Frequently asked questions

Yes, it's a condition of joining. Your policy needs to cover cancellation, medical costs, and emergency evacuation, plus the specific activities on your trip. Riding, altitude, and water activities are commonly excluded, so check rather than assume.

Small, usually six to twelve. Big enough for the group to have its own life, small enough that you're not queuing for anything or shouting to be heard.

Most people do. You'll be sharing meals and days with the group from the first evening, and solo travellers tend to end up at the centre of it rather than the edge.

Depends on the trip. Each one lists what you'll actually be doing, whether that's walking, riding, or sitting through long days, so you can judge for yourself. If you're unsure, ask us before booking rather than after.

Your deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel, the refund on your balance depends on when you tell us in writing: 100% back if it's more than 90 days before departure, 50% at 60 to 90 days, and nothing under 60 days. Refunds carry an admin fee. Changed your mind straight away? You can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, deposit included (less the admin fee), as long as departure is more than 60 days away. If we cancel your journey, you get everything you paid us back, with no fee. If events beyond our control (such as natural disasters or government action) disrupt a trip, we'll offer new dates, a credit, or a refund minus costs we've already committed. We strongly recommend cancellation insurance. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions.

Contact the Loka team to organise your group.

Eight days and seven nights, starting and ending in Bishkek.

A three-day horse trek through the Ak-Sai Valley and over Kynda Pass (3,398 m) to Kel-Suu Lake, a boat ride and barbecue picnic on Kel-Suu, a night with a Kyrgyz family in their yurts at Chatyr-Tash, a three-hour ride to Shar Waterfall, eagle hunting or another local tradition in Naryn, and a final night in Bishkek with a spa and a Georgian dinner.

A small group, usually six to twelve travellers.

No. Horses are matched to your ability and local guides ride with you on every riding day.

You should be comfortable being active for several days in a row: four days with riding, two drives of around five hours, and long days outside at altitude. No riding experience is needed.

Seven nights' accommodation, all meals, horses and local guides, all ground transport, airport pickup and the Kel-Suu border zone permit. International flights, insurance and visas are not included.

No. Fly into Manas International Airport (FRU) in Bishkek. Airport pickup is included, and everything from there is arranged for you.

All meals, from the welcome dinner on Day 1 to the farewell lunch on Day 8, including a traditional dinner with a Kyrgyz family, a barbecue picnic at Kel-Suu Lake and a Georgian dinner in Bishkek. Kyrgyz food is meat and dairy heavy, so bring snacks you like. Alcoholic drinks are not included.

Kynda Pass is 3,398 m and Kel-Suu Lake sits at around 3,500 m.

Hotels and guesthouses in Bishkek and Naryn, and three nights in yurts on the trek, one of them with a Kyrgyz family at Chatyr-Tash.

You spend three nights in yurts: at Uzun-Bulak, with a Kyrgyz family at Chatyr-Tash, and at Kok-Kyia camp, which has showers. Yurts are shared, nights get cold, and charging is limited to non-existent, so bring a power bank, warm layers and earplugs.

By private vehicle between stops and on horseback on riding days. Your main bag travels between stops by vehicle. Days 2 and 7 each include around five hours on the road between Bishkek and Naryn.

Fly into Manas International Airport (FRU), Bishkek, on the Saturday your week starts: June 5, 12 or 19, 2027. A driver meets you at the airport, and the group comes together over dinner that evening. If you arrive early, Bishkek's market is a good place to pick up gear.

The final day is the following Saturday (June 12, 19 or 26): one last lunch together in Bishkek, then flights home. Book a departing flight for after lunch.

Yes. Kel-Suu is close to the Chinese border, so a border zone permit is required. Loka arranges it for every guest.

Many nationalities can enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 60 days, but the rules depend on your passport, so check your own requirements before booking. Visas are not included in the trip price.

Yes. Travel insurance is required for this trip and must cover riding and hiking activities.

Expect little or no phone signal on the trek and no wifi in the yurts. Charging is limited to non-existent there too, so bring a power bank.

Long trousers you can ride in (not jeans), broken-in hiking boots with a small heel, merino base layers, an insulated jacket, a waterproof shell, a warm hat, gloves and a sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sun cream, a headtorch, a power bank and a small daypack. Nights in the mountains get cold, even in June.

A soft duffel or backpack, not a hard suitcase, plus a small daypack. Your main bag travels between stops by vehicle, and you can leave anything you don't need in luggage storage in Bishkek.

Yes. The itinerary may change due to weather and other conditions outside our control, especially in the mountains.

Week 1 (June 5 to 12, hosted by Amanda Draper) is $3,490 per person. Weeks 2 and 3 (June 12 to 19 and June 19 to 26) are $2,990 per person. A $900 deposit per traveller secures your spot, and the balance is due by March 5, 2027. Deposits are non-refundable.

Your deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel, the refund on your balance depends on when you tell us in writing: 100% back if it's more than 90 days before departure, 50% at 60 to 90 days, and nothing under 60 days. Refunds carry an admin fee. Changed your mind straight away? You can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, deposit included (less the admin fee), as long as departure is more than 60 days away. If we cancel your journey, you get everything you paid us back, with no fee. If events beyond our control (such as natural disasters or government action) disrupt a trip, we'll offer new dates, a credit, or a refund minus costs we've already committed. We strongly recommend cancellation insurance. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions.

Contact the Loka team to organise your group.