kyrgyzstan tourism cost

• Travel Planning Guide

How much does a trip to Kyrgyzstan Cost?

How much money should you budget for your trip to Kyrgyzstan?

• How much does a one-week trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?
• How much does a two-week trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?
• How much does a one-month trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?
• Hostel Prices
• Hotel Prices

The Cost of a Trip to Kyrgyzstan

A trip to Kyrgyzstan for one person usually costs between $11 and $32 per day and $22 to $65 for two people. This is a wide range of costs, and the daily average per person from our data is $18 (KGS1,585) per person. This average includes food, accommodation, sightseeing, and local transportation expenses contributed from other travelers. Prices can vary based on travel style and activities. While the overall price for a trip to Kyrgyzstan is dependent on your personal travel style and the specific places you visit, if you book standard accommodation and travel with an average level of convenience, then your budget should be somewhere within this range. Also, the prices for individual destinations such as may vary, but generally fall somewhat close to this range. Below you can find a breakdown of travel expenses by category, plus a comparison of guided tour costs versus traveling independently.

If you're considering an independent trip to Kyrgyzstan, it's helpful to have an idea of the amount of money you'll need. For budget travelers, planning to spend around $11 (KGS985) per day should cover your essential expenses, including affordable accommodations like hostels and budget hotels, cost-effective meal options, local transportation, and affordable activities. For those with a mid-range budget, allocating around $18 (KGS1,585) per day would allow for more comfortable hotels, dining at typical restaurants, and exploring a range of popular attractions. Luxury travelers, on the other hand, should anticipate a daily budget of $32 (KGS2,884), which would encompass higher-end accommodations, dining at nicer restaurants, and indulging in private tour options. It's worth noting that these price ranges are based on extensive travel cost data for Kyrgyzstan from fellow travelers, as well as insights from travel companies regarding hotel and tour prices. For further details on travel costs, you can refer to our comprehensive travel cost data for Kyrgyzstan .

How much does a one week trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?

When planning a one-week trip to Kyrgyzstan, most visitors to Kyrgyzstan spend between $77 and $227 for their trip, with the average cost falling around $125. This estimate includes essential aspects such as sightseeing, local transportation, food, and accommodations. With a full week, you'll have sufficient time to explore one, two, or possibly three locations within Kyrgyzstan, depending on the amount of time you want to spend in each place. The most popular places worth considering are . Keep in mind that these numbers are based on overall averages and may vary depending on your individual preferences.

How much does a two week trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?

With two weeks, you should budget between $155 and $453 for your trip to Kyrgyzstan. The average price for a two week trip is $249. Two weeks will allow you enough time to visit between three and five places. If you're on a budget, you might want to consider some of the more affordable places such as smaller towns.

How much does a one month trip to Kyrgyzstan cost?

With a month-long trip to Kyrgyzstan, expenses can be anywhere from $332 to $971 with the average being $534. The cost of travel is dependent on your overall style of travel. If you have a full month, you'll likely want to stay at a vacation rental with a kitchen during at least part of your trip so that you can prepare your own meals. Backpackers often prefer hostels for the same reason. Hostels also offer a more social atmosphere at a very affordable price range.

Hostel Prices in Kyrgyzstan

With more than 30 hostels in Kyrgyzstan, the average price is $11 per night for a dorm bed. Hostels are a terrific option for younger independent travelers looking to save money while staying social during their trip. With many types of hostels, it can be overwhelming to sort out the best places, though. Our analysis of the hostels in Kyrgyzstan not only found the average price, but also uncovered some surprises about the overall quality, amenities, and atmosphere of hostels in the region. You can see more details from our analysis about typical hostel prices in Kyrgyzstan here .

Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Kyrgyzstan.

• $8 for a dorm bed at Apple Hostel Bishkek in Bishkek more details
• $6 for a dorm bed at KbH-Karakol based Hostel in Karakol more details
• $10 for a dorm bed at ABS Guest House Osh in Osh more details

Should you do an organized tour or travel independently in Kyrgyzstan?

When planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan, there are two primary options to choose from: organized tours and independent travel. Organized tours offer a convenient and hassle-free experience, as all the details of your trip are handled by travel experts. Additionally, you'll have the benefit of an expert guide who can provide valuable insights and knowledge during your journey. This option is often favored by travelers who appreciate the convenience and ease it offers, with many tours providing transportation and expert guides to enhance the overall experience.

On the other hand, independent travel provides a different set of advantages. It offers a higher level of freedom and flexibility, allowing you to customize your itinerary and explore at your own pace. This option appeals to travelers who value the ability to make spontaneous decisions and have more control over their travel plans. The independence of traveling on your own can provide a sense of adventure and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture on a deeper level.

Ultimately, the choice between organized tours and independent travel depends on your personal preferences and travel style. Consider your desired level of convenience, the amount of guidance you prefer, and the level of flexibility you seek when making your decision. Both options have their own merits, and the decision should be based on what aligns best with your travel goals and preferences.

Comparing Trip Costs in Kyrgyzstan

When we compare the prices of organized tours to the average costs of independent travelers, we can see that sometimes the prices are fairly even.

Tours vs. independent Travel: Pros & Cons

Organized tours.

• An expert guide familiar with the culture
• Convenient transportation
• Fellow travelers to socialize with
• Well researched activities
• Efficient and thought out itinerary
• The security of have a trip leader if something goes wrong
• Limited options
• Usually not customizable
• The fast pace often means you can’t visit one place in depth
• Usually more expensive than independent travel
• There may be limited time to interact with the local culture and community

Independent Travel

• Completely customizable
• Opportunity to visit off-the-beaten-path destinations
• Can fully immerse yourself in the local culture
• Freedom to move at your own pace
• Flexibility to change your itinerary at any time
• More affordable
• Challenging to plan an efficient itinerary
• Transportation may be challenging or inefficient
• Booking and trip planning can be a hassle
• Popular sights may sell out well in advance
• If something goes wrong, you're on your own

Are organized tours more expensive than independent travel in Kyrgyzstan?

Organized tours average $246 per day in Kyrgyzstan, and are generally all-inclusive with one large payment. Independent trips usually average $18 (KGS1,585) per day, and include individual payments to hotels, local transportation, food, and sightseeing. When compared, organized tours and independent trips each come with their own set of challenges and benefits. It's important to understand all aspects of both types of trips to make a fair comparison. You can see our thorough analysis of tour prices in Kyrgyzstan here .

Here are a few sample tours in Kyrgyzstan:

• Kyrgyzstan: Lakes, Valleys, Canyons and Nomadic life ($1,200) 11 days, 12 destinations more details
• Essentials of Kyrgyzstan ($1,695) 6 days, 4 destinations more details
• Kyrgyzstan's Silk Road Journey ($3,140) 14 days, 13 destinations more details
• 9 Days | Kyrgyzstan Self-Drive | Central Asia | Road Trip with Adventures Overland ($3,718) 9 days, 11 destinations more details
• Customized Kyrgyzstan Adventure with Private Guide & Daily Departure ($5,099) 11 days, 10 destinations more details

More for Kyrgyzstan

If you're planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan, check out these other informative travel guides.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works .

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Tips and how to travel to Kyrgyzstan (2024)

By Joan Torres 43 Comments Last updated on April 11, 2024

From first-class treks to a very accessible nomadic culture, horse riding and hospitable people, traveling to Kyrgyzstan is the experience, and destination, for those seeking an off the beaten track (but easy) adventure.

After spending two entire months traveling in Kyrgyzstan , I have compiled all the necessary information that will help you plan your trip, from visas and bureaucracy to accommodation, transportation and plenty of cultural facts.

In this Kyrgyzstan travel guide you will find:

Table of Contents

• Travel insurance
• Best time to visit
• How to get in
• Is it safe?
• Top 5 experiences
• The country, people, and culture
• Food and alcohol
• Nomadic life
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• More information

eSIM card for browsing when traveling in Kyrgyzstan

With Holafly , you can now get an electronic SIM card for Kyrgyzstan from home with just 2 clicks.

5% discount with the following code:

AGAINSTTHECOMPASS

Read: Packing list for trekking in Central Asia

🪪 Visa for traveling to Kyrgyzstan

The most liberal visa regime in central asia.

Most nationalities get a 60-day free visa on arrival, both at the airport and overland.

If you want to renew it, you just need to cross the Kazakh border (1 hour from Bishkek) and come back on the same day.

These countries are: EU countries (except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania), Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Kuwait, Monaco, New Zealand, Oman , Qatar, Saudi Arabia , Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates , United States, Uzbekistan , Vatican City. Japan and Russia can get an indefinite stay. 

The rest of nationalities can apply for a Kyrgyz e-visa

Since September 2017, most of the remaining countries can apply for an e-visa through the official portal . It takes around 1 week and costs 63USD. 

Moreover, if you are in possession of an e-visa, you can travel to Kyrgyzstan both via land and air. 

Be aware that when applying for an e-visa, most nationalities will also need to be in possession of an LOI, EXCEPT for citizens of:

Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Indonesia, Israel, Macedonia, Mexico, Philippines, Romania, San Marino, South Africa, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela.

If you are not on any of the above lists, read the Kyrgyzstan visa section of Caravanistan  for further information on visas.

Extending your visa does not seem to be possible anymore

We tried to extend our visa and they said that, since May 2017, extensions aren’t possible anymore. We tried to extend it in both Karakol and Bishkek. 

It is easier to  travel to Almaty   and come back. 

Overstaying can be expensive

If you overstayed, you won’t be let to get out of the country unless you are in possession of an exit visa, which you can get at the foreign office located at 58 Kievskaya street in Bishkek, after paying the respective fine.

🚑 Travel Insurance for Kyrgyzstan

If you visit Kyrgyzstan, travel insurance is a must, as accidents do happen in the mountains. Actually, during a horse trek in Tash Rabat , I fell off the horse and had to stay in bed for nearly 2 weeks.

It was a pretty bad (and scary accident). I had to go to the hospital, all the way to Bishkek, where they carried out different kinds of tests on me which, in the end, turned out to be expensive. Luckily, I was fully insured.

For Kyrgyzstan, I recommend IATI Insurance :

• Different plans for all budgets
• It covers a big bunch of adventure activities, including trekking in high altitudes
• Covers both short-term trips and 1-year long trips.
• Readers of this blog can get a 5% exclusive discount

⛅ Best time to visit Kyrgyzstan

My favorite month for traveling to kyrgyzstan: september.

Why? July & August would be the ideal season for trekking, especially if you plan to go high in the mountains as, during these two months, the weather is warmer and the likelihood of rain is lower. However, Kyrgyzstan is becoming a popular destination, which means that some areas may be crowded.

In September, nevertheless, most crowds will be gone, and the weather will still be warm enough for trekking, and that is why I consider September to be the best month for visiting Kyrgyzstan .

Travel in Kyrgyzstan during High season (mid-June to Mid-September)

• Pros: Best season for trekking, loads of nomads
• Cons: Crowded, plus it can be really hot in Bishkek and other low-altitude areas

Read my packing list for trekking in Central Asia

Travel in Kyrgyzstan during Shoulder season (Spring and Autumn)

• Pros: In late spring and early autumn, you can do some cool treks
• Cons: High mountains may be not accessible, unpredictable weather, nomads may not be there

Travel in Kyrgyzstan during Low season (mid-November to March)

• Pros: Winter landscape, snow, no people
• Cons: No trekking, no nomads

🛫 How to get to Kyrgyzstan

How to travel to kyrgyzstan by air.

Getting to the International Airport of Bishkek is fairly easy, as it has quite a few connections with several airports in Europe. Moreover, you should also check Pegasus, a budget airline from Istanbul with daily flights to Bishkek. Alternatively, check out the flights to Almaty, as they are usually cheaper and it is very close to Bishkek. 

How to travel to Kyrgyzstan by land

Kyrgyzstan shares a border with:

• China – There are 2 open borders, Irkeshtam and Torugart. Crossing at Torugart requires having a special, expensive Chinese permit. Crossing via Irkeshtam is fairly easy and you can read the full report here . 
• Tajikistan – There are 6 border crossings and 4 of them are open to foreigners. The most obvious is the  Kyzyl Art border crossing , which is the one that follows the Pamir Highway. For more information, read the   latest Caravanistan updates .
• Kazakhstan – There are like 7 border crossings, but the easiest ones are Karkara and Kordai. For more information, read the latest Caravanistan updates . 
• Uzbekistan – There are nowadays 4 borders but only 3 are open as of 2019. For more information, read the latest Caravanistan updates . 

⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Kyrgyzstan?

Remember to get travel insurance for Kyrgyzstan IATI Insurance  covers high altitude trekking + offers long term plans, so it’s perfect for Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia Get your 5% exclusive discount by purchasing via this link .

Something you need to know is that the term Stan doesn’t mean a place is dangerous, but Stan means land , so Kyrgyzstan means the land of Kyrgyz. 

Kyrgyzstan is a safe destination. Period. 

I mean, just check the FCO advice and you will see that all they say is that Kyrgyzstan is a very safe country, and here you need to take into account that the FCO advice is always absolutely biased, meaning that tends to see danger where there is not, especially in the Middle East .

