Between the Ears: Transhumance

11 Days from $3413.30 per person | Trip Type: Field School | Activity Level: Advanced | Group Size: 5+ + 2 Instructors

Trip Overview

• Ride alongside local shepherds and guides through mountain passes over 11,000 ft and across vast steppe surrounded on all sides by snow-capped mountains.

• Visit stunning Köl Suu lake, situated at over 11,500 ft and ringed by sheer rock faces.

• Spend a day with the eagle hunters and learn the basics of mounted archery.

• Stay in local guesthouses, yurts hosted by local families, and tents while moving livestock.

  
  

Trip Itinerary

• Day 1: Pick-up from Manas Airport and transfer to hotel in Bishkek. Tour the city with stops at the Ash bazaar, the Ala Too Square, and the State History Museum. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants for our first taste of Central Asian cuisine.

• Day 2: After breakfast, depart Bishkek and begin the drive south to Naryn region. Drive time approximately 6 hours with a lunch stop along the way. Arrive at the small village where we meet the shepherd and his family. We will meet the horses for a briefing that includes the Kyrgyz-style for riding and tacking up, followed by dinner and sleeping in shared accommodation.

• Day 3: After breakfast, we begin the Transhumance! We will have lunch and dinner served outside and camp (2 people per tent).

• Days 4-6: The Transhumance continues! The pace is slow, but we ride past diverse and breathtaking scenery — vast valleys, high mountain passes, pine-covered slopes, snowcapped peaks, river gorges, and small villages. We stop for a picnic lunch and each evening we build a camp, share dinner together, and sleep in tents. There’s time for pictures and to chat to learn more about the local culture and each other. We ride around 70 miles during the Transhumance. Anticipate long days. On the afternoon of the sixth day, we arrive at the high yurt camp near Köl Suu Lake and the Chinese border. Sleep in shared yurts.

• Day 7: Day ride to Köl Suu Lake and to explore the beautiful valley around the yurt camp. Return for a homecooked meal and spend the night in shared yurts.

• Day 8: Say goodbye to our hosts and descend the mountain to Taldy Suu, a small village near where we started the Transhumance. Spend the day learning about kok boru, the national sport played with a dead sheep, and kyz kumay, an old courtship horseback game, with the chance for some faster riding on this day! Dinner with community members and night in shared accommodation.

• Day 9: After breakfast, we depart for a town on the shores of Issyk Kul, a large lake in the north, with a history of eagle hunting. We arrive in the afternoon and jump in to a masterclass on eagle hunting and mounted archery. Spend the evening at the charming house of the eagle hunter and his family.

• Day 10: Depart after breakfast to return to Bishkek. Around 5 hours drive with a stop for lunch on the way. Arrive in Bishkek in the afternoon with time to check into your hotel room and shower. Farewell dinner in the city.

• Day 11: Transfer to Manas Airport after breakfast at the hotel.

Overview: Our Kyrgyzstan expedition takes us to the far southern reaches of the country near the border with China, a remote region that is not yet on the main tourist trail. Riding between small villages, through sweeping valleys and mountain passes, we arrive at a landscape that feels like the edge of the world. Deep valleys are carved between nearly vertical hillsides peppered with yaks, snow-capped peaks tower over us even when we are at 10,500 ft/3,200 m, and we stay at a cozy family-run yurt camp.

Age Requirements: 18+

What can you expect when you travel on an Anthro Tours trip?

• Dedicated Anthro Tours instructors and knowledgeable guides

• A small group of 6-10 guests

• Comfortable and convenient accommodations in each destination

• Included activities as indicated in itineraries

• Optional activities may be available for an additional cost as indicated in itineraries

• Opportunities for on-your-own exploration as indicated in itineraries

• Included meals as per itineraries

• Tent partners match for solo travelers at no additional fee

Dates & Prices

2026 Dates & Prices

28 May- 7 June 2026

$3413.30 per person

All trip prices are per person based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted, are subject to change without notice and do not include airfare. Optional activities are at an additional cost. All prices and fares are quoted in US dollars.

Travel Insurance

A minimum level of medical and emergency travel insurance is required in order to travel with Anthro International Field Schools. Details are outlined in our Terms and Conditions and you will not be permitted to join the group until you have provided evidence of adequate travel insurance.

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