Kyrgyzstan · since 2017

Slow journeys at the
nomad’s pace — through Tien Shan.

Small-group horseback, ski, and nomadic tours, made with the families and craftsmen who actually live the route.

9 yrs
guiding the Tien Shan
13
artisan partners
4.9
guest rating
scroll · about us
Camp at Song-Kul
Aijan, felt-maker
About EcoNomad

A small company, with deep local roots in the Tien Shan.

EcoNomad is a Kyrgyz travel agency founded in 2006 by Nuraly Turganbaev — a French-language professor who has guided travellers across the Tien Shan since 1994. We craft responsible, small-group journeys built around ecotourism and nomadic culture: nights in family yurts, horseback crossings of high pastures, and real encounters with herders and craftspeople.

We run two guesthouses in At-Bashy and a yurt camp at the Kamandy summer pasture, and reinvest part of every trip into the families who host you. EcoNomad is Travelife-certified for sustainable tourism — keeping the Tien Shan pristine for the people who live there.

Nuraly Turganbaev
Founder & lead guide, EcoNomadBishkek
Featured tours · 2026 season

Six routes, hand-built with the people who live them.

Browse all 10 tours May → October · ski season Jan-Mar
Where we travel

Destinations

By experience

Find your trip by what you came for.

01

Cultural Tours

Discover the rich history, traditions, and heritage of Central Asia through our cultural tours. From Silk Road monuments and local markets to traditional crafts, music, and nomadic customs, these journeys offer meaningful encounters and a deeper understanding of Kyrgyz culture and history.
7 tours →
02

Horseback Riding Tours

Horses are at the heart of nomadic culture in Kyrgyzstan. Our horseback riding tours allow travelers to discover mountain landscapes, alpine lakes, and traditional nomadic life while traveling the same way local shepherds have done for centuries.
5 tours →
03

Trekking Tours

Explore the mountains of Kyrgyzstan on foot through alpine landscapes, remote valleys, glaciers, and high mountain passes. Our trekking tours range from easy hikes to challenging expeditions and offer unforgettable encounters with nomadic culture and untouched wilderness.
2 tours →
04

Multi-Activity Tours

Our multi-activity tours combine different experiences into one unforgettable journey: trekking, horseback riding, cultural discovery, rafting, yurt stays, wildlife observation, and more. Ideal for active travelers who want to experience the diversity of Kyrgyzstan in a dynamic and immersive way.
2 tours →
05

Ski Touring Tours

Kyrgyzstan offers exceptional opportunities for ski touring in untouched mountain ranges far from crowded resorts. Our ski touring expeditions combine adventure, safety, nomadic hospitality, and wild landscapes, creating unique winter experiences for mountain enthusiasts.
1 tour →
06

Nomadic Tours

Experience the authentic nomadic lifestyle of Kyrgyzstan through immersive stays with local families in yurts and mountain pastures. These tours focus on traditions, hospitality, horse culture, felt-making, shepherd life, and the daily rhythms of nomadic communities.
1 tour →
Why EcoNomad

Four principles we won't bend on.

01

Small groups, max 8

Every tour is intentionally limited so the experience never feels like a coach trip. Often it's a private family.

02

Local hands, fair pay

Yurt owners, horsemen and artisans are paid the same agreed rates whether the group is 2 or 8 people.

03

Slow, on purpose

We build trips with extra days for weather, longer tea stops, and time to actually meet people — not race past them.

04

Made by guides

EcoNomad is run by working mountain guides who lead trips themselves. No outsourced operators.

Artisans map

Master artisans across the Tien Shan.

Felt, pottery, jewelry, wood, leather, music — visit them on tour or contact directly. Click any pin to see details.

Artisans Map

Felt / Wood
Pottery / Komuz
Jewelry / Leather
From recent guests

Words from people who came back changed.

Read all reviews ★ 4.9 / 5 · verified
★★★★★

Together with friends I had an unbelievably striking trip to Kyrgyzstan. Ulan proved himself a very safe, easy-going and worldly ski-touring guide. I gladly recommend Ulan. Beyond the ski-touring, Ulan also gave us deep insight into the country, its people, traditions and culture. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Mariette Brunner
SKI ADVENTURE IN THE TIAN SHAN
★★★★★

We had the best possible ski-touring holiday with Ulan from EcoNomad. Great tours, careful guidance with great know-how and elite skills. The trip was very well planned and organised, which allowed us joyful moments on skis and rich cultural experiences. Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country, the people are very friendly and the food is delicious. Thank you for the wonderful memories.

Carmen
DISCOVERY OF KYRGYZSTAN
★★★★★

A Kyrgyz proverb says: 'Mountains do not meet, but people do.' Throughout this unforgettable journey we met mountains, each one different — sometimes welcoming, sometimes hard to conquer. We met men and women, all different but all welcoming. So many discoveries: a livestock market, transhumance and dust-covered herds, nomads with hard lives, fermented mare's milk, a proud country grappling with a Soviet past and a giant Chinese neighbour, an Islam that draws the young, the warmth of the capital and snow at 3,500 m, yak and horse soups… And nothing would have been the same without our guide Nuraly — a cultured, kind, professional and excellent walker. Thanks too to Djappar, our driver who doubled as a history teacher. Don't hesitate!

Jeff
NOMADIC ROUTES BETWEEN KYRGYZSTAN AND CHINA
★★★★★

A great week organised by Eco-Nomad and led by Aruuke. A lovely 5-day trek with our hiking guide Jamil. Thanks to him we left the beaten path while always feeling safe — and always in good humour. Maybe see you again!

Catherine
ALPINE TREKKING IN THE TIAN SHAN
★★★★★

Two weeks across Kyrgyzstan in August 2025 let us appreciate its mountains, people and traditions. Aruuke from Economad led us through a wonderful trip — proud of her country, fluent in French, she revealed a still little-known land. Maxsat the driver handled the often chaotic roadworks smoothly. We particularly enjoyed the two days with the nomadic herders at Kol-Ukok and the 3-day trek over Ala-Köl Pass with the attentive guide Djamil. We also had the privilege of meeting Nuraly, the agency's founder — cultured and very kind, he spoke about his country with passion. We recommend Economad!

LALANNE Jean-Pierre
ALPINE TREKKING IN THE TIAN SHAN
★★★★★

This trip to Kyrgyzstan leaves me with very fond memories: breathtaking landscapes and lovely encounters. Far from mass tourism. Every step, every glance, every meeting reminded me how adventure can transform and open up to what is essential. I recommend Economad and Nuraly, its guide and head of the agency, for his competence and kindness. He shared his love of the country with us. Thanks also to his wife, their son Arno, and the driver Alym. The travel companions were lovely too. Everything was right for making this 18-day trip a moment a little outside time. — Bernard

OTTER
DISCOVERY OF KYRGYZSTAN
From the journal

Field notes, recipes, craft stories.

Plan with us

Talk to a guide. Build your own route.

Tell us when you're free, what you want to see, and how you like to travel. We'll come back within two business days with a draft itinerary — no commitment, no fee.

2 days
Reply time
13
Artisan partners
4.9 / 5
Guest rating