Trek the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan

Based on the reviews I was expecting a great trip. I got that and more ! Amazing week in the mountains - varied scenery and fantastic guides. If you’re debating this trip, book !! You won’t be sorry :)

An incredible trip! It was a privilege to walk in such remote areas, with an unbelievable variety of landscapes, from arid canyons to lush green grass and the smell of wild thyme. A special thanks to the local tour operator, Nomad's Land, who, in addition to generally being great, helped me out of a pickle when I lost my passports and was exceptionally helpful.

What an opportunity to explore a country that feels so untouched. Our main guide Aibek was very knowledgable and enthusiastic. The other guides and horsemen were always smiling and happy to help. Everywhere you turn on the hikes is just like something out of a picture book it is gorgeous. Highly recommend this tour!!

Kyrgyzstan is an incredibly country and the MBA tour does an astute job in showcasing the varied landscape and geographies the country has to offer. The tour was well organised, with Fabien doing a great job behind-the-scenes prior to/ during the trip. Meanwhile, our guides Aibek, Daniyar and Abdurahman were a consistent source of knowledge, positivity and very warm meals in the mountains :)

I would heartily recommend this tour to anyone looking to get off the beaten track and explore the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. You will come back with new friends, plenty of memories, and an appreciation for this small, yet beautiful, country in Central Asia

This trip was an incredible experience and introduction to a country still generally undiscovered. The hiking was across varied but always beautiful terrain, and our amazing guides Meers, Idai and Adyl had lots of interesting information to pass on about the landscapes and Kyrgz culture. The campsites were also well chosen, and sometimes we even arrived at the camps to find our tents put up by the wonderful horsemen. I would highly recommend this trip to people who like hiking (a base level of fitness helps but the elevation is not too challenging) and who want to experience Kyrgzyzstan off the beaten track.

I was blown away by this trip! Kyrgyzstan is just a country of abundance, the flora, fauna, animals and varied landscape and scenery is breathtaking. The guides, Aibek and his team and the horsemen, were brilliant. They worked together like a well oiled machine and the schedule was perfect. The trip offered great variety being in different locations, varied scenery together with a lot of information about the country, people and traditions. I really really recommend this trip.

Great experience led by our guides Aybek, Danyr and Abdulrahman who were entertaining and fun throughout

There aren’t the words to describe just how beautiful Kyrgyzstan is. Each hike was more picturesque than the next and the camp sites were something else. We had all the weathers, which just added to the experience and seeing the Tian Shan mountains in all their glory.

Our guides worked so hard on the trip and always with a smile, so grateful to them and the horsemen.

An incredible experience with a fantastic group of people; I’d absolutely recommend this trip. Loved it. Totally exceeded expectations.

If you’re planning on going:

• the second guest house has their own cider that’s particularly good; I’d recommend keeping a few som back for that. Their sauna is an optional extra but also well worth it.
• cash is easy to exchange on the first day, either at the airport or near where you have lunch; I took dollars to change, some people changed euros; others got cash out at an atm.
• the kit list is pretty accurate; I followed it and used everything.

Kyrgyzstan way exceeded my (high!) expectations. Stunning varied scenery & got totally off the beaten track with a great group. It was unexpectedly warm but definitely need all the gear as had hail, rain & sun!

Our guides Meers, Idai & Adyl were amazing. . Meers paced the walking incredible well to suit the group & the food produced was plentiful & tasty.

All in all, an unforgettable trip in a truly beautiful & friendly country.

Stunning scenery, incredible camping sites, wonderful yurt stay, fantastic guides and horsemen, a swim in Issyk-Kul and Russian banya — we had a fantastic group and made wonderful memories hiking in the Tian Shan mountains

It´s an inmersive trip.

You will hike.

You will be surprised by the confluence of China-Soviet Union-Islam-Kyrgish Nomadic culture.

As a holiday it combine the three elements of a) excercise-nature b) socialisation in with a very friendly group c) culture-history imparted by good guides.

What a wonderful trek through the beautiful mountains, valleys & canyons of Kyrgyzstan! The itinerary was meticulously planned and included the most stunning campsites I have ever experienced. The trip attracted an intrepid group of participants and was led by our amazing Kyrgyz guides who took excellent care of us. Many memories that will be with me forever! It was my first Stan and my first MBA but am quite certain it won’t bear the last of either.