Solo travelers will be just fine and whereas I can’t speak for women, I know many women who have been there, and all they told me was positive experiences. 

The only potential danger you may hear about is that Bishkek used to be infamous for its after-midnight crime, mainly targeting drunk people on their way home from the bars. The situation, however, has dramatically improved but, if that is a concern for you, just take a taxi when you go back home.  

🛖 Top 5 experiences in Kyrgyzstan

For all the places to visit, don’t forget to check my 1-month Kyrgyzstan itinerary

Stay with Kyrgyz nomads

Experiencing the nomadic life is one of the greatest Kyrgyz experiences. From staying in a yurt to helping them preparing kurut , their local cheese, during our 2-month journey across the country, we met loads of nomads with we had awesome experiences. 

However, with the tourism increase, some nomadic camps have become too commercial, and what I recommend is that you try to find the most authentic ones. How? Well, by getting off the beaten track but also, if you go to Song Kul, instead of staying at the CBT camp where everybody stays, just go across the lake. 

Watch nomad games, but try to find out where the local games happen (don’t go to the touristic ones)

The ancient nomad sports in Kyrgyzstan are just crazy, and bizarre.

From horse wrestling to playing polo with a dead goat instead of an actual ball (Ulak tariysh), the nomadic games of Kyrgyzstan are, definitely, a must-see. 

Every summer, some tourist organizations, like CBT, organize nomad games for tourists, in Song Kul and places like that, but I recommend you find the local ones, as the vibe is just great, plus they do a larger variety of sports. 

To be very honest, I didn’t manage to see a local game in Kyrgyzstan, but I did in Tajikistan, near the Kyrgyz border (where most Tajiks are ethnically Kyrgyz), and it was just awesome.

Go trekking on a horse

Many people may feel bad for riding a horse, but the truth is that Kyrgyzstan is the land of horses and even today, in the rural areas, they are the preferred way of transportation.

Those horses are really used to go over high altitude mountain passes, and you definitely get a different experience, and perspective than going on foot. 

Go trekking in some of the most mind-blowing mountains ever

I truly believe that, in a matter of years, Kyrgyzstan will become the trekking destination of reference, competing directly with Nepal and Argentina, and the reason is that its mountains are absolutely jaw-dropping, plus they are much more accessible than any other destination I know. 

Visit the remotest Silk Road Heritage sites

Kyrgyzstan has only a small bunch of Silk Road Heritage sites, but the few it has are truly epic, remote and placed in the most epic locations. 

Kyrgyzstan is about nature and nomadic life  With very few Silk Road Heritage sites compared to its neighbor Uzbekistan , in Kyrgyzstan, there’s not much to do besides wandering around its gorgeous mountains and experiencing the nomadic life. The truth is that, with the exception of Bishkek and Arslanbob, most towns in Kyrgyzstan are pretty boring as there is no distinctive architecture, soul and social life, as Kyrgyzstan has been a nomadic land for many centuries. When you travel in Kyrgyzstan, you will see that towns are merely used as a base to explore the mountains or take a rest from them.

📚 Books for traveling to Kyrgyzstan

For more books to Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, check:

The best 28 books on Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide by Bradt

By far, the best and most complete book guide to Kyrgyzstan. Bradt writes the most awesome guides, as they are always filled with great cultural insights and personal experiences. I always buy their Kindle version for whatever country I go to.

Central Asia Guide by Lonely Planet

A classic. If you are traveling throughout the region, this might be a more economical option, rather than buying one guide per country but remember that it is not as insightful as Bradt’s.

Don’t forget to check my list of the best books on Central Asia and the Silk Road

🕌 15 facts about Kyrgyzstan, its people and culture

1 – Kyrgyzstan used to be part of the Soviet Union – It acquired its independence in 1991, with the collapse of the USSR.

2 – The origin of the Kyrgyz – Kyrgyz people are an ethnic nomadic group which is believed to have come from a region within Siberia, during the 10th and 15th centuries.

Originally, they used to have red hair but, over the centuries, they have mixed with all kinds of groups, especially Mongols and Turks.

3 – Kyrgyz make up 66% of the population – The biggest minority are Uzbeks (15%), followed by Russians (10%).

4 – It’s a Muslim country. Well, not really – Like in most Soviet countries, religion is not a big deal anymore, especially in the north of the country.

In the south, people tend to be more traditional, so you may see more mosques or men with beard and Muslim hats, but nothing relevant. During Ramadan, I was in Bishkek and didn’t see any sign of people fasting.

Alcohol is available everywhere and there is no sex segregation. You will see that women of all ages will always come to you to start a conversation.

5 – However, Saudi Arabia wants to reverse this – They are funding the construction of mosques across the country.

Read: 35 Tips for traveling to Kazakhstan

6 – Kyrgyz is the national language but Russian is widely spoken – Kyrgyz, a Turkic language, is the country’s official language.

Russian is spoken by most of the population, except in the south of the country, which has a significant Uzbek population who, for some reason, don’t really speak it.

7 – English is a problem – Communicating with people is one of the biggest issues in Kyrgyzstan, as very few people speak English. 

8 – At least, you must learn the Cyrillic alphabet – Extremely useful, especially when it comes to reading restaurant menus and bus directions.

9 – Bishkek is surprisingly Westernized – When you arrive in Bishkek and discover all those restaurants and bars where local people hang out, who dress incredibly well, you realize that this is not what you were expecting.

10 – The rest of the country is more traditional – Outside of Bishkek, most people still live a traditional life, where people’s main life goal is getting married and having children as early as possible. I met several 20-year old women who already had two kids.

11 – Kidnapping brides is still a big deal – And what do I mean by kidnapping brides? In Kyrgyzstan, a man can take a random woman who is just walking on the street to his house and, if both parents agree, he can marry her and the woman can’t say anything.

I know, it’s not a real kidnapping but it’s a crazy tradition and, even today, some locals told me that this is practiced by 20% of the population, especially in small, rural villages.

If you want to know more about, check out this video:

12 – The most hospitable people in Central Asia – In this region, the Kyrgyz are famous for their hospitality. When we went trekking in the mountains, I remember that there was not a single day when someone didn’t invite us to his or her yurt to have some tea and bread with home-made jam and butter.

Traveling in Kyrgyzstan is very pleasant, as the Kyrgyz people, who will always bless you with their smiles, are kind and hospitable by nature.

13 – You can’t believe how clean they are – When you visit Kyrgyzstan , you will realize that these people have a real obsession with cleanliness.

Even in youth hostels, sometimes I could never go to the toilet because there was someone cleaning it. In guest houses and home-stays, women spend the entire day mopping the floor and cleaning the kitchen.

I don’t know whether it’s true or not but, a Russian man told me that, during Soviet times, Kyrgyz people had a bad reputation for being dirty. In order to change this general opinion, they became obsessed with cleanliness.

14 – Girls are pretty, very pretty – Kyrgyz women are stunning, especially in Bishkek. On the other hand, all foreign women say that, in general, Kyrgyz men are not very handsome.

15 – Always remove your shoes – You must always remove shoes when you enter any house, yurt and even hostels and guesthouses.

Read: 70 Tips for traveling to Pakistan

🐪 About nomadic life in Kyrgyzstan

The most accessible nomadic life in the world.

From time immemorial, the ethnic group known as the Kyrgyz have been a nomadic people who tend to move continuously throughout the mountains and valleys of the region with their cattle.

Today, a large proportion of the Kyrgyz population still live a nomadic, traditional life, not very different from their ancestors.

In summer, which is from June to September, you will find hundreds of nomad camps everywhere, either next to the road or in the remotest mountains, where they settle so their horses, cows and sheep can graze freely.

It’s their summer job

During the summer months, Kyrgyz nomads move from cities to the mountains, so their herds of cows, sheep, goats and horses can graze freely.

When the season is over, they sell some of these animals, as well as dairy products and meat. This is the only source of income most of them rely on.

They live in yurts

Yurts are perhaps the most iconic symbol of Kyrgyzstan. These cozy skin-made tents, which can be seen all across the country, can be incredibly warm during the freezing nights.

You can always stay with them, no matter where you go

Whether you just want to get a warm meal or spend the night, wherever you go trekking, the nomads will always welcome you, at least in my experience.

But remember that, even if they don’t ask, they may expect you to pay something.

Get off the beaten track because the touristic areas are too commercialized

If you go to popular places, such as Song Kul for example, most nomad families have spare yurts, which have been built for tourists.

Whereas there is nothing wrong with staying there, the experience won’t be very authentic.

If you have a chance, try to find yurts around the Alay Valley, the Pamirs or even in less popular treks around Karakol . In these yurt camps, you may sleep in the same yurt as the family and even join in with their daily tasks.

🍲 Facts about food and alcohol in Kyrgyzstan

1 – Food is not amazing but it’s OK to fill your stomach – You will not love it but, after traveling in Kyrgyzstan for 2 months, I was not especially bored of it.

2 – The typical food – Lagman (a hearty noodle soup), manty (meat dumplings) and shorpo (meat broth) are the staple food.

3 – But don’t trust mantys – While traveling in Kyrgyzstan, the only day I got slightly sick was after eating some street mantys . Be careful where you order them, as the meat they are filled with may have been outside of the fridge for days.

4 – In small towns and villages, only staple food – In bigger towns, you can easily find more choices, like salads, kebab or Western food. However, in villages, you’ll have to fill your stomach with lagman and mantys.

5 – You are expected to know what to order from the moment you enter the restaurant – It’s your first day in Kyrgyzstan, the first time you enter a restaurant, holding a menu written in an alphabet which you’ve never seen before.

However, they will expect you to know what to order within 10 seconds of giving you the menu. If you tell them to wait for 5 or 10 minutes, they won’t really understand you and will stand next to you. It’s very weird but you’ll get used to it. 

6 – If you are vegetarian, you are fucked – It’s said that Kyrgyzstan is the country with the highest consumption of meat per capita in the world.

At most restaurants, it’s extremely difficult to find vegetarian dishes and, when you ask for something vegetarian, they kind of freak out.

Even sometimes, when I ordered a salad, it came with pieces of cooked beef in it. True story.

7 – Even chicken is difficult to find – If you find chicken on a menu, just order it!

8 – Beer and vodka are available everywhere – Welcome to the ex-Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan! Despite being a Muslim country, alcohol consumption is present everywhere, even in small villages and towns.

9 – Get used to people being completely smashed at 9am – You’ll definitely meet Kyrgyz men who are massively wasted, who can barely walk, quite early in the morning.

10 – You must try kymys – If you go to the mountains and stay with nomads, ask for kymys , which is fermented milk. Most people don’t like it, as it has a weirdly sour, strong taste.

It has some small percentage of alcohol. However, if you don’t like it the first time, give it another chance. I tasted it in four different places and in two of them it was surprisingly good.

11 – Kyryt is the snack in fashion – Kyryt are some sort of cheese and yogurt balls which are available all across Central Asia but Kyrgyzstan is where they are most prevalent.

Again, some people don’t like them but, like kymys , some of them were good, some of them weren’t.

12 – A fruit paradise – If you come during the season, markets are filled with all kinds of fruits, incredibly tasty and ridiculously cheap. In summer, you will find plenty of nectarines, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and much, much more!

🐴 Horses in Kyrgyzstan

It’s the land of horses.

Horses are as much part of their culture as the yurts. From epic horse treks over 4,000-meter mountain passes to herds of tens of horses grazing in stunning meadows, if you like horses, you are going to love Kyrgyzstan.

They learn how to ride a horse at the same time as walking

When you are in the mountains, you will see plenty of kids (including little girls) riding big horses.

You must go horse trekking

Trekking over high mountain passes, riding one of those beautiful beasts is one of the highlights of Kyrgyzstan.

Ah, in case you are wondering, no, you don’t need any previous riding experience. A guide will always come with you.

But be careful!

Horses are no joke. They are dangerous so don’t try to gallop if you don’t have any experience.

I actually had a pretty bad accident, felling off a horse in Tash Rabat when I tried to gallop (I am a stupid, inexperienced man). I had to stay in bed for two weeks and fully recovered after one month. I could have been much, much worse, so be careful.

Hiring a horse is cheap

It costs around 700KGS ($10) a day plus 1,000KGS ($15) for the guide, which can be split between several people. If they try to charge you more, they are ripping you off.

But be aware that they eat them!

When you see a herd of horses grazing over a dreamy meadow, don’t get too much in love with them because many of them will end up in a butchery!

Horse games

Horses are so rooted in their culture that they are also main protagonists in their national sports. Among many others,  Ulak Tsrtysh  is the most popular game, which is a form of polo where they play with a dead goat which is beheaded right before the game begins. Violence in any match is more than guaranteed.

For more information on horses, read:  Horse riding in Tash Rabat, Kyrgyzstan

🏔️ Trekking in Kyrgyzstan

Around 90% of the of the country is above 1,500 meters and with that, I’ve told you everything already.

