Welcome to Our Family

By Aigul Kubatbekova

Roots & Evolution

It Started in a Village Grocery Store

For most tour operators, "hospitality" is a business model. For us, it is simply how we were raised.

Our story began in 2001 in the small village of Bosteri, on the shores of Issyk Kul Lake. My mother ran a local grocery store and, at that time, international tourism in Kyrgyzstan was in its infancy. While the lake was popular with locals and Russian visitors, only the most intrepid international travelers found their way to our door.

I was only 12 years old, but I became their bridge. Speaking fluent Russian, Kyrgyz and basic English, I found myself connecting these travelers with the village—finding them rooms in local homes, securing guides for the mountains and recommending the best and safest places to eat. That small grocery store was where my family’s "outward focus" truly began.

With my parents' constant support, that spark grew into a flame. I became a guide myself, but I knew that to build something lasting, we needed a strong foundation. Between 2008 and 2011, I completed a triple major in International Business, Management and Finance. This academic background allowed us to professionalize our family passion, helping us expand from that single store to opening a guest house in Bosteri, a hostel in Cholpon Ata and finally, in 2015, the famous Apple Hostel in Bishkek.

The Heart of the Company

We are the new face of Kyrgyz tourism—young, professional women deeply connected to our traditions but looking firmly toward the future.

For the last decade, my sisters and I have been at the center of this whirlwind. We did more than host travelers; we listened to them. We shared our breakfast tables with cyclists crossing continents, hikers seeking hidden valleys and historians tracing the Silk Road. We learned early on that the magic of Central Asia lies as much in the connection between guest and host as it does in the landscapes.

Apricot Adventures is the evolution of that lifetime of experience. It is the realization of a dream shared by three sisters: to move beyond standard tourism and create the kind of sophisticated, deeply personal journeys that show the true heart of the land we love.

The Three Sisters

Aigul | The Visionary & Architect

Co-Founder & Lead Itinerary Designer. I have spent my life exploring the corners of Kyrgyzstan that maps often miss. As the eldest, I lead the design of our journeys. My passion lies in crafting itineraries that balance the raw beauty of our mountains with the comfort required by modern travelers. I want you to see my country and truly feel the rhythm of it, from the silence of a high-altitude yurt to the applause of a concert hall in Bishkek.

Aim | The Historian

Tour Leader & Cultural Specialist. While I look at the landscape, my sister Aim looks at the timeline. Currently pursuing a Master of Fashion Theory and Practices in Italy, Aim brings a sophisticated academic depth to our team. She is the one who can explain the geometric secrets of a Silk Road tile or the lineage of a nomadic pattern. She ensures our tours are both scenic and intellectually satisfying, bridging the gap between ancient empires and the modern day.

Bermet | The Modern Eye

Tour Leader & Creative Director. Bermet represents the vibrant, youthful energy of Bishkek. Currently studying a Bachelor of International Business in France, she combines a sharp eye for design with a global business perspective. She is your gateway to the modern artisans, the young fashion designers and the evolving culinary scene that is redefining Central Asia. She ensures our guests see that we are a nation of innovators as well as nomads.

A Bridge Between Worlds

The Catalyst

In 2024, our family story gained a new chapter. John Paul, an Australian cyclist, arrived in Kyrgyzstan for the Silk Road Mountain Race. What started as a guest check-in turned into a life partnership when we married a year later.

While my family built the foundation of this company, John Paul helped us refine it. His background as a busy international professional gave us a vital new perspective: the "Guest's Eye." He helped us understand exactly what the sophisticated international traveler needs to feel safe, comfortable and understood in a region as wild as ours.

Together, we found the perfect balance. My sisters and I provide the deep local access and the context of the journey; John Paul ensures the logistics, the communication and the comfort meet the highest global standards. He is the bridge between your world and ours.

The Art of Celebration

Our Foundation

Behind the three sisters stands the strength of our parents, Urmira and Bakyt. They are the anchors of Apricot Adventures.

Urmira (The Heart): My mother runs our family cantina, a legendary meeting spot for locals and travelers. For her, hospitality is defined by a warm meal and a genuine smile.
Bakyt (The Hands): My father is our most trusted driver and the master of the "Celebration." Whether navigating a mountain pass with careful precision or preparing a festive feast for our guests, he represents the quiet, protective care that defines Kyrgyz fatherhood.

We believe travel should be a celebration rather than a checklist.

Traveling with Apricot Adventures is more than booking a tour; it is being welcomed into a family. We want you to leave Central Asia with beautiful photos and the warm, lasting memory of what it feels like to be celebrated—to be known by name, to be cared for by sisters and to be welcomed to our home.