Cognitive tours on cities of Kyrgyzstan.

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end»

Ursula K. Le Guin. «The Left Hand of Darknes».

The brief description of route of tour from Uzbekistan in town of Osh through Susamyr valley on lake Song-Kul:

Fergana - town of Osh - town of Uzgen - settlement Shamaldy-Sai - settlement Tash-Kumyr - town of Karakul - Toktrogul reservoir - gorge Chichkan - Susamyr valley - settlement Chaek - pass Kara-Kiche - lake Song-Kul - pass Kalmak-Ashuu - setlement Kochkorka - Bishkek.

Distance of the route: 1124 km.
Season: From June, 1th till September, 1st.
Best time for travel: June - August.
Duration of the tour: 8 days, 7 nights.

The detailed program of tour day by day from Uzbekistan on towns of Kyrgyzstan:

Tour from town of Andizhan to town of Uzgen.

Day 1. Fergana - town of Osh (125 km).
Arrival on check point «Dustlik» (Uzbek-Kyrgyz border) from Fergana (125 km). Meeting on border. Passage of formalities of the Uzbek and Kyrgyz customs and boundary service. Transfer to town of Osh (4 km).  Arrival  in  Osh. Transfer to hotel, accommodation. The oldest town in Kyrgyzstan (V century B.C.) and so called Southern capital. Lunch. Sightseeing tour of Osh, visiting famous and huge oriental Osh market, Solomon Throne (Kyrgyz Suleiman-Too).
Excursion on the town of Osh, visiting: unique natural-historical the sight of Kyrgyzstan, which survey includes mountains Suleiman-Too: Osh settlement of an epoch of bronze, to this settlement about 3 thousand years, about it archeological finds testify. Visiting of cave complex. Expositions of cave complex are devoted to religious traditions since ancient times: buddhism, shamanism, christianity and an islam. Visiting of archeological-cultural monuments in vicinities of mountain Sulaiman-Too, at first top Sulaiman-Too is unique single-chamber mosque of the Fergana architecturally-building school XVI - XVII c.с., the mosque of prophet Suleimana (Solomon), mosque is located at height more than 150 meters on a sea level.
Visiting of historical museum «Great Silk way», premise of museum shares on two halls. In the first hall an exposition, devoted to flora and fauna of Kyrgyzstan. In the second hall the exposition is devoted to history of Kyrgyzstan, since the most ancient times till now.
Visiting of mausoleum Asaf Ibn Burkhiay of XVIII century which is in historical city centre Osh, near to the museum complex Sulaiman-Too located at mountain Sulaiman-Too. Visiting madrasah Alymbeka Paravanchi Datka, madrasah Mukhamedboi Turki Hal Muratbaeva these madrasah are unique samples of the Fergana architecturally-building school. After lunch continuation of excursion on town, visiting of mosque Sadykbay, mosques Shakhid-Tepa, mosque Ravvat Abdullakhana of XVIII century, medieval bath.
Visiting located in the central square of town, unique monument in the town of Osh - Russian orthodox architecture of the beginning of XX century - Mikhail-Arkhangelsk church. Visiting of the Osh market. Sightseeing tour on city. Returning in hotel, overnight.
Day 2. Town of Osh - town of Uzgen - settlement Tash-Kumyr - town Karakul (284 km).    
Breakfast. After Zhana-Aryk settlement following historical sight - town of Uzgen, one of the oldest towns of the south of Kyrgyzstan numbering more than two thousand-year history. After settlement Tash-Kumyr our way lays on the east lengthways Kurpsai water basins on which is under construction Kurpsai Hydroelectric Power Station, we pass the big settlement powermans Tash-Kumyr on the south from which the road on pearl of the south of Kyrgyzstan lake Sary-Chelek lays. Arrival in town Karakul, the name of city means «Black lake», trasfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
Day 3. Karakul - Toktogul water basin - gorge Chichkan - Susamyr valley (213 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: Karakul - Toktogul water basin - gorge Chichkan (153 km). After town Karakul our way lays along the most beautiful Toktogul water basins in which there are stocks of fresh water and power resources of the south of Kyrgyzstan. Further through settlement Toktogul we arrive to fantastic gorge Chichkan, here in one of picturesque places stop at the river Chichkan, walk on vicinities.
The further transfer: Gorge Chichka - Susamyr valley (60 km). Our way goes in Susamyr valley which is extended in latitudinal zone direction from the West on the east and there is between northern spurs of ridge Kirghiz Ala-Too and southern spurs of ridge Talas Ala-Tau. 