Kyrgyzstan is home to some of the finest world-class hikes. For decades, travelers with a slight sense of adventure, who wanted to savor some first-class hikes, used to go to Argentina, Switzerland, and Nepal. However, just a couple of years ago, the most intrepid travelers quickly realized that trekking in Kyrgyzstan could easily rival Patagonia and the Himalayas.

For more information, check:

Hiking in Kyrgyzstan, everything you need to know

💻 Internet and connectivity in Kyrgyzstan

Esim for browsing, calling and traveling in kyrgyzstan.

Basically, an eSIM is a regular SIM card with a digital format that works like a normal physical SIM card, with the added benefit that you can buy it from home before the beginning of your trip, hence avoiding the hassle of buying it at your destination. 

With Holafly , you can get a SIM Card for a wide range of destinations, including Kyrgyzstan . 

Moreover, you can benefit from a 5% discount with the following code:  AGAINSTTHECOMPASS

Kyrgyzstan has the best internet in Central Asia

High-speed Wi-Fi is available almost all across the country, even in high altitude towns such as Sary-Mogol and Sary-Tash, something I would have never expected.

About getting a SIM Card for traveling around Kyrgyzstan

If you get a local SIM-Card, 3G is also quite fast. Get a mobile company called O! For just a few dollars, they offer weekly deals for both internet data and calls. This mobile company has street stalls all over the country.

Get a VPN for traveling in Kyrgyzstan

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Kyrgyzstan. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 About money, budget and costs

In Kyrgyzstan, they use the Kyrgyz SOM and, approximately:

1 USD = 85 SOM

Kyrgyzstan is a very cheap country to travel, the cheapest country in Central Asia, and a budget backpacker’s dream. You can easily find home or yurt stays for 10USD a day, including dinner and breakfast. Meals cost around 1-2USD in local eateries and between 2-4USD in mid-range places.

Expect to pay 10-15% extra for service Except in cheap, local eateries, you will always pay an extra 10-15% for service when the bill comes.

Public transportation within cities costs 15c and buses between nearby towns, less than 1USD.

Budget backpackers can easily travel around Kyrgyzstan on 20USD a day .

ATMs are available everywhere and, in many of them, you can select the option that you want to cash out USD, instead of KGS. In my experience, the maximum I was able to get was 200USD at a time.

Exchanging money

I’ve never seen so many exchange offices, especially in Bishkek, where you find one in absolutely every corner.

Scams, getting ripped-off

I felt that nobody tried to rip me off – except for taxi drivers, of course, perhaps because mass tourism hasn’t arrived here (yet).

🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Kyrgyzstan

Staying in a homestay in kyrgyzstan.

Everybody has a home stay. Kyrgyzstan has the peculiarity that, no matter where you go, locals offer their houses to foreigners for home stays. 

Whether it is a remote village or a touristic destination, as soon as you arrive, women will approach you, asking if you want to stay at their house, and they are always superb: comfortable, clean and nicely decorated. You will not want to leave!

However, remember that they always expect you to pay, even if you are in a very remote village and you get randomly invited by someone to stay, even if they don’t ask you for money, they are expecting you to give something.

Price is always per person, not per room so, if you travel alone, Kyrgyzstan can be great

There are homestays all over the country, and you can easily find and book them online.

Staying in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan

A yurt is a round tent typically used by nomads in Central Asia and Mongolia, which is usually covered with animal skins.

In the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, if there are nomads, there will be also yurts, since that’s what they use for shelter.

They are incredibly warm and cozy and staying in one is a must-try experience for anyone traveling in Kyrgyzstan.

Staying in a hotel in Kyrgyzstan

In Bishkek, Osh and pretty much any larger city, you can also find regular hotels.

🛺 How to move around Kyrgyzstan – Transportation

Traveling around kyrgyzstan by public transportation, mashrutka is the way to go.

Mashrutkas are some kind of vans and mini-vans that connect all cities and towns in Kyrgyzstan.

They are extremely cheap and it’s very easy to move around with them, as you can find a station (or more) at every bazaar in absolutely every town. You just need to get on at the station and say which city or town you want to go.

Shared local taxis

Late in the evening, for long distances or in very remote towns, marshrutkas don’t run that often, so you will have to take a local shared taxi.

They are more expensive but, definitely, faster than marshrutkas . However, some drivers are completely nuts and may drive at over 120km per hour along narrow mountain roads.

A few things to keep in mind:

Remember that old women have the power – In any bus, marshrutka or taxi you go, women can choose any seat they want, even if you arrived one hour before them. In city buses, always give up your seat to any women over 40-50 years old. If you don’t, they will tell you to stand up. When I fell off the horse and had to stay in bed for 2 weeks, I was sitting in a marshrutka on the way to the hospital. I could barely stand up and, when a woman entered and told me to move and I couldn’t explain why I couldn’t, I created a lot of trouble until she understood.

At 40ºC, windows are still closed – Kyrgyz are afraid of air currents and no matter what time of the year it is, even if it’s the peak of the summer and 40ºC outside, they like to travel with the windows closed and the AC switched off. Sometimes, you can negotiate with the men but, if there are old ladies, forget about it.

Remember to be patient – Ninety percent of Kyrgyzstan is composed of high mountains which means that, every time you want to go from town to town, you will have to cross them, making your journey particularly slow. In addition, in some more remote destinations, shared taxis and marshrutkas leave once they are full and, sometimes, it takes some time to fill them. Just keep in mind that traveling in Kyrgyzstan can be particularly slow.

Hitchhiking in Kyrgyzstan

Hitchhiking is extremely easy and common among the locals. However, remember that, in Kyrgyzstan, everybody is a taxi driver so if you are looking for a free ride, you will need an extra dose of patience.

❗ More information for traveling in Kyrgyzstan

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

What is CBT?

CBT (Community Based Tourism) is a very popular tour agency in Kyrgyzstan that can arrange any kind of activity you want to, from yurt stays to trekking, taxis, permits and anything you can think of.

CBT has offices all over the country and it is so popular because, despite being a tour agency, they offer very cheap and competitive prices.

However, bear in mind that, of course, it will always be cheaper to arrange things on your own.

Check the best books about Central Asia and the Silk Road

All guides and articles for traveling in Kyrgyzstan destination

• Kyrgyzstan Itinerary
• Horse riding in Tash Rabat
• Trekking in Kyrgyzstan
• Trekking the Ala-Kul
• Trekking in Karakol
• China-Kyrgyzstan border crossing
• Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border crossing
• Reasons to Visit Kyrgyzstan

Travel guides to other countries in Central Asia

• Tajikistan Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Uzbekistan
• Travel Guide to Kazakhstan
• Pakistan Travel Guide
• Afghanistan Travel Guide

43 comments

I wouldn’t say that’s all you need to know, but it’s a nice start 🙂

Do come back, you ain’t seen nuttin’ yet!

Hi Caravanistan, nice to meet you online 😉 It’s not all but writing more than 3,500 words would be too abusive 😉 More articles coming soon. Cheers!

Very informative blog, thanks! I’m looking at travelling to Kyrgystan on my bike (the northern half of the country, around Naryn, and wonder how much rain I should expect. The climate charts indicate it’s pretty dry, but most blogs mentions seemingly frequent downpours and rain. Would you say that rain is a serious downside there in July-August?

Hi Christian, July & August is mostly dry, but it can rain of course, especially in high altitudes

From past few posts of your’s i had an imaginary tour of this beautiful country. You have shared very nice things about this country.

You should definitely pay a visit! Cheers.

Thank you for providing such a wonderful list of a new website as I hardly needed them.Thank you so much once again. Keep it up.

Nice article! I never knew much about this country until I read your post. Now I really am curious about exploring this place. Thanks for sharing!!

You totally should put it on your next summer travel list 😉 Thanks!

Looks that all the things that I have heard about this country all are rumors. It looks that this city is very peaceful and beautiful. I will definitely visit this country.

I hope it’s true 😉 You’ll enjoy it!

Excellent article Joan. I appreciate the details you put in there. Few points like you are expected to know what to order from the menu and closed windows at 40ºC left me in splits 🙂 🙂

Thanks! Yeah, these a few curiosities which are important know 🙂 !

This was incredibly useful! Kyrgyzstan has been on my places to go and I will totally refer back to this when I plan to make that trip. Thanks for sharing!

I really hope you go and glad you found it useful 😉

hello is it possible to travel to Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan should i need to get transit visa or without visa i can travel ?

Hello, it may be possible but it depends on your nationality.

Completely true. Except #21. That russian man obviously exagarrated on his words saying “long back kyrgyz was dirty” (as if he existed long back). The thing is in kyrgyz culture, women take a main role in house keeping, caring of kids, while men as a main provider. Thats why from the early age mothers guide daughters to be independent and know how to cook, clean, and be a support for parents and her future husband. BTW #71 – as for the simcard, its freely distributed at the exit of the airport (beeline, o, megacom) with few free load inside. Tho u have to approach service senter within a few days along with your original passport and get it registered to continue the service. I advised you to avail megacom it has a fast and cheap internet data (20Gb per month – 3.6$, 50Gb – 5.8$, 100Gb – 8.7$, with free call and sms within a network). Its much better if your phone suports 4G. Thats it 🙂 For any inquires kindly contact my WhatsApp#: +996 700 800 900

Hello! Thank you for your feedback, very much appreciated 🙂 ! As per your first comment, I don’t really know what are the exact reasons, as I am just putting into a few words what some people told me! However, in any case, what you are describing (claiming that women take care of the household) is very generic and happens to almost every culture and country in the world, so it doesn’t really explain why Kyrgyz are so obsessed with cleaning. As per your second comment, I will update my post accordingly as soon as I can!

Thank you for this amazing article. Agree with everything,. If you need any guidance in Kyrgyzstan, I can help you

Tell me how are high crime rate in kyrgyz and how hight rare of safftey??

Hello AIgerim, I am planning a trip from US to either Almat (cheaper & still close to Bishkek) Looking for someone to guide through Nature. trekking, hiking, hot springs, polar plunge, experience falcon hunting, Yurt sleeping with authentic Nomads. On a budget, Waiting for a flight price drop in Aug. So no set time yet , But Aug-Sept.

This was a great read! I definitely want to visit this country! Thanks x

Hi! I am from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and I absolutely love the way you descibed our reality! You definetly noticed unique features of kyrgyzstani life. Shared your post on Facebook, hope you’ll get more view and we’ll get more tourists 😀 Thank you! BTW, there are several really good ski resorts (the best one in Karakol) in Kyrgyzstan, so turists are more than welcome in winter season!

Thanks for for sharing it, really 🙂 and it’s my pleasure to say nice things about Kyrgyzstan. It is actually one of my most favorite countries. Yes, I had heard about the ski resort and heard it’s great!

I had not had Kyrgyzstan on my radar at all, until reading this blog from you! I love to travel and I love to hike, so now you have me excited to give Kyrgyzstan a try this summer. However, I have reached out to each of the three companies that you recommend for guide services, as I am only English-speaking, so I will need a guide to help me navigate the trails and communicate with the locals.

I live in the US, so am trying to communicate with these companies by email, but it’s been over a week, and no reply from them. Do you recommend my going to Bishkek in June and trying to find an English-speaking guide then? Or is that not realistic? I’m a very experienced traveler and hiker, but as a woman, I am also cautious because I travel alone.

I appreciate your advice. Thank you! And thank you for the inspiration to travel to Kyrgyzstan. 🙂

Hey Lyenne! It is actually better if you go to their offices once you are in Bishkek, or even at the destination in particular, like in Karakol. You will definitely find guides and, most importantly, it will be cheaper

Hello Thank you for your detailed information, it looks amazing Last year also I and my boyfriend we visited all this places, it was taken 20 days. Before coming to Kyrgyzstan we contacted with local companies and got all informations. Decided to do it by ourselves. When we land to Bishkek airport it was difficult to communicate with people, because people’s are dont speak English or French. And in Bishkek we changed our plan booked tour for 19 days. Because our friends recommended. Everything was great. Our guide was professional and speaks English very well.

In Kyrgyzstan some places no internet connection where is big mountains. And you need to take warm clothes, during the summer we see some snow 🙂

Hey Joan 🙂 , I’m so glad to have come across your page. Its so exciting and deeply informative. The descriptions are stunning and have given me a Stronger YES to go to Kyrgyzstan already!

I would like to know your advice on the below, -How many number of days (minimum) would you recommend to see around Kyrgyzstan? (Song Kul, Issyk Kul, Ala Kul, Ak-suu, all these gems and horse-treks in my mind) -What time of the year would be ideal to do the visit? -What are the “you can’t afford to miss” things to do and or places to visit in Kyrgyzstan? -Is it safe to travel as a couple or groups traveling is better for safety? Looking forward to your responses; to plan our trip.

