Sep 20- Oct 4
Bishkek-Almaty
Homestays & Hotels
14 Nights
13 Breakfasts
12-14
Handpicked OJ Experiences
Take a flight so as to arrive Bishkek by afternoon. Today we will be walking to the Osh Bazaar, see the Ala-Too square and I shall explain to you the various protests that took place at that point. If we are reaching late today, then we will covering the markets on last day .Today is story day : about Kyrgyz people, about mongol domination, Russian empire and soviet era. We will also teach some basic Kyrgyz. For started: Hi is Salam.
Today we start our epic road journey through this Ex-Ussr country.The road has stunning natural scenery of mountains, valleys, and alpine lakes. Today is the day you will get to witness Issyk-Kul ( 2nd largest saline lake in the world ) . To give you a context of its size.
Our stay for tonight is in a cute simple hotel amidst the mountains .
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world is from Kyrgyzstan- Rafael Fiziev.
We hike deep into the Altyn Arashan Valley — a 15 km trail that passes pine forests, wildflower meadows, and glacial rivers.
The goal is Altyn Arashan, a secluded valley flanked by rugged peaks and known for its natural hot springs. You'll soak in steaming pools surrounded by untouched alpine terrain — with no sound but the river and wind.
For those who prefer not to hike, 4x4 off-road jeeps are available (expect a bumpy but stunning ride).
Tonight we sleep in yurts or wooden mountain huts, warmed by stoves and powered by stories. This is wilderness living — stripped down, but powerful.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Epic of Manas is a longer poem than Homer's Odyssey. Every city you visit you will see a Manas statue indicating their love for poetry.
We hike or drive back to Karakol. The rest of the day is slow-paced — time to explore Karakol town:
DID YOU KNOW?
If Scrabble allowed place names Kyrgyzstan would give 30 points second to only Mozambique at 34.
This is one of the most diverse days of the trip:
Meet golden eagle hunters, a nomadic tradition passed through generations. Hold the eagle, learn its training story, and understand its role in Kyrgyz culture.
Also meetTaigan . The Taigan is a sighthound breed originating from Kyrgyzstan, known for its speed, stamina, and hunting prowess, particularly in mountainous terrain.
Explore open-air petroglyphs dating back to 1500 BC — carved directly into the rocks, featuring ibex hunts, sun deities, and ancient rituals.
Head to a quiet beach on Issyk-Kul — lesser-known, away from crowds. Take a swim or kayak into the still, salt-rich waters with mountains on every side.
In the evening, we drive to Kochkor, a gateway town to the highlands.
DID YOU KNOW?
The ancient trading route *The Silk Road* runs through Kyrgyzstan. The silk road sites comprise one of the country’s three UNESCO heritage sites.
We ascend into the mountains toward Song Kul, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most iconic landscapes.
At 3,016m, this high-altitude lake is surrounded by nothing but green pastures, rolling hills, and herds of yaks, sheep, and horses.
You’ll:
At night, the sky turns into a planetarium. No light pollution. Just silence and stars.
Today is our last day in the country so let's hit some nice pub. Carry one pair of clothes accordingly for a club. Expect some racism.
DID YOU KNOW?
Horse Milk is Kyrgyzstan's National drink. That rhymed, an ode to manas.
Today we fly in by afternoon to Almaty which is just a 50 Min flight and would cost you almost zero when you book the flight together as we will guide you through. Arrive by afternoon and join the group who are only doing Kazakhs
DID YOU KNOW?
Bread is considered holy in Kyrgyzstan and should not be wasted. Be conscious when you place your order!
Today we will start our day with big Almaty lake. The lake is closed for tourists since 2020 and usually people hike for 3 hours from the checkpoint to reach here. If our luck is good, you might find that the authorities letting vehicles going till the lake.
Let's try some Uzbek food for Lunch . Manti, Plov, Samsa, Lagman , Shahlik are some of the dishes you should try in any UZBEK restaurant.
For dinner, Let's head to a Georgian Restaurant. Kubdari, Kachapur, Shkmeruli , Pkhali, Ajika and Tkemali are some of the dishes you shouldn't miss . Almaty has a lot of Georgian restaurants and i love that about this city.
