13 DAYS | €5495 | ADVENTURE SERIES | GROUP MAX 12
13 Days | From €5495 Twin Share
At TRVL°, we’re lucky to have some truly incredible friends. One of them is Mads Peter Iversen, a Danish landscape photographer and educator with a serious eye for wild, dramatic scenery.
Based in Denmark, Mads has spent years chasing light and mood across the Arctic, the UK, central and northern Europe. Mads shares his adventures and expertise with a global community of photographers through his workshops, tutorials, and YouTube channel. His thoughtful, down-to-earth approach has made him one of many respected voices in modern landscape photography.
In early May 2027, Mads will be joining Stephen Lioy — Lonely Planet author and long-time Central Asia explorer — for a classic TRVL° Photography Adventure in Kyrgyzstan.
May is one of the most magical times to visit Kyrgyzstan, when the valleys burst into colour with spring wildflowers and carpets of red poppies, framed by snow-capped peaks. It’s the perfect season to capture the country’s raw beauty at its most alive. Join Mads and Stephen exploring the country’s vast mountain landscapes, turquoise lakes, and nomadic culture, guiding travellers through one of the most photogenic corners of the planet.
Main Tour: Costs, Info & Booking
Dates: May 01st -13th, 2027
Start/End City: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Days: 13
Maximum Group Size: 12
Trip Style: Adventure Series
Fitness Level 3: Moderate. Some longer hikes in the mountains.
Price: €5,495
Deposit (20%): €1099
- HIGHLIGHTS:
- Street Photography in Bishkek's Bazaar
- Fields of Poppies and Wild Flowers
- Amazing remote mountain landscapes
- Horse Trek from Son-Kol
- Hiking and overnight in the wild
- Incredible alpine lakes
- Sunset Boat Cruise on lake Issyk Kul
- Food & City tour of Karakol
- Absolute drone paradise
Main Image Gallery
Itinerary: Main Adventure
Day 1: Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! Arrival in Bishkek & group Welcome Meeting.
Day 2: Sunrise at Burana Tower, morning orientation, street photography of Bishkek mosaics, sunset at Ak Tash panorama.
Day 3: Drive to Konorchek Canyons followed by Son Kol Shore for sunset.
Day 4: Full day Horse Trek to Kyzart, transfer to Kochkor.
Day 5: Kochkor Animal Bazaar and the Feel Nomad Canyon followed by a Salburuun Show on the shore.
Day 6: Ak Sai Panorama, abandoned Youth Lager, and Mars Canyon Starscape.
Day 7: Shatyly Panorama, Skazka “Fairy Tale” Canyon, Ak Orgo Yurt workshop and sunset at the Peak Yeltsin viewpoint in Kok Jaiyk.
Day 8: Seven Bulls Pano, Karakol City Tour and sunset at the top of the Ski Base Lift Pano.
Day 9: Bread-making workshop followed by a day of hiking from Turgen Ak Suu to Boz Uchuk, sleeping in yurts below the Boz Uchuk Lakes.
Day 10: Full day exploring mountain valleys around Boz Uchuk Lakes.
Day 11: Sunrise at Boz Uchuk Lakes then hike down Boz Uchuk Valley, stopping at Ak Suu hot springs during the transfer back to Karakol. Sunset Boat Cruise to end the day.
Day 12: Sunrise at the Karakol Wooden Church then visit the Rukh Ordo Cultural Center and Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs en route back to Bishkek. Final group dinner.
Day 13: Departure day from Bishkek.
***Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Mostly around the hiking days 10, 11, & 12. A lot depends on which mountain passes will be accessible in spring 2027.
What’s Included:
- Twin occupancy lodging. Private single lodging is available with payment of a single supplement fee.
- All transportation during the tour, including internal flights.
- 3 meals a day within the main tour dates.
- Airport transfers at arrival/departure and during the tour.
- English-speaking local guides.
- All permits and entry fees.
- Instruction, guidance, and image reviews from our expert photography guides.
What’s Not Included:
- Airfare to and from Bishkek, airport taxes, and excess baggage fees.
- Passport and visa fees, if applicable.
- Travel medical & evacuation insurance (required).
- Trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance (optional but recommended).
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Snacks and munchies on the road.
- Any accommodations or meals before or after the tour dates.
TRVL° Trip Style
Adventure Series: The TRVL° Photography Adventure Series pushes beyond the familiar, taking photographers into rugged environments, unpredictable conditions, and wild corners of the world. These trips are built for those who crave challenge and authenticity. Capturing raw, unfiltered stories where comfort takes a back seat to discovery and experience.
This trip does have some challenges. The roads are bumpy, the rural accommodation are definitely rough around the edges. And, of course, you’ll have to deal a little bit with high altitude.
Fitness Level 3: Suitable for people with a decent base level of fitness who enjoy being active outdoors. At this level, participants can expect longer hikes, sometimes on uneven or steep mountain terrain. Trails may include sustained uphill sections, rocky paths, and higher altitudes, requiring stamina and balance. While no advanced technical skills are needed, participants should be comfortable spending several hours on their feet, carrying a daypack, and managing moderate physical exertion.
Your Adventure Tour Leaders
Mads Peter Iversen is a Danish travel and landscape photographer, educator, and influencer known for his dramatic compositions and atmospheric depictions of nature.
Through his workshops, tutorials, and popular YouTube channel, he inspires photographers worldwide to explore creative approaches to landscape photography and develop a deeper connection with the natural world. We are stoked to welcome him onboard as a special guest with TRVL° Photography.
Stephen Lioy is an American travel photographer, writer, and tour leader based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for nearly 12 years.
He is the author of the Kyrgyzstan chapter of Lonely Planet’s Central Asia guidebook and a renowned Central Asia specialist featured in numerous print and online publications. He is the perfect person to be running a TRVL° adventure to Kyrgyzstan.
Stephen Lioy @slioy
How to Book
To join the 2027 Kyrgyzstan photography adventure with Mads and Stephen you’ll need to pay the deposit of 20%. Before you book, please be sure to read our cancellation policy.
The tour price is based on twin share which means that if you book solo, you’ll be matched with a roommate of the same gender. If you wish to have private accommodation throughout the trip, you’ll need to pay a single supplement – which is available on this trip and can be added to your final payment. Please contact us to request the amount.
What is TRVL° All About?
Brendan van Son and Greg Snell – the founders of TRVL° – found themselves increasingly frustrated with the state of the travel photography tour/workshop industry.
Far too often, photography tours are built around the idea of simply taking people to famous photo spots and lining up photos for participants.
As avid adventurers and travellers, both Brendan and Greg felt like the travel experience was being sacrificed for a good photo – and not even a unique photo. Thus, TRVL° Photography was formed to put the travel experience back into the travel photography tour world.
We put a massive emphasis on the travel experience. We connect you with locals, put you in experiences that allow you to soak up the culture, and we give you photography experiences that are more natural and real.
Do we go to epic photo locations? Of course so. But our main goal is to give you the travel experience of a lifetime, and through all that lead you to photo experiences that have far more value.
Can't Join This Tour?
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