KYRGYZSTAN 2027

NOMADS, MOUNTAINS & HORSE GAMES

DATES: June 5th -16th 2027 (12 days)

GROUP SIZE: Max 8 (7 remaining)

PRICE: $5299 No Credit Card Fees!

Includes All Meals, Hotels, Driver, Local Guide, Tips & No Bank Fees!

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Tom and his team organized a world-class photography expedition, jammed packed with opportunities for pro photographers, or beginners."

Ron C - Kyrgyzstan Photo Tour Participant

KYRGYZSTAN PHOTO TOUR 2027

12 Days of Nomadic Culture, Mountain Landscapes and Extraordinary Access

Kyrgyzstan is one of the most visually striking countries on earth - a land of wide valleys, remote shepherd camps, alpine lakes and ancient nomadic traditions that still shape everyday life. This tour is designed for photographers who want more than landscapes - you’ll be meeting people, documenting real stories and capturing the heart of Central Asia with full creative support throughout.

This is a small-group, photography-focused journey with exclusive cultural access, handpicked locations and the kind of immersive moments that simply don’t appear on standard itineraries.

WHY THIS PLACE WORKS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Days are intentionally unhurried. We often stay in one area longer than expected if the light, people, or atmosphere feels right. There’s no pressure to “get the shot”.

Minimal visual noise

Villages and camps are uncluttered by signage, advertising, or modern distractions. This simplicity helps isolate subjects and creates clean, timeless compositions without effort.

People who belong to the landscape

Here, people aren’t separate from their surroundings. Clothing, animals, tools, and terrain all feel connected. Images naturally carry context and meaning, not just a subject in isolation.

Strong, honest light

The light here is often direct and unfiltered. High-altitude sun, clear air, and long shadows give images real contrast and shape. It’s ideal for working with light and shadow rather than flattening everything in pos

WHY JOIN THIS TOUR?

✔️Authentic nomadic culture - not staged tourism

You’ll spend time with Kyrgyz families, walk through walnut forests, visit remote villages and stay in traditional yurts on the high plateau. This is the Kyrgyzstan that travellers rarely reach - places and moments that let you photograph everyday life with honesty and depth.

✔️Designed and led by Tom Bourdon

I’ve spent years travelling and photographing across Central Asia. My role on this tour is to help you see like a photographer, refine your storytelling and return home with a collection of work you’re proud of. Expect hands-on guidance, 1-to-1 support, and time to develop your personal style.

✔️A route unlike any other

Most photography tours follow the same triangle: Bishkek - Song Kul - Issyk Kul.
This tour goes much further.

We head into regions rarely included on photo tours:

Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve
Arslanbob’s vast walnut forests
Kazarman’s dramatic high passes
Skazka (Fairytale) Canyon
Toktogul and the surrounding valleys

You’ll capture everything from wide nomadic panoramas to intimate portraits and vibrant bazaars.

✔️Exceptional access for photographers

Our local team has arranged a series of experiences created specifically for photography:

A private Kok Boru (horse game) demonstration
A sunset shoot with eagle hunters
A folklore performance inside a yurt camp
Dawn and dusk sessions in some of Kyrgyzstan’s most striking landscapes

These encounters offer you the time, space and freedom to work creatively.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"One of the best trips ever! We discovered an amazing culture, authentic people and exotic places but also we learned so much as photographers.."

Andra G - Kyrgyzstan Photo Tour Participant

PHOTOGRAPHY SKILL LEVEL

Our photo tours are relaxed, fun and adventurous!

Beginner/Novice

Intermediate

Advanced

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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Bishkek & Bazaars

Street photography, market life, colour, character and the rhythm of daily Kyrgyz culture.

Song Kul

A high-altitude dreamscape. Yurts, horses, shepherd families and huge skies. Sunrise and sunset sessions here are unforgettable.

Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve

A pristine alpine lake framed by steep cliffs and forests. Ideal for peaceful landscapes, reflections and soft evening light.

Skazka Canyon

Rich red rock formations, winding canyons and surreal shapes - a perfect place for creative compositions and model shoots.

Arslanbob

One of the world’s largest walnut forests, remote Uzbek-Kyrgyz villages and warm community encounters.

Nomadic Traditions

Eagle hunters, yurt makers, horse games, traditional crafts and evenings around the fire.

Kazarman & High Passes

A wild, rugged landscape where nomadic life continues almost unchanged. Superb documentary and environmental portrait opportunities.

THE ITINERARY

Day 1-2 Bishkek - Bazaars, markets, city life

Welcome to Kyrgyzstan. After arriving in Bishkek, we settle into the hotel, meet the group and enjoy an afternoon walk through the city’s parks and markets before a relaxed welcome dinner.

The next morning, we begin our journey south towards Toktogul. The drive takes us through sweeping valleys and mountain passes, with a few scenic stops and a lunch break along the way. By late afternoon we reach our guesthouse, where dinner and a calm evening in the mountains await.

Photography Focus: Street scenes, market life, portraits, colours, everyday culture.

Day 3-4 - Toktogul - Sary-Chelek

We continue into the countryside today, travelling towards the beautiful Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve. After checking in, we head out for an easy sunset session around the lake.

The following day is spent exploring Sary-Chelek at a relaxed pace. We walk along the lakeshore, photograph the forests and enjoy a picnic outdoors. Later, we return for a second sunset shoot as the light dips behind the mountains.

