Shilbili Travel
Where each route spends the night
This sequence follows the published programmes. It shows how much time you spend beside the lake and when you change camp.
| Route | Night 1 | Night 2 | Night 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days · Express | Song-Kul shore | — | — |
| 3 days · Classic | Ichki Jailoo | Song-Kul shore | — |
| 4 days · Expedition | Ichki Jailoo | Song-Kul shore | Tuz-Ashuu |
Arriving at camp
Express arrives at the lake in the late afternoon on day one. Dinner and a yurt night follow the ride. Classic and Expedition spend the first night in Ichki Jailoo and reach Song-Kul for lunch on day two.
The longer programmes allow free time beside the lake that afternoon. Riding resumes on day three: Classic goes towards Kyzart, while Expedition continues to Tuz-Ashuu. The four-day tour's extra night is not a second consecutive night in the same lakeside camp.
Meals: what is actually included
The programmes describe home-cooked Kyrgyz food but do not promise a fixed daily menu. Counting the included meals across the trip helps you plan around arrival and departure.
| Route | Breakfasts | Lunches | Dinners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days | 1 — day 2 | 1 — day 1 | 1 — day 1 |
| 3 days | 2 — days 2–3 | 3 — days 1–3 | 2 — days 1–2 |
| 4 days | 3 — days 2–4 | 4 — days 1–4 | 3 — days 1–3 |
Privacy, bedding and facilities
The words 'traditional yurt' do not establish whether it is private to your group, what you sleep on or where the toilet is. The published programmes do not itemise these features for each camp. If they affect your decision, get answers for every overnight before confirming.
Ask for current interior and facilities photos. A family with children, a couple wanting private accommodation and someone who needs a toilet nearby may require different arrangements.
- How many people share the yurt, and with whom
- Which bedding is provided and whether you need a sleeping bag
- Where the toilet and wash area are, and whether there is a shower or hot water
- How heating works and whether phone charging is available
- Whether a private yurt is possible and any extra charge
Dietary needs and drinking water
If you avoid meat or other foods, explain exactly what you do not eat. Distinguish an allergy from a preference and check whether each camp can prepare what you need. Home cooking alone does not confirm a special menu.
Before the ride, ask which drinking water is available and where you can refill during the day. The two-day programme includes only breakfast on the final day, so plan your next lunch around the return to Kuyruchuk.
What to pack for the overnight
Dry sleepwear, spare socks, a headtorch, personal wash items and a charged power bank cover practical evening needs without a large bag. Decide about a sleeping bag after checking the bedding, and protect your documents and phone from water.
Ask your hosts where to leave footwear and wet clothes. Get permission before photographing people or their living space. Pack your rubbish and check for chargers and personal items before leaving: on the longer routes, the next night is in a different place.
Related horseback route
Choose the overnight arrangement that suits you
Review the programme and tell us which accommodation and meal requirements matter to your group.
See the day-by-day programmeHow to use this guide
This guide explains the published Shilbili Travel route programme and planning process. Availability and operational details are checked before a departure is confirmed.
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