No obligation. Beka replies personally, usually the same day. Beka replies in Czech or Russian; English on request.
A guide who lived in Czechia
Beka is Kyrgyz, speaks Czech and Russian, translates and negotiates.
Small groups from 3 people
You travel with people you know. No coach convoys.
Prices in euros, no surprises
Transport, accommodation, entry fees and guide included. Flights aren't.
Direct contact
You message Beka directly on WhatsApp – before the trip and during it.
Three tours, one country
From a comfortable loop to an expedition to the edge of Kyrgyzstan. All three take in Issyk-Kul, the canyons of the southern shore and the yurts of Son-Kul.
Family, friends, a photo club or a company trip. Tell us how many of you there are, when you want to go and what you enjoy – Beka builds the route, stays and pace around you.
Which tour is right for you?
Three journeys, the same core. They differ in length, comfort and how much time you spend in the saddle.
All three tours start and end in Bishkek. The blue is Issyk-Kul; the numbered points are the stops in route order.
Shared loop (Classic · 9 days)
Added on Ala-Kul · 11 days
Added on Kel-Suu · 13 days
My name is Beka
I was born in Kyrgyzstan, lived in Czechia for several years, and have been bringing Czech travellers home to my mountains ever since. I founded Elimtour to show you my country the way we know it – from the fire outside the yurt, from the back of a horse and from ridges where you can see half the Tian Shan.
We travel in small groups, eat with local families, and the money from the trips stays with the people in the valleys we pass through. Message me on WhatsApp and together we'll pick the tour and dates that suit you.
The first Elimtour groups set off this summer. As soon as they're back, you'll find their words here. Until then, ask Beka directly – he'll gladly put you in touch with people who have travelled with him.
Kyrgyzstan in pictures
Photos from Beka's trips – no stock images.
Group in colourful rain ponchos climbing the path to a waterfallHorse and foal on a sandy beach of Lake Issyk-KulEagle hunter with a golden eagle wearing a traditional kalpakA lone rider on horseback in a green valley with a braided riverSmall boat beneath the giant rock walls of Kel-Suu lakeThe glacial Ala-Kul lake seen from the pass below the glacier and snowy peaksCampfire in front of a yurt camp at duskA row of white yurts on the Son-Kul plain below snow-capped peaksA line of trekkers climbing scree and snowfields towards the Ala-Kul passRain curtains over the eroded golden badlands on the south shore of Issyk-Kul
Common questions
Visa and passport
EU citizens (including Czech and most EU passports) can visit Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 60 days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return.
Rules can change – check your own country's current requirements before flying. For Lake Kel-Suu, Beka arranges the border-zone permit; we will need a scan of your passport.
Flights
Flights are not included. From Prague or Vienna, the usual route to Bishkek is via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus), 8–10 hours in total including the connection. Kyrgyzstan is 4 hours ahead of Central European Summer Time.
Confirm your dates with Beka before you buy flights – the programme starts on arrival and ends on departure, so the two need to line up.
Insurance
Travel insurance with medical cover is compulsory and not included. For the Ala-Kul and Kel-Suu tours, choose a policy that covers trekking up to 4,000 m above sea level and horse riding.
Elimtour is a Kyrgyz tour operator, not a Czech travel agency under Czech Act No. 159/1999 Coll., so it carries no Czech insolvency insurance. What that means for your payments is spelled out on the Terms page.
Money
The currency is the Kyrgyz som. ATMs and card payments work in Bishkek and around Issyk-Kul; in the countryside it is cash only. We recommend bringing euros or dollars in cash and changing some in Bishkek.
You pay for the tour in euros (a deposit once the dates are confirmed, the balance before departure). Budget your own spending money for souvenirs, drinks, tips and lunches where they aren't included.