Photography Focus: Lakes, reflections, intimate landscapes, soft evening light, forest details.

Day 5 - Sary-Chelek - Arslanbob

Today we travel to Arslanbob, home to one of the world’s largest walnut forests and a community with a distinctive Uzbek-Kyrgyz identity. After arriving and settling into our family-run guesthouse, we spend the afternoon exploring the local bazaar and walking through forested trails. It’s an ideal location for intimate portraits, daily life scenes and thoughtful storytelling. A home-cooked dinner rounds off a rewarding day.

Photography Focus: Village portraits, bazaar textures, woodland scenes, cultural storytelling.

Day 6 - Kazarman

We continue east towards Kazarman, a remote region surrounded by rugged mountain passes. The journey is incredibly scenic, with stops throughout the day for photographs and short breaks in the high country. By evening we reach our simple but welcoming guesthouse, where village life moves at a quiet and timeless pace.

Photography Focus: Nomads, Mountain passes, wide vistas, road scenes, environmental storytelling.

Day 7-8 Song Kul Yurt Camp

We climb onto the high plateau of Song Kul (3500m), where yurts, herds of horses and big skies define the landscape. After arriving at our yurt camp, we spend our time walking, meeting nomad families and photographing life. The following day includes a sunrise session by the lake, relaxed time to explore and a private Kok Boru (horse game) demonstration in the afternoon, ending with sunset and, weather permitting, some night sky photography.

Photography Focus: Nomadic portraits, yurt life, horses, sunrise/sunset light, action scenes, night photography (weather permitting).

Day 9 Skazka Canyon

Leaving Song Kul, we pass via Kochkor for lunch before continuing to Skazka, or “Fairytale” Canyon, with its sculpted red rock formations and winding paths. We settle into our yurt camp and then head out for a sunset shoot in the canyon, with the option to work with eagle hunters or figures in the landscape, followed by dinner and a cosy folklore performance back at camp.

Photography Focus: Red rock formations, leading lines, human scale in vast spaces, creative compositions.

Day 10 - Chong-Kemin

Transfer to Chon-Kemin village along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. Chon-Kemin is a beautiful valley in northern Kyrgyzstan, known for its clear river, green meadows, and majestic mountains. It is an ideal place for walking, photography, and experiencing traditional village life.

Photography Focus: Gorges , traditional village life, rivers, mountains & hot springs

Day 11 - Chong -Kemin – Bishkek

Departure for Bishkek. Our first stop is Burana Tower near the town of Tokmok, with its historic Burana Tower and surrounding ruins en route. By afternoon we’re back in the capital with time to relax before a farewell dinner dinner.

Day 12 - Departures

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye and transfer to the airport. You leave Kyrgyzstan with a full set of images - from intimate village life to vast mountain plateaus - and a stronger sense of your own photographic voice.

Please note: Itinerary details are subject to change based on local conditions and opportunities.

A FINAL WORD

Kyrgyzstan is a photographer’s dream - huge spaces, powerful stories, and a way of life that feels beautifully timeless. This tour brings you into the heart of it, with a rare level of access and the guidance to capture it at its best.

If you’d like to join me in Kyrgyzstan in 2027, secure your place early. With only eight spots, the group will fill quickly.

Ready to experience Kyrgyzstan with your camera? Let’s make it happen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"This was the trip of a lifetime for me! Tom did an excellent job of coordinating our activities each day, teaching us how to take better photos no matter what our skill level was and making sure everyone was safe, well-fed, and had comfortable sleeping quarters each night"

Debbie - Kyrgyzstan Tour 2023

WHAT'S INCLUDED

The experience includes

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation will vary from elegant hotels to family run guesthouses and yurt camps
FOOD

All meals are included. If you have any special dietary requirements just let us know.
TRANSPORTATION

Airport pickup and drop off and all ground transport.

EXPERT LOCAL TOUR GUIDE

To give us those local insights that we might not otherwise get.
EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDANCE

With multi award winning photographer Tom Bourdon.
ALL BANK FEES NEW

Pay with your credit card using our secure online system. No additional fees, the price you see is the price you pay.
ALL ENTRANCE FEES & TIPS NEW

There's nothing to pay for on location other than personal expenses.

Your Mentor on this Adventure: Tom Bourdon

Tom is a multi-award-winning travel photographer known for capturing the soul of cultural festivals. While his work has won the prestigious Wanderlust/Nikon Professional Travel Photo of the Year and appeared in National Geographic Traveller, The Sunday Times amoungst many others, his role on this tour is simple: to help you capture the best images of your life.

As the "Top Guru" at Gurushots, Tom has a proven track record of educating and inspiring photographers of all abilities. He brings that expertise into the field, helping you master composition, handle difficult light, and refine your unique style in real-time.

Because Raw Tours strictly caps this group at just 8 photographers, you aren't just a face in the crowd. You get genuine 1-on-1 access to a master photographer. Whether you are a 10-time finalist in the Travel Photographer of the Year (like Tom) or an enthusiastic hobbyist, Tom will be right beside you to ensure you nail the shot.

Why travel with Tom?

✅ Proven expertise & local knowledge
✅ Hands-on mentorship with daily support
✅ More time behind the camera, Tom handles the details, so you can focus on shooting.