Mountain Biking Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Price from
US$ 3,150
Duration
13 Days / 12 Nights
Distance
581 km
Tour Code
KAZ-KAZ
Next departure
29-Jun-2025
Number of Cycling Days11
Average Distance Per Day: 48
0
150 Km
Average Climbing Per Day: 926
0
2,250 m
Total Cycling Distance581 kilometres
AccommodationIncluded
Bike HireMountain Bike: US$ 260
Single SupplementUS$ 350
Client Rating (based on 3 reviews)

About this Cycle Tour

On this Central Asian mountain bike tour through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan we take you off the grid and into the heart of the Tien Shan mountains that include the marble pyramid of Khan Tengri (6,995 m) and Pobedy Peak (7,439 m). Snow-capped mountains provide a stunning backdrop for our mountain biking trip through Kazakhstan's valleys with lush pastures and up to passes and plateaus that are teeming with grasslands and wildflowers. If you’re looking for a tour truly off the beaten track, this is it! The only traffic will be the occasional horseman and we'll meet nomadic Kazakhs that have moved their flocks of sheep to high pastures

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Itinerary

Day 1

We'll pick you up from the airport and transfer you the hotel in Almaty. In the late afternoon, we'll assemble the bikes and gather for a welcome dinner.

Day 2

We transfer to the Turgen River Gorge to start our ride that follows the river, climbing the Assy Pass to our campsite

Day 3

We have a short but tough climb to reach the lofty summit of Zhambas Pass at 3150 m. Once we've reached the top, it's a long and exhilarating descent for 23 km along the Zheniska River. All the riding is off-road.

Day 4

Today starts with a climb up, but the switchbacks make the gradient easy. We traverse across the Kungey Alatau Mountains, then a tough and rocky road leads us through a steep hillside that will test even the strongest of cyclists.

Day 5

We hit some tarmac as we follow the asphalt road from Saty to Zhalanash village (1700 m). The riding will be mostly flat with a few undulations. We camp near the Kegen River.

Day 6

We enter Kyrgyzstan riding through rolling grasslands on a good road to reach the beautiful Karkara Valley. This section was once part of the Silk Road. We spend the next two nights at Base Camp Karkara (2,200 m).

Day 7

Today we board our helicopters for an unforgettable day of heli-biking! With our bikes on-board, we fly up to 3,500 m and make an unforgettable 1,300 m descent on grasslands.

Day 8

Today we enjoy a 20 km scenic ride along the Karkara River to the junction of three mountain rivers. We follow along the Turuk river until we arrive at our next camp seeing Kirgiz nomads along the way. We will camp in tents among these friendly nomads!

Day 9

Another day cycling off road through grasslands with snow-capped peaks as your backdrop. A long descent takes us down to Krygztan and the Saary Zhaz River where we'll camp.

Day 10

Our route today on dirt roads takes us back towards Kazakhstan. There will be climbs up and over many hills, but soon we'll have a fast downhill that leads us to camp.

Day 11

We follow a rough tarmac road to Kyrgyzstan’s famous Karakol town. We ride to our yurt camp in the center of Karakol where our cycling ends. We transfer to Issyk Kul Lake to enjoy a half day lakeside then return to Karakol for a sightseeing tour in the evening.

Day 12

We start the day early with a transfer back to Almaty where we will cross the border back into Kazakhstan. On the way we stop for lunch at Charyn Canyon. Once in Almaty we check into our hotel and meet for a farewell dinner!

Day 13

A last look around Almaty, time to box up bikes before we transfer you to the airport for the flight home.

Elevation Profiles

Day 2 - Turgen and Assy Rivers Ride 47km. +765m / -1,103m.
Day 2 - Turgen and Assy Rivers Ride 47km. +765m / -1,103m.

Reviews

Tough off-road cycling, but quite rewarding!

Robert KieckheferJuly 2018

The Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan was a true adventure! The Tien Shan Mountains are spectacular, the countryside is beautiful and untouched. Heli-biking was one of the many highlights, along with lunch with a local family in the yurt and fantastic mountain biking.

Valorie Louise ThompsonJuly 2018

Go! Before it´s to late. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are SO beautiful and still unspoiled landscapes.

Anette LundJuly 2018

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