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Home >> Silk Road Tours >> Kyrgyzstan Tours >> Cultural Tours >> Discovering Buddhism Tour

Discovering Buddhism Tour

Discovering Buddhism   6 Days/5 Nights

If you decide to get acquainted with Buddhist monuments of medieval Kyrgyzstan - then this tour is what you need. You will know more about Buddhism in Kyrgyzstan and visit one of the main Buddist places. If you take the tour in July, 2010 you will also be able to watch real excavations in Chui valley and Issyk Kul lake.

Places of Visit: Bishkek, Issyk Ata gorge, Karakol, Jety Oguz gorge, Tamga

Tour Rates
Budget Optionfrom 999 USD
Deluxe Optionfrom 1215 USD
Book TourGet Custom Quote
Tour Program:

Day 1 Airport - Bishkek - Issyk Kul
Meeting at the airport, start driving to Issyk Ata gorge. Next stop is "Krasnorechenskoe" (red river) ancient settlement. Transfer to the Northern shore of Issyk Kul lake. Overnight in Kapriz hotel

After you arrival in the Kyrgyz airport we will start our "Buddhist tour". We will start our way to Issyk Ata gorge in order to see an image of Buddha. This gorge is very famous for its amazing nature (75 km form Bishkek). At this place you will see celestial mountains, fast mountain streams, huge fur-trees and pines, medical herbs and flowers and of course our well-known hot springs. All these things look like a present of Mother Nature that attracts so many people from ancient time.

The next place to visit on our way is "Krasnorechenskoe" (red river) ancient settlement. This city was formerly called Navekat, translated from sogd language as - "the New City". Today visitors of Krasnorechenskoe settlement are surprised by the size of ancient settlement, its huge mounds and many kilometers shafts of the former buildings and walls of the city. Here the archaeologists had the good fortune to find a Buddhist inscription on the bark (extremely rare in Central Asia exhibit), objects of worship and offerings to the temple: small clay sculptures, beads, miniature vessels, bronze statuettes.

In the evening we will tell you a lecture about "History of Buddhism on the territory of Kyrgyzstan".



Day 2 Issyk Kul - Karakol
In the morning transfer to Cholpon Ata to visit galleries Ornok and the museum. Transfer to Karakol visiting Saks burial mounds. Arrival in Karakol. Overnight in Elita guest house.

Today we are going to visit the rock galleries Ornok on the northern shore of the lake. At this place you will see a unique open-air gallery with a lot of rock paintings. There are about 1500 stones with stone pictures “petrogliphs” that are made on the "tanned" side of stones.

When we will drive along the northern shore of Issyk Kul lake to Karakol you will visit a chain of royal Saks burial mounds, which are located on both sides of the road on the arable land. They were built by nomadic Saks, mentioned in Behistun Achaemenid kings of ancient Persia. It is said that they were able to rout the army of the conqueror of the East of Cyrus II (630 BC), to stop the army of Darius I Hystaspes (513), and dignified battle with invincible phalanxes of Alexander of Macedon on Yaksart (Syr Darya) near Khujand in 329 BC.

Transfer to Karakol. While driving to Karakol and enjoying the incredible views of the lake you will listen to the lecture "Buddhist art in Kyrgyzstan".



Day 3 Karakol - Djety Oguz - Tamga
After breakfast city tour in Karakol: visit Museum of Prjevalskiy, Dungan Mosque and wooden Christian Trinity Church. Transfer to Tamga. En route visit Jety Oguz gorge. Dinner and overnight in Tamga guest house.

Museum of Prjevalskiy near the town of Karakol: at the very beginning Karakol served as a military base for Russians and foreign expeditions traveling into the inner Tien Shan and Central Asia. In 1885 and 1888 Great Russian traveler and the first explore of Central Asia Nikolai Mikhalovich Prjevalski lived there. From March 1889 until 1991 Karakol bore his name.

Also we will visit an old Dungan mosque: the architect of the mosque was from China and he used secret traditions of Chinese people in order to build this mosque without using a single nail.

Wooden Christian Trinity Church: It was built in 1894-1895 on place where five-domed brick church was destroyed during the earthquake in 1876. This Church is more than 100 years old and many people come there to get blessing.

Afterwards we will drive to one of the most famous gorges in Kyrgyzstan - Djety Oguz. At this place you will see amazing mountain "Seven Bulls" and the "Broken Heart" Mountain. After a short hiking we will drive along the southern shore of Issyk Kul lake. On the way you will listen to the lecture "Buddhist architecture in Kyrgyzstan".



Day 4 Tamga - Tamga Tash - Burana tower - Suyab - Bishkek
In the morning we will drive to Bishkek and the first highlights on our way are stones with Buddhist inscriptions. Visit Tamga Tash. Transfer to Burana tower. Next stop is at Suyab (Ak Beshim) settlement. Transfer to Bishkek. Overnight in Asia Mountains guest house.

Buddhist monuments around the lake are still represented only by Tibetan texts. The most famous are the inscriptions on the stones that are very popular among pilgrims. The closest one to the lake is called among people as Tamga-Tash - "The stone with the stigma." The inscription is in a traditional Buddhist form. It is widespread in the environment of Buddhist prayer-spell.

On the way to Bishkek we will drive to the "Balasagun" city. It is a medieval settlement that was the capital of Karakhanid Kaganate (940-1210 years.). There is a tower that is called Burana and that is situated at the center of the city. The name Burana is derived from the preserved minaret that was built in X-XI centuries.

After visiting of Burana Tower we will drive to ancient settlement Suyab (Ak Beshim). Suyab was a meeting place for Silk Road traders. It was founded in V – VI century. On the territory were excavated three Buddhist places.

On the way to Bishkek you will find out about "Mongols and Buddhism in Kyrgyzstan".



Day 5 Bishkek
After breakfast city tour in Bishkek. Overnight in Asia Mountains guest house.

Today you will have a guided city tour. You will start the excursion from the Pobeda Square (Victory Square) and then the tours includes visiting of Opera and Ballet theatre, Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Old Main Square, the History Museum, Ala Too Square, our "White House", The Palace of Sport, National Philharmonic and of course we will visit Oriental Bazaar. Also we will visit the Museum of Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University where you will be able to see a part of the 12 meters Buddha that was taken to Hermitage. In the museum you will also see other Buddhist things as steles, figurines and paintings. After the museum we will drive to a famous collector of ancient artifacts. He has a collection of Buddhist figurines that were found around Kyrgyzstan. He will tell you everything about them and their history.

Day 6 Bishkek - Airport
In the morning transfer to the airport. End of the services.




Standard Tour price
Includes:
1) Twin Accommodation;
2) Transportation;
3) Guide;
4) Entry fees. Camera and video fees are not included and paid separately;
5) Full board;
6) Interpreter;


Does not include:
1) Personal Insurance;
2) Air ticket;
3) Visa;
4) Alchoholic beverages;
5) All other items not listed in the Include section;

Discovering Buddhism Tour Pictures

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Accomodation in Kyrgyzstan

3 Korony (Three Crowns), Issyk Kulfrom 36 USD

Transport in Kyrgyzstan

Mitsubishi, Minibus from 25 USD/pertransfer
Nissan, Off-Road from 20 USD/pertransfer

Other Tours in Kyrgyzstan

Scheduled Tour! Bishkek - Osh, Cultural from 430 USD


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