Pre-MTP Chengdu 2027 group trip
Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan Almaty to Bishkek, all overland
Pre-MTP trip 2
Heading to Chengdu? Take the long way.
Eight comfortable days overland from Almaty to Bishkek. Canyons, ridiculous lakes, a remote border crossing and then a direct (and cheap!) flight to Chengdu.
Central Asia is one of those places that still feels like proper travel. Huge mountains, endless roads, old Silk Road routes, weird Soviet cities and landscapes most people have never even heard of.
This isn’t fly into a capital, do a walking tour and call it a day. We go properly overland, albeit in comfortable vehicles with decent hotels, and every few hours the landscape changes completely.
Tour highlights
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Charyn Canyon
Kazakhstan’s wild west
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Kaindy Lake
The sunken forest
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Remote Land Border
Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, all overland
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Issyk-Kul
Mountains meet endless water
Trip facts
- Dates
- Trip length
- Route
- Almaty, Kazakhstan to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Then MTP
- Fly Bishkek to Chengdu (booked separately), with a full recovery day before Oct 21
- Fitness
- Easy: walking at canyons, lakes and viewpoints
- Guide
- Josh from Mudita Adventures + local team
Day by day
The Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Almaty
· Almaty, Kazakhstan
Touchdown in Kazakhstan’s coolest city. Check into the hotel and get settled.
That evening you meet Josh and the rest of the group properly for dinner and drinks, go through the plan for the week and start getting to know the people you’re about to cross Central Asia with.
Day 2: Almaty
Almaty, Kazakhstan
A full day in Almaty before the road trip begins. We explore the city, eat well and get a feel for Kazakhstan.
Leafy boulevards, brutalist Soviet blocks, markets, cable cars and an epic mountain backdrop. Almaty’s got a crazy unexpected vibe. Enjoy it: it’s our last properly urban day for a while.
Day 3: Charyn Canyon & Kolsai Lake
Saty, near Kolsai Lake
Now the trip really starts. We leave Almaty for Charyn Canyon: red rock valleys, hiking trails and canyons that rival the Grand Canyon. Endless photo stops.
Then deeper into eastern Kazakhstan, towards Kolsai Lake and the Saty area for the night. Forests, turquoise water and tiny villages out near the Chinese border.
Day 4: Kaindy Lake & Border Crossing Time!
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
If conditions allow, we start at Kaindy Lake, famous for the drowned forest still sticking out of the water. One of the strangest lakes in the region.
Then we drive to the remote Kegen/Karkyra border, cross overland into Kyrgyzstan and carry on to Karakol. A completely different landscape, straight away.
Day 5: Jeti-Ögüz, Skazka Canyon & Issyk-Kul
Bokonbaevo, Issyk-Kul
One of the best scenery days of the whole trip. We leave Karakol for the dramatic red cliffs of Jeti-Ögüz Gorge, then the surreal, slightly alien landscapes of Skazka Canyon.
Then along the southern shore of Issyk-Kul towards Bokonbaevo. A huge blue lake, snowy peaks behind it. Looks slightly fake. It isn’t.
Day 6: Burana Tower & on to Bishkek
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
We continue west along Issyk-Kul before turning towards Bishkek.
On the way we stop at Burana Tower, one of the most recognisable surviving Silk Road monuments in Kyrgyzstan, then reach the capital for the night.
Day 7: Bishkek
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
After several days moving across two countries, the pace slows down with a full day in Bishkek.
You see the city, eat properly, have a few drinks and enjoy one final night together before everyone heads onwards.
Day 8: Bishkek → Chengdu
· Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
That’s the end of the Central Asia adventure. Anyone going to MTP Chengdu flies onwards to Chengdu, with a full day to recover before the conference.
Not doing MTP? You’re free to carry on travelling from Bishkek. Two countries, all overland, in eight days. Not bad.
Who’s behind it
Johnny Ward & Josh
Irish guy, first Irish person to visit every country, and the first to complete the Ultimate Explorer’s Grand Slam (every country, 7 summits, both poles). I’ve taken thousands of people to some of the weirdest places on earth, and now Luis and I are giving MTP more ways to head somewhere far-flung with friends.
I’ll be on the Pakistan to China trip, so Josh, my co-founder at Mudita Adventures, will be guiding this one with our local team. That’s the two of us in Nepal. Expect a bit of chaos and a lot of laughs.
I do this because I love it! It’s my passion.
Proper travel
Why Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan?
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Properly overland
Two countries, all by road, crossing a remote land border most people have never heard of.
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Ridiculous lakes
Kolsai, the sunken forest of Kaindy and the enormous blue sweep of Issyk-Kul.
-
Huge mountains
Every few hours the landscape changes completely. Canyons, gorges, forests and snowy peaks.
Before you book
Good to Know
How does this connect with MTP Chengdu?
We travel from 12–19 October and finish in Bishkek, which has direct (and cheap!) flights to Chengdu. That leaves a full recovery day before MTP starts on October 21. Your Bishkek to Chengdu flight is booked separately.
Do I need to attend MTP to join?
No. The trip is designed around the conference dates, but it’s still a normal group adventure and can be booked as a standalone trip. Not going to Chengdu? Carry on travelling from Bishkek.
Do I need visas for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan?
It depends on your passport, so check your own situation before travelling. We’ll provide the confirmed route and hotel details you need for any applications, but visas are ultimately each traveller’s responsibility.
How physically difficult is it?
Not at all. It isn’t a trekking expedition. There’s walking around canyons, lakes and viewpoints, but the biggest challenge is the amount of travel, some long days and the fact that parts of the route are fairly remote. Expect the occasional change of plan too.
Is Central Asia safe?
Super safe. Both countries welcome international travellers and we work with experienced local operators throughout. As always, get proper travel insurance and check your own government’s current travel advice before departure.
Can I come alone?
Yes, absolutely. Most people who join my trips come solo, and within about twenty minutes nobody really feels like they came alone anymore.
Price and what’s included
What’s included
- Decent hotel accommodation throughout
- Private transport where required, Almaty to Bishkek
- Proper local guides, with Josh from Mudita Adventures
What’s not included
- Flights into Almaty and home from Bishkek
- Bishkek to Chengdu flight for MTP
- Visas, where applicable
- Travel insurance
- Single supplement
Tour price
$3,399
Per person sharing
- 12–19 October 2027, Almaty to Bishkek
- Single supplement available
- No online booking yet: DM me on Instagram to grab a spot
Pre-MTP Chengdu 2027
Almaty to Bishkek, then Chengdu.
Canyons, sunken forests, a remote border and Issyk-Kul, all before MTP. There’s no online booking yet, so DM me on Instagram to grab a spot or ask anything.
Rather email? johnny@onestep4ward.com
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