First, we will head out to the infamous Ski resort just 30 mins away from the town . Its so cool to reach there as you listen to just 5 tracks via the Gandola.
we will be back in the city by evening to check out the Green bazaar. This takes about an hour or so only. Once done we will head to see Palfinov park and Republic square. Just like how we did in Bishkek, today we will take you through the history of Kazakhstan.
Today we are trying Kazak food for Dinner : Kurt, Kuurdak ,Beshbarmak, Tandyr Nan are some of the dishes you should try in any Kazak restaurant.
Today after a quick Nap in Sati, we will head to kolsai lake 1.
Today evening, our team will be split into different Homestays. You will be staying with the locals and Kazakhstan participants. I believe this will give us a chance to talk with the locals and get to know them better.
We will also have a campfire and some games with our Kazakhstan group.
Note : The pictures shown are from both winters and Summer. Winters will of course have more snow and a different view of course.
Today is happening day, You will see lakes, Steppes, and Canyons and all in just 6-8 hours. Isn't that awesome?
I am not writing many things in detail here as many companies have been copying our itineraries exactly the same. So I will leave the intricate details for the people who sign up for the trip 🙂
Head out from the hotel after breakfast and head to Singing Dunes. This heap of Sand is a mystery. No one knows how in the middle of flat land, this dune came to being.
Today we will have to carry something to eat because there are no options to eat out. Click here to see stories
How does singing dune make sound?
When the wind takes the sand away or if something touches the sand, it starts to fall, and the dune begins its song. Its one of those things you gotta witness to believe.
What does the Myth say ?
Some people say it's of a Devilish creature who fell asleep for so long that it turned into a dune and some say that the sounds are of a buried city which once existed in the region.
After a picnic in the steppes , we will head to the Aktau mountain ranges to see the array of shades play over the mountains.
I know a lot of people might not be into seeing Barren lands but trust me this is Mars like feeling. I was one of the people who wasn't fascinated by these terrains but boy, how wrong was I 😀
Next day, we will start heading to Almaty, which is 3 h 30 min away (320 km) . This route Is not on the tourist map but since we are doing a roadtrip, I want you to see the real backcountry lifestyle in small Kazakh towns.
Today is all about remembering how different our perspectives were about central Asian countries in general.
We will also stop at a man main reservoir which also acts as a beach. A quick dip would with our group would be super cool , What say !
Note : The pictures shown are from both winters and Summer. Winters will of course have more snow and a different view of course.
We will take an early morning flight today. Since the past night was the Last one , we would probably wont sleep. Click here to see stories.
If good times fly fast, then OJs Kazakastan trip was just a minute.
Vyshak has got a knack of looking at things differently and guess that's how he curates his outings uniquely, landing the off-beat locations, with fun elements thrown in each day -
like randomly pulling over to catch a gorgeous sunset, hitting up a shooting range and amazed at how good we are (lol!) or take a midnight stroll to a meadow through sleeping Basshi, with ONLY moonlight to guide us.
Eh loved all bits of Kazak right from the national park hikes surrounded by snow-peaked-pine-tree-covered mountains, turquoise glacial lakes and dramatically patterned canyons
to 4*4 drives overlooking beautiful steppes with running horses, lively Almaty city walks & overnight road trips mellowed by music on OJ multiverse!
From being lighthearted kids rolling on Altyn Emel's singing sand dunes & having snowball fights at Shyambulak,
to soaking sun on chilly Charyn river and being moved by a breathtaking sunset in rapt silence.
Relishing on some Russian, Georgian & Kazak cuisines in their authentic setup and all time favourite fresh cheesecakes across cafés (owe one to my cheesecake chum!)
Topping it all with great company of folks bonded together over journey, games (not forgetting 'hum kab milenge' mafia), laughter, fights & fun.
Be ready to get out of the comfort zone to truly enjoy these trips!
Takeaway quote from this one : ‘You don’t choose your life, you live one’
GROUP TRIP DATES :
FLIGHTS & VISA INFO :
1650 USD / Person ( Both countries )
750 USD / Person ( Only Kazakhstan )
Note: Indian trippers can pay using todays conversion rate from INR-USD
Price goes up in
You can block the slot by paying a token amount of 10,000 INR for this trip either by UPI , credit card/ EMI or by Bank transfer.
Be Proud Of You. A Trip Is Gift To Self. When Was The Last Time You Gifted Yourself ?
