Horseback riding in Kyrgyzstan

To go horse riding in Kyrgyzstan is to immerse yourself in the thousand-year-old lifestyle of Kyrgyz nomads. This authentic experience allows you to take advantage of the wide open spaces and breathtaking landscapes that the country abounds with! This activity is geared towards both beginners and experienced riders. Kyrgyz horses have a very calm temperament, and you will generally have someone there with you. Depending on what you want to do, it is possible to go out riding for half a day, or take on the mountains for several days at a time.

If you are planning to go horse trekking, you can either go through a travel agency or rent horses privately. There are many local agencies that organise excursions on horseback. 

Going with a local Kyrgyz agency

If you have organised a tour with an agency, you will usually be accompanied by an English-speaking guide and a “horseman”, which is someone who deals exclusively with the horses (this is generally the horses’ owner). The price you pay covers the horse rental, the two guides, and your overnight lodging and food for the duration of your trek. They can be found in bigger cities, such as Kochkor, Naryn, and Karakol, and in places that are close to tourist attractions.

Going with a CBT

The CBT or “Community Based Tourism Association” was created in the 2000s, with the support of Switzerland, to meet the demand for tourism while promoting responsible tourism that benefits local stakeholders. Even if the intention of these associations is absolutely praiseworthy, today the CBTs have become their own small businesses, since they are extremely lucrative. There are CBTs in all the tourist areas of the country, offering all kinds of services: excursions on foot, on horseback, car rental, stays with local people, etc. We have seen a lot of abusing the system (excessive prices, overbooking, underpaid families…) and a service that is not always up to standard. This is why we encourage you to go directly through nomads or small local agencies.

Directly with nomadic people

The other option is to rent directly from individuals, nomadic or otherwise, on the ground. The first advantage of doing it this way is that you are paying local people directly for their services, without an intermediary. In addition, they will very probably invite you to eat a meal with them or follow them around as they go about their daily lives. It’s a guaranteed authentic experience! The main disadvantage is that these horses are not necessarily used to being mounted by beginners, so this may be a fairly challenging experience. Moreover, you will not get the benefit of having a guide explain certain aspects of the landscape or the animals to you. Get our English-Kyrgyz phrase book here.

If you are a beginner, never set out without an escort

Although it is possible to rent horses without a guide, we strongly advise you to always go riding with a guide or a “horseman”. The Kyrgyz people start riding from a very early age, so they know the terrain and their horses extremely well. It is vital to be accompanied by at least one person who knows horses, especially if you are a beginner.

Equipment and safety

Agencies rarely provide protective equipment, such as riding helmets, as it is expensive and is not used by the locals. If you plan on spending more than 3 days out riding, it might be a good idea to invest in a pair of riding trousers. In any case, you should expect your bottom to be sore! Wear closed toed, high-cut shoes. If it rains, you may want to wear a raincoat. Be careful though, because some horses are bothered by the rubbing sound that raincoat material makes. To prevent your horse from breaking into a gallop while you are on its back, we recommend that you dismount to put on and take off your raincoat.

Well-being of the animals

Equestrian tourism is very lucrative in Kyrgyzstan. In fact, almost every family has horses that they can make available to agencies or rent directly to tourists. Some horses are overexploited, and as a result their health is compromised. So as to not encourage these sorts of practices, we recommend that you discuss this with your guide. Tell them what your requirements are. The horse shouldn’t have been ridden by multiple groups of tourists in succession: it should be able to rest and eat properly between groups. Check to make sure that the horse is not injured near the saddle, its tail, or its hooves. Some horses are not shod, which may be painful for them if you go trekking on rocky terrain. If your horse is limping or seems to be suffering during a trek, dismount and continue on foot or ask your guide if you can switch horses.

Get insurance against accidents

Do not go horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan if you do not have insurance. Horses are unpredictable, as is the terrain (marmot holes, slippery roads, etc.). As a result, you are at risk of having an accident. It is best to be insured if you need to be hospitalised on site or if repatriation becomes necessary.

If you have never been horse riding, don’t be afraid. Kyrgyz horses are very calm and relatively small. If a horse is nervous, its owner will not let you ride off with it unless they trust you.

Never let go of the reins. Pull gently on the right to turn right, or gently on the left to turn left. To stop, pull down on the reins sharply and yell “tak tak”, which means “easy does it”. If you pull up, the horse is likely to rear up and kick (standing up on its two back legs!).

Do not put your feet fully inside the stirrups. Keep only the tip of your feet in the stirrups so that the rest is free. The reason for this is simple: if you fall, your foot may stay stuck in one of the stirrups, and that can be very dangerous.

If you want to break into a trot or a gallop, you can give your horse a sharp little kick with your heel on its side and yell, “shoot shoot”, which means “faster”. If the horse doesn’t listen, give it a little slap on its behind. Go ahead and make your voice as authoritative as possible!

Lake Song-Kul, which sits at an elevation of 3100 m, is one of Kyrgyzstan’s signature destinations for horse riding. Surrounded by green pastures and snow-capped summits, this sky-blue lake is breathtakingly beautiful. Many agencies offer equestrian excursions to Lake Song-Kul, which generally last three full days, with two nights spent staying in yurts. This is an unforgettable experience!

We have dedicated an entire article to Lake Song-Kul, which you can read here.

Here are some other ideas for places to go horse riding:

• Chong-Kemin: wild and relatively untouched by tourists, Chong-Kemin National Park offers several 1 to 3-day routes for horse riding.
• Besh-Tash: in just one day, you can reach Lake Besh-Tash on horseback and wander around the surrounding area.For experienced riders, it is possible to take on a 9-day trek to Lake Sary-Chelek.
• Sary-Chelek: very well known among the Kyrgyz people, this turquoise lake surrounded by forest is ideal for a multi-day trek.
• Köl-Suu: a magnificent one-day ride to the lake from the yurt campsite and back again.
• Jirgalan: there are many possible 1 to 5-day excursions around this little village. We did, however, notice that the prices were higher than in other places.
• Tash-Rabat and Chatyr Kul: it is possible to do a 3-day horse trek starting from the village of Kuzul-Yuu, not far from Naryn. This trek passes by Lake Chatyr Kul and ends at the Tash-Rabat caravanserai. This little known route is worth going out of your way for!

In this article, we would like to highlight different local actors that we have met during our trips in Kyrgyzstan. We put you in contact with Kyrgyz guides or families whose service deemed to be excellent, primarily based on their knowledge, benevolence and listening skills. All these people have read and signed our ethical charter, which includes themes such as animal welfare and respect for the environment.