A Horseback Riding Adventure in Kyrgyzstan's Ferghana Valley
Our loop will take you through originel walnut forests, open pastures, and majestic mountains as we make our way to the sacred lakes of Arslanbob.
Ride to the heart of Boobash Ata's spirituality
Experience the unique combination of horseback riding and spiritual exploration as you visit the holy lakes of Arslanbob in Kyrgyzstan's beautiful Ferghana Valley - a one of a kind adventure that can't be found anywhere else.
3 Days • Adventure tours • Kyrgyzstan
Program
Riding from Arslanbob to pastures of Sere
We will start our day after our breakfast and head west towards the Kyzyl-Alma fields and Jayloo Kara-At. Along the way, we will have the opportunity to witness the seasonal nomadic life in the Jayloos.
After a leisurely ride, we will then ascend the Char-Archa pass (2800m) and continue on to the alpine pasture of Tulga-Tash. We will take a break for lunch and rest before continuing our journey up to Chakmak-Tash, where we will have usually the chance to see a large number of yaks grazing in the area.
The day will conclude with camping on the Jayloo Sere, where you can enjoy the tranquility of the valley and the stunning views of the mountains.
Horseride from Sere to Tash-Koroo pastures
After breakfast, we'll set out on horseback towards the Tash-Koroo, a large canyon known for its stunning scenery. We'll stop for lunch along the way before continuing our journey towards the holy lake.
As we approach the lake, we'll have maybe the opportunity to see pilgrims from Central Asia, riding and walking around the lake, paying their respects. We'll set up camp in the Tash-Koroo canyon and enjoy dinner under the stars, surrounded by the natural beauty of the valley.
Horseride from Tash-Koroo to Arslanbob
After breakfast, we will set out on horseback towards Dubana-Mazar, taking in the beauty of the coniferous forests along the way. We will stop for lunch in the Jayloo Sere before continuing our journey up to the Char-Archa pass.
From the pass, we will descend towards the picturesque village of Arslanbob. We will end the day by spending the night in a CBT (Community-based Tourism) Homestay in Arslanbob, experiencing the local culture and hospitality.
Nomad's Land (Alex) helped us to plan and organize 8-days self-guided trekking in the mountains surrounding Karakol. It was our first visit in Kyrgystan and it was really good to rely on advices and suggestions of someone having mountain experince and knowledge of the local customs. The trekking was great, we started at Jeti-Oguz, then crossed Telety Pass, went down to Karakol valley, ascent to Alakul Lake, crossed Alakul Pass and went down the valley to Aksu. Nomad's Land arranged for us a nice trip from Karakol to Almaty by a private car, during which we visited the amazing Sharyn Canyon.
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 !
On your way
CBT Arslanbob KG
Coordination office of CBT Arslanbob leading by Hayat. Our local partner for trekking, horseback riding and ski touring in the region of the largest nuts forest in the world. With Hayat the coordinator of CBT Arslanbob, we are developing new routes and programs. In partnership with the Swiss NGO "Boule de neige", we are supporting winter sport access to children of Arslanbob village.
Arslanbob village KG
Arslanbob (written also Arstanpap or Arslanbap) is a wide village in the mountain, north of the city of Jalal Abad. Mainly populated by people of Uzbek ethnicity, the village count about 15'000 inhabitants. Most of the population are Uzbek, and less than 5% is Kyrgyz, Russian, Tatar, Tajik, Chechen etc… The village is situated at an altitude of 1350 metres up to 1800 metres.
Kyrgyzstan's first known export to Europe was the Arslanbob walnut. Nuts forest are legendary because there are certainly originel forest of nuts, and maybe Alexander the Great bring back these nuts to Greece. Two waterfalls are located in the area which attract tourists, expats and pilgrims, skiers and other whole year round.
Arslanbob is named after an 11th-century figure, Arslanbob-Ata (alternate: Arstanbap-Ata). He may have been of Arab descent as in that language, Arslan translates to "lion" and bab to "gate", while in Turkic languages, ata means "father of". ergo "father of the lion gate". 'Bob', used as a suffix, is a traditional practice used in the Arslanbob which denotes "a traveler and explorer.
Muslims consider picturesque forest gardens sacred. According to legend, in ancient times there was an extremely hardworking man called Arstanbap who served the prophet Muhammad. Pilgrims come from far away to see the mausoleum of Arsantbap. And those who visit the forest bring with them a bit of paradise.
The walnut forest is within the 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres) forest situated between the Fergana and Chatkal Mountains. The walnut forest is located at altitudes varying between 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) and 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level on the Fergana range's south-facing slopes. At 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres), the Arslanbob woodland is the largest walnut grove on Earth.
Behind the village of Arslanbob are the Babash-Ata Mountains. There are two waterfalls nearby. One measures 80 metres (260 ft) high and has a slippery scree slope; it is situated in a cliff face north of the village. Another, to the east, is 23 metres (75 ft) in height and has two prayer caves, one of which is known as the Cave of the 40 Angels.
NGO "Forest relics" is our lodging provider. In Summer or in Winter, they organise sports and cultural events :
In May : Bike Challenge of Arslanbob
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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Horses with local saddles
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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 |