Women To Women: Kyrgyzstan Edition
It is a slow, carefully curated journey shaped around women’s knowledge and lived experience. Through craft, conversation, and care, this journey creates space for learning, connection, and reflection across cultures, generations, and ways of being.
Itinerary
June, October
8 days / 7 nights
Group size: 6-10 guests
The journey is intentionally unhurried, with balanced travel days. Designed as a cultural exchange for women, prioritising safety, dignity, and local partnership.
8 days / 7 nights
Group size: 6-10 guests
The journey is intentionally unhurried, with balanced travel days. Designed as a cultural exchange for women, prioritising safety, dignity, and local partnership.
Day 1
A warm welcome to Kyrgyzstan. Check-in to a selected women-led boutique hotel. A gentle walk through the capital: Ala-Too Square, Oak Park, Victory Square. Along the way, visit the statues of Kurmanjan Datka — the Alai Queen, and women whose courage shaped the history of this land. Welcome dinner at a women-owned restaurant celebrating the rich flavours of Central Asian cuisine. Enjoy a warm introduction to the journey ahead in a space shaped by women’s hospitality, creativity, and cultural heritage.
Day 2
We leave Bishkek towards for hands-on shyrdak Ala-kiyiz or textile workshop with a local master craftswoman. Learn about patterns, symbolism, colour, and the role of women in Kyrgyz handicrafts. Afternoon conversation with a grassroots women’s activist in Grigorievka, the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake.
Day 3
A gentle introduction to Karakol’s architecture, old streets, markets, and cultural heritage. An interesting workshop with One Village One Product women: dyeing and crafting a silk or wool scarf using traditional Kyrgyz patterns. In the evening, relax at Ak-Suu hot springs — quiet mineral pools nestled among pine forests.
Day 4
Transfer to Jeti-Ögüz for a day hike to Seven Bulls and Heart Peak. Learning the stories of Kyrgyz heroines, mountain spirits, and love legends carried by women through centuries. Quiet evening, herbal tea, mountain air at a women-led boutique property. Closing the evening with kyrgyz dance workshop.
Day 5
Drive to the South Shore of Issyk-Kul. A day hike at the Fairytale Canyon, and picnic by the lake. Workshop with a women’s cooperative with felt and embroidery. Listen to their stories: daughters and grandmothers, pastures and craft, independence and tradition. Learn a technique very few outsiders experience, such as making kanat, tush-kiyiz, or felt mosaics. Overnight at a lakeside women owned eco-yurt glamping.
Day 6
A day in Issyk-Kul, visiting another village where women keep unique craft traditions and cooking traditional dishes. n the afternoon, drive back to Bishkek through open valleys and changing landscapes, arriving at Eco Spa Hotel and settle in. Conclude the journey with a shared hammam ritual — a warm, cleansing, and restorative experience that allows the group to unwind, reflect, and gently close the circle together.
Day 7
In the late afternoon, enjoy free time in the city with the option of a gentle walk through Bishkek’s bazaars. In the evening, gather for a closing dinner at Supara Ethno Complex, a beautiful setting inspired by Kyrgyz heritage to close our Women To Women: Kyrgyzstan Edition to share reflections, laughter, and gratitude, a warm and meaningful farewell to the journey.
Day 8
Private transfer and warm farewell.
*Your journey doesn’t have to end here – we are ready to extend your adventure with custom routes, extra days, and deeper immersion if you choose to stay.
*Your journey doesn’t have to end here – we are ready to extend your adventure with custom routes, extra days, and deeper immersion if you choose to stay.
Stamp: The Circle of Hands
Kyrgyz people say that every woman should be supported by forty homes. In Kyrgyz culture, the number forty is a symbol of strength, unity, and protection. It appears in many traditions, blessings, and even in the word “Kyrgyz,” which some believe comes from “kyrk” meaning forty. Forty doesn’t mean a literal number; it means a whole community standing behind one person.
It means that throughout her life, a woman is held by many other women: mothers, sisters, neighbours, craftswomen, teachers, mentors, and friends. Their support forms an invisible circle, one that gives her courage, softness, wisdom, and direction.
In the villages around Issyk-Kul, women gather in real circles to felt wool, braid rugs, prepare food, or simply talk. Their hands move together, shaping something useful, but also shaping each other. Every story shared becomes a small thread; every gesture becomes support. The circle becomes a place of healing and grounding — a quiet power passed from woman to woman.
How this stamp is given
At the close of the Women to Women: Kyrgyzstan Edition journey, we gather one final time in a quiet circle where each woman receives Stamp: The Circle of Hands. The stamp is offered not as a souvenir, but as a sign of connection — a reminder of the women encountered along the way and the shared space created together. It marks a transition: from being welcomed into the circle, to carrying it forward. This stamp represents the understanding that support does not end with the journey. The circle remains across borders, languages, and time.