Thanks in advance 😀

Hey Fatima, thanks for your comment, here are my responses: – I think you’d need minimum 2 weeks to visit these places – June to September is best and when the weather in the mountains is warmer – Besides the places you mentioned, I loved Alay Vallay and Tash Rabat – Kyrgyzstan is safe for anyone 🙂

I like your style of writing – informative, honest with a sense of humour. I have a plan to visit just one country for a week in Central Asia in 2020. While googling and reading up, I came across your blog and find it has all the info I need in my deciding process. So, the idea I have now is if I’d like to experience a nomadic mountaineous life, go with Kyrgyzstan and if I’d like to explore bazaars and ancient towns/architectures, go with Uzbekistan.

yes, that’s right 🙂 thanks,

Absolutely wonderful descriptions. Very insightful and helpful, especially considering that you made it a point to inform your readers about certain subtler aspects of Kyrgyz culture that would otherwise surprise people when they visit, not knowing what to expect. Reading about all your travels and adventures here has only made me think strongly about visiting Kyrgyzstan this year 🙂

Keep up the good work, and all the best with your other travels and writing as well!

Thank you so much for your kind words, Cyd!

Hi Joan, thank you so much for your interesting and inspiring info on Kyrghystan! Based on that we would like to go there for a 10 days trip first half of September, after a 10 days trip in Uzbekistan. as we only have 10 days, we would like to do it by car with a driver in order not to loose too much time: do you have any suggestions or drivers we can contact?

Hi there, sorry but unfortunately, I don’t personally know of any guide/driver!

I loved Bishkek. I didn’t go to trek just to visit and fell in love with the city, culture, and how inexpensive it was! The clubs are fun, karaoke was incredible, food excellent, and very easy to get around via taxi. The hotel I stayed at was 5 star quality under $40USD a day and the food there was some of the best I had in the country. I went to the mountains as well and saw amazing scenery. Snow on the mountains, wild horses, and wildlife. I was shocked at how western Bishkek was. I honestly felt like I was in an Asian neighborhood in the middle of Los Angeles. The people were extremely friendly, the woman are beautiful, but there is some things as a westerner you have to get used to. Lots of pushing and shoving when its crowded seemed pretty normal and if you are shopping be aware of counterfeit items. Other than that the country was beyond what I expected and I will be back soon!!! Issyk Kul is the next destination for me next time I am there and I would love to visit Osh. My entire 3 week journey including plane ticket, food, going out, and my incredible hotel was less than $2000. Its the biggest hidden secret in the world right now.

Thanks for the article. I have lived in Kyrgyzstan for many years. Mountains, Bishkek, Issyk-Kul. It’s very beautiful there. The people are hospitable.

Is it possible to get visa on arrival? or need to apply thru online (e-visa) before coming to Kyrgyzstan?

what’s your nationality?

Hi I enjoyed your article about Kyrgystan. Most likely we will be going and hopefully this summer! That’s why I searched for the info online. So…. I’m a vegetarian. I was told to take a jar of jam with me but I don’t think this will cut it 😉 We are planning to hike and spend as little time in a city as possible. How f****d i quote :))) do you think I am?

We don’t want to carry our bags all day, we prefer them to be dropped off to the next location. Or maybe we can afford a porter for a day or two. My partner had a shoulder op. So he is still bit vulnerable. I also read that you recommend to book hikes when we get there.

Can you recommend any local tour companies? When I try the online places you mentioned prices are high.

Is it best to fly to Bishkek or other cities have better hikes in the area?

We don’t want to get to high up, I don’t like cold or be in snow.

We would do probably 2-3 weeks.

Can you please recommend me best trails and places, and give me advice on planning? Thanks Kat

Hello, sorry for late answer. Vegetarians may have a hard time, since even the local shorpo (soup) is meat based… Cheese, bread, nuts, jam, fruits… That’s the type of food you find in the mountains. You can also find instant noodles in shops.

I don’t know any specific tour company, but you can easily arrange or find many in specific villages and towns in Kyrgyzstan.

For trails and places, you can check following guides: https://againstthecompass.com/en/trekking-in-kyrgyzstan/ https://againstthecompass.com/en/backpacking-kyrgyzstan/

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Attractions

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Ak Örgö Yurt Workshop

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Winding 10km up a dirt road off the Kazarman–Chaek highway, brilliant Ak-Köl lake reflecting the surrounding peaks and the village beyond are a real…

Shygaev Museum of Modern Art

Built into the hometown studio of Kyrgyzstan's national artist, Yuristanbek Shygaev, this delightful space is one of the most engaging museums in the…

State Museum of Fine Arts

Collections of Kyrgyz embroidery and felt rugs, a splendid variety of paintings, and rotating exhibitions of local and international touring works all…

Köl-Tör Lake

This turquoise-hued glacial lake is one of the most beautiful in Chuy oblast, and the surrounding peaks and verdant pastures certainly don't do anything…

Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve

Though the full Unesco Biosphere Reserve includes seven mountain lakes and numerous rare flora and fauna, the star attraction for most visitors is the…

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Top destinations

Bishkek Bishkek

SULAIMAN TOO Osh

ISSYK-KUL LAKE Issykkul

ALA-TOO SQUARE Bishkek

Land of celestial mountains

Kyrgyzstan, nestled in the heart of Central Asia, is a land of stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality. With its diverse attractions and unique experiences, Kyrgyzstan has become an increasingly popular destination for travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure. Let's delve into the wonders of Kyrgyzstan and discover why it should be on your travel bucket list.

Kyrgyzstan offers various travel opportunities catering to different interests and preferences. Nature enthusiasts will be captivated by the country's breathtaking landscapes, including the majestic Tien Shan Mountains, crystal-clear lakes such as Issyk-Kul and Song Kol, and picturesque valleys like the Ala-Archa National Park. These natural wonders provide a perfect backdrop for hiking, trekking, horseback riding, and camping.

Traveling to Kyrgyzstan allows you to engage with the warm and welcoming local communities. Experience the hospitality of Kyrgyz nomads by staying in yurts, traditional nomadic dwellings. Enjoy authentic Kyrgyz cuisine, which features hearty dishes like beshbarmak and manti, and sip on fragrant tea while listening to traditional music and folklore.

Kyrgyzstan is also gaining recognition as a destination for adventure tourism. Embark on thrilling outdoor activities, including mountaineering, skiing, paragliding, and white-water rafting. The country's pristine nature and untouched landscapes offer an exhilarating playground for adrenaline seekers.

When planning your trip to Kyrgyzstan, consider exploring the unique cultural events and festivals throughout the year. The Nomad Games, World Nomad Games, and Kyrgyzstan's Independence Day celebrations are just a few examples of the vibrant festivities that showcase the country's traditions, arts, and sports.

Kyrgyzstan's tourism industry is growing, and the government has taken steps to facilitate travel to the country. Visa requirements have been eased for many nationalities, making it more accessible for international visitors. Additionally, a range of accommodations, from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxury yurt camps and boutique hotels, caters to various traveler preferences.

Visiting Kyrgyzstan will undoubtedly leave you with unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. Kyrgyzstan has everything if you're seeking outdoor adventures, cultural immersion, or a unique travel experience. So pack your bags, embark on a journey to this enchanting destination, and let Kyrgyzstan's wonders mesmerize you.

Thing to do

Tourism types

SULAYMAN-TOO Osh

UZGEN MINARET Osh

MANAS PEAK Talas

KIROV RESERVOIR Talas

GUMBEZ OF MANAS Talas

BESH TASH NATIONAL PARK Talas

UZGEN (OZGON) MINARET Osh

KYRGYZ ATA NATIONAL PARK Osh

ALAI VALLEY Osh

ABSHYR ATA WATERFALL Osh

TASH RABAT CARAVANSERAI Naryn

SONG-KUL LAKE Naryn

ORTO TOKOY RESERVOIR Naryn

NARYN STATE RESERVE Naryn

KEL-SUU LAKE Naryn

EKI NARYN VALLEY Naryn

CHATYR-KUL LAKE Naryn

AK-SAI VALLEY Naryn

SARY CHELEK LAKE Jalalabad

SAIMALUU TASH STATE NATURAL PARK Jalalabad

MAUSOLEUM OF SHAH FAZIL Jalalabad

ARSLANBOB WALNUT FORESTS Jalalabad

TUZ-KOL (KARA-KOL) Issykkul

SARYCHAT-EERTASH STATE RESERVE Issykkul

RUH ORDO CULTURAL CENTER Issykkul

ORNOK PETROGLYPHS Issykkul

MANJYLY ATA VALLEY Issykkul

JETI OGUZ GORGE Issykkul

HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH Issykkul

FAIRY TALE CANYON Issykkul

DUNGAN MOSQUE Issykkul

CHONG AK SUU GORGE Issykkul

BARSKOON GORGE Issykkul

ALTYN ARASHAN THERMAL RESORT Issykkul

ALAKUL LAKE Issykkul

AK-SUU GORGE Issykkul

ZIL SKI RESORT Chui

TOO-ASHU PASS Chui

SUUSAMYR VALLEY Chui

KORONA PEAK Chui

KONORCHEK CANYONS Chui

KEL-TOR GORGE Chui

KEGETY GORGE Chui

ISSYK-ATA GORGE Chui

CHUNKURCHAK SKI RESORT Chui

CHONG-KEMIN VALLEY Chui

BURANA TOWER Chui

BOOM GORGE Chui

ALAMEDIN GORGE Chui

ALA-ARCHA NATIONAL PARK Chui

ATA BEYIT MEMORIAL COMPLEX Bishkek

SARKENT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE Batken

AI KÖL LAKE Batken

KARAVSHIN GORGE Batken

AIGUL TASH MOUNTAIN Batken

The Issyk-Kul Lake is located in the northwestern part of Kyrgyzstan, 1600 meters above sea level. It is the second largest mountain lake in the world, after Titicaca in South America. This lake, with its slight salty water and framework of forests and mountain ranges, is a true miracle of nature.

General caution: As in any other country, it is advised to be careful with personal belongings and valuables, especially in public places and tourist areas. Watch your belongings, do not leave them unattended.

Public Safety: In general, public safety in Kyrgyzstan is good. However, it is recommended to take general precautions, avoid large crowds, especially during public events, and be aware of your surroundings.

Public transport in Bishkek:

Buses: The city has a network of bus routes covering the main areas. They are an affordable and budget-friendly way to get around. Minibuses: Popular means of transportation are fixed-route taxis (minibuses). They are more flexible and can take you to different parts of the city. Taxi: Taxis are also widely available and may be a more convenient option. It is recommended to use licensed taxis or ask the locals for advice on reliable companies.

Sights worth visiting in Bishkek:

Ala-Too Square: The central square of the city, where government buildings and monuments are located. Panoramic mountain views: Bishkek is surrounded by majestic mountains, and the panoramic view from Liberty Mountain is one of the main attractions. Museums: There are several interesting museums in Bishkek, such as the National Museum of Art, the Museum of History and Archeology, and the Museum of the Frunze Time.

Local customs and traditions in Kyrgyzstan:

Hospitality: Kyrgyzstan is famous for its hospitality. When visiting the home of local residents, tea and national treats are usually offered. Ethnic Festivals: Kyrgyzstan is rich in numerous ethnic groups, and national festivals such as Navruz (new year), Cholpon-Ata (koumiss games) and Urayum (grazing in the mountains) offer a unique opportunity to experience local culture and traditions.

Local dishes and drinks worth trying:

Beshbarmak: National Kyrgyz dish consisting of cuts of meat (usually lamb) and thinly sliced dough. Manti: Steam dumplings, usually stuffed with meat. Lagman: Thin noodles with meat, vegetables and spices. Koumiss: Fermented mare's milk, which is the national drink and has medicinal properties.

Does “Central Asia” conjure up images of craggy mountains, vast grasslands, nomadic tribes on horseback, and meandering rivers in your mind? You would get to see all this and more in Kyrgyzstan, a favorite travel destination in Central Asia for discerning travelers from around the world.

With a visa-free regime for citizens of more than 40 countries, Kyrgyzstan widely opens its door and its heart to guests of many countries. Come explore our history, culture and hospitality! 

Click the link below for more information about visa regulations. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Kyrgyzstan

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Caravanistan

The Silk Road Travel Guide

• Kyrgyzstan travel budget

How much money do you need to travel in Kyrgyzstan? Not much, if you try hard enough. No visas are required for most nations with high GDP, and tasty food and simple accommodation can be had for a fistful of dollars.

Even though you can get by on a very low budget in Kyrgyzstan, please consider spending a bit extra in the right places to pump some foreign money into this tiny economy.

For info on money exchange, withdrawing money, what currency to bring etc., see money in Kyrgyzstan .

Table of Contents

• Accommodation

Bishkek prices have risen sharply in the past few years and the days of the 3$ dorm bed are over – expect to pay at least 8$. In the midrange there are some decent options in the main tourist draws, but more are needed. Since you probably will spend some of your time camping or in a cold yurt, you might want to enjoy a bit of extra comfort on the off-days – so budget for it if you are the type.

• Dorm bed: 5-15$
• Yurtstay/homestay: 5-15$
• Double in a cheap hotel: 10-30$
• Apartment: 15-40$
• Double in a nice/very nice hotel: 40-120$
• Double in a 5-star hotel: 120-250$

More tips and info on your sleeping options at accommodation in Kyrgyzstan .