Sasamyr the valley also is good place for years pasture meadow cattle which is driven on high-mountainous jailoo by local shepherds. These are hundreds hectares of the Alpine meadows with various vegetation and juicy pastures.
The main employment of local residents leading nomadic way of life in years months in Susamyr to valley - preparation from horses milk: Koumiss, kurt (the firm, dried cottage cheese) and airan (kefir). Arrival in Susamyr valley, walks in vicinities, acquaintance to a life of the Kirghiz shepherds-nomads. Accommodation in yurts camp or hotel, overnight.
Day 4. Susamyr valley - settlement Chaek - pass Kara-Kiche - lake Song-Kul (186 km).
Breakfast. On way stop in picturesque valley of the river the Kara-Kiche, walk in vicinities, photographing. On way to pass the Kara-Kiche from road the coal cut in which coal is well visible is extracted. Stop on pass the Kara-KicheÑ, walk in vicinities and photographing. The further transfer to lake Song-Kul, arrival on lake, accommodation in yurts, overnight.
Day 5. Lake Song-Kul.
Breakfast. High-mountainous jailoo in vicinities of lake Song-Kul for the Kirghiz shepherd the best. Here for the summer drive the herds of horses, herds cattle and flocks of sheeps many shepherds Naryn of area. Hiking on coast of high-mountainous lake, trip to stones Manas (Tash-Tulgasy), visiting yurts the Kyrghyz shepherds, acquaintance to nomadic life of the Kirghiz shepherds.
In second half of day horses riding on slopes of ridge It Baur-Ala-Bas up to height 3500 - 3600 meters above sea level, the majestic panorama of lake with yurts shepherds around of it both grazed herds of sheeps and herds of horses whence opens. In second half of day walk on horses in vicinity of mountains towering above lake Song-Kul, photographing of panorama on lake. Returning in yurts camp, overnight.  
Day 6. Lake Song-Kul - pass Kalmak-Ashuu - settlement Kochkorka - gorge Boom - town of Bishkek (316 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: lake Song-Kul - pass Kalmak-Ashuu (37 km). Stop on pass Kalma-Ashuu, walks in vicinities, photographing. Descent from pass in valley of the river Telek. Arrival in settlement Kochkora, visiting of craft workshop in settlement, visit of museum of an applied art, we can take part in creation of felt carpets "Ala-Kiiz" (The Motley carpet), walk on local market.
After settlement Kochkorka there where the road rises in mountains, we see large water basin Issyk-Kul of hollow - Orto-Tokoi. Soon we see the river Chu and the road gradually will start to go deep at gorge Boom, after the big settlement Kemin the gorge extends.
Well-known Chui the valley which reaches up to Kazakhstan sand Moyunkum from here begins. In valley there are many archeologic and historical monuments of site of the Silk way of Kyrgyzstan. Arrival in Bishkek, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
Day 7. Bishkek.
Breakfast. After breakfast excursion on town, visiting of the main area of the country - Ala-Too. It is Ala-Too in translation from the Kirghiz language means «Snow mountains», symbolizes the nature of the country which two thirds make mountains.
The area "Ala-Too" - the most popular place in city where are spent national open air celebrations, holidays, meetings and other actions. In the center of the area the 10-meter bronze sculptural monument to the hero of national epos Manas, monument to the Kirghiz writer Chingizu Aitmatov and black-and-white monument in memory of events 2002 and 2010 towers.
On the area flutters 45 meter flag of Kyrgyzstan. Visiting State museum of History of Kyrgyzstan, Nikolskii churches, mosaic monument «Friendship of people» established in 1964, visiting of monument of Great Domestic war on the area the "Victory", established in 1985, by 40-th anniversary of victory over the Second world war.
Visiting of the Osh market, visiting of museum of Michael Frunze. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch the trip to gorge Is Ala-Archa (38 km). Walk in vicinities of natural park Is Ala-Archa. Returning to Bishkek, overnight in the hotel.
Day 8. Departure from Bishkek.
Breakfast. Seeing-of to airport. Departure from Bishkek.

Note:
Author program of Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author  petrovsra@mail.ru

Photos by
Alexander Petrov