Yoga and Trekking in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan

The trek starts in Osh, Kyrgyzstan's largest southern city, where the workshop opens on day one. From there you transfer to the Aflatun settlement and begin walking up the Yushniy Aflatun river valley. Over the next six days the route climbs through spruce forest and limestone gorges, crosses the Kuldambes pass at 2,750m and the Ashuu pass at 2,551m, and descends to Lake Sary-Chelek, the third deepest lake in Central Asia at 234m. Camps are pitched beside Lake Karakamysh, Lake Iri-Kol and the Kyzyl-Suu river. On day eight you walk out to the Arkyt-Sai river, where a vehicle takes you back to Osh.

What separates this from a standard trekking package is the yoga workshop running alongside it. The programme includes Hatha yoga practice in the mountains, suitable for beginners and more advanced practitioners, meditation at three levels of difficulty, and theory sessions covering yoga philosophy and mindful eating. The yoga teacher's fee is charged separately from the tour cost.

The second phase is at the Planetary Eye yurt settlement in Tosor village, on the southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul. The settlement has more than 30 yurts, including a dining yurt, a library yurt and a shop yurt. Yurts sleep 6, 8-9 or 10-11 people, and there are also single and double yurts. Each has a floor carpet, traditional mattresses called toshoks, wool blankets, pillows and rugs, plus one socket for charging a phone. The camp can arrange vegetarian, vegan and raw food menus on request.

Lake Issyk Kul sits at 1,608m and never freezes despite the altitude. Water visibility reaches 20m, summer surface temperatures sit between 20°C and 23°C, and the lake supports trout, carp and pike-perch. The surrounding forests are habitat for snow leopards and red wolves.

Throughout the trek a high-altitude guide acts as tour manager and makes all route decisions, including changes for weather or safety. A support team pitches and strikes tents, sets the table, washes up, loads the horses and makes fires. A professional cook and a horse handler travel with the group. The group carries portable radio transmitters and a GPS navigator, and the tour manager has a satellite terminal for external contact.

What's included

- Meeting and seeing off at the airport - All transfers on air-conditioned transport according to the programme - Hotel accommodation in Osh in twin or double rooms with breakfast - Accommodation in the Planetary Eye yurt camp - Hotel accommodation in Bishkek for 1 night - Full board during the trekking part (three hot meals a day) - Accommodation in double tents during the trek - Mountain guide, cook and service staff - Team and horse packing services - Individual equipment: sleeping bag, sleeping bag insert, camping mat, kitchenware - Bivouac equipment: dining tent, tables, chairs, kitchenware, dining sets, toilet tent, gas stoves - Flight tickets Osh - Bishkek - First aid kit - Permit for staying in the National Park territory - Ecological fees

What's not included

- International air flights - Individual equipment: shoes, clothes, individual kitchenware, sleeping bag - Medical insurance - Alcoholic drinks - Service of yoga teacher (380 USD, or 320 USD per person if registered before August 15) - Lunch and dinner in cities - Any additional food or alcoholic beverages