• Shared taxi Bishkek – Karakol: 6$
• Flight Bishkek – Osh: 35$
• Bus in Bishkek: 25 cents
• Taxi from the airport to the center of Bishkek: 8$

Renting a car in Kyrgyzstan has become a lot more affordable since the supply has grown, but demand is still higher than supply in summer, roads are taxing and people drive like nutcases when it’s not their own car. So prices are not super-low. Expect to definitely pay 50$ per day for a decent jeep, 100$/day for the top models.

More details about transport in Kyrgyzstan  on the overview page.

2 plates of lagman with bread and tea in a simple local restaurant will cost around 3$. Fast food sells for 1-2$. At the market you can expect prices to be around 60-90% of Western prices for basic foodstuff. Don’t be afraid to try a slightly fancier restaurant, prices for a meal will rarely go above 10$. Very upmarket restaurants charge 15 to 30$ for a meal.

Almost all mid-range restaurants offer a filling lunch special, which goes for 3-7$. Take advantage of it.

Tours and activities

Tours in Kyrgyzstan are affordable. For example, you can go on a guided horse trek with horse, guide, food and accommodation included, for around 100$/€ per day. If you are traveling solo, it pays to find a scheduled group tour to cut costs and increase the fun.

There are always incredible bargains to be made, but you have to wonder if the quality is up to par. For some things, it’s better to pay a bit extra. We’ve met a lot of cowboys in Kyrgyzstan, literally and figuratively.

Skiing is very affordable in Kyrgyzstan if you are around in winter: a ski pass for the main Karakol ski resort costs around 15$.

Entrance to museums is negligible, say, 1$/€.

Find out more about our selection of tours in Kyrgyzstan , or our custom tours .

Visas and flights

How much does it cost to get into Kyrgyzstan? Depends on your nationality. People from high GDP countries go visa-free, but others should budget around 50$ for a visa, and 30$ more if you let an agent handle the process for you . You might need an invitation letter as well, which raises the price with another 50$. More info at visas for Kyrgyzstan .

If you are flying in and out of the country, expect to pay around (this is a very rough estimate) 250-400$/€ for a return flight from Europe or Asia.

Budget and expense questions for your trip are welcome in the Silk Road travel budget forum thread .

More travel budgets

• Kazakhstan travel budget
• Tajikistan travel budget
• Turkmenistan travel budget
• Uzbekistan travel budget

More on Kyrgyzstan

• Kyrgyzstan starter guide
• Things to do
• Budget estimates , communication & banking
• Visas & border crossings
• When to visit & events calendar
• Self-driving
• Northern Kyrgyzstan
• Central Kyrgyzstan
• Southern Kyrgyzstan
• Issyk-Kul region

Travel Guide

• Turkmenistan

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• Custom tours
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• Pamir Highway tours
• Uzbekistan tours
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Roads We Take

• Jun 24, 2021
• 15 min read

The PERFECT 1-Week Itinerary & Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan!

In this day and age of the internet, where almost every place has been documented or photographed, it is the most wonderful feeling to stumble upon places that you probably had no idea even existed! When we'd decided to travel to Kyrgyzstan, little did we know that it would turn out to be THE TRIP of our lifetime! This little country, which was once part of the Soviet Union, went above and beyond our expectations, and just blew our minds! From unending mountains and glaciers, to lush green fields and canyons, the country boasts a multitude of picture-perfect landscapes and never ceases to surprise you.

Moreover, this happened to be our first international travel during the pandemic, as well as our first trip post our wedding! So Kyrgyzstan, and the beautiful friends we made along our journey, will always hold a special place in our hearts. ❤

We were in the country for 9 DAYS (this is a one-week itinerary , but we took extra two days for relaxation) and here are our TRIP HIGHLIGHTS >>

2 Days in Bishkek Day trips to Ala Archa National Park and Lake Kol Kogur

4 Days in Altyn Arashan Drove along the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake >> Skazka Canyon >> Karakol Stayed in a 'YURT' for 3 nights in Altyn Arashan >> Hiked to Lake Ala Kul

1 Day in Issyk Kul Drove along the north shore of Issyk Kul Lake >> Tyup >> Cholpon Ata >> Back to Bishkek

2 Days in Bishkek If you are short of time you could go directly to the airport but we chose to relax and explore the city for 2 days

NOTE: In a week, we only covered a very little area of Kyrgyzstan. But if you have more days in hand , it is worth visiting Sary Chalek, Kel Suu, and areas around the Naryn River! We have been told by the locals that these places are incredibly beautiful albeit the drive to these areas is quite long (but again, WORTH IT) !

If you're in a hurry, you could skip the Q&A below and head straight to our detailed itinerary underneath .

Why Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan has some of the most breathtaking locations , with many of them pristine and untouched . In fact, during many occasions, Arjun and I found ourselves in the middle of a surreal landscape, with not a soul around. ❤ From mountains and lakes, to flower fields and canyons, road trips through Kyrgyzstan is a sensory feast with views changing every few kilometers.

Yes! We experienced a different landscape almost every single day of our trip!

Kyrgyzstan also has some of the most challenging mountain trails we've come across, and is great for hikers and adrenaline junkies. To top it all, traveling in and around the country is very affordable as well.

Moreover, considering the pandemic , Kyrgyzstan at the time, seemed like a relatively safer option compared to some other countries that had opened their doors to tourists.

When is the best time to visit Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan experiences all four seasons and is very beautiful to visit all year round. However, based on our experience we would highly recommend traveling during the summer months from June-August, or even up until early-October . Summer is the ideal time to explore the mountain regions and hiking trails, and the temperature is just perfect (with the possibility of snow in 'Ala Kul' region in early-June and other extreme mountain caps where it snows all year through).

How many days do you need in Kyrgyzstan?

There is never enough time to fully explore a country. However, we recommend AT LEAST a week to immerse into the Kyrgyz culture and fully experience some of the major sights.

BUT most importantly, if your itinerary like ours is filled with hikes, then we highly recommend providing 'off-days' in between to just relax and prep your body for the remainder of the trip. On these off-days we would spend time with our guides or the local family that was hosting us at the mountain tops.

We are huge believers in slow and intentional travel. :)

Visas & Flights

*Please note that this article was written in June 2021, and visa rules are subject to change*

This official Kyrgyzstan website link has a tool to check for visa eligibility and requirements for holders of passports of different countries. As Indian passport holders, we had to apply for an e-visa on the country's official visa portal - https://www.evisa.e-gov.kg . In the past, there used to be an option of visa-on-arrival, but for now an e-visa is the only way to go. While applying for the e-visa, you will be asked for :

Scanned copies of your passport

Digital copy of your passport photograph (A scanned image won't work. You might even get rejected for poor photo quality!)

Valid email address

Credit card details for payment

Visa Cost: A single entry tourist visa for 30 days costs 51.5 US$

Visa processing time: It took us about 10-11 working days for our e-visa.

Flight views somewhere above Kyrgyzstan :)

We traveled via FlyDubai Airlines that has direct flights between Dubai to Bishkek (Manas International Airport). We recommend running a quick search on Skyscanner to check for flight routes and rates based on your location. The airport is around 40 minutes from Bishkek by road.

Do I need an RT-PCR test for COVID -19 in Kyrgyzstan? Where can I get tested in Kyrgyzstan?

*Please note that this article was written in June 2021, and rules related to COVID-19 protocol are subject to change*

A negative COVID-19 (PCR) test is required to be taken within 72 hours before your arrival in Kyrgyzstan. While exiting the country, we got our RT-PCR test done in Bishkek at The Department for Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance.

Address: Bishkek city, Frunze Str. 535 Telephone: (0312) 323212, (0312) 323006

The test costs around 1574 KGS (approx. 18.59 US$) per person, and we got our results within 6 hours !

Can I travel around the place with my kids?

Most of the scenic sights in Kyrgyzstan are a couple of hours' drive from the capital city. They are mostly mountains, and the hikes here require a minimum level of physical fitness as the trails can be quite tough and physically demanding. With a heavy heart, we would probably not recommend Kyrgyzstan if you are traveling with infants and children up to the age of 11, and would ask you to wait a couple more years so that you and your family can fully enjoy the country. 😊

Getting Around in Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek is a very pedestrian-friendly city and so moving around by yourself is quite easy with the assistance of Google Maps. You can easily walk around and explore. We never took any cabs (yes, we walk A LOT), but you can still book for one on an app called ' Yandex Go ' which is the Kyrgyz version of Uber. Bear in mind that English is not widely spoken and most signages are in the local Kyrgyz or Russian languages. A pro-tip would be to download Google Translate on your phone - coolest invention ever!

However, most of the activities and sight-seeing is outside of Bishkek, where driving on your own can be quite challenging with not too many directions or signages on the roads. Moreover, the mountain hikes do not have designated trails or paths, and often these areas do not have good network coverage so being on your own in the wilderness without an experienced guide would not be the safest idea. We highly recommend reaching out to some local guides that are experienced hikers. You can opt for private or group tours but we always prefer private ones (safer in a pandemic, and moreover, you get to enjoy the place all to yourself without making the place seem 'touristy'!)

We HIGHLY recommend ' Kettik ' for its tours and guides! We first contacted them on their Instagram page and they later reached out to us with their details and quotes via WhatsApp. The guides at Kettik are young, friendly, and very responsible. In fact, we made so many memories with them and ended up being great friends!

Our special mountain van that would go on the most rugged of terrains!

You could get a SIM card at the airport or from any of the 'Globus' chain of stores in Bishkek.

'Beeline' and 'O!' are the two most popular network providers, and they are extremely affordable as well!

Budgeting for the trip

The currency in Kyrgyzstan is called the Kyrgyz Som (KGS) . The money exchange centers in Dubai did not have any Kyrgyz currency, so we carried US Dollars with us and converted it to Som at a local exchange centre in Bishkek.

1 US$ = 84.65 KGS (dated June 2021)

Food, accommodations, and getting around in general, is very affordable. Hotel accommodations in the capital start at around 50 US$ per room per night inclusive of breakfast, but you could even find cheaper options such as hostels and boarding lodges. In the countryside, the rates are much lower depending on the kind of accommodation. (Guesthouses and yurts are relatively much cheaper than hotels). As for food, you can have a complete meal for just 2 US$, but it could be twice (yet still affordable) in more fancier restaurants in the capital city.

A driver with a vehicle and an English-speaking guide, starts at around 100 US$ for two people for an entire day-trip. However, we we were traveling with ' Kettik ' and they have options of complete packages where they provide for day trips, food as well as all accommodations at different price points.

Accommodations in Kyrgyzstan

Throughout our week-long trip, we stayed at 4 different locations. These were recommended and arranged for us by Kettik .

> 2 Days in Bishkek ( Bugu Hotel - highly recommend for its spacious, clean rooms, excellent location, and value for money!)

> 4 Days in Altyn Arashan (a 'yurt' offered by EcoYurt Camp Arashan and Guesthouse 'Gulnara')

> 1 Day in Issyk Kul (a local resort which we would not recommend because of our poor experience)

> 2 Days in Bishkek (back to Bugu Hotel )

Staying in the traditional 'Yurt' at Altyn Arashan, far away from civilization, was the BEST experience of Kyrgyzstan!

Food in Kyrgyzstan

While Arjun is a complete vegan, and I am almost-vegan, we initially expected that finding good food would be a challenge in a predominantly meat-eating country. However, we were able to find some great options throughout our stay! And since it was summer, we feasted on some of the tastiest strawberries, cherries, and apricots we've ever had! The country is also famous for its assortment of nuts , so we were always snacking on those.

National Dishes to try:

Ashlyan Fu (a cold broth/soup with handmade wheat noodles. We had ours without eggs/meat Fun fact: This dish is popular among the locals for curing hangovers!

Lagman (a tangy noodle dish, usually served with meat but you can ask the restaurant to eliminate it)

Naan (Local bread sold at various street corners. The Kyrgyz love their naan with fresh berry jams!)

The traditional Ashlyan Fu soup served with a spicy paste

Russian dishes to try:

Bulgur (a brown-grain that is eaten in place of rice, often flavored in broth)

Borscht soup (a cold beet-soup with potatoes and other boiled vegetables)

Pulof (flavored rice, although we asked ours to be made in a vegetarian broth)

Mashed potatoes

The Kyrgyz love to have their hot tea with fresh bread and jam spreads at any time of the day.

Here is a delicious home-cooked meal of Plov (flavoured rice) and warm noodle soup,

prepared by our family host in Altyn Arashan.

Restaurant recommendations in Bishkek (capital city):

Baan Baan Thai Kitchen

Yellow Split Pea with Bulgur was a hit at BUBLIK!

The Tom Yum Tofu Soup at Baan Baan Thai is a MUST!

Packing for Kyrgyzstan

This would totally depend on the season you are traveling in. But an important note is that temperatures in Bishkek are generally higher than the temperatures up in the mountains. Since we travelled during early-June, we wore our winter jackets in the mountains of Ala Archa and Altyn Arashan, where it was quite windy and the temperatures would even reach single-digit celsius.

We are currently working on an article explaining our hiking gear and backpack contents, and it should be out very soon!