If you like the idea of escaping to the mountain wilderness, this is the trip for you! A magical adventure with picturesque wild camping spots and breathtaking 360 views ranging from deep red canyons, rolling hills, alpine scenery, and rocky mountain passes/lakes. Aside from a handful of nomadic farmers/herders, we didn’t see any other humans (or electricity pylons!) for several days. Wandering past huge numbers of wild horses on day 2 of the trek was amazing.

Our guides and horsemen were really helpful and kind, and incredibly generous with passing around hot tea at camp!

We had particularly hot weather for most of our trip, but still had hail, rain and even snow/icicles on the tents at the final wild-camp, so layer up and make sure you do really pack for 4 seasons!

There are two long drive days in a very cramped bus bookending the hiking. This can’t be helped, but worth preparing yourself mentally for, especially if you have long legs. There were a few very hairy moments on the road…and no seatbelts in the van.

You do have to ride a horse on two occasions to cross a river to one of the campsites and back. It’s brief, but worth noting as it is not on the itinerary, and was non-negotiable.

I had high expectations for this trip having been keen to go to Kyrgyzstan for a few years. This trip absolutely blew away my already high expectations with incredible scenery, brilliant company and outstanding guides. The organisation and communication before the trip from Fabien was excellent and then once we arrived in Kyrgyzstan and met Meers, Aidai and Adyl we knew we were in for a great trip. Their kindness, expertise and enthusiasm were outstanding and really helped make the trip. This was my 4th MBA adventure and this was my favourite. Everything was included from airport pick ups and drop offs, to all meals, to toilet fees at service stations, and even a lovely little surprise at the end of the trip. It made it super easy to just enjoy the adventure without having any of the additional worry.

The trip was graded well, with some long but rewarding days hiking alongside some easier days to break it up a bit. The food was excellent and was exactly what we needed to refuel after a day of hiking.

I highly recommend this trip and I'm so glad I signed up for it. Unforgettable!

This is a really special adventure to a unique part of the world where you get to experience the raw beauty and vast expanse of nature and the kind, friendly nature of the local people. Highly recommend!

Stunning scenery, a trip never to be forgotten. . .

An amazing trip, truely unique landscape. If you enjoy travelling to countries that don’t quite have mass tourism yet you’ll enjoy. The hiking was manageable.

3 stars as I felt we didn’t have the best experience from our main guide. We were often confused as to what the plan was, and needed to consistently seek clarification which wasn’t always given. Was also disappointed that in our first few meetings the guide was scrolling through his social media rather than talking to us, as we’d flowed 12+ that morning this was frustrating. Perhaps there is a cultural difference but I’ve travelled a lot and this is the first time I felt the need to note this in a review.

As a note I thought both assistant guides were enthusiastic and helpful, in a few years I have no doubt they’ll be excellent main guides.

Demanding rewarding trek.

This trip is a brilliant introduction to Kyrgyzstan with a good balance between hiking and cultural visits. The trek follows the beautiful Juuku valley, with plenty of horses, sheep, cattle and their shepherds along the route. Our guide, Stas, was super organised and made sure we were well looked after, with plenty of Stas-jokes to keep the mood high. We had a great group and loved every minute. Would highly recommend!

It was my first Much Better adventures trip. I m planning to travel with them again. From the spontaneous "train ride" through the Oak Park to the mesmerising treks through valleys and gorges this was an incredible experience. The trip is organised in perfection (thank you Fabien/Stas). Our main guide Stas was reliable, knowledgeable and caring; tough on the outside but so sweet deep inside. The rest of the team including our horsemen and driver were kind and supportive. Aybek who was helping our guide is an inspiring force of life. I loved our chats and laughs. The whole team took good care of us. They ensured we were well fed and stayed warm during freezing nights. I was fortunate to be part of a group of interesting and kind co-travellers. Kyrgyzstan's nature is unreal. Everywhere we looked there was beauty; crystal waters, majestic mountains, crazy skies, running horses and welcoming locals. Book the trip! You will not regret.

Just arrived home from a wonderful 10 days exploring Kyrgyz culture, and trekking through stunning mountains and valleys. Seeing hundreds of horses walking across the jailoos was out of this world. Our guides - Stas and Aibek - were amazing. The tour felt carefully planned, and they went out of their way to make the trip special and keep the energy high. The camp spots were insane, and it was the perfect amount of walking to feel invigorated but not exhausted. Highly recommend, and can't wait to go back to the region!

