KYRGYZSTAN

On the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan there is Kyzyl-Tuu, a village known for one very special craft – traditional yurt making. For generations, local families make yurts by hand, preserving the skills that were essential to the nomadic way of life and passing them from father to son. Today, Kyzyl-Tuu remains one of the country’s best-known centers of yurt production.

Making a yurt requires many different skills. Craftsmen prepare the flexible wooden lattice walls, roof poles and the tunduk – the round wooden crown at the top of the yurt – while other family members, mostly women, work with felt, wool and traditional decorations. The entire structure can be assembled without nails and taken apart for transportation. And this is not just a tradition from the past. During the summer months, Kyrgyz nomads move with their animals to high mountain pastures, or jailoo, where many families live in yurts during the grazing season.

Travellers can experience this part of Kyrgyz life. Our guests can stay with local families in traditional yurts on summer pastures, surrounded by mountains, horses and grazing livestock and get a glimpse of the everyday life of modern Kyrgyz nomads. For those looking for more comfort, modern yurt camps can also be found in beautiful locations on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, combining the traditional yurt experience with comfortable beds and modern facilities. And in Kyzyl-Tuu village, visitors can meet the craftsmen, see how yurts are made and even take part in assembling one.