Song Kul Horse Trek - Kyrgyzstan

Horses and Cows on Autumn Pastures - Kyrgyzstan

Horses and cows take a few last bites from the fading pastures of Kyrgyzstan before the long winter ahead. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Horse Trek in Kyrgyzstan.

Dan and our guide take the lead on the start of the horse trek to Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan. We were blessed with beautiful autumn weather and scenery. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Horse Riding in Kyrgyzstan

Dan had never been on a horse before the horse trek to Song Kul Lake from Kyzart. Here he gets a quick lesson from our guide on how to ride and direct a horse. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Kyrgyz Men with Kalpaks on Horses - Kyrgyzstan

Two Kyrgyz men in kalpaks (traditional Kyrgyz hats) meet us on the path near the summer pastures of Jumgal. Horse riding seems to be in the blood of the Kyrgyz people. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

View from a Yurt - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

The view from our yurt on the way to Song Kul Lake from Kyzart. During the summer months, the hills are green and full of animals grazing and fattening up before winter (or before they become dinner for someone). By the time we arrived in mid-September, the fields had turned golden and brown and shepherds began to take their animals down to the villages for the winter. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Riding Horses to Song Kul Lake - Kyrgyzstan

The first day of our horse trek from Kyzart village towards Song Kul Lake was absolutely amazing - blue skies, white clouds, yellow fields of grass and wheat, mountains and hills on all sides. Audrey had not been on a horse in 20 years, while it was Dan's first time on one. And he took all the photos!! All things considering, we managed quite well. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Dan in a Kalpak (Kyrgyz Hat) - Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan

Dan dons a kalpak (a traditional Kyrgyz hat) on the second day of our horse trek. Our host wanted a photo with this "handsome Kyrgyz man." Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Shyrdaks, Colorful Kyrgyz Felt Rugs - Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan

Shyrdaks, colorfully designed felt rugs, adorn yurts throughout Kyrgyzstan (and other Kyrgyz hamlets throughout Central Asia). The felt is made from sheep's wool and takes a long time to wash, dye, dry and roll. Designs such as this one are normally very bright and are inspired by nature - plants, animals, horns, etc. Some of them reminded us of Native American designs. In addition to being used on the floor like a carpet, shyrdaks are also hung on the inside of the yurt for decoration and for warmth, to block the wind blowing inside. Read more about our visit to Bishkek and the rest of Kyrgyzstan. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Audrey on Horse Trek to Song Kul Lake,Kyrgyzstan

Audrey's Eeyore-looking horse appreciates a break after the long haul over the 3300 meter pass on the way from Kyzart to Song Kul Lake. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Yurt in the High Pastures - Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan

A jailoo in Kyrgyz is a high pasture where people take their animals to graze for the spring and summer months. People erect yurts to live in during this time. We stayed with this family on the way from Kyzart to Song Kul Lake. Many of their neighbors had already returned to the village for the winter, but they were still in the hills. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Crossing Mountain Pass on Horse - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Audrey offers her horse a few words of encouragement to help it cross the pass (3300 meters) on the way to Song Kul Lake from Kochkor. It was a steep and rocky climb. Our horses, with their skinny ankles, proved rather agile and made fairly easy work of the narrow rocky paths. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Horse and Donkey - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

A an apt pair of friends at a yurt post just shy of Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Kyrgyz Man Drinks Tea Outside Yurt - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

A Kyrgyz man drinks his tea in the early morning outside his yurt at Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Taking Down a Yurt - Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan

When arrived at the planned lunch stop on the second day, there was no lunch, let alone food. The family had already taken down the yurt and were moving back to the village for the winter. So, we pushed on to Song Kul Lake for a late afternoon meal. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Yurts Along Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

The area around Song Kul Lake is prime grazing land for horses, sheep, goats, cows, and donkeys (and any other grazing animal you can think of). In the summer season, the pastures are sprawled with yurts. By the time we arrived at the end September, only a few yurts remained, hinting at the coming darkness and desolation of winter. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

First Snow and Yurt - Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan

Our hosts head down to the river to fetch water for breakfast tea and porridge. We were at Song Kul for the first snow. Catching the first snow seemed to be trend for us in Kyrgyzstan. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Little Kyrgyz Girl and Puppy - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

This little girl took upon herself to look after the family dog's six puppies. She created a shelter from felt scraps and trash and did her best to make sure the puppies were warm and fed. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

First Snow on Yurt and Mountains - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

First snow on yurt and mountains at Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Cow at Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Cow at Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Going Out from Yurt - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

This woman was our host for the night. She kept us fed and prepared us endless pots of tea to ward off the frosty chill of Song Kul Lake. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Mountain Vistas on Horse Trek to Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Our horse trek from Kyzart to Song Kul Lake was unsurprisingly full of amazing vistas. What we didn't expect: the drive from Song Kul to Kochkor was even more spectacular. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Yurt and Clouds - Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan

A yurt-scape shot after the morning frost and snow had melted. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Remote Outhouse - Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan

A lonely outhouse becomes an icebox in the early morning frost of Song Kul Lake. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Lenin on Top - Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan

Lenin makes frequent appearances in Kyrgyzstan, but this profile above a driving school in Balykchy was especially breath-taking. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.

Leaving Song Kul Lake - Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Another beautiful view on the way from Song Kul Lake to Kochkor in Kyrgyzstan. Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities and our Ramadan feast at Song Kul Lake.