking fees (PayPal, ...)
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Travel & repatriation insurance
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Visas / LOI (if applicable)
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Alcoholic and soft drinks
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Personal expenses
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Personal equipment (sleeping bag, headlight, personal medication, etc)
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Additional costs due to unexpected personal events (health, loss of luggage, ...)
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Tips for guide & driver (always optional, always appreciated)
Ready to go?
Book your tour today.
May we help you?
Our trip designers are at your disposal for building your dream! Feel free to contact us.
- Postal address
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Nezhinsky lane 27
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Phone number
Looking for a taylor-made experience? Check our trip planner.
Ecotourism projects
Through various ecotourism projects and initiatives, Nomad's Land aims to increase awareness of ecotourism and responsible travel, for a sustainable development of the tourism sector.

Eco address book in Kyrgyzstan
On this page you can find all the environmental projects in Kyrgyzstan and get useful information about environmental incidents, recycling and more.
ecostan.kg | Public Foundation for Environmental Monitoring and Investigation |
ecomap.kg | Electronic map of environmental incidents |
movegreen.kg | Environmental organization in Kyrgyzstan that conducts public activities on issues related to atmospheric air pollution and its effects on human health and the environment |
Tazar app | Tazar application with coordinates of secondary raw material sales |