Kyrgyz people say that every woman should be supported by forty homes. In Kyrgyz culture, the number forty is a symbol of strength, unity, and protection. It appears in many traditions, blessings, and even in the word “Kyrgyz,” which some believe comes from “kyrk” meaning forty. Forty doesn’t mean a literal number; it means a whole community standing behind one person.
It means that throughout her life, a woman is held by many other women: mothers, sisters, neighbours, craftswomen, teachers, mentors, and friends. Their support forms an invisible circle, one that gives her courage, softness, wisdom, and direction.
In the villages around Issyk-Kul, women gather in real circles to felt wool, braid rugs, prepare food, or simply talk. Their hands move together, shaping something useful, but also shaping each other. Every story shared becomes a small thread; every gesture becomes support. The circle becomes a place of healing and grounding — a quiet power passed from woman to woman.
How this stamp is given
At the close of the Women to Women: Kyrgyzstan Edition journey, we gather one final time in a quiet circle where each woman receives Stamp: The Circle of Hands. The stamp is offered not as a souvenir, but as a sign of connection — a reminder of the women encountered along the way and the shared space created together. It marks a transition: from being welcomed into the circle, to carrying it forward. This stamp represents the understanding that support does not end with the journey. The circle remains across borders, languages, and time.
- Accommodation in carefully selected hotels, yurt camps and guesthouses;
- Private transport throughout the journey;
- Airport transfers;
- Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner;
- All cultural workshops and experiences listed;
- Guided hikes and site visits;
- Entrance fees included in the program;
- Dedicated english-speaking tour leader;
- On-call medical specialist;
- Limited-edition nomadic stamp.
- International flights;
- Early check-in or late check-out fees;
- Travel and medical insurance (recommended);
- Visa fees (if applicable);
- Personal expenses: additional meals, beverages, laundry, souvenirs;
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary;
- Tips and gratuities for guides and drivers.
- Warm layers for cool mornings and evenings;
- Comfortable walking or light trekking shoes;
- Long-sleeve shirts and trousers;
- Windproof or light rain jacket;
- Sun hat and sunglasses;
- Swimsuit (for hot springs);
- A buff or shawl for wind and temperature changes;
- Lightweight daypack for short walks;
- Refillable water bottle.
A gentle, transparent process designed to support both our guests and the women, artisans, and communities who make these journeys possible.
Payments
To reserve your place on any 42°74 journey, a 30% deposit is required at the time of booking.
This deposit confirms your spot and allows us to secure boutique accommodations, private workshops, and women-led partners in advance. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure.
Once your deposit is received, you will receive a detailed confirmation and preparation guide.
Cancellations
We commit to paying local partners early; this is why deposits are non-refundable.
For this reason, the following terms apply. If you cancel your trip:
More than 60-90 days before the tour:
Travel Insurance:
We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and cancellations. This provides peace of mind and additional protection for your journey.
Warmly,
42°74 Travel & Production Atelier Team
Payments
To reserve your place on any 42°74 journey, a 30% deposit is required at the time of booking.
This deposit confirms your spot and allows us to secure boutique accommodations, private workshops, and women-led partners in advance. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure.
Once your deposit is received, you will receive a detailed confirmation and preparation guide.
Cancellations
We commit to paying local partners early; this is why deposits are non-refundable.
For this reason, the following terms apply. If you cancel your trip:
More than 60-90 days before the tour:
- Your 30% deposit is non-refundable, but no further payment is required.You may choose to convert your deposit into a travel credit for any future 42°74 tour within 12 months.
- 100% of the trip price is non-refundable, as all arrangements will have already been secured on your behalf.
Travel Insurance:
We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and cancellations. This provides peace of mind and additional protection for your journey.
Warmly,
42°74 Travel & Production Atelier Team
Women To Women: Kyrgyzstan Edition
Begin Your Journey - Request a Spot
$3200
Summer Edition
June is peak season in Kyrgyzstan, when landscapes are at their most vibrant and artisan communities work at full rhythm.
June 8-15, 2026
June is peak season in Kyrgyzstan, when landscapes are at their most vibrant and artisan communities work at full rhythm.
June 8-15, 2026
$3200
Autumn Edition
Golden valleys, warm colours, quiet villages, autumn is one of the most soulful times to meet Kyrgyz craftswomen.
October 13-20, 2026
Golden valleys, warm colours, quiet villages, autumn is one of the most soulful times to meet Kyrgyz craftswomen.
October 13-20, 2026
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