UNDISCOVERED : NOMADS AND LEOPARDS Attend the World Nomad Games - one of the coolest competitions on the planet.

Journey around the shores of ’s largest alpine lake.

Visit the Snow Leopard rehabilitation centre to learn about the rescue of injured and orphaned snow leopards.

Visit an abandoned Soviet mining town.

Journey deep into the Tien Shan mountains - the realm of the snow leopard

Stay in the extraordinary Pikertyk valley and spot Marco Polo sheep and herds of ibex.

Stay in a yurt on the shores of Lake Son-kul and watch a game of Kok-Boru - a form of polo using a goat carcass. Day 1 Arrive in Bishkek

Meeting at airport, dinner and overnight in Bishkek hotel. Day 2 Bishkek city tour and Ala-Archa National Park

After breakfast we will explore Kyrgyzstan’s fascinating capital which is surrounded by a ring of snow capped mountain peaks. Bishkek is a city of contrasts with both Soviet and modern architecture and we will take in many of the central sights including Ala Too Square with its statues of Lenin and Erkindik, the national parliament, Frunze museum, the oera house and Panfilov park.

In the afternoon we will drive to Ala-Archa National Park, an oasis just south of Bishkek containing more than 50 mountain peaks, 20 glaciers and spectacular waterfalls. In the evening we will return to Bishkek, stopping for dinner at a restaurant overlooking the city. Overnight in Bishkek hotel. Day 3 Bishkek - Cholpon-Ata (World Nomad Games) After breakfast, we will depart Bishkek for our journey to Cholpon-Ata through Boom valley and check-in at hotel after arrival. After a short rest we will participate in the opening ceremony of the 2018 World Nomad Games celebrating Central Asian nomadic culture and sports. The opening ceremony is one of the highlights of the games and is a cultural extravaganza with more than 40 countries attending. Day 4 Cholpon-Ata (World Nomad Games)

After breakfast we will attend the first day of the World Nomad Games and observe the various sporting contests and exhibitions of nomad life. The World Nomad Games provides a fascinating insight into Central Asia’s nomadic culture and tradition. Over 3 days participants from all over Central Asia compete in , falconry, archery, and Kok-Boru - a form of polo using a goat carcass.

Dinner and accommodation at our hotel. Day 5 Cholpon-Ata (World Nomad Games)

After breakfast we will again attend the World Nomad Games for another full day of exciting events. Guided through the event by our own personal guide we will watch exhilarating horse racing, witness incredible displays of eagle hunting* and enjoy Kyrgyz traditional music. Visitors can also observe yurt building and singing storytelling competitions, meet camel shepherds and learn how to make yak butter.

Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.

*Eagle hunting displays will only be conducted using animal carcasses and NOT live animals Day 6 Cholpon-Ata - Karakol

After breakfast we depart Cholpon-Ata in the direction of Karakol. Along the way we will visit Kyrgyzstan’s first snow leopard rehabilitation centre. Here we may be lucky enough to see a rescued snow leopard if the Director of the centre allows it, as there are usually a few snow leopards in care. Guests will only be allowed to observe snow leopards in very small numbers under very strict conditions so the animals are not disturbed. Here we will also meet with researchers and park rangers who work here and have seen and tracked snow leopards in the wild. Afterwards, we will be visit the museum of the famous Central Asian explorer Nikolai Przewalski who led expeditions into Mongolia and Tibet and after whom the famous Przewalski horses were named. By mid- afternoon we will arrive in Karakol and enjoy a tour of the city. At dinner, we will enjoy folk music performed by a local Kyrgyz band. Overnight accommodation at our hotel. Day 7 Karakol - Inylchek - Sary Jaz - Kara Tash hot springs - Karakol

Today after an early breakfast we depart in our four-wheel drive SUVs toward Sary-Jaz valley through Chon- Ashuu Pass (3822m) with breathtaking views from the top of the pass. Sary-Jaz is a unique place where you can fully retire and escape from bustle, embraced by the beauty, tranquility and majesty of the valleys and mountain ranges. Afterwards we will visit the eerie abandoned Soviet city of Inylchek, which once boasted one of the biggest mines in the USSR. Nearby in the Kyrgyz village of Inylchek we will meet local herders who once hunted snow leopards but now work to protect them and prevent people entering the nearby Sarychat Ertash nature reserve. On our return journey we will stop to enjoy the Kara-Tash hot springs with hot radon water, which flows under high black rock. Return to Karakol in the evening. Traditional dinner with a Dungan family. Accommodation at our hotel. Day 8 Karakol – Kara-Say – Pikertyk Valley

