Hiking Kyrgyzstan Travel Company — Local services in Karakol City

I am writing this review after returning home from a 9-day tour with Aidar's team (Sonkolbek, Daniel, and Kuba).

I cannot recommend Hiking Kyrgyzstan highly enough. A+ company and a great value for what you get out of the tour.

I got in touch with Aidar at the last-minute approximately two weeks before my scheduled arrival date. I mentioned that I liked the 9-day option on the website but was hoping to do more hiking during my holiday. Within 24 hours, Aidar pulled together a bespoke itinerary that included the top cultural experiences on the original agenda (such as horseback riding at Son Kul Lake and eagle show near Jaichy Yurt Camp) as well as additional hiking days through the Tian Shan Mountains.

From the moment I landed in Bishkek to the moment I was dropped back off at the airport, things could not have gone more smoothly. The itinerary was planned perfectly with a mix of driving to interesting locations and scheduled events to spontaneous walks around Karakol and the mountains. Aidar's team took care of everything - meals / water, park entrance fees, transportation/petrol, activities fees, et al. - and made sure that I felt welcome and comfortable every step of the way.

It is clear that Aidar's team is deeply connected to the trekking community with many tour groups on the trail noting: "Oh, you're with Aidar! Tell him we say hello!" This, I think, could be a good differentiator for why someone reading this might choose Hiking Kyrgyzstan over another tour operator. Aidar is super plugged in, and all of the guides (Sonkolbek and Daniel) were locals, having spent time in both Bishkek and Karakol at university. They were able to provide nuanced perspectives regarding life in both the cities and the mountains, which I really appreciated.

The trek itself was a good mix of difficulty and sights. Sonkolbek brought altitude pills and other medications (just in case), and the team made sure that we were well hydrated and fed throughout.

The photos you flip through before you've been to Kyrgyzstan are a little surreal, sometimes bordering on impossible/AI-generated. "How could a place be that beautiful?"

I can promise you that the country (in general) and the Tian Shan Mountains (in particular) are every bit as beautiful as the photos you see online. I actually left feeling a bit disappointed that my shots couldn't fully capture how impressive I found the mountains.

If you're on the fence about Kyrgyzstan, then I wouldn't think twice about booking. I am already planning my return trip - with my wife this time! - for next year.

And if you're questioning whether Hiking Kyrgyzstan is the right tour operator to work with to show you all of the highlights in a short amount of time, then I can offer similar assurances.

I can't imagine a team better than Aidar's. I've got nothing but positive things to say about his professionalism and the friendships I made with his team members.

10/10 - absolutely...

I travelled to Kyrgyzstan with a friend in April 2022. We did two hikes with Hiking Kyrgyzstan (Jeti Oguz and Altyn Arashan) and Aidar was our guide. The first hike we did alone with Aidar and the second hike we had a nice Spanish couple as our trek companion.

We had the most wonderful time in Kyrgyzstan while with Aidar. Aidar was very knowledgeable about his country and had an inquisitive mind to understand how others perceive his country and in turn understand more about theirs. As an experienced hiker, Aidar also brought us on very good walkable trails that were not too strenuous, which allowed us to see beautiful landscapes while enjoying conversations with him and fellow companions. Aidar has a funny sense of humour which infuse the trek with a lightness and made trekking more enjoyable.

Some of the sceneries which we saw on the first trek left us astounded at the beauty that is Kyrgyzstan, the scenic valley passes along Jeti Oguz river including a grand view of Yeltsin/Elcin Peak, Valley of Flowers and Jeti Oguz 7 bulls red rock formation. We also understood why Kyrgyzstan was called the Switzerland of Central Asia when we visited Altyn Arashan on the second trek. The quaint guesthouses at the bottom of the valley juxtaposed against the grand snow-capped mountains were a beautiful sight to behold. It was even more incredible when Aidar arranged for us to have a private hot spring as snow began to fall all around Altyn Arashan and surprised us with a nice chilled bottle of Kyrgyz white wine while we unwind in the spring.

I took 2 guides in Kyrgyzstan and I find my time with Aidar nicer because of the more in-depth conversations about life & society, the interplay between a long trek and beholding the panaroma at the end of the hike, and his sincerity at wanting his travellers to experience the best of his country. I would strongly recommend Aidar to everyone as your mountain trekking guide when you visit...

Together with a friend we were searching for a guide for our 3-day trek from Karakol to Ala-Kul. We contacted Aidar and couldn't have picked better. He helped us prepare for the trek and met us the day before to ensure we had all the necessary gear and went with us to a grocery store. He was also so kind to get us (and carry) some really tasty local snacks that we enjoyed during our breaks.

Aidar clearly keeps up with what's going on in the area. E.g even though all the blogs mentioned there were no yurts at Sirota, he knew that they've already been there for a week. Thanks to that, we didn't need to carry our tents nor have a porter.

The trek itself was absolutely breathtaking! Some of the most beautiful views we've ever seen in our lives and we were in awe at every step. It wasn't always easy, but it was pleasurable, as Aidar shared some in-depth stories regarding Kyrgyzstan, as well as very personal ones, related to his family living in the more rural areas. They were really valuable and enabled us to get a better sense of the culture (also helped the time to pass by). Aidar frequently made us laugh with his unique sense of humour, which made the trek even more positive :) He was so easy-going throughout the whole excursion. He knew the best places for photos and as a great photographer himself, he took some beautiful shots of us as well (thank you!).

Aidar clearly loves the mountains and loves people, so having him as a guide is the perfect scenario. Highly...