Kyrgyzstan - Lakes of the Sky

Arrive in Kashgar and transfer to hotel. Our pre-departure meeting takes place this evening.

Today we visit the famous Kashgar Sunday Market. The city is alive with traders selling all kinds of wares - rugs, hats, spices and boots to name just a few. At the separate livestock market animals are offered for a 'test-drive' while their handlers catch up on the latest news and gossip. Recharge with some street food - perhaps the local speciality of spicy noodles - and make sure you're prepared for a photographer's paradise!

An early start as we head up into the mountains and across the Torugart Pass (3752m). This ancient gateway takes us through some spectacular scenery. The drive takes about 4 hours with the second part on unpaved roads. This is a relatively taxing day, and you should be prepared for some bumpy, windy roads – there is no cause for concern though, our drivers are extremely experienced and will make your safety their priority at all times. Depending on the time of year you travel, there may still be snow as we approach the Pass and it's possible there will be some delays due to poor road conditions after the winter. Please make sure you have a warm jacket to hand – the temperature will drop noticeably in comparison to the desert where Kashgar is situated. A basic packed lunch will provided before you leave Kashgar (your Chinese tour leader will arrange this), but you may wish to prepare some additional snacks and drinks. We reach Chinese customs (at an elevation of approximately 2000m) before heading into non-man's land for a further 70kms. At the next checkpoint we say goodbye to our Chinese hosts as they introduce us to our Kyrgyz team who will escort us through Kyrgyz border formalities. Today we must be patient – as you will see, this is a very remote and unsophisticated border point, and the custom and immigration processes can be tedious. There are no money changing facilities here, but this does not present a problem, as there is nowhere to spend money until we reach the next town and the bank. Most nationalities no longer require a visa for Kyrgyz visa, but this situation can always change and formalities still need to be completed. Once all the paperwork is completed, we continue on to the beautiful 13th century caravansarai at Tash-Rabat. There is plenty of time to relax here with a free day to enjoy trekking in the area or simply enjoy the stunning setting of our yurt camp. Please be aware that the camps are set up and dismantled (in nomadic tradition) according to weather conditions and the progress of the seasons. A yurt is more sophisticated than a tent, but still relatively basic accommodation. Generally the group will share 2-3 yurts (usually 5-6 people per yurt), with the yurts designated as singles/couples yurts and male/female yurts, or divided in another way according to the wishes of the group. If you have a particular request or concern about the sleeping arrangements, please speak to your tour leader. The yurt camps do not have shower facilities, but will have access to water and a private area for washing. The toilets are 'out-house' style, located at a distance away from the yurts. Please ensure you bring a torch with you (head-torches are particularly useful!). In each yurt there are wooden beds with mattresses fitted with sheets and blankets. These mattresses are more like thin futons rather than traditional mattresses. If there has been an especially long winter, it is possible that the first groups of the year may be accommodated at a lower altitude for comfort, however a stop at Tashrabat to visit the caravanserai will still be included. Whatever time of year you travel, we strongly recommend you pack layers and a lightweight set of thermals to ensure you are comfortable, particularly at night. Our hosts may have small souvenirs for sale, but will accept US dollars or euros, so it's worth having some small denomination notes prepared for this purpose.

After breakfast we drive to Son-Kul Lake, a beautiful spot where many nomadic herders choose to make their summer camp. With gentle pastures set against a backdrop of dramatic mountains, this is the perfect place for an afternoon hike - perhaps dropping in on a local family along the way. We stay for two more nights in traditional felt tents (yurts) and sample some traditional dishes from our Kyrgyz hosts. Again the bedding in a yurt consists of layers of mattresses (like thin futons, but not a traditional bed) and layers of blankets/covers that are stacked during the day to give space, then built up for each person at bedtime (the camp staff will usually assist with this). You will usually be sleeping in close proximity to each other, so a pair of earplugs and an eye-mask are well worth packing. Son-Kul Lake is located off the main roads so we are subject to local conditions – it is unlikely we will be unable to reach the Lake, but should the drivers feel it is unsafe to attempt the pass needed to access the Lake area, we will stay with nomads in an area of equal beauty and interest instead.