After breakfast we will depart for one of the most remote, picturesque and mysterious areas of the Kyrgyz Republic, located near the border with China. This area is prime snow leopard habitat. First we will stop at Barskoon to the headquarters for the Sarychat Ertash Nature reserve which was declared a protected reserve where most people, including tourists, are forbidden. Here we will meet scientists who have been tracking snow leopards, and view videos of snow leopards taken from camera traps throughout the Tien Shan Mountains. The park rangers will also explain how they have successfully paired with local villages to allow the nature reserve to thrive. Continuing on our journey we will traverse the Ala-Bel Pass (3918m) as well as the Sook Pass (4022m) and will stop for lunch in the village of Kara-Say. Finally, we will arrive in the Pikertyk valley through the narrow and challenging Chagyr pass and set up our camp for the next few nights. Guests will enjoy a hot dinner created by our expedition cook and then retire to their tents or sleep under the open stars if they prefer. Day 9 Pikertyk Valley

After enjoying a hearty breakfast in magnificent natural surroundings, we will take a horseback ride through the valley of Pikertyk towards the place where Marco Polo sheep and ibex herds can sometimes be observed. Marco Polo Sheep and ibex descend lower due to the winter snows and low temperatures in the high mountains. Some of the males in these herds have huge horns because of their age. Both species are important prey for the snow leopard and they have been photographed and tracked many times in and around the valley. By evening we’ll return to Pikertyk camp and enjoy a hot dinner from our expedition cook before retiring for a second night in this serene valley. Day 10 Pikertyk Valley - Bokonbaevo

After our last breakfast in this beautiful valley, we will commence our journey back. In the afternoon we will arrive at the Bel-Tam yurt camp located on the shore of Issyk-Kul lake. Here, nomads will provide guests with a demonstration of falconry. In the evening we will enjoy a traditional Kyrgyz feast before retiring to our accommodation in private yurts. Day 11 Bokonbaevo – Kyzyl Tuu - Kochkor - Naryn

After breakfast in the yurt camp, we will travel to the nearby village of Kyzyl-Tuu to meet a family of yurt makers. Guests will be provided with a demonstration of the process of yurt making and how they are installed. After enjoying lunch, we will then travel through Naryn province to Kochkor village, where a felt making demonstration will be provided to the group. Later we will arrive at Naryn, and enjoy dinner and overnight accommodation at our hotel. Day 12 Naryn – Son-Kul lake

After enjoying breakfast, we will drive to Son-Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest lake, which is located at an altitude of 3016m. In the afternoon, equestrian games will be demonstrated on the shore of Son-Kul Lake including Kok-Boru in which two teams of riders try to carry a goat carcass into the opposing team's end zone. There will be some free time to wander around the shores of the lake in magnificent natural surroundings. After a traditional Kyrgyz or Russian dinner, guests will retire to their accommodation in private yurts on the shore of Son-Kul Lake. Day 13 Son-Kul Lake - Chon-Kemin National Park

After breakfast at the yurt camp we will drive to Chon-Kemin National Park, known as one of Kyrgyzstan's most beautiful locales, and a prime habitat for the endangered snow leopard. The Chon-Kemin National Park is a lush natural area brimming with diverse flora and fauna. Its river flows over 70 miles, with seven lakes in its basin. Forming the sides of the valley are conifer forests, which are home to many varieties of herbs, berries and mushrooms. The Chon-Kemin valley remains in its virgin state. Here guests may enjoy a range of outdoor activities from hiking to fishing and horseback riding. We will stay overnight at the Ashu or Jekshen Guest houses which are basic but very comfortable and ideal for taking in the spectacular natural surroundings. Kyrgyz barbeque dinner provided. Day 14 Chon-Kemin National Park – Burana Tower - Bishkek

After a hearty final brunch we will commence our drive back to the capital, Bishkek. Along the way we will visit the Burana tower, an ancient minaret on the Silk Road and visit the attached museum to learn about the lost city of Balasagun. Afterwards guests will enjoy a late lunch or early dinner at the Supara restaurant before our final transfer to Bishkek International Airport for your onward flights.

Astana Airlines departure to Almaty is scheduled for 19:55. INCLUSIONS EXCLUSIONS

All road transport on luxury minibus. Sleeping bags Off road transport on comfortable 4x4 Alcoholic beverages jeeps. Insurance Double or Twin share accommodation at Tips to local guides or any other expenses 3 star Hotels or yurt camps. not included in the program. All meals provided - breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. All water and non-alcoholic beverages provided. English speaking guide throughout. Prices All off road expeditions are accompanied AUD$4050 PP** by a cook & mechanic. All admission fees to museums and other TWIN/SHARE sites. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT Admission to full program of World Nomad Games including opening AUD$505 ** ceremony. ** Based on current e xchange rates on 10 Falconry and yurt making displays. June, 2018 and based on price in USD by All camping equipment; Tents, Mats and local supplier. USD$3078 USD PP (Twin tables. Share) + Single Supple ment USD$384 Border permits to explore Tien Shan border region. TOUR CODE: UWKZ_13NS Horses and porters in mountain region. **Please note: This tour is subject to a minimum operating group size of 6 participants and a maximum group size of 12.