CBT Kyrgyzstan
A community-based tourism association: yurt and village homestays, treks, horse rides and rural festivals.
What it is
CBT Kyrgyzstan is the website of the Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association, "Hospitality Kyrgyzstan". Registered in 2003 with support from Helvetas, it unites 17 local CBT groups across the country. On the site you can find yurt stays and village homestays, ready-made tours, treks, horse riding routes and festivals. It's available in English and Russian.
Why we picked it
Community-based tourism means your money stays with families in mountain villages: yurt hosts, guides and horsemen are locals. For travellers it's also the easiest way to see Kyrgyzstan from the inside, eating with a family and sleeping on a summer pasture instead of only in a hotel by Issyk-Kul. The association's stated goal is to improve living conditions in remote mountain regions through ecotourism.
It's also genuinely practical. There are pages for the key destinations: Song-Kol, Ala-Archa, Kol-Suu, Burana Tower, Tash-Rabat, Sary-Chelek, Saimaluu-Tash, Jyrgalan and Lenin Peak. You'll find a section on border permits, which some mountain areas require, contacts for every regional CBT office and a calendar of yurt, horse games and birds of prey festivals.
Where to start
- Open Destinations and shortlist two or three places for your route.
- Browse tours such as the Ala-Kul trek with a horse ride to Song-Kol, a three-day jailoo-hopping trip to Song-Kol, or the weekend day trip from Bishkek to Burana Tower.
- Check the festival calendar if you'd like to catch traditional horse games or a yurt festival.
- Read the border permits page before heading anywhere near the Chinese or Tajik borders.
- Find the CBT group for your region, from Karakol to Arslanbob, and contact them directly.
Who it's for
Independent travellers planning a Kyrgyzstan itinerary who want a night in a yurt, time in the mountains and fair prices without a middleman. Also anyone looking for winter, women-only or low-impact green tours, and residents who keep meaning to get to Song-Kol.
Quick answers
Is the site in English? Yes, in English and Russian.
Can CBT help with border permits? The site has a dedicated border permits section, and regional CBT offices commonly arrange them.
How do I book? Through the contacts listed for each office, including WhatsApp.
