2025
Bird-Photo-Tours Asia’s Kyrgyzstan photography workshop offers an outstanding opportunity to experience this little visited nation. Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with both spectacular scenery as well as diverse habitats. It is this combination that provides the backdrop for some of Central Asian’s most fascinating birds including White-tailed Rubythroat, Ibisbill, Red-fronted Serin and Altai Accentor. Our bird photography expedition will focus on close photographic encounters with these birds, to name but a few, and concentrates on Kyrgyzstan's montane and semi-desert regions. This photography expedition will cross four of Krygyzstan’s Provinces to ensure that a cross-section of all of the country’s habitats are visited. In terms of photographic highlights Krygyzstan offers six bunting species including the critically endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting, as well as opportunities to photograph the range-restricted Red-mantled Rosefinch, Eversmann’s Redstart and White-capped Bunting. For both colour and majesty as photographic inspirations there are high chances too for portaits of European Roller, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Red-headed Bunting, Azure Tit, Demoiselle Crane and Golden Eagle.
Buntings: Pine Bunting / Grey-necked Bunting / Red-headed Bunting / White-capped Bunting / Yellow-breasted Bunting / Rock Bunting
Redstarts / Accentors: Guldenstat’s Redstart / Eversmann’s Redstart / Brown Accentor / Altai Accentor
Finches: Red-fronted Serin / Common Rosefinch / Red-mantled Rosefinch
Wheatears / Dippers: Pied Wheatear / Isabelline Wheatear / Brown Dipper / White-throated Dipper
Rubythroats / Rollers / Bee-eaters: White-tailed Rubythroat / European Roller / European Bee-eater
Raptors: Lesser Kestrel / Golden Eagle / Upland Buzzard / Long-legged Buzzard
Others: Ibisbill / White-crowned Penduline Tit / White-browed Tit-Warbler / Demoiselle Crane / Azure Tit
Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.
International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature
Days 1-3 Chuy Province [2N, 1D, 3S]. Arrive Manas International Airport, Bishkek City. Photographic Targets: White-crowned Penduline Tit / European Roller / European Bee-eater / Red-headed Bunting / Citrine Wagtail / Azure Tit / Isabelline Wheatear / Pied Wheatear.
Days 3-5 Jalal-Abad Province [2N, 1D, 3S]. Drive 3-hours, 280km to Jalal-Abad Province. Photographic Targets: Lesser Kestrel / White-capped Bunting / Yellow-breasted Bunting / Azure Tit / Rock Bunting.
Day 5-7 Naryn Province [2N, 1D, 3S]. Drive 2-hours, 180 km to Naryn Province. Photographic Targets: Golden Eagle / Guldenstadt's Redstart / Eversmann's Redstart / Common Rosefinch / Red-mantled Rosefinch / Brown Dipper / White-throated Dipper / Pied Wheatear / Rock Bunting / Red-fronted Serin / Demoiselle Crane / White-tailed Rubythroat / Altai Accentor / Brown Accentor / Horned Grebe.
Day 7-8 Ysyk-Kol Province [1N, 0D, 2S]. Drive 5-hours, 180km to Ysyk-Kol Province. Photographic Targets: Grey-necked Bunting / Isabelline Wheatear / Citrine Wagtail / Horned Lark / Red-fronted Serin / Altai Accentor.
Day 8-9 Chuy Province [1N, 0D, 1S]. Drive 3-hours, 300km to Chuy Province. Photographic Targets: White-tailed Rubythroat / White-browed Tit-Warbler / Pine Bunting / Common Rosefinch / Red-mantled Rosefinch / Upland Buzzard / Ibisbill / Eversmann’s Redstart / Red-fronted Serin / Brown Dipper / White-throated Dipper / Isabelline Wheatear / Brown Accentor / Golden Eagle.
Day 9-11 Chuy Province [1N, 0D, 1S]. Drive 2-hours, 150km to Chuy Province. Photographic Targets: White-tailed Rubythroat / White-browed Tit-Warbler / Pine Bunting / Common Rosefinch / Red-mantled Rosefinch / Upland Buzzard / Ibisbill / Eversmann’s Redstart / Red-fronted Serin / Brown Dipper / White-throated Dipper / Isabelline Wheatear / Brown Accentor / Golden Eagle.
Day 11-12 Bishkek City [1N, 0D, 1S]. Drive 6-hours, 400km to Bishkek for International Departures [END].
[Key: N: Night / D: Full Day / S: Session / Half-Day]
Roland was born in Munich in 1970. His love for nature started at an early age through his passion for mountaineering which in turn developed his interest in environmental protection. Roland spent over two decades in China from 1998 to 2021 living predominantly in Sichuan Province in western China and working as a professional guide on bird as well as mammal tours. With many of Roland’s clients being photographers, Roland has developed considerable skills and knowledge in supporting the needs of the bird photographer. Roland’s travels throughout China and South East Asia are extensive from the Tibetan Plateau to the Chinese lowlands to the rainforests of both Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia: Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Roland is fluent in Chinese, English and German and has a friendly, amicable disposition, displaying both care and thoughtfulness towards his clients, in addition to possessing strong field identification skills, all of which have combined well generating a positive reputation as a Tour Leader, particularly amongst bird photographers.
(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is some requirement to hike nor climb (iv) None of the locations are at altitude (v) One location requires camping but this will be in a comfortable Yurt Camp. Summary: for these five reasons this trip has been graded as 'Easy'.
