Kyrgyzstan July 2025

Below is just a suggested itinerary, but you can customize your own trip with other suggested locations upon request on dates that suit you.

Day 1 - Bishkek

Our designated meeting point is Manas International Airport. Following our arrival, we'll make our way to the capital to unwind at our accommodation. Soon after, we'll have our warm welcome dinner and an introduction to the exciting journey ahead.

Day 2 - Naryn Hills

After 4-hour drive we will arrive to Naryn town where we check into our hotel.

After dinner we will head out to Naryn Hills for sunset and night photography.

Day 3 - Kel Suu Valley

After a 4.5-hour drive, we will reach our initial destination: Kel Suu Valley, our accommodation for the night will be in charming traditional Yurts. Amidst these unique dwellings, we'll have the perfect vantage point to capture the mesmerizing beauty of the Milky Way against the backdrop of Yurts and the mountain range within the valley.

Day 4 - Kel Suu Lake

After a night of rest, we will wake up early to have breakfast before embarking on a half day trip to Kel Suu Lake. We will be riding horses 2-hours each way on relatively easy terrain to make it to the lake before getting on a boat to sail through the mountains surrounding the lake. (Hike is optional if you don’t want to ride horses). After making it back to our camp and having dinner, we will then do an astro photography session within the valley.

Day 5 - Naryn Town

After a 4-hour drive we will arrive at Naryn town. Here, we will find refuge for the evening, ensuring a good night's rest after indulging in delicious local cuisine. Given the long distances covered by road, it's imperative that we take a break this evening to split the journey in two.

Day 6 - Valley of Forgotten Rivers

After a half-day drive, we will reach the Valley of Forgotten Rivers, where our lodging awaits in charming local yurts. Following our arrival, we'll have the chance to view sunset from a view point above the Valley of Forgotten Rivers. As night falls, we are free to shoot night photography from our camp by the yurts and beach.

Day 7 - Fairytale Canyon

In the early morning, we'll shoot sunrise over the Valley of Forgotten Rivers with drone. After having breakfast we have a 1- hour drive to our guest house that we will be staying beside Fairy Tale Canyon. A little before sunset we will head to the Fairy Tale Canyon for sunset session with a local falconer and eagle before night photography.

Day 8 & 9 - Farewell

Today, we bid our farewells as we transfer back to Bishkek for one last night to rest and recover before heading to Manas International Airport. However, for those of you yearning for further adventures, we have an enticing extension to otherworldly locations, demanding days of extensive drives to reach. The extension is till the 2nd of August, some of the spots we will visit are:

• Karakol Peak

• Sary Jaz

• Issuk Kul

The extension will cost an additional 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). When signing up for the tour, be sure to inquire about this extension if you are interested.

Your Guide

Sadeq Hayati will be your host and guide on this tour.

After receiving a full introduction on the first day to Astrophotography, he will then prepare you with the knowledge and tools to go out and capture stunning nightscape and landscape photos just like ours.

In the following days, you will shadow him and try to take the exact same compositions as him in order to learn the workflow and the correct way to capture your images.

Alternatively, you are free to roam the beautiful landscapes around us and capture your own images where we would then come follow up, give tips, and also our feedback. We will also be doing landscape, sunset/sunrise photography and so on.

Included

• Pick up & drop off at Manas International Airport (Bishkek)

• Transport to all places & expeditions

• Hotels, yurts, and tents (Twin Sharing)

• Full Board and one soft drink per meal

• All permits for photography and passes to national parks

• Local falconers on horses photography session

• Teaching from Sadeq Hayati

• One year access to my online Master Class

Not Included

• International Flights

• Visa

• Snacks out of meal times and additional drinks or alcoholic beverages

• Travel and health insurance (or any insurance)

• Single room supplement 450 CHF (Swiss Francs)

Equipment Requirements

• DSLR or Mirrorless Camera

• Sturdy tripod

• Remote shutter release cable preferably

• Wide angle lens aperture (f1.4-f2.8) preferably

• Long focal lengths or zoom lenses for wildlife

• Hiking boots

• Warm jacket as temperatures can drop low at night

• Headlamp

• Water bottle

• Sleeping Bag (rental is available)

• Additional batteries & memory cards

Participation

• Maximum participants: 10

• Minimum participants: 3

• Languages: English or German

• No level of fitness is required

(Basic English required for communication)

Price

To book the trip, a deposit of 1500 CHF (Swiss Francs) is required to secure your spot and the outstanding balance must be paid 90 days before the start date of the trip.

• 3900 CHF (Swiss Francs) per person (Twin Sharing)

• 4350 CHF (Swiss Francs) per person (Single Room)

• 2500 CHF CHF (Swiss Francs) per person (Extended Trip) (Twin Sharing)

• 2750 CHF CHF (Swiss Francs) per person (Extended Trip) (Single Room)

Deposits need to be made via Bank Transfer.

All details will be sent to you once you have filled out the contact formula at the bottom of the page.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

If a participant decides to cancel their reservation, they can do so at any time by communicating it as soon as possible to the official email address of the organiser barakatphotography@outlook.com.

However, you should keep in mind that the cancellation by a participant would create management difficulties in bookings as well as the risk of not reaching the minimum number of participants for the trip (and consequently the need to search for a new person).For this reason:

The initial deposit of 1500 CHF (Swiss Francs) per person is non-refundable and non-negotiable.

If the cancellation request is submitted 90 days prior to the tour no additional cost will be charged.

If the cancellation request is presented LESS than 90 days before departure, it will NOT be possible to receive a refund of the full booking amount.

Unless the customer that desires to cancel his booking brings in another person who is willing to take their place by paying the total amount of the trip itself.