And now finally, a Day-by-Day breakdown of our trip!

Day 1 - arrive in bishkek, hike at ala archa national park.

We arrived early morning at the Manas International Airport in Bishkek , and were welcomed by our guide and friend, Azim, who also drove us around for the entire duration of our trip. After a very scenic 40-minutes drive to the city centre, we checked into Bugu Hotel to freshen up after the long journey, and fuel ourselves with some breakfast. We highly recommend Bugu for its clean and spacious rooms, excellent location, and complete value for money.

By mid-day, we were well rested, got our currency exchanged at a local store nearby, and set off to Ala Archa National Park. Situated 40km to the south of Bishkek, Ala Archa ('Archa' actually means juniper tree) is straight out of a fairytale book! We were spellbound by the vast expanse of mountains, unending rows of juniper trees, melting glaciers, and such crisp, clean air. ❤

The national park has several hiking tours. We took the one leading to Ak-Sai Waterfall at about +2860m above sea level. The hike was a total of 8km (up and down). We recommend dedicating an entire day to this park, plus this is a great warm-up to the upcoming hikes on your trip.

Day 2 - Hike to Kol Kogur OR Hike to Kol Tor

After an early breakfast, we started our road trip for the day to Kemin district , around 170 km from Bishkek. The drive is around 3 hours one-way, and is absolutely scenic, with passing views of lush green mountains and Kyrgyz nomads leading their herds of horses, sheep and goats.

The hike is literally like a scene from a movie, and in many ways resembles landscapes from Switzerland! The hike is around 8km (up and down), but is totally worth the effort when you reach atop +2000m above sea level, to find beautiful Kol Kogur ! ('Kol' is Kyrgyz means lake!) There was not a soul around while we were there. You can just lay on the grass staring into space all day, listening to the sounds of nature! We had a little picnic lunch by the lake, organized by our lovely guides who so kindly packed food for us before we started our road trip. Note that there is no restaurant or grocery even within kilometers' radius of this quaint, little place.

OPTION 2 - We were initially supposed to hike to Kol Tor, which is much closer to Bishkek (around 80km only) than Kol Kogur. But we were told by our guides that early-June would not be the best time to visit Kol Tor. So it's best to check with your guide before you choose which lake to hike to!

Day 3 - Visit the Gorgeous Canyons!

We checked out of our hotel, and set off on a long 8-hour journey (approx. 430 km) to our much-awaited destination - Altyn Arashan! Our guide drove us along the southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul , the biggest lake in Kyrgyzstan and en- route, we visited the Skazka Canyon (also called Fairytale Canyon) . Skazka is a world of its own, and the red-rock alien-like formations are a gorgeous change to the green mountains in the rest of the country.

Skazka is just one of the many canyon formations across Kyrgyzstan. There are many other popular ones such as Konorchek , which also happens to very closely resemble the Grand Canyon!

Can you spot Arjun?

After spending about two hours at Skazka, we continued our road trip, and by nightfall, finally reached Karakol - the starting base to get to Altyn Arashan! Here, we changed vehicles and hopped onto a 4WD mountain van with special tires that enable it to go on extremely rugged mountain terrains. This was, and probably will be the craziest vehicle journey we've ever experienced! No roads, extremely rocky trails, pitch darkness, with just the shadows of the mighty mountains, and terrifying sounds of the gushing rivers. We were moving farther from civilization and getting deeper into the wilderness of the Alytn Arashan Gorge ! ❤

We finally arrived at our destination, still pitch black around, and just guided by the starry night sky! We were greeted by our hosts (a local Kyrgyz woman and her two daughters) who manage the guesthouse 'Gulnara', and they showed us our way to our 'Yurt' - our humble place of stay for the next 3 nights!

Day 4 - Stay in a Yurt in Altyn Arashan

The previous day was a long journey from Bishkek, and the crazy ride from Karakol to Altyn Arashan got us all exhausted by the end of it! But waking up in our yurt the next morning to the views of Altyn Arashan was the most surreal experience we have ever had! We were transported back in time, far away from civilization - no network, bare minimum electricity, hardly any human souls. It was just Arjun and me, our guide and hosts, in the middle of acres and acres of endless green pastures dotted with beautiful animals grazing away to glory. ❤

Important Tips:

There are no regular toilets, well...it's more like a pit situated at least about 20 meters from our yurt! It would be best to carry wet wipes with you - super convenient in situations like these. :)

There are no electric lights in the yurt, so we used battery operated portable lights at night. We also had headbands with torchlights that were super useful when using the toilet at night.

There are no electricity outlets in the yurt, so you will definitely need a portable charger for your electronic devices.

Please make sure to carefully gather all your waste and dispose it at a bin in your host's house. The place is so pristine, and as responsible travelers it is so important to contribute to preserving this gem of a place.

On this day, I (Senora) actually woke up with an upset stomach and nausea because of the sudden change in altitude and pressure. Our hosts were so kind and helped me with some home medication, frequently feeding me hot tea with organic wild honey. So it was a day of rest for us but I felt so much better.... and well, I guess it was also my body's way of telling me to slow down and just soak in all the nature and beauty around!

Our makeshift toilet for four days at Altyn Arashan!

Day 5 - Hike to Lake Ala Kul

This was the most awaited day on our itinerary which turned out to be our most memorable one too! Even photographs do no justice to the magnitude and charm of this piece of heaven. ❤

To get to the base camp of Ala Kul , one needs to cross 14km of uneven terrain starting from our yurt at the Altyn Arashan gorge, and we did so with the help of horses. The entire journey was jaw-dropping, insanely stunning, and Arjun and I kept asking each other if we were living a dream. ❤ As we were going uphill, the temperature gradually dropped and views changed from green to white!

Upon reaching the base camp, we did a few warm-up exercises to gear up for what would be the most physically difficult experience of our life. The climb to the Ala Kul viewpoint is over +3900m above sea level, while the lake is tucked lower at +3530m above sea level. It all started well, when unexpectedly we were met by heavy snowfall which did not stop for hours until later. The climb alone is quite challenging with the incline being really steep, and the snow-filled terrains made it very slippery. Our guides, Elgiz and Azim, were our saviors ensuring our safety at every step along the way. We finally reached the top, but the lake was quite frozen and views were misty. But we were so thrilled to finally complete our crazy trek!

We climbed down the same route, and got to the point where our horses were waiting for us, and rode all 14km back to Altyn Arashan gorge. We were greeted by our loving hosts who served us some piping hot food next to a fireplace where we could warm ourselves. Post-dinner, we went to the nearby hot springs (which is a must-visit) after a hike like that - it is the perfect way to relax your sore muscles and just unwind.

Enchanting views on the way to Ala Kul

The views soon transitioned from green to white

Thanking our horses for guiding us safely to Ala Kul :D

Warming up before THE trek with Azim & Elgiz :D

And soon we were met by a surprise snowfall !

The best views come after the hardest climb. Misty views of frozen Ala Kul Lake from above +3900m ASL

Day 6 - Driving back and pit-stop at Lake Issyk Kul

We woke up early morning to spend our last few hours in the yurt and with our hosts at Altyn Arashan. We all had lunch together and it was the most emotional goodbye. :(

It was time to get back to Bishkek, but this time we drove along the northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake. The sceneries were so different from what we saw on our way to Karakol along the south shore. We drove past acres and acres of fields dotted by colorful flowers against the mountain backdrop. En-route, we had a pit-stop at Aurora Resort overlooking Lake Issyk Kul. This was a much needed break after our hike the previous day. The gardens and landscaping at Aurora are beautiful, but we would really not recommend it because of our poor experience with their disappointing rooms, unhygienic and poor service. :(

Day 7 - Explore North Shore of Lake Issyk Kul

The agenda for this day was to just...relax! After breakfast, we spent all morning relaxing by the waters of Issyk Kul, and explored the beautiful gardens in our resort. We checked-out later in the evening to finally head back to Bishkek. It took us about three hours by road, and the sunset views that evening were splendid!

After reaching Bishkek, we had dinner and later checked into Bugu Hotel . Yes! We came back to the same place where we started. :)

No, it's not a beach! It's the biggest lake in Kyrgyzstan - Issyk Kul!

Days 8, 9 - Back in Bishkek to explore the city!

The last two days of our trip were spent in Bishkek. We chose to take it easy and just explored around the city aimlessly by foot. Bishkek is very pedestrian-friendly and despite the summer heat, we were able to take respite in the numerous parks and shaded areas across the city. Bishkek is characterized by a number of historic and imposing Soviet concrete buildings, especially around the famous Ala Too Square . We also went to Osh Bazar , the central market area but we would recommend giving it a miss especially while traveling in a pandemic as it tends to get quite crowded.

The best part about traveling is the food. Arjun and I went restaurant-hopping in search for good vegan/vegetarian food. Our recommendations in the city would be Bublik, Avocado, and Baan Baan Thai Cafe ! You could also scroll to the 'Food' heading in this article above for specific food recommendations!

Stumbling upon old Soviet structures during our stroll in the capital city

With our guide and friend, Azim, at the airport. Happy Smiles. But very, very sad goodbyes. ❤

All in all, our trip to Kyrgyzstan will always be special. From the people we met and the scenic locations, to the insane adventures we had, this trip will always be one of our favourites. We hope this guide is useful and has answered all your questions. If there's anything more you would like to know, please drop us a comment below and we would love to help you out! ❤

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Kyrgyz’ what?! A complete travel guide for Kyrgyzstan.

• By Sarah Steiner
• Updated On April 6, 2024

Making plans for travel to Kyrgyzstan doesn’t register on every travellers bucket list…

But why not?

After visiting Mongolia we were certain; the nomadic herder culture is one of our favourites in the world! The horsie-ness and vastness nomadic herder culture entails, suits us and our style of travel. It’s wild. It’s remote. And it’s still very real.

The chance to visit Kyrgyzstan definitely meant stepping away from the mainstream. And we couldn’t wait to get there…

Travel to Kyrgyzstan

• About Kyrgyzstan
• Fear of the ‘Stans
• Best time to visit

Places to visit in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz hospitality.

• Travel to Kyrgyzstan with kids
• Getting around
• Connectivity and wifi

Accommodation in Kyrgyzstan

Where we stayed.

• Read more about travel to Kyrgyzstan

About Kyrgyzstan, quickly

• Capital: Bishkek
• Land area: 199,951 km 2
• Population: 6,533,500
• Official language: Kyrgyz
• Co-official language: Russian
• Religion: 90% Islam, 7% Christianity, 3% other
• Drives on: Right
• Calling code: +996
• Time zone: Universal Coordinated Time  ( UTC+06:00 )
• Outlets: Plug Type C, F (220 V / 50 Hz)

Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous, landlocked country. It is bordered to the north by Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, China to the east and Tajikistan to the southwest.

Fear of travel to the ‘Stans

Let’s be honest; first thoughts of the ‘- stan ‘ poses connotations that bring fear. History and media presents a certain image abroad, and for the seven countries in Asia that end with the suffix ‘Stan, our first reaction is not instinctively smooth.

But the word stan actually means  land in the Persian language of Farsi; a word for “place of” or “country”. Moreover it’s a bit like the suffix of names in English titles such as Eng land , Scot land , Switzer land .

And rightly so. Central Asia is a region of diverse geography and land with a lot of fascinating history behind it.  And I admit, we didn’t tell our family we were heading to Central Asia until we were actually there. Namely because we didn’t want to be put off when they freaked out on hearing the word ending with ‘Stan.

But don’t let it put you off. It’s ok for families to worry about us. That’s their prerogative and that’s ok.

Definitely don’t miss out of the land of travel and adventure in the ‘Stans. Travel to Kyrgyzstan is incredible.

Visas for Kyrgyzstan

The good news for travel to Kyrgyzstan is that it’s visa-free for a growing number of passports.

Passport holders from 69 different nations are not required to obtain a visa in advance for travel to Kyrgyzstan for travel up to the length of 30, 60 or 90 days. It is also possible for a lot of those nations to arrange a visa on arrival for an extended stay of up to 90 days.

If you aren’t one of the countries to qualify for visa-free entry, you can apply through an e-visa system or in person at a Kyrgyz embassy. You can apply via  the E-visa government website .

• Tip: Always check for updated details of visas before you travel to Kyrgyzstan .

Best time to visit Kyrgyzstan

Unlike Uzbekistan just over the border, the usual tourist season for Kyrgyzstan travel is the high summer.

Summertime is also the holiday time for Kyrgyz nomads and therefore the time when summer pastures are full of yurts. Even semi-nomads who live life in the cities during the year go to the mountain summer pastures during the school holidays and warmest times of the year.

Aside from that, fruits and vegetables are ripe and the weather is as warm as it gets.

Yurt camps set up in summer pastures offer yurt stays from mid-May to mid-September (and trust me, it’s getting cold up in the Tien Shan mountains by early September). After their holidays the camps are slowly packed away and the families move back to the cities.

In the cities however, summertime is hot. Temperatures in Osh and Bishkek get up to over 40°C. This is due to the distance in the cities from any large bodies of water (remember, Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country).