1. Homestay/ Lodging/ Hostel
2. Ski resort entry
3. Transportation: Bishkek Airport to Almaty Airport
4. All Breakfast
5. Permits
6. Local Transportation
7. Visa assistance
8. A Trained Outdoor leader to keep you safe. I Promise
Change of Plans ? Here’s our cancellation policy
🧡 If Plans Change — We’ve Got You
We totally get it — life happens, and sometimes your plans have to take a rain check.
That’s why we’ve kept our cancellation policy simple, transparent, and as kind as possible 👇
• 45+ days before the trip: 10% cancellation charge
• 30–44 days before the trip: 25% cancellation charge
• 15–29 days before the trip: 50% cancellation charge
• Within 14 days of the trip: 100% cancellation charge
These are calculated on the total trip amount, not just the token amount.
Now, if you can find someone to take your spot, we’ll happily refund your full amount. No questions asked .Because at the end of the day, we’d rather have someone travel than hold back your money.
To keep your spot confirmed, please clear the remaining balance by the due date — it helps us lock in stays, permits, and experiences for the group. If payments are delayed beyond that, we’ll have to treat it as a cancellation (same policy applies).
We know these things aren’t fun to read — but having it clear helps everyone travel smoother and us to function better .
We’re always on your side and do our best to make things work whenever life throws a curveball. 🙂
You can carry 12k to 15K for your personal expenses
### **
Clothing:**
- Light, breathable tops & t-shirts (5-6)
- Comfortable shorts/skirts (3-4)
- Light jeans or breathable pants (2)
- A stylish outfit for nights out (1)
- Swimwear for beach days & hot springs
- Light sweater or jacket for breezy evenings
- A rainproof windbreaker (just in case)
### **
Shoes & Accessories:**
- Comfortable walking shoes (you’ll explore a lot!)
- A pair of dressy shoes (optional for nightlife)
- Lightweight scarf or shawl (for sun protection & churches)
### **
Skincare & Sun Protection:**
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- High SPF sunscreen (Greek sun is strong!)
- Lip balm with SPF
- Moisturizer (sea breeze can dry out skin)
- After-sun lotion (Aloe Vera works wonders)
### **
Other Travel Essentials:**
- **Day backpack** (for hikes)
- Reusable water bottle
- Travel-size toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash)
- Towel (quick-dry if possible)
- Power bank (you’ll be taking lots of photos!)
- Universal travel adapter
- Small first-aid kit (band-aids, painkillers, motion sickness meds for ferry rides)
- Travel documents (passport, visa if required )
- Copy of passport (save digitally or keep separately from original)
- Travel / forex card or 400 USD currency.
- Type F adapter to plug 
( https://amzn.in/d/gO8oY4d )
March to September are the best months.
Most people come alone for my trips. About 25% of the people bring a friend or partner.Honestly It really doesn't matter. I have seen on all the batches I have lead. Most people really gel with everyone, even the ones who thought wouldn't gel up, surprise themselves always with the way they got comfortable with everyone.
Each trek/ trip is rated according to the number of days we spend outdoors . If you aren't sure where to start, go with an easy trip or trek.
For trips,
I dreamed of trips where we could go out hike , get exhausted , come back to hotel and have a great evening. This is exactly why some of my trips have Day hikes in it. It is a perfect chance for people who have never hiked in their entire life. Don't worry, We are there :).
For treks,
you can start with Sandhakphu or Chandrashila . You can also benchmark yourself for the treks.
If you have never done a high altitude trek, then start with a easy or Easy- moderate trek. That way you will understand how your body reacts to high altitude and you can check you cardio strength too.
Usually, most batch sizes are between 12-20 people who are aged between 16-38. Most people come alone or with a friend. The trip would feel like you are travelling more with college friends than strangers. We tend to do more outdoorsy things than regular trips .
For example : If we find a very pretty waterfall/ a beautiful sunset / Rainbow on the way. We would stop the vehicle right away to catch the beauty of it.
We usually sleep very late on these trips as we play a lot of group games and most people feel they will miss the precious time with the group members and decides to stay awake.
Here are few places you can read more about the brand and trips
UPCOMING GROUP TRIPS :
We’re not saying this trip will fix your life. But like… maybe
