Workshops
Kyrgyz felt and craft workshops in a real yurt
Sit down in our yurt with local craftswomen and make something with your own hands. You'll learn an old nomadic craft and what its patterns mean, and take your work home.
- Price
- from 2,500 som per group
- Length
- 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- Group
- 2 to 15 people
- Languages
- English, Russian, Kyrgyz
- Booking
- At least 2 days ahead
Choose a workshop
For groups and for individual guests of any age. Up to 5 people pay one price for the whole group; from 5 people the price is per person.
The mosaic felt rug
Shyrdak
The pearl of Kyrgyz applied art. With our craftswomen you choose an ornament, cut it from two layers of felt at once, so each piece becomes a mirror of the other, and learn the special joining stitch that makes the rug so strong.
2 to 2.5 hours · 3 to 15 people
- Up to 5 people
- 3,000 som per group
- From 5 people
- 800 som per person
The “colourful felt” carpet
Ala-kiyiz
Lay coloured wool on a chiy mat and roll it into felt, the way it was done in yurts for centuries. You'll learn why spring wool is softer and autumn wool stronger, and how to read the meaning of Kyrgyz ornaments.
2 to 2.5 hours · 3 to 15 people
- Up to 5 people
- 3,000 som per group
- From 5 people
- 800 som per person
Nuno felting: silk meets merino
Silk & Wool
On the Silk Road, Chinese silk met the wool of Kyrgyz nomads. You'll join the two in the nuno technique and make an interior panel or a light silk scarf to take home.
2 to 2.5 hours · 2 to 10 people
- Up to 5 people
- 4,000 som per group
- From 5 people
- 900 som per person
Dry felting, for all ages
Snow-white sheep
Felt your own snow-white sheep from pure wool with a needle. It's the workshop of our own brand, Tengri Wool, named after Khan Tengri peak: a calm session for adults and children, and a keepsake that carries the warmth of the mountains home.
1.5 to 2 hours · 2 to 12 people
- Up to 5 people
- 2,500 som per group
- From 5 people
- 800 som per person
The Kyrgyz women's headdress
Elechek: a woman's path
A headdress that tells a whole life: from a girl's embroidered cap to a bride's and, finally, a mother's elechek. Our masters show the wrapping ritual, its styles and the etiquette of wearing it.
1.5 to 2 hours · 3 to 15 people
- Up to 5 people
- 3,000 som per group
- From 5 people
- 800 som per person
Kyrgyz felt carpets, ala-kiyiz and shyrdak, are on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.
How to book
- Choose a workshop
- Send us the date and the number of people at least 2 days ahead
- We agree on a start time that suits your group
- Come in any weather: workshops are held in the yurt or indoors
Where and for whom
Workshops take place in our yurt at the shop in Karakol (150/1 Zhamansariev Street), and also in Jenish village (Jeti-Oguz district, 36 Kazylakov Street) and at the Oymo-Tash yurt camp in Kaji-Say.
Groups and tour operators: send us the date and group size (up to 15 people), and we'll fit the workshop into your route.
We also host painting workshops with Karakol artist Angelina Mokh. Ask us for the next dates.
What guests write
We did the Shyrdak and Ala-Kiyiz workshop at EthnoMir as a group of four, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Google · July 2026
We also did a felt workshop here with two wonderful local women with Albina translating and educating us about local culture.
Google · July 2026
A fabulous felt workshop masterclass. A very calming, therapeutic morning spent creating my own felt designs.
Google · July 2025
Book
Leave a request and we'll get back to you to confirm. Prefer to chat? Write to us on WhatsApp.
Or write to us on WhatsApp