All in One Day: Burana Tower, Konorchek Canyon and Issyk-Kul Lake
Description
This tour is perfect for curious travelers who want to see the best of Kyrgyzstan in just one day. You’ll start with a visit to the 9th-century Burana Tower, where you can climb to the top and explore ancient petroglyphs. Then, enjoy a guided hike through the breathtaking Konorchek Canyons, famous for their dramatic red rock formations. After the hike, we’ll head to Issyk-Kul Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, where you can relax by the shore in the lakeside town of Balykchy and enjoy a traditional Kyrgyz lunch. Ideal for nature lovers, history buffs, and anyone short on time but big on adventure.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your English-speaking guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel in Bishkek in the morning and begin the journey toward the eastern part of Kyrgyzstan.
Your first stop is the historic Burana Tower, a well-preserved 9th-century minaret that once guided Silk Road travelers. Here, you can climb to the top for panoramic views, explore ancient petroglyphs and stone statues, and learn about the tower’s fascinating history from your guide.
After Burana, we continue toward the stunning Konorchek Canyons, where your guide will lead you on a 2.5–3 hour hike through winding paths and striking red sandstone formations. It’s an active and scenic walk with plenty of time to enjoy the natural beauty and take amazing photos.
We arrive in Balykchy, a quiet lakeside town on the western shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. You’ll enjoy a traditional Kyrgyz lunch at a local restaurant and then have time to relax by the lakeshore, take in the views, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of this iconic lake.
After some time by the lake, we begin the drive back to Bishkek. You’ll return to your hotel in the evening, with amazing memories from a day full of history, nature, and culture.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Our guide will pick you up from a hotel or any other point in Bishkek.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(13)
We really enjoyed our tour. Our guide was very patient and helpful with us and shared all her wonderful knowledge with us along the way. We really enjoyed our experience. The car was very comfortable and the driver was very professional and ensured a great day trip for us.
Had great time with Eldar, he was a amazing guide and driver. He and Datka travel were very professional. 10/10 would recommend
I liked Konorchek canyon hiking, it was very adventurous. Our guide was also very informative and told many historical facts and legends about Burana tower.🔝🔝
This was one of the most unforgettable trips of my life. Even though we started as a random group, we quickly found a common language and connected so naturally it was such a beautiful experience meeting new people along the way. The food was amazing, with plenty of options for everyone, which made the journey even more enjoyable. I was honestly scared of horses at first, but the instructors and guides were incredibly supportive and encouraging. Thanks to them, I was able to face my fear and it turned out to be the best moment of the entire trip. The breathtaking views during the horse ride made everything absolutely worth it. I also wasn’t fully prepared for the canyon walk, but our guide was very professional and attentive. They made sure we had enough rest, gave helpful advice to avoid exhaustion, and ensured that we reached the meeting point and returned safely. Overall, I truly feel like I left a part of my heart there. It’s a place and an experience I will always carry with me and I would definitely love to come back again.
It was a long but fun filled day covering 3 major attractions from Bishkek. The company custom created this tour for me because I had limited time and I appreciate that greatly. My guide was fantastic- very caring and sincere. I had him on request for two of my trips with this company. Overall, I recommend immensely this and other tours by them highly.
We had a wonderful time on the tour with our driver and tour guide, Anvar. The scenery was incredible, and we made many memorable moments. Our tour guide shared a lot of interesting history about the places we visited and clearly answered all of our questions. He was very kind and friendly, and his driving was always safe. He was also thoughtful, which made us feel comfortable throughout the tour. Communication with the company was very smooth from the time of booking through WhatsApp, and they kept in touch regularly, so we had no concerns at all. We would highly recommend this tour.
We had a wonderful day trip with Datka Travel visiting Burana Tower, the Konorchek Canyon and Issyk-Kul Lake. Everything was well organized and ran smoothly from start to finish. The Konorchek Canyon was absolutely spectacular – truly one of the highlights of our trip to Kyrgyzstan! Our guide was friendly and helpful, and the itinerary offered a great balance between cultural sights and natural beauty. A perfect way to experience some of Kyrgyzstan’s most impressive places in one day – highly recommended!
The tour was a bit exhausting, but it definitely did, with a 2-hour canyoning that can be a bit challenging. His dish was a tower impressive, I recommend a Recommendation.
I did a one day tour (buruma tower, canyon and mountain lake), it was a great experience. I especially liked the canyon, its super scenic. My guide anvar did an amazing job, he made the day feel like a road trip with a good friend.
A great day out,it was a long day but well worth it and really good value for money,there was a meal also included in the price which was very nice.Konorchek Canyon was amazing!Woukd definitely recommend if you want to see some of the real Kyrgyzstan outside of Bishkek
