Kyrgyzstan Horse Treks

Our priority is safety and the well-being of the horses and riders, so fast galloping is generally not part of our horse treks. Many of the areas where we ride are narrow mountain trails, steep slopes, and rocky terrain. It’s simply not safe or feasible to go faster than a walking pace or gentle trot on these mountain terrains. The horses need to navigate carefully to avoid injury.

Toward the end of a day or on certain flat stretches where the terrain is open and safe, our guides may allow an experienced rider to do a short canter or gallop for fun. This is always at the guide’s discretion. Keep in mind these horses are working at high altitude and on tough paths, so we don’t want to exhaust them with a lot of fast riding or galloping. We ask guests to be understanding and gentle with the animals.

Expect a leisurely pace on our horse treks so that you can take in the scenery and experience. The joy of horse trekking here is less about speed and more about reaching beautiful remote places on horseback, like alpine lakes or jailoo (high altitude) pastures, which would be arduous or take a long time to reach on foot.

Yes, most of our horse treks are beginner-friendly. Our local horse guides will match you with a calm, gentle horse and making sure you feel comfortable with it. Before heading out, you’ll get basic instructions on how to manage, guide and control the horse. We’ll adjust your saddle and stirrups so you feel comfortable and secure.

The pace of our horse treks is generally walk-only or light trot so there is no crazy galloping. In addition, our horse guides will assist you with any challenging assents or descents. That way you can focus on enjoying the scenery and the ride.

Yes, we can arrange short horseback riding excursions as well. We understand that everyone might now have time for a multi-day trek or that they just want a taste of horseback riding in Kyrgyzstan for a couple of hours.These are often included as side activities on one of our cultural tours. For example, we could add a horseback riding trip outside of Karakol or at Song-Kul Lake for the day.

For any custom short horseback riding trip, just contact us and we’ll see if we can add it to your itinerary.

We recommend the following packing list for a horse trek.

• Warm clothes and layers as it gets warm during the day, but can go below freezing at night and when it rains
• Good trekking shoes • Day pack to carry camera, water, sunscreen, etc.
• Sun protection as the sun is very strong at altitude: Sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF 30 or above), and a sun hat /cap
• Water and windproof jacket and pants. It gets especially windy on the mountain passes
• Medical kit for treating blisters, traveler’s diarrhea and other minor illnesses.
• Water purification tablets or drops if you want to clean the spring water
• Refillable water bottle • Lip balm: your lips get chapped very easily in the mountains
• Wet wipes and/or anti-bacterial gel to clean hands
• Hat and gloves to wear at night for warmth
• Head lamp to navigate campsite and yurt camps at night
• Warm sleeping bag (we provide you with this if you don’t have one). Yurts and homestays provide blankets.

You’ll want to dress similarly for a horse trek as to how you would for a hike or trek on foot, with a few considerations for riding comfort. It actually feels a bit colder riding a horse than hiking because you’re not generating as much body heat, so bring warm layers even if the day is mild.

Wear long pants (jeans or durable trekking pants) to protect your legs from friction against the saddle. On your upper body, dress in layers – a t-shirt or light long-sleeve, plus a fleece or light jacket you can put on when it’s cooler. A rain jacket or poncho is important too as weather can change quickly in the mountains. Sturdy shoes or lightweight boots with a small heel are ideal. Hiking boots are good. Just avoid completely flat sandals or open-toed shoes for safety in the stirrups. We provide basic riding gear, but we recommend bringing some light gloves to help prevent blisters from holding the reins.

In summary, the best way to prepare for a horse trek is to dress warm, cover up from sun and chafing, and be ready for mountain weather. Our team will brief you on what to bring specific to your route as well.

Western riders often ask about helmets. In Kyrgyzstan, locals typically don’t use riding helmets, and we do not automatically provide them. If a helmet is important to you, please bring a lightweight equestrian helmet or we can try to source one with advance notice.