Kyrgyzstan Travel: Horse Trekking and Yurt Stay adventure to Song Köl

Prior to the World Nomad Games we had a great introduction to the country of Kyrgyzstan through an adventurous several day horse-trekking journey where we stayed overnight in yurts en route to Song Kol. The highlight for us both was the rugged scenery along the way in tandem with the getting to experience traditional Kyrgyz culture in a yurt at night where we had traditional food and then slept inside.
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Kyrgyzstan Travel: Horse Trekking and Yurt Stay adventure to Song Köl Travel Video Transcript:
Hey guys we're in Kyrgyzstan. Yeah, new country for both of us so that is pretty exciting. First time in Central Asia so we are stoked to be here. Yeah and over the next few days we are going to be horse-trekking in Song Köl so we're going to take you along but before we get there we're making a little stop. First up Burana Tower right here. So we're going to climb to the top.
The first day of our tour was mostly a travel day, so we just enjoyed the scenery, caught up on sleep, and experienced our first Kyrgyz traffic jam. We also go our first taste of Kyrgyz food with a massive lunch featuring all types of spreads and dishes.
From there, we did a short hike in the outskirts of Kochkor and then checked into our guesthouse for the night.
(Traditional music of Kyrgyzstan)
So good morning from Kochkor. We did a home stay here last night which was a lot of fun. We got to watch a music performance and eat amazing food. So we're just going to enjoy breakfast now and then go horse-trekking. And we're wearing our cool hats. Yeah, so can't wait to do that. Let's get started.
Alright so we just arrived at the first camp. We've had lunch and now we're going to pick out a horse and begin the trek. Yeah!
Okay so it is time for a little update. How are you feeling?
Well, I've been getting tenderized on that horse. Yeah. Like we've been riding for over three hours now and after I got off of it I could barely stand up. Like I almost collapsed. I almost fell. Obviously we are not trained at doing this but it has been a lot of fun. The scenery has been awesome, the weather has really cooperated so this is over the halfway mark and we're really looking forward to reaching the Yurt for supper.
So we made a new friend and we've arrived at camp. We've arrived at last. So we're at our yurt and we're going to eat dinner. We're getting ready for dinner and this guy is our entertainment for the night.
So it is now bedtime. The boys are in one yurt and the girls are in the other and this is what it looks like.
Little tour. There we go. And we have loads of blankets because it is freezing cold tonight.
Good morning. I don't know about you but I slept really well. We were in separate tents. Yeah, it was men only and women only. And it was so cold that you know we just bundled up in these big thick blankets and I think everyone just was like out like a rock. Past out right away.
And we went to bed early. Yeah because the horse riding took a lot out of us and we had a nice big meal and then a little bit to drink and then just it was fantastic. So this is the start of day two. So we're going to be riding again about five hours today. I'm feeling pretty sore so we'll see how that goes. But it should be fun like the landscapes have been amazing all the way. And the weather has been awesome too so I think we're going to have another really good day. Mmmhmmm. Let's do this.
Alright welcome to MTV cribs the yurt edition. Yurt edition. So we're going to show you what is going on in here. Alright. This is like the men's sleeping quarters last night so we were all sleeping here. Looks pretty messy. It is properly messy. We all just woke up. We're just getting ready for breakfast and this was the awesome stuff we had last night. We had some vodka.
On our second afternoon of trekking we made it to Song Kol, our final destination. We arrived shortly before sunset, so after dropping off our packs and warming up with tea, we made our way down to the water to watch the sun work its magic.
So we finally made it. We arrived. So it is day two. It is the end of our horse-trek and this is Song Kol. Viola!
This is part of our Travel in Kyrgyzstan video series showcasing Krygyz food, Krygyz culture and Kyrgyz cuisine.
Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network