Road Tripping Kyrgyzstan With Kids: Yurts, Snow & Wild Horses
- Jun 5, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: May 29
From wandering horses and mountain roads to cosy yurts and snow-covered landscapes.
Kyrgyzstan completely stole our hearts
For two weeks, we set off with our kids, a trusty rental car, and a thirst for adventure, winding our way through the country with no set plan, just the freedom to explore.
And honestly? We loved every minute!
Self-driving gave us the freedom to stop whenever we wanted — lakeside picnics, slowing down to watch wandering horses, mountain viewpoints, and seeing tiny villages we would have missed if travelling on local buses.
Along the way, we picked up hitchhikers, got caught in snowstorms, and slept in yurts beneath some of the biggest skies we’ve ever seen.
Kyrgyzstan turned out to be one of the most beautifully surprising countries we’ve ever visited.
Arriving in Bishkek
Our adventure began in Bishkek, where we happened to arrive right in the middle of Kyrgyzstan Independence Day celebrations.
The city was buzzing with life — food stalls lined the streets, young girls played musical instruments in the parks, and families gathered around fountains while amusement rides flashed nearby. The kids absolutely loved the atmosphere, and it felt like such a fun introduction to the country.
We stayed at Apple Hostel, which made settling in incredibly easy, especially after a long journey. The next morning, we picked up our rental car from Iron Horse Nomads and officially began our Kyrgyzstan road trip.
Driving Through Kyrgyzstan
Driving in Kyrgyzstan is an adventure in itself.
Some roads are smooth, while others quickly turn into rough dirt tracks winding through remote mountain valleys. Outside the cities, road markings often disappear completely, and you’ll regularly share the road with sheep, cows, horses, donkeys, and the occasional camel.
But despite the rough roads, we always felt safe driving here. Traffic moves slowly, and having our own car gave us the freedom to experience parts of the country we never would have reached otherwise.
If you’re planning your own trip, I’ve written a helpful guide on what it’s really like driving in Kyrgyzstan.
Issyk-Kul Lake & Our First Yurt Stay
From Bishkek, we headed east toward Issyk-Kul Lake, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most iconic landscapes.
The huge alpine lake stretches for over 170 kilometres, surrounded by rugged mountains and wide open plains. Despite sitting high in the mountains, the lake never freezes.
We spent our first night at a yurt camp in Tosor, along the quieter southern shore of the lake. The yurt was simple but warm and cosy, and it became our first real glimpse into Kyrgyz nomadic culture and what it’s like staying in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan with kids.
Into the Mountains: Jyrgalan
After stopping in Karakol to stock up on supplies and cash (Supermarkets & ATMs are rare), we continued deeper into the mountains toward Jyrgalan, a small village near the eastern border of Kyrgyzstan.
As we climbed higher, the weather completely changed. Rain rolled in, clouds swallowed the mountains, and the temperature dropped quickly. By the time we arrived at Jyrgalan Yurt Lodge, everything felt cold, misty, and wonderfully remote.
Thankfully, a young man lit the fire in our yurt and very quickly is was warm and cosy.
That evening, we stayed indoors playing cards, reading books, and warming ourselves beside the stove while the rain battered outside.  It’s incredible how warm and snug a yurt can be, even in such harsh weather.
The next morning, we woke to an entirely different world.
The mist had lifted, revealing snow-dusted mountains beneath a clear blue sky. It was absolutely magical.
Before heading out, we stopped by the small local tourist info point in a turquoise house, where we were shown maps and advice on where to explore.
We spent the day hiking through alpine meadows toward Horse Head Rock and Kok Bel, surrounded by snow-dusted peaks and complete silence. There are plenty of easy hikes here for families.
We spent 3 nights in Jyrgalan.
Seven Bulls & Skazka Canyon
Leaving the mountains behind, we slowly made our way back along the southern edge of Issyk-Kul Lake.
On the way, we stopped at the famous Seven Bulls (Jeti-Ögüz) rock formations, where huge red cliffs rise dramatically from the valley floor. The kids scrambled over rocks while we stopped for a picnic beside the river before continuing on.
Not long after, the landscape changed again completely.
The greens and whites of the mountains faded into deep reds and burnt orange as we arrived at Skazka Canyon — also known as Fairytale Canyon.
The sandstone formations here looked almost unreal, shaped by wind and time into strange castles, ridges, and jagged cliffs.
There’s a steep but rewarding hike along the narrow ridge known as Dragon’s Back. From the top, we could see the bright red canyon stretching out below with Issyk-Kul shimmering in the distance.
Bokonbaevo & Eagle Hunting Traditions
Continuing west along the lake, we arrived in the small town of Bokonbaevo, known for its traditional eagle hunters.
The next morning, we met a local family who introduced us to the centuries-old tradition of hunting with golden eagles. Watching the bond between hunter and bird was fascinating. The girls loved trying archery and horse riding afterwards — easily one of our favourite things to do in Kyrgyzstan with kids.
Experiences like this gave us such a deeper appreciation for Kyrgyz culture and nomadic traditions.
Aksai Canyon
Later that afternoon, we explored Aksai Canyon, a quieter and lesser-known spot near Bokonbaevo. It felt wilder than Skazka — we had the whole place to ourselves as we drove between layered cliffs and dirt roads.
South Toward Tash Rabat
From the lake region, we continued south. In Naryn we refuelled — both ourselves and the car — and we set off again, heading deeper into the mountains towards one of the most remote places on our journey: Tash Rabat, a 15th-century stone caravanserai near the Chinese border.
This part of the journey felt completely different from anywhere else we’d been so far. The landscape became emptier, the roads rougher, and the mountains bigger.
Tash Rabat ended up being one of the most unforgettable parts of our trip — from ancient Silk Road history to wandering horses and peaceful yurt stays tucked beneath the mountains.
We loved it so much that I ended up writing a whole blog post about it — our guide to visiting Tash Rabat.
Song Kul: Snowstorms & Yurts
From Tash Rabat, we made our way toward Song Kul Lake.
The road up to Song Kul felt like driving into the clouds — winding, climbing, and getting steeper with every turn. By the time we reached the plateau, the whole world had turned white. Snow covered everything — the ground, the rocks, even the road.
At times we genuinely had no idea where the road actually was.
We laughed our way through wrong turns and snow-covered tracks before eventually finding a yurt camp for the night. We were completely unprepared for just how cold Central Asia could get in early autumn.
Life at Song Kul felt beautifully simple.
The kids collected dried cow dung for the stove (which they found hilarious). It's the main fuel source up here, it burns surprisingly well - and no, it doesn’t smell. We rode horses across the plains, played archery, and watched herds slowly move through the misty white landscape.
Just horses, yurts, snow, and endless sky.
Kyrgyzstan isn’t polished — it’s raw, real, and wildly beautiful.
It’s hard to fully put into words just how special this journey was. But if you’re dreaming of a family adventure filled with yurts, horses, and wide open landscapes, Kyrgyzstan might just be it.
After Kyrgyzstan, we continued travelling through Central Asia into Uzbekistan and onto Tajikistan.
Planning Your Own Central Asia Family Adventure?
If you’re planning your own family adventure through Central Asia, you might also enjoy reading:
Because so much of Kyrgyzstan is remote — especially places like Song Kul and Tash Rabat — travel insurance was one thing we made sure we organised before the trip.
For trips like this, check quotes with World Nomads, they offer insurance for more than 150 activities.
We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
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