Day 1: Tuesday, September 9 | Italy – Bishkek (D) Departure from Italy on a flight to Bishkek (NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE). Meals and overnight stay on board.
Day 2: Wednesday, September 10 | Bishkek (B/-/D) Early morning arrival. Transfer to the hotel for rest. Breakfast. In the afternoon, meet with the English-speaking local guide for a city tour. Bishkek is situated at approximately 800 meters in the Chui Valley at the foot of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains; it is home to more than 80 different nationalities, with Russians being the predominant group. Visit the Historical Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and Ala-Too Square, featuring the Statue of Liberty (erected in 1999 to celebrate eight years of independence) and the sculptural complex dedicated to the legendary hero, Manas. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day 3: Thursday, September 11 | Bishkek – Toktogul (B/L/D) | 350 km Breakfast at the hotel. We mount our motorcycles for the first leg of the journey, riding through breathtaking Kyrgyz landscapes and the magic of its remote valleys and villages. Today’s route crosses a wonderful plateau leading to Lake Toktogul, where we will stay overnight in preparation for the following day's ride through the Karkol Gorges. Lunch en route. Dinner and overnight stay in a guesthouse.
Day 4: Friday, September 12 | Toktogul – Sary-Chelek (B/L/D) | 190 km Breakfast. Morning departure towards the village of Karkol. Stop along the way for photos at the Jeti-Oguz gorge, also known as the "Seven Bulls Rocks" due to formations resembling a herd of resting bulls. Continue to one of Kyrgyzstan's most remote parks until reaching Lake Sary-Chelek in the National Park of the same name, the realm of Kyrgyz nomads. Dinner and accommodation in a guesthouse.
Day 5: Saturday, September 13 | Sary-Chelek – Osh (B/L/D) | 340 km Breakfast. Today we head towards Osh, the "Southern Capital" and the country's second-largest city. An ancient caravanserai for Silk Road travelers in the Fergana Valley, the city's origins are believed to date back more than 3,000 years. Lunch along the way. Dinner and hotel accommodation.
Day 6: Sunday, September 14 | Osh – Sary Mogol (B/L/D) | 220 km Breakfast. We continue through mountain passes to the Sary Tash crossroads, deep in the Kyrgyz highlands. We are only 60 km from China to the East and Tajikistan to the South. To our right, the dirt road begins to climb to the Sary Mogol pass ($4,310$ m above sea level) at the foot of the Pamir range, surrounded by peaks over $7,000$ meters, such as Lenin Peak. We arrive in Sary Mogol to enjoy breathtaking views of the surroundings, including Lake Karakul. Lunch en route. Dinner and overnight in a guesthouse.
Day 7: Monday, September 15 | Sary Mogol – Osh (B/L/D) | 220 km Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the return to Osh, where we will enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Lunch along the way. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 8: Tuesday, September 16 | Osh – Kazarman (B/L/D) | 220 km Breakfast in the guesthouse. Today we venture into the heart of the central Tian Shan mountain range, mirroring the Pamir range. These peaks, exceeding seven thousand meters, enclose remote valleys still unexplored by mass tourism. We will travel mostly on dirt roads along the valley carved by the Naryn River, the connection between the Issyk-Kul and Naryn regions. The scenery is incredible; stopping on the pass with the engine idling, we enjoy the sense of serenity and watch the mountains "breathe" all around us. Lunch en route. Dinner and accommodation in a guesthouse.
Day 9: Wednesday, September 17 | Kazarman – Son Kul Lake (B/L/D) | 215 km Breakfast in the guesthouse. Crossing the Tian Shan passes again, we arrive in the north of the country at Lake Son Kul, our destination for the evening. Located at an altitude of $3,500$ meters, it is the second-largest lake in the country. Here, we realize we are truly on the paths of the last nomadic populations.
(Note: The text refers to Issyk-Kul's characteristics here): We will also explore the area near Lake Issyk-Kul ("warm sea"), so named because it never freezes despite its altitude ($1,609$ meters). Time available to explore nature and sites around the lake, including the Barskoon waterfalls. Lake Issyk-Kul is 170 km long and 70 km wide, making it the second-largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca. The landscape is dotted with yurts and herds of yaks and Kyrgyz horses. Picnic lunch during the day. Dinner and overnight in a Yurt.
Day 10: Thursday, September 18 | Son Kul – Kochkor – Chon Kemin (B/L/D) | 160 km Breakfast in the Yurt. Crossing the Kyz-Art and Tuz-Ashuu passes, we descend through the Suusamyr Valley and enter the beautiful Chon Kemin Park, along the lake of the same name. Altitudes vary from $2,000$ to $3,000$ meters, offering everything from semi-arid deserts to majestic glaciers near the southern border with Kazakhstan. Lunch en route. Upon arrival, accommodation and dinner in a simple Yurt.
Day 11: Friday, September 19 | Chon Kemin – Bishkek (B/L/D) | 180 km Breakfast at the hotel. Return to Bishkek (260 km), admiring ancient rock carvings along the way. Lunch and check-in at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 12: Saturday, September 20 | Bishkek – Istanbul – Italy Very early morning transfer to the airport for the flight back to Italy (NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE).
Legend
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B: Breakfast
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L: Lunch
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D: Dinner
