Venue: the shore of Tulpar-Kol lake opposite the base camp of Peak Lenin in Pamir-Alay Mountains (a four-hour drive from Osh to Sary-Mogol - 220 km)

Altitudes: Sary-Mogol – 3 000 m a.s.l., Tulpar-Kol Lake – 3 500 m a.s.l

Organized by: CBT Sary-Mogol and VisitAlay. Supported by: BAI ALAI Small Business and Income Creation Programme in Alai and Chon Alai, funded by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by the consortium of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation and Aga-Khan Foundation

Dear friends and visitors,

Experience the Kyrgyz people’s heritage in one of the most beautiful areas of Kyrgyzstan. Join us to see the finest horsemen put their mastery to the test in the traditional horse games. For centuries, equestrian games have been an important part of Kyrgyz holidays and feasts. During the festival you will have a chance to see a wide variety of national games, including

Ulak-Tartysh - the king of traditional games, dating from ancient times when horse-riding ability was an essential part of a nomad’s dignity and a swift horse was a sure sign of wealth. Similar to football with a goat instead of a ball, each team of up to 10 players tries to put a headless goat carcass into a goal, while the other team tries to stop them. The winners give the goat to a village house of their choice, and are in turn invited in.

Kyz-Kuumai – a game for two players on horseback, a young man and a young woman. The man must catch the woman. The young woman gets a head start of about 5 to 10 minutes. If the young man can catch her, his reward is a kiss on the cheek. If he cannot overtake her, she gets to whip him instead.

Balban-Kürösh.Kyrgyz wrestling.

Oodarysh (Er-Enish). Wrestling on horseback.

Tyiyn-Enmei - young men pick up a coin from the ground while on horseback.

Ogantebish - men try to reach each other while lying on a ground by using their legs.

Bulldragging - two men stand with their backs opposite each other. Rope is put on them and each man pulls his opponent. The winner is the one who drags the opponent to his side.

Folklore concert - singing and dancing with musical accompaniment is an important part of the Kyrgyz culture. Sary-Mogol’s folklore group features the area’s finest musicians singing and playing the komuz, Kyrgyzstan’s three-stringed instrument.

Festival Agenda

11.30-12.10 Arrival time, Welcoming guests at Busurmankul yurt camp. Opening ceremony

12.10-14.15 Folklore music and handicraft exhibition

12.30-13.45 Lunch

14.15-16.15 National Horse Games (Ulak-Tartysh, Er-Oodarysh, Kyz-Kuumai, Tyiyn-Enmei)

16.15-18.00 National Games (Oogan-Tebish, Buka-Tartysh, Balban-Kurosh).

18.00 -19.00 Free time. Walking around the lake.

19:00 Dinner and overnight stays in local homes, yurts or tents

Note:

Entrance fee: 350 soms per person Including 1 lunch and participation in all activities of the festival. The fee does not cover dinner and overnight stay in a yurt.

Shared public transport from Osh to Sary-Mogol is around 400 soms per person.

A taxi from Sary-Mogol to Tulpar-Kol Lake is 1000 soms. B&B is 550 soms per person. Dinner is 250 soms per person

For further information and / or to make booking please contact:

CBT Sary-Mogol office:

Mr. Abdilla Tashbekov, CBT Sary-Mogol

Mobile: +996 773 505939, +996 556 092627

e-mail: sarymogol@gmail.com

VisitAlay office in Osh:

Mr. Talant Toksonbaev,

Mobile: + 996 555 077621

e-mail: visitalay@gmail.com

Website: www.VisitAlay.kg