Central Asia

World Nomad Games 2026

Duration
10 Days
Price
From $4,495
Trip Type
Private
Group Size
Your choice
Activity Level
1 2 3 4 5

World Nomad Games - Kyrgyzstan 2026

Overview

Experience the thrill of the World Nomad Games 2026 in Kyrgyzstan on this scheduled small group tour. The games have been held on an approximately biennial basis since 2014. The first three took place in mountainous Kyrgyzstan, the fourth in Türkiye and the fifth in Kazakhstan. In 2026, they return to Kyrgyzstan, taking place on the shores of stunning Lake Issyk-Kul. Since their launch, the games have brought together communities from across the globe to celebrate nomadic heritage through unique sports, games and traditions.

On this exclusive ten-day small group tour, you’ll experience the best of the World Nomad Games while also exploring Kyrgyzstan’s highlights. Watch the energy of the opening and closing ceremonies, spend several days enjoying traditional competitions and cultural performances, and take time to explore the lively capital city of Bishkek. You’ll also have the chance to relax by Lake Issyk-Kul, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and fresh alpine air.

Travels to: Kyrgyzstan

Racing across the grounds at the World Nomad Games.

Map

Itinerary

  • Days 1-2: Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
    Embracing the morning after a night in a Kyrgyz yurt.

    After arriving into Bishkek, spend the next day getting to know the capital of Kyrgyzstan. You’ll attend the Opening Ceremony of the World Nomad Games on the second day.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Explore Ala-Too Square, the city’s central meeting place, surrounded by imposing Soviet-era architecture.
    • The tools, clothing, and other artifacts showcasing Kyrgyz history and traditions at the National History Museum.
    • Stroll through Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar, with its fruits, nuts, prepared foods, and brilliant Kyrgyz textiles.
    • Attend the Opening Ceremony of the World Nomad Games.
  • Days 3-9: World Nomad Games near Lake Issyk-Kul
    Central Asian Eagle Hunter

    Pay a visit to Burana Tower, one of the few remaining Silk Road watchtowers in Kyrgyzstan. Spend the next week at Lake Issyk-Kul attending the games. Enjoy some additional touring in Issyk-Kul in the afternoons, when the events are over. On your last night, enjoy a farewell dinner with a performance of selections from the Epic of Manas, a poem passed down by word of mouth for centuries.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Climb to the top of Burana Tower, one of the only existing watchtowers on the old Silk Road.
    • Take a boat ride on Lake Issyk-Kul.
    • Attend games and sports including horse racing, horseback games, eagle hunting and falconry, wrestling, and archery.
    • Learn about nomadic cultures from around the world at the games, with representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkiye, and more in attendance.
    • Attend the Closing Ceremony of the Sixth World Nomad Games.
    • Farewell dinner with a performance of selections from the Epic of Manas, a traditional poem deeply rooted in Kyrgyz culture.
Detailed Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Small group tour – max 16 travelers

Land tour price, per person. Based on double occupancy and minimum group size of 6 travelers.

  • 2026 Dates
    Aug 30 - Sept 8
    Special tour, the Nomad Games only run every two years!
    Tour, double occupancy
    $4,495
    Single supplement
    $1,195

What's Included

  • Tour Includes
    • Accommodations as noted in the itinerary.
    • 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 2 dinners. Most dinners are not included so that you may enjoy a chance to experiment on your own.
    • World Nomad Games entrance fees.
    • Restaurant tips for included meals.
    • Services of experienced staff such as an English-speaking Kyrgyz National Guide, drivers, and other staff such as site guides as needed throughout.
    • Arrival/departure airport transfers. MIR will arrange for all travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates in the tour start/end cities.
    • Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private mini-coach, jeep or van (size of vehicle depends on group size and terrain and will vary from country to country).
    • Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.
    • Gratuities to local guides, drivers, porters and other service personnel.
    • Complete pre-departure electronic document that includes detailed packing suggestions, reading list links, country-specific information, maps, travel tips and more.
    • Electronic final update bulletin, with any late news, updates and important information.
  • Not Included
    • International airfare or taxes/fuel surcharges.
    • Meals not specified as included in the itinerary.
    • Single supplement if requested or required.
    • Items of a personal nature (phone calls, email, laundry, alcohol, excess baggage, etc).
    • Visa/passport fees, airport departure fees.
    • Expenses incurred as a result of delay, modification or extension of a tour due to causes beyond MIR’s control.
    • Baggage handling.
    • Travel and trip cancellation insurance.

Activity Level

  • Level 2: Moderate, but Customizable

    Level 2: Moderate, but Customizable

    Accommodations are comfortable and based on standard four-star hotels. It is important to keep in mind that the country of Kyrgyzstan may not be up to the standards North American travelers expect. Services are improving; however, you may encounter problems with bureaucratic service, road conditions, plumbing, unpaved sidewalks, uneven surfaces and steps, variety of locally available foods, and availability and quality of public restrooms. You are traveling in some areas that see few travelers, and the infrastructure is not yet fully developed.

    While this program is designed to be the most comfortable possible for travel in this region, it is rated as rigorous touring due to the daily walking involved and the overall shortcomings of the tourism infrastructure. This itinerary features a significant amount of touring on foot. Many streets are of packed dirt, and some attractions are only accessible via steep staircases with tall, uneven steps.

    Every effort has been made to make the information in this schedule accurate. However, trip itineraries are always subject to change. We do our best to inform you in advance of any changes, but due to the nature of travel in Central Asia and attending games like these, this may not always be possible. Only those willing to accept these conditions should consider joining this program.

    To reap the full rewards of this adventure, travelers must be able to walk at least a mile a day. Flexibility, a sense of humor and a willingness to accept local standards of amenities and services are essential components to the enjoyment of this trip.

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