This was an amazing trip from start to finish and still keep thinking about the stunning places that we hiked. Kyrgyzstan is absolutely beautiful and the hiking routes were arranged well and covered variety of landscapes. The group dynamic was amazing,it included all like-minded people, and our guides Stas, Aidai and Abdurrahman took care us well. Camping can be challenging at times if you are not used to it, and personally that was the toughest part for me. However, gorgeous sceneries help to get over that challenge easily! Highly recommend this trip you are ready for an adventure to explore this hidden gem in Central Asia.

Based on the reviews, my expectations were quite high.. and still it was better than I thought it could be! The scenery was amazing, the organization of the trip was really well and the group was great! We barely saw any tourists, which made it feel even more special. Massive thanks to Mirs and Dimitri, who took really good care of us (cooking, making sure we weren't (too) cold and introducing us to new hysterically funny games to name a few things) If you have a reasonable level of fitness, the trip will be good for you. If you go in September, do make sure you have a silk liner with you and loads of (merino wool) layers. I highly recommend renting a sleeping bag (because it will take up so much space in your backpack otherwise) and taking with you an air mattress (the ground can be colder than you think!) I really loved the trip! And now quickly book the trip before everybody discovers how beautiful this country is!! :-)

What an honour it was - thank you Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 Fantastic polite patient and knowledgeable guides - Mirs and Dimitri - thank you for your hospitality and sharing the beautiful mountains with us also for lovely food (so much food!). I urge everyone to visit :) I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the makers of the Yurts X Diolch yn Fawr Rahmat!

The photos do not do justice to the breathtaking diversity of the landscape in Kyrgyzstan. From Swiss style mountains and lakes, to US style red canyons, to snowy mountain tops. All in a remote setting with nobody but Shepherds and their cattle for company.

The trip couldn't have been better organised and Mirs and Dimi were two of the best trip organisers I have come across. It felt like they were just 2 more members of the group, rather than us and them, but all the while keeping us safe, entertained and well-fed (as a vegetarian I ate far better than expected).

The final night did get cold, but it was manageable (and an experience). For regular hikers the hikes were enjoyable rather than excruciating. But a base level of fitness is definitely required.

If you want a trip to a relatively under discovered part of the world (it won't stay that way for long) and are happy going without some of the luxuries we take for granted along the way e.g. beds, flushing toilets, showers, phone signal etc then this trip is highly recommended!! An experience I won't forget.

Epic adventure in Kyrgyzstan. Great days hiking and beautiful overnight camp sites. Fun touristic stops on the first and last days too. A good sized group with like-minded people. Amazing scenery. A great tour if you want to get off the beaten path.

Easily one of the best trip I've ever done: I deeply enjoyed every step of this 100km-long hiking journey along the Silk Road! Breathtaking landscapes, a fantastic group, outstanding guides (thank you Mirs and Dima!), challenging yet rewarding hiking, a perfect combination of nature, culture, physical activity with a bit of relax (at the end!) - all underpinned by deep respect for the local environment and communities. If you're hesitating, don't think twice and sign up!

Had an amazing adventure in beautiful Kyrgyzstan. This country has it all, mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers and canyons. The scenery was breathtaking and incredibly picturesque. Our guides were amazing and ensured a smooth trip and we were very well looked after. The hikes are manageable with some steep ascents. The camping does add another layer of difficulty to this trip, be prepared for some very cold nights! Overall this was an amazing trip in a very unrated country.

Fabulous time in the mountains, led by caring, attentive, knowledgable guides. Excellent communication from MBA. Scenery was absolutely spectacular, and a good mix of camping/various accommodation through the trip. Thanks!

If you are reading this review, I strongly recommend that you book this trip. Kyrgyzstan has become one of my favorite countries I have ever visited.

The landscape and scenery are breathtaking. We had an amazing group, which, of course, helped make this trip an incredible experience. Our guides, Stas, Aidie, and Abdulrahman, looked after us, making sure we had everything we needed.

If you enjoy long hikes and wild camping (note: it gets really cold at night) while disconnecting from the world (there’s no internet or phone access for 5–6 days), then this trip is for you!