Feel Nomad Yurt Camp

the camp has a good location, against the Ak Say Canyon, fringed by the snowcapped Tien Shan mountains, and near to Issyk Kul shore. also, meals are tasty. shower and toilets are clean and communal. the drive towards the camp is an adventure itself. it begins from Ak Say village, through the eponymous canyon, and ends right before Issyk Kul lake shore. the journey takes around 45 min with stops. recommend timing your arrival near to sunset so that you can see amazing views in good light along the way. you do not need 4x4 to drive through the canyon in dry months like august. any high clearance car is sufficient. i was driving suv but local taxis are sedan with bigger wheels or jacked up.

I chose Feel Nomad Yurt Camp because I loved the thought of staying in an authentic yurt next to an Alpine lake and close to the mountains. It was everything I had hoped for. I arranged transport with the yurt camp. They sent a driver to collect me from my hotel in Bishkek. The drive takes a long time. Around 4 hours, as the roads close to Bishkek can be congested and the condition of the roads as you near the lake are in a state of disrepair. The transport cost me US$85 one way Before I visited I had wondered about the drive to Almaty. For anyone thinking the same it is about a 7 or 8hr drive from the camp. The driving time is also dependent on the time it takes for the border crossing into Kazakhstan. This can sometimes be a long process. Once you arrive at the yurt camp it is every bit as amazing as the photographs suggest. There are approximately 8 yurts and each yurt is well positioned. I happened to be given yurt number 4 and when I opened my door on a morning, I was rewarded with the most amazing sunrise. The yurts are well constructed and have three single beds, a small table and a couple of chairs and a stove. There is plenty of space. While I was there the temperature was starting to really drop on a night and so the stove was lit for you. It is very efficient heating and made the yurt very cosy. The toilet / bathroom facilities are communal, very much like normal camping. They are good, clean facilities, although hot showers are only available daily between 8pm and 10pm. Food is served in the main yurt. This is the place that guests come together and share food and their experiences. The food served is homemade, plentiful and delicious. There are set food times, 8am for breakfast, 1pm for lunch and 7pm for dinner My breakfast was included but I paid extra for lunch and dinner. Electricity is available for 2hrs a day, between 8pm and 10pm and there is wifi, though the connection is not always reliable. It’s a real get away from it all location. A short walk down to the lake on a sand pathway and you discover an endless beach next to the lake, which feels more like the sea. There are walks nearby or horse riding can be organised through the canyon with a guide or kayaking on the lake. It is remote and once you’re here it is not easy to get elsewhere unless you ask the lady who runs the camp to organise transport for you. She speaks Russian and German and will use a translation app to speak with you. They will arrange trips to places like Fairy Canyon or the local town, all for an extra fee. I spent two nights here and I think this is a good amount of time. I felt I had plenty of time and did the things I wanted to. I have to also mention the puppy who lives there. Her name is Hunter and what a poppet she is. Once she knows you, she greets you so enthusiastically every time she sees you and will also happily accompany you on long beach walks. She was great company for me. I really recommend a visit to this yurt camp as long as you know