An 11th-century minaret, stone balbal warriors and the story of the ancient city of Balasagun.
Stand where the caravans of the Great Silk Road passed a thousand years ago.
Burana Tower is one of the most iconic monuments of Central Asia, 80 km from Bishkek near the town of Tokmok. The minaret was built in the 11th century by the Karakhanid dynasty on the site of Balasagun, a capital of the Turkic khaganate, and was later damaged by the army of Genghis Khan. The museum grounds also hold unique stone sculptures — balbals of the 5th–10th centuries. Your guide tells the story of the Great Silk Road that ran through these lands.
Distances and time by road without stops, calculated on OpenStreetMap data.
Pick-up from your hotel in the city centre. Your guide meets you in the lobby, and a comfortable air-conditioned car or minibus takes you along the whole route. Bishkek lies at the foot of the snow-capped Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, so mountain views open up right from the city streets.
One of the most famous monuments of Central Asia, 80 km from Bishkek. The minaret was built in the 11th century by the Karakhanid dynasty on the site of the ancient city of Balasagun on the Great Silk Road. You can climb the narrow staircase inside the tower for a view of the Chuy valley. Next to it is a field of balbals — stone figures of ancient Turkic warriors of the 5th–10th centuries — and a small museum.
Lunch break at a roadside café with home-style Kyrgyz food (paid on the spot, about $8–12 per person).
Drop-off at your hotel.
Some photos are illustrative.
| Travellers | Price for the group | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $100 | ≈ $100 |
| 2 | $120 | ≈ $60 |
| 3 | $145 | ≈ $49 |
| 4 | $170 | ≈ $43 |
| 5 | $195 | ≈ $39 |
| Group of 6 or more | — | from $25 |
Private tour: one car and one guide for your group. The price is for the whole group.
4–5 hoursOsh Bazaar, Ala-Too Square, the Manas monument and green parks of the capital in one morning.
1 full dayFor groups arriving from Almaty: meeting at the Kordai border, lunch, hotel, city tour and dinner.
1 dayTwo in one: the Silk Road in the morning and a horse ride in the foothills in the afternoon.