From Son-Kul's pastures we wind our way across country towards the village of Kochkorka. Here we are welcomed by local families who are our genial hosts for the night. By using these homestays we are supporting a community-run initiative, but the pleasure is all ours with fabulous home-cooked meals and a unique insight into everyday life in a Kyrgyz town. The ladies take pride in their hospitality, and you should feel free to tuck into the extensive range of dishes provided – at the very least, you should try to sample all of the delicious jams and preserves on offer! According to Central Asian tradition, guests are to be treated with the greatest respect, given their freedom of the hosts' home, and allowed total privacy – we encourage our host families to interact, but they will appreciate some encouragement! Once the family photos are brought out, it generally doesn't take long for mothers and grandmothers to be swapping notes and admiring pictures. It's not necessary to tip the families (they receive payment for their hosting) but if you wish to give a gift of some kind, try to think of something personalized – a postcard from your home or a photo of you and your family for example. Many of the husbands and sons of the village are working in the cities, or in Russia, to provide an income for their families – this is why you will tend to see only the very youngest and the very eldest of the men-folk around. We also have the opportunity in Kochkorka to observe the Kyrgyz art of felt making. We take in a shydak-making show, shyrdak being a richly decorated Kyrgyz carpet. This method of carpet-making comprises ramming and rolling different coloured wool into felt. A traditional method, it is passed on to child from mother and has been around for many hundreds of years, seen with variations in many different parts of Central Asia.

A more leisurely day today as we get our first glimpses of turquoise Lake Issy-Kul and explore the Barskoön Gorge on foot. Our day is relaxed and we share a picnic lunch in these idyllic surrounds. We continue this evening to our simple guesthouse at Tamga village on the southern shore. From here it is a short stroll to the local beach, where a spectacular view of mountain peaks and clear blue water awaits us. The brave might want to consider a dip in the Lake, but be warned that the locals you'll see swimming are used to the icy temperatures, with glacial streams feeding the Lake from the high mountains we have recently left behind.

Over the next two days we follow the shore of this impressive lake - so large it never freezes, hence the name Issyk-Kul - meaning 'hot lake' in the local language. From Tamga via the iconic red sandstone formations of Jeti-Öghüz Canyon to Karakol, where traditional wooden houses are laid out European style. Tonight we stay in a local guesthouse. Dinner is not included this evening, so you can take the opportunity to wander into town and try out a local restaurant. The next day we continue along the north shore to Cholpon-Ata, site of ancient petroglyphs – if time permits, we will stop to look, but we do have a lengthy drive to arrive at our final destination tonight at Chong-Kemin. This long valley lies at altitudes of between 1400m and 2800m above sea level and reaches over 80km deep into the mountains between the Kungey Ala-Too and Zailii ranges, parallel to the Kazakh border. It has verdant pastures, woodland (of Tian-Shan firs), mountain lakes (Jamalysh, Kogor, Tor, Almaty and Kichi-Kemin amongst them) and spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. We overnight at a small guesthouse in this beautiful setting.

After breakfast we start on the road to Bishkek. Along the way we stop at the 11th century Burana Tower, a minaret in the old city of Balasagun. This was the centre of state during the reign of the Karakhanids, once-great feudal rulers of Central Asia. After joining a local family for lunch, we arrive in Bishkek. The following morning we have an introductory city tour to show us the sights of the capital including the National Museum and Gallery. The afternoon is left free for you to shop, explore or simply relax. Bishkek is a small but very pleasant capital, easily explored on foot, or using local taxis. You will also find plenty of internet cafes, something rarely found in the countryside. It is a good idea to advise friends and family that you will be out of contact between Kashgar and Bishkek so they are not concerned if they don't hear from you for a few days.

We fly from Bishkek to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, this morning. On arrival at Tashkent, be ready for hustle and bustle and prepare some assertiveness as this airport is infamous for being exhausting in its arrival formalities! There is no cause for concern, however it can take quite some time for the whole group to make it through so please be patient. We will need to complete two customs declaration forms, one will be kept by the Customs Officer on arrival, the second must be kept for your departure, when we will fill out a third one for comparison, having spent our money and hopefully bought some souvenirs that we will now declare. If the forms are in Russian, we will find an example in English on display somewhere in the area. Match the fields up – the Customs Officer will check it and clarify if necessary. Please keep this form somewhere safe as it will be required when you exit the country, as will the small 'Registration' slip that your Tashkent hotel will give you. Although these registration slips may appear inconsequential (often just a rubber stamp on a small bit of paper) they form a record of where you have been staying and failure to present them can result in difficulties with Immigration on departure. Having met our Uzbek Tour Leader at the airport, we make the short journey to our hotel, and the rest of the day is free. In this cosmopolitan city there is a plentiful choice of restaurants and activities for a final evening's entertainment. Our journey ends on Day 14 (Fri) after breakfast.