SRAS Site Visits

June 13

City Walking Tour. Welcome (traditional) lunch. Early evening city walking tour. Optional visit to the National History Museum.

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B, L

June 14

After breakfast we will drive to the legendary Burana Tower, the surviving minaret of medieval Balasagun, once a thriving Silk Road city. Explore the site with its stone statues and ruins that bring history to life. Continue to a local village for a delicious home-cooked Dungan meal, where you’ll enjoy unique flavors and learn about the traditions of this Chinese Muslim community. In the afternoon, head to the scenic Ysyk-Ata Gorge, known for its fresh mountain air, beautiful views, and natural hot springs. Take a relaxing walk through the gorge and, if you wish, soak in the mineral waters that locals have cherished for centuries. A perfect blend of history, culture, food, and nature. 

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B, L

June 15

After breakfast we will enjoy a lecture on contemporary Kyrgyzstan while visiting our host school – the London School of Languages and Cultures. Meet some of our students and teachers and also see the dorm (next door). Presentation about opportunities for study abroad and faculty-led programs in Central Asia. After a bit of rest in the afternoon (it can be hot!) we will gather to head to the Supara Ethno-Complex for dinner.

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B, D

June 16

Breakfast. Traditional Music Workshop. Visit a host family (optional). Free time.

Note: If extending for the Russian language Immersion your day will be different (see below).

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B

June 17

Breakfast (depending on flight time) and departure. See section below about coordinating transition between sites.

Would you like to extend your time to include a trip to Issyk-Kul? If you are a Russian speaker, see the extension below. If you are not a Russian speaker, we will be posting an option for this soon!

Note regarding airport transfers.As you are all very capable travelers and it is quite inexpensive if you navigate it on your own, ideally with Yandex, we do not include these. We acknowledge that in Bishkek it is a more "chaotic" experience navigating the throng of drivers fighting for your attention and if you would prefer that somebody meet you (perhaps more important for the non-Russian speakers), the cost is $35.

June 16

Today is a flight day and we are planning around morning arrivals. If you feel you will need more rest, you may want to arrive a day earlier – contact us about adding a day of hotel. Otherwise we will plan on an afternoon city tour and welcome dinner.

Overnight in Riga. Included meals: D

June 17

We will start the day with a short breakfast briefing, followed by a visit to our host school, Liden & Denz Riga, and to the nearby YoungFolks NGO. We will then head over to the Riga Central Market– the largest in Europe and a place where Russian is widely spoken. We will sample traditional Latvian and Russian foods and also explore the neighborhood, including the nearby Orthodox church and the Academy of Sciences building. 

Optional:Evening lecture on language policy in Latvia (with SRAS students)

Overnight in Riga. Included meals: B, L (sampling at market)

June 18

After breakfast we will visit housing options available to SRAS students and after lunch (on own) visit the Riga Media Hub. We'll wrap things up with a Black Balsam tasting and Q&A.

Optional:Latvian Folk Dance & Song evening (interactive, with SRAS students)

Overnight in Riga. Included meals: B

June 19

Breakfast (depending on flight time) and departure. See section below about coordinating transition between sites.

Note: We were unfortunately unable to time this summer in a way that would allow participants to join all three of the sites visits (Bishkek, Riga, Tbilisi/Yerevan). If you would still like to include Riga, contact us – we can always accommodate individual visits.

June 20

Today is a flight day so we will stay flexible with an orientation meeting, get our bearings in the neighborhood of our guesthouse, and point the way to a light lunch or dinner. 

Overnight in Tbilisi. 

June 21

After breakfast we will have a short briefing, review our itinerary for the next few days, and then embark on a city walking tour to introduce you to the city and its extraordinary history. Lunch. In the afternoon, you can either have free time (we recommend visiting the National Museum, National Gallery, or the Wine History Museum) or join our Caucasus Site Manager for an exploration of the "Russian" spaces in Tbilisi. Throughout this day we will discuss current events in Georgia.

Overnight in Tbilisi. Included meals: B, L

June 22

After breakfast, we will depart for Kakheti, the wine region to the east of Tbilisi. This will be a culinary adventure day of wine tastings, workshops/demos, and traditional Georgian foods. 

Overnight in Tbilisi. Included meals: B, L

June 23

After breakfast and a briefing on SRAS programming in the Caucasus we will visit NovaMova School, host to our Georgia-based programs. Observe classes, meet our students, and then enjoy a meeting with a representative from the US Embassy. The rest of the day is free, with an optional visit to one of our host families.

Overnight in Tbilisi. Included meals: B

June 24

After breakfast we will depart by private van to Yerevan. Along the way we will make stops for traditional lunch and tolma masterclass and also to see Dilijan and Lake Seva n. Check-in to our hotel and free evening.

Overnight in Yerevan. Included meals: B, L

June 25

After breakfast at our hotel, we will visit Armenian State Pedagogical University, host to our students in Yerevan. In the afternoon we will enjoy a walking tour of Yerevan and dinner.

Overnight in Yerevan. Included meals: B, D

June 26

Breakfast. Our first stop is the Genocide Memorial. We then continue on to visit the Greco-Roman colonnaded Garni Temple, built in the first century AD as a temple to the sun god Mihr. Enjoy a demonstration oflavash making and a traditional lunch, then transfer to Geghard Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which began construction in the fourth century after Armenia's conversion to Christianity. We will also stop to walk at Symphony of Stones.

Overnight in Yerevan. Included meals: B, L

June 27

Breakfast. Free day – we will provide a list of recommendations.

Overnight in Yerevan. Included meals: B

June 28

Breakfast. Departure.

Included meals: B

Note:  Those continuing with Russian language immersive will return to Tbilisi – bear this in mind with flight planning.