The largest lake is Issyk Kul, which becomes a popular summer beach destination in Kyrgyzstan. It is even (just) warm enough to swim here (whilst surrounded by surreal snowcapped mountains in the distance).

Kyrgyz language

In Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz language is co-official with Russian. In the cities Russian is the predominant language (especially in Bishkek), but in the smaller towns and rural areas the main language used is Kyrgyz.

Kyrgyz is a Turkic language with a written alphabet using Cyrillic.

A few Kyrgyz basics

• Hello: Salamatsuzbu
• Hello (informal): Salam
• Thank you: Rahmat
• How much is it?: Kanchadan?

A lot of Kyrgyzstan travel will have you feeling like you are quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

For the days we weren’t in Bishkek, every day we ended up somewhere random and unheard of. The landscape challenged us. Not only because it is so different from our previous months of travel in East Asia , but because it is a challenging landscape in itself.

However, this is exactly why travel in Kyrgyzstan is so appealing.

Because out of the city, people are living in this landscape as they have done for generations…

In Kyrgyzstan, we spent time in:

• Chong-Kemin National Park

Song Kol Lake

Kyrgyzstan’s capital city has a population of around one million people.

However, as a culture Kyrgyzstan is known for its rich nomadic history. So it makes sense then that the urban areas of Kyrgyzstan don’t showcase the best of what the country has to offer.

Bishkek is no exception.

Picture huge tree-lined streets, boulevards and very Soviet style architecture. It’s easy to get lost in the serious bustle of Bishkek, and slightly tricky to find a local place to eat.

But like it or lump it, Bishkek most commonly serves as the gateway to the amazing outdoor activities and vistas of Kyrgyzstan.  

Plus, as far as Kyrgyzstan travel, the country has the most liberal tourist visa regime in the area of Central Asia, so the chances are you’re going to visit. And it’s worth making the most of it…

Things to do in Bishkek

• Osh Bazaar: This is the biggest and most colourful market in Bishkek and a great place to start exploring the city from. You can find anything here: pastries, cooked food, dried fruit, vegetables, souvenirs and cheap Chinese knock offs.
• Panfilov Park: This is a very Soviet style amusement park that gets busy with locals. Part of the park is ticket-entry only, but there is also a spacious play area and free playground for kids.
• Ala Too Square: Another unmistakably Soviet style feature of Bishkek, this was built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Kyrgyz Soviet Republic. It’s marginally interesting to visit and another chance to soak in all the Soviet influence that is such a huge part of the city history.
• Eat: Bishkek isn’t honestly the most relaxing place to wander aimlessly, but if in doubt you can focus on finding a good place to eat. Beshbarmak is the Kyrgyz national dish; a soup and noodle bowl that is worth hunting out if you are there.

• Note: Osh Bazaar is notorious for pickpocketing. I haven’t any photos from inside the bazaar as didn’t take my camera or phone out on any visit.

We still can’t decide if Gavin had his small, reusable-cutlery bag snatched from his backpack or if we just lost it while staying in Bishkek. Keep your valuables safe.

That aside, we only had two days in Bishkek but it felt like enough.

We had jobs to do including finding an English-speaking witness to sign paperwork we needed to send home, and a post office to send them by mail. That kept us sufficiently busy in Bishkek and less touristy to be fair.

General vibes are of a busy city with sights to see if you are looking and have the time. And if you don’t, then get yourself out of there and on to the rest of Kyrgyzstan…

Chong Kemin National Park

Chong Kemin National Park covers 500 hectares of land in the north of Kyrgyzstan, in an area once known as Chong Kemin River Valley. 

Setting out from Bishkek, Chong Kemin is often the first stop on a tour for a night in rural Kyrgyzstan. And most tours include a stop of the ancient Burana Tower on the way.

We found Chong Kemin to be a beautiful area. Landscape within the park starts from desert-like stretches of flat, vast land, winding up into the hills through coniferous forests, mountain-scapes and glacial fed rivers.

We stayed our first night out of the city at a guesthouse somewhere in the park. And even to this day we still don’t know exactly where we were.

Cellphone reception cuts out at the base of the park, before winding up into the hills past vast farms and herds and herds of horses. We stopped in a village to ask a passing horseman for directions, because even our driver hadn’t been there before.

Chong Kemin is blissfully off the beaten track alright.

Things to do in Chong Kemin

• Hiking in the National Park: Chong Kemin has a range of different hiking trails in the park. Or, like us, you can put on your hiking shoes and explore from the homestay.
• Horse riding: Our homestay in Chong Kemin was surrounded by horses. We went to sleep with the sound of horses in the paddock outside and woke up with one right at the window.
• Get adventurous, try something new: Our kids were in awe of the young boys practising with a homemade bow and arrow. If you aren’t in a hurry, take the time to try something different. I mean, how often do you get the chance to try archery in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan?
• Burana Tower: Not technically in Chong Kemin, but on the way. Burana Tower is  large minaret in the Chuy Valley. The tower was built during the 11th century (though it has been partially restored) and claims fame as the earliest architectural wonder of Central Asia.

Experiencing nomadic herder life in Kyrgyzstan is one of our best travel experiences to date. Song Kol is an alpine lake in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, just over 3000m above sea level.

Albeit cold, but stunning.

Song Kol Lake is one of the highlights of Kyrgyzstan travel.

Things to do at Song Kol

• Horse riding: Horses are the livelihood and heart of nomadic Kyrgyz herder culture. You can ride along the shore line or trek up into the surrounding foothills of Song Kol.
• Stay in a yurt: There is nothing quite like the smell of a yurt fire burning from the warmth of your yurt home for the night. Waking up in the hills of Kyrgyzstan is a dreamlike tick for the bucket list.
• Hiking: Song Kol is beautiful and peaceful. There are plenty of options to enjoy short or long hikes.
• Help out: Learn to make curd and cream from fresh milk, and help collect water for the camp on donkeys.
• Try kymyz: This is the Kyrgyz national beverage of fermented horse milk.

It is strong and sour to taste, and mildly alcoholic but it’s deemed to be healthy and good for digestion. Perhaps healthier than vodka and cognac at least (which also seems to be a popular beverage with Kyrgyz people here!).

• Read all about our stay at Song Kol Lake with a nomadic family here .

Issyk Kul Region

Issyk Kul is an ancient lake in Kyrgyzstan, estimated to be 25 millions years old and the second largest alpine lake on the planet. (Pretty cool, right?).

The lake is surrounded by the snowcapped Tian Shan mountain range which is uncannily beautiful (and ironic, if you are arriving from anywhere desert-like in Central Asia).

Things to do in Issyk Kul Region

• Lake Issyk Kul: Want to go swimming in Kyrgyzstan?

No, seriously. If the weather is warm enough, the lake is Kyrgyzstan’s most popular summer ‘beach’ destination. (Don’t let the snow capped mountinas in the distance put you off too much!).

Karakol seems to have it all. It is a smallish town in eastern Kyrgyzstan. Most often it is known as a starting point for day hikes in the Tien Shan mountains and a base to see some of Kyrgyzstans most famous natural scenery.

It is in a unique location geographically, with China to the east and the rest of Central Asia to the west, in an area that was once part of Turkestan. Not only is there Chinese influence in the cuisine and culture of Karakol, but you can see the vestiges of Soviet influence again, in architecture, cuisine and culture.

Jeti Oguz and Fairytale Canyon are near to Karakol and can easily be done as day trips.

Things to do in Karakol

• Hiking: Karakol is considered the gateway to the Tien Shan mountain range, famous for beautiful alpine multi day hikes. There is also a range of short day walks (many in Jeti Oguz) without going to far from Karakol.
• Jeti Oguz: If you are in Kyrgyzstan with kids and/or not planning for long hikes, Jeti Oguz is a great choice for a day trip from Karakol. It is only 40 minutes drive from town.
• Seven Bulls : A striking rock formation. There are short walks along the river and up to a great lookout point.
• Dungan Mosque: The Dungan mosque was built between 1907and 1910 by a group of Chinese Muslims—known as Dungans.

The mosque is beautiful and eye-catching, with bright colours and patterns. But what is most interesting is that the wooden mosque is constructed entirely without the use of nails.

• Karakol Bazaar: Karakol Bazaar is interesting because due to its location, sellers originate from a range of Kyrgyz, Russian, Dungan, Uzbek, Uighur and Kalmak backgrounds.

Obviously, we have a thing for bazaars in Central Asia! But you can’t help but be drawn in by the bustle and energy of an Asian market. (Plus, the boys found extremely cheap knock-off Bakugan cards and thought it was the best bazaar ever. Not an authentic travel tip I know, but it’s worth sharing, just in case).

• Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral: Another cultural sight of Karakol that differs again from the norm.

The first church in Karakol was built from stone in 1869 but was destroyed by an earthquake. The current cathedral is built out of wood on a brick base.

Food in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz food is similar to it’s surrounding neighbours (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan).

In restaurants and roadside cafes, choices can often be simple and limited in variety.

And in summary, traditional Kyrgyz food is based around horse, mutton, and beef meat, as well as various dairy products. (And spoiler alert; Kyrgyzstan travel as far as food is concerned, is a different kind of adventure itself!). Meat is usually served on top of pasta or noodles, inside dumplings, or with potatoes.

There isn’t a lot more choice than that, but we didn’t find anything we really didn’t like. And meals are always served with a pot of hot tea.

Some of the most popular Kyrgyz foods include:

• Beshbarmak : Horse meat (or mutton) boiled in broth, served over soft homemade noodles.
• Chuchvara : Meat dumplings served in soup.
• Kuurdak: grilled mutton, fat and onions served on flat pasta noodles.
• Monti: meat, onion and fat filled steamed dumplings.
• Samsy: similar to a samosa, these are pockets of meat and onions.

Samsy is a great snack choice from a roadside stall or bakery-style cafe in the city. (aka: a staple food traveling in Kyrgyzstan with kids).

• Lagman: meat, vegetables and noodles served in a broth. (A cross between laksa and noodle soup?).
• Ashlam-fu : A spicy lunch dish made with cold noodles, vinegar, and eggs. This one didn’t grow on us but it is supposedly a refreshing cold lunch dish to eat in summer.
• Kurut : Small snack balls made of dried sheep’s cheese or fermented yogurt. Sounds worse than it is, and I was put off after eating them in Uzbekistan. But , kurut doesn’t taste too bad as a snack with a cold beer sitting in the sunshine outside a yurt…
• Shashlyk kebabs : Cubes of meat on skewers cooked over embers. 
• Plov : Rice dish made with mixed boiled or fried meat, onions, carrots and garlic (similar to Indian pilau).
• Lepeshki: Kyrgyz bread served with almost every meal.

Food choices in Kyrgyzstan with kids

Kyrgyz cuisine doesn’t offer too much choice, which made it fairly easy to find food the kids were happy to eat. They even found some things they really enjoyed (a travel-win!).

Some Kyrgyz foods our kids enjoyed:

• Samsy: similar to a samosa, these are pockets of meat and onions. Samsy is a great snack choice from a roadside stall or bakery-style cafe in the city. (aka: a staple food traveling in Kyrgyzstan with kids).
• Bread (lepeshki): Round and flat breads are commonly served with most meals.

• Side note: a lot of the time the tables are laid with small bowls of treats and sweets included as part of the lunch spread. And the dinner spread. Even sometimes with breakfast. (Don’t worry about finding Kyrgyz food kids will eat!).

Kyrgyzstan travel with kids

When you think of telling people you are planning to visit Kyrgyzstan with kids, first responses are liikely the same. Where ? Albeit there isn’t a lot of information online about Kyrgyzstan travel with kids, so this response is somewhat justified. And we too felt a heightened parental nervousness prior to travel.

Arriving in Bishkek surrounded by the solemn Soviet style of city architecture doesn’t exactly scream welcome to Kyrgyzstan with kids …

But, the good news is that as soon as you head out of the city, travel with kids feels as it does anywhere else; like a new adventure.

Kyrgyzstan is a very welcoming country. We were humbled and welcomed by other families who were genuinely pleased to see us traveling in Kyrgyzstan with kids. We traveled around the rural areas with a driver, and felt safe in the country with kids.

The landscape of Kyrgyzstan is exciting and varied; perfect for children. Our kids loved the freedom of being outdoors.

At Chong-Kemin they easily made themselves at home making homemade bows and arrows with local kids.

In Song Kol they were in awe of the local boys riding horses and donkeys and jumped at any chance to spend time with them. And at Issyk-Kul they swam in the biggest of Kyrgyzstan’s lakes and watched kids practising training with an eagle.

Experiencing that kind of nomadic lifestyle in Kyrgyzstan with kids really is the most incredible opportunity for learning and adventure.

Hospitality in Kyrgyzstan is one of the best stories from our travels. Kyrgyz people are somewhat shy on meeting, but welcoming without question.

Don’t be concerned by the language barrier. We found that even without language we found we could understand and enjoy meeting locals and especially learning about the nomadic lifestyle of Kyrgyzstan.

It feels like a real honour to be welcomed into the homes of nomadic families, farmers, herders and Kyrgyz families.