Because Warsaw can act as a transit hub for Riga and Tbilisi, we will work individually with participants interested in visiting our sites in Warsaw. For example, those planning to visit Riga and Tbilisi/Yerevan can do an extended transit in Warsaw on Friday, June 19 and see quite a bit. 

If you are continuing on from the base Bishkek site visit, Russian speakers will have the following changes/additions. Cost posted assumes continuation and so if only arriving for the Russian Language Immersive, there may be another 1-2 nights hotel needed. All activities going forward will be in Russian.

June 16

Our full-day tour connects the history of the Stalinist purges with the lives of Torokul Aitmatov and his son Chyngyz Aitmatov. The day begins at the Ata-Beyit Memorial Complex, where participants learn about the repression of Kyrgyz intellectuals, visit the graves of father and son, and explore how these events shaped Aitmatov’s enduring themes of memory, justice, and moral responsibility.

Over a relaxed lunch back in Bishkek, the group holds a guided discussion on how Aitmatov’s moral questions resonate today.

In the afternoon, the tour follows Aitmatov’s footsteps through Erkindik Boulevard, Oak Park, the Chyngyz Aitmatov Russian Drama Theatre, and the National Museum of Fine Arts, highlighting his philosophical ideas, cultural impact, and the symbolic landscapes reflected in his writing. Together, these experiences offer a meaningful lens for understanding Kyrgyzstan’s history and Aitmatov’s powerful global legacy. We end at the Aitmatov Home Museum for a tour.

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B

*We will provide some suggested reading for this day.

June 17

After a morning Kyrgyz culture discussion we will head toward Lake Issyk-Kul, stopping in Tokmok to visit the Museum of Regional Studies there, followed by lunch at a place known for kattama (swirled onion flat bread). Continue on to the village of Balykchy on the western end of the lake. Arrive early evening at the Beach Camp and enjoy dinner and free time.

Overnight at Beach Camp/Issyk-Kul. Included meals: B, L, D

June 18

After breakfast we have an early start to the day to experience horseback riding and a yurt building demo. Traditional lunch in yurt. We will take part in a handcraft workshop and then head back to the camp for dinner.

Overnight at Beach Camp/Issyk-Kul. Included meals: B, L, D

June 19

After breakfast we have another early morning as we will drive to see an Eagle Show, stop to see the site of the 1916 Genocide. We will enjoy lunch with a Kyrgyz familybefore heading back to Bishkek.

Overnight in Bishkek. Included meals: B, L

June 20

Departure

During these days we will conduct all activities and interactions in Russian.

June 28

Return from Yerevan / Arrival in Tbilisi

June 29

After breakfast, we will drive to Tserovani Village, a refugee settlement. We will take part in an enamel making workshop and also have a discussion about the 2008 war, from which the women leading the workshop are refugees. Return to Tbilisi for free time until an evening cooking workshop (khinkali!).

Overnight in Tbilisi; Included meals: B, D

June 30

After lunch we will enjoy a film screening and discussion. At lunch we will have a discussion with a couple of local Russian speakers on how the language differs there and how Tbilisi is changing. In the evening we will take part in an Improv Workshop – yes, in Russian!

Overnight in Tbilisi; Included meals: B, L

July 1

After breakfast will have another lecture/discussion (topic TBD, perhaps based on your interests) followed by a tea tasting. Free time and then a final gathering at a local wine barfor tasting.

Overnight in Tbilisi; Included meals: B, snacks

July 2

Departure

Bishkek to Tbilisi.There are daily flights with Turkish Airlines. On Saturday there are also flights with Azerbaijan Airlines. We suggest looking at both multi-city routing and separate segments with Turkish to compare prices.

Riga to Tbilisi.There are daily flights via Warsaw (LOT), with the one variable being how many hours you are in Warsaw. If you take the very first flight of the day you can fit in a full day seeing Warsaw. On Saturday there is a direct Riga-Tbilisi flight on Air Baltic, departing late evening, arriving Sunday morning.

Departure from Yerevan.Turkish Airlines does not fly to Yerevan. Bear this in mind if you are doing an overall Turkish Airlines routing. Pegasus Airlines (budget) flies nonstop from Yerevan to Istanbul, but it is to SAW airport, not IST. There is a direct Air Baltic flight to Riga on Sunday and daily flights on LOT, among others.

Many of you may be vistiting other regional sites as well, so the above is general guidance related to taking part in multiple SRAS site visits. 

You will stay in single rooms in centrally located guesthouses/hotels, inclusive of breakfast. If you can team up with another participant, it is possible to save some money by shifting to twin rooms.

Breakfast is included at your guesthouse/hotel. Other meals as indicated in itinerary. Vegetarian/Vegan and other dietary needs will be accommodated.

Bishkek can be quite hot, with temperatures reaching into the 80s and at times considerbly higher already in June. Temperatures in June in Georgia and Armenia are warm, with an average temperature in the 80s (F) during the day, falling to 60s at night. Riga is more temperate with an average temperature in the 70s (F) during the day, falling to 50s at night.

When completing the short application for this trip, you will pay a $50 non-refundable fee that is applied to the total trip cost. When your participation is confirmed on our end (you will receive an email) a deposit of $450 is due within 7 days to hold your space. Full trip payment is due 45 days prior to arrival.

Due to the limited space on these tours we need to keep strict cancellation terms. Full trip cost is subject to the following schedule:

• If we receive cancellation in writing 20+ days before the program start, 20% of the total trip cost is refundable
• If cancellation occurs less than 20 days before the program start, no refund is guaranteed.

Because we know things happen, if somehow we are able to fill your spot, we will endeavor to refund as much as possible. If you have things going on in your life (or in the life of those around you) that could lead to cancellation, we recommend securing travel insurance.