And one of the best things about travel to Kyrgyzstan with kids is that Kyrgyz people love children. The boys were given sweets and biscuits everywhere we went. Families we met and stayed with welcomed them and genuinely seemed to be thrilled to have them play with their kids.

In Karakol, we spent four days in between Bokonbaevo and Kazakhstan, and met our drivers family. He ended up giving his boy a day off school especially to hang out with us. We couldn’t speak as little Russian and they spoke English, but we went out for dinner with the whole family and his wife even gave us all haircuts!

Hospitality in Kyrgyzstan is definitely an asset of Kyrgyz traditions.

Travel to Kyrgyzstan – Money

The local currency in Kyrgyzstan is called the  som . It exists in bills and coins, with the largest denomination of note 5000 KGS (about $65 USD).

ATM’s are common in the cities and larger towns, but definitely carry cash with you to Song Kol as the nearest town is half a days drive away.

• Tip: At bigger hotels in Bishkek and other cities you might be able to pay by card, but at smaller guesthouses you will be expected to pay in cash.

Licensed money exchange booths (marked  obmen valyot ) will exchange US dollars and other major currencies. In Karakol we found a money-changer next door to a bank to exchange Kyrgyz som for Kazakh tenge .

• Tip: It is always a good idea to carry US dollars on you for travel in Central Asia.

Bargaining is common in Kyrgyzstan. It’s definitely worth negotiating when buying souvenirs at the bazaar as prices are often initially inflated for tourists. (We learnt this the hard way trying to buy souvenirs at Osh Bazaar).

Travel to Kyrgyzstan – Budget

Heres the catch. In theory, backpacking or travel to Kyrgyzstan on a budget is doable. Quite doable in fact. However, in our case we were travelling Kyrgyzstan with kids and we didn’t quite know what to expect.

We booked ahead to confirm a tour with a CBT office and this isn’t cheap. But it made it easy, and accommodation, meals and transport were included in the price for the days we were on the tour.

As a guide for budget travel to Kyrgyzstan , here are some of the costs we found:

• Samsy/streetfood snack: 50 som
• Bottle of water: 40 som
• Domestic beer: 150 som
• Entry to Burana Tower: 150 som per adult
• Roadside cafe lunch meal: 100-150 som
• Restaurant meal in Karakol: 600-1200 som
• Hotel in Bishkek: US $50-70

Communications: Phone and wifi

Kyrgyzstan has two main telecommunications operators; Megacom and Beeline. Mobile internet is not expensive with either provider, and tourist/short-stay packages are available.

Wifi is available in accommodation in the city, and we found good wifi in Karakol as well. 3G is available in the larger towns, although very spotty driving between sights along the south side of Issyk Kul. Roaming on an international sim should work in Kyrgyzstan as well.

Kyrgyzstan has a wide range of accommodation options. Looking online for hostels in Bishkek, you will find everything from budget range dorm-style hostels to top end hotels. We stayed in a total of five different yurtstays/homestays and guesthouses during our time in Kyrgyzstan. I booked the accommodation in Bishkek and Karakol online through booking.com. The yurt stays and homestay in Chong-Kemin were booked for us by Kyrgyz Tourism , based in Bishkek.

Staying in a yurt stay means basic accommodation, but the best thing about any homestay in Kyrgyzstan is that is likely includes breakfast and sometimes even dinner.

• Bishkek: Hotel Koisha
• Chong-Kemin/Boo Jeptes Area: Homestay
• Song-Kol Lake: Yurtstay
• Bokonbaevo: Yurtstay
• Karakol: Jamilya Eje’s Guesthouse

Hotel Koisha in Bishkek is a great place to start. The family room has two seperate rooms and a private bathroom. And you wouldn’t guess it from the outside, but the hotel has a huge courtyard, kitchen, outdoor kitchen and BBQ area, and indoor/outdoor common space.

The hotel is only 100m from Osh Bazaar, and affordable at US $38 per night for a family room. I would recommend Hotel Koisha as a good choice for arrival in Bishkek. It made day one for us in Kyrgyzstan with kids feel safe and smooth.

In Karakol, Jamilya Eje’s Guesthouse was a great find. We stayed four nights, relaxing in between our Kyrgyzstan tour and starting our next leg over the border to Kazakhstan . The quadruple room is a decent size with a double bed and two single beds. Cost: US $55 per night. Dinner is available in the restaurant room most nights. Breakfast is included. The guesthouse is in walking distance of playgrounds in Karakol and the main Karakol Bazaar.

Getting around Kyrgyzstan

The main ways to travel within Kyrgyzstan are by private taxi, marshrutkas (shared taxi van) or bus.

In Bishkek and Karakol we used taxis to get around. Taxis are cheap and it is easy for your hostel or hotel to call and book a taxi if you need to go somewhere. On the street you can wave down a registered taxi vehicle and negotiate a fixed price for a ride.

Marshrutkas are a a form of shared taxi, most commonly a minivan and are the most common form of transport. They act as buses, departing from central stations in the larger towns and cities and bus stops in rural areas. Some are scheduled but most line up and wait until they are full before departing.

• Tip: In a smaller marshrutkas is you pay for all four seats it will essentially act a private taxi).

We booked a driver for our time in Kyrgyzstan through Kyrgyz Tourism , based in Bishkek.

• Tip: I recommend you email Aisha at Kyrgyz Tourism who is amazing to deal with.

She answered all of my questions and was fantastic in understanding and adapting a tour that would suit us to get around Kyrgyzstan with the kids.

One challenge in our travels to Kyrgyzstan

High altitude temperatures at Song-Kol lake mean it gets COLD! Early September is technically summer, but it hits zero degrees at night time.

Arriving in Kyrgyzstan having traveled for months prior in South East and East Asia, we were traveling light and had only been in temperate climates. (Not to mention arriving directly to Kyrgyzstan travel after the past few weeks sweltering in the Karakalpakstan desert and taking an overnight train across the desert in Uzbekistan !).

We knew Song-Kol Lake would take us to the highest point of our travels for the year and in truth we were fine. The kids had long pants and layered up with singlets, long sleeves, jumpers, and light jackets.

Our host Mum at our yurt camp even came in during the night to re-stock our yurt fire with cow poo. BUT , we could have been better prepared.

Our driver lent me a warm jumper to wear under my light jacket, and I have to be honest – I was so appreciative!

If we went again…

Now with hindsight, if we went again we would head to the op-shop in Bishkek to stock up with warm clothes BEFORE hitting sub-zero temperatures at Song-Kol lake.

There are plenty of op-shops in Kyrgyzstan (they get knock-offs and near-new labelled clothing directly from South Korea ), but we didn’t think of that before heading out of the city.

Stock up with jackets or jumpers first!

Useful links for travel to Kyrgyzstan and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com  – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. And it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love their flexible cancellation policy!).
• Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner!
• GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. It includes everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• SafetyWing  – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country. 
• World Nomads   – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance for your Kyrgyzstan travel and adventures!

Read more about traveling in Central Asia

• What makes Silk Road flatbreads so fabled? 
• Uzbekistan: A complete travel guide to Uzbekistan. 
• The greatest gift of travel: We found it in Uzbekistan. 
• Taking an overnight train to Nukus, Karakalpakstan. 
• Border crossing: Karkara, Kyrgyzstan to Keten, Kazakhstan.
• Visiting human disaster at the disappearing Aral Sea in Muynak.
• 9 Kyrgyz foods to try (plus one that’s optional).

We hope you enjoyed our Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide and feel inspired for the adventure of travel to Kyrgyzstan! Leave us a comment if you have any questions about Kyrgyzstan travel. We truly enjoyed it and hope you do too!

Wondering about itineraries?  Questions about schooling?  See our Family Travel Guides and FAQ here . 

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1 thought on “Kyrgyz’ what?! A complete travel guide for Kyrgyzstan.”

Hey there, author! I just finished reading your travel guide on Kyrgyzstan, and I couldn’t resist dropping a comment. First off, let me say, wow! Your article is like a virtual tour of this incredible country. It’s clear that you have a genuine passion for exploring new places, and that enthusiasm shines through every word.

Your detailed descriptions of Kyrgyzstan’s landscapes, from the rugged mountains to the serene lakes, had me daydreaming about my next adventure. And your practical tips, like the advice on local cuisine and the importance of respecting the culture, are invaluable for anyone planning a trip there. I also loved the personal anecdotes you sprinkled throughout the article; it made me feel like I was right there with you, experiencing everything firsthand.

I’m seriously considering Kyrgyzstan as my next travel destination, all thanks to your inspiring article. Keep up the fantastic work, and please keep sharing your adventures with us! Can’t wait to see where you’ll take us next. Safe travels!

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Frugal Travellers

Join us as we wander the globe, what is the cost of travel in kyrgyzstan.

Want to know the cost of travel in Kyrgyzstan? In this post we break down the cost of travel in Kyrgyzstan to show the prices of travel, accommodation, food, drinks etc. We show what a budget traveller can expect to spend on a daily basis to help you plan a budget backpacking trip to Kyrgyzstan.  We show the exact prices we paid as an example of what you can expect to spend whilst budget travelling in Kyrgyzstan.

Frugal Travellers’ budget guide to Kyrgyzstan

Well,  we have been travelling here for almost 2 months in total and so far, per person , per day it has cost us –

Som 1,025 / US $14.76 /  £11.44   / AUS $20.11

We spent less than US $15 per person per day !

This is working on the current exchange rate on 22 August 2018.  Check the current exchange rate on xe.com

Read – Travel Costs and Information for Iraqi Kurdistan

SO… what can I expect to spend on everyday things in Kyrgyzstan?

We’ll go through what we  spent as an example of what you can expect to spend whilst travelling in Kyrgyzstan.  We’ll cover the usual travelling expenses categories.

Accommodation

Getting around.

• Miscellaneous costs

We tend to go for the cheapest double room we can find.  Sometimes we end up in a dorm if there is no other choice.  We looked for Yurts to stay in because they are just so cool and are definitely a highlight of travel in Kyrgyzstan.

Note :   We often use booking.com to find places or we get recommendations from other travellers but we don’t always book in advance.  We found that often you can negotiate a cheaper rate if you just rock up.  We did that in Bishkek as we stayed for a long time. Of course you can always book in advance if you prefer using the links below.

Accommodation prices per person

• Bishkek – Friends guesthouse – double room –  400 Som 
• Karakol – KBH Hostel – dorm bed –    400 Som 
• Tong (Issy-Kul lake) – Aylun guesthouse – Yurt with breakfast – 700 Som 
• Jeti Oguz – No name local Kyrgyz guesthouse – double room – 250 Som
• Jyrgylan – Ak Shoola homestay – double with dinner and breakfast – 1000 Som
• Arslanbob – CBT guesthouse Zaina – double with dinner and breakfast – 750 Som
• Osh – Lovely home for you – double room – 480 Som 
• Sary Mogul – CBT guesthouse – dorm bed with breakfast and dinner –  1000 Som 
• Lenin Peak – CBT Yurt camp –  Yurt with dinner and breakfast – 1000 Som

400 Som = US$5.83 / £4.53 / AU$7.95

Camping on the Ala-Kol lake trek – 150 Som to take a tent into the national park, then free to camp every night.  I paid 400 Som per night for tent hire from a local agency. Read all about the amazing Ala-Kol lake trek here !   If you bring your own tent to Kyrgyzstan then accommodation prices all of a sudden become very cheap.  There are many places to camp free or you can often pay hostels a small amount of money to camp in their grounds and use their facilities.

Getting around in Kyrgyzstan can be a bit of a challenge.  There is no real regular bus service like in most other countries.  Instead you take marshrutkas (Public minibuses) that do not always have a schedule and sometimes only leave when full.  Or there are shared taxis which are cars or people carriers that rent a seat out to individual travellers.  The price isn’t always fixed and you have to negotiate your fare.  Find out what you should be paying in advance from locals so you do not get overcharged.

Where there is a Kacca (Ticket office) in a bus station it is always better to buy your ticket there to avoid being overcharged.  In this section we show what we  paid per person as an example.

Marshrutkas and shared taxis

Prices per person

Chinese border to Sary Mogul – Shared taxi – 850 Som

Sary Mogul to Osh – Shared taxi – 400 Som

Batken to Osh – Marshrutka – 307 Som

Osh to Arslanbob – Mixture of 3 separate Marshrutkas – Total cost – 420 Som

Arslanbob to Bishkek –  Marshrutka then Shared taxi – Total cost –  1400 Som

Bishkek to Karakol – Marshrutka – 400 Som 

Karakol to Jyrgylan – Marshrutka  – 110 Som

Karakol to Jeti Oguz resort – Marshrutka – 100 Som

Karakol to Bokonbaev – Marshrutka – 150 Som

Bokonbaev to Bishkek – Marshrutka – 300 Som

Bishkek to Almaty (Kazakhstan) – 400 Som

400 Som = US$5.83 /  £4.53 / AU$7.95

There is only 1 domestic train service in Kyrgyzstan which is painfully slow but cheap as chips.  70 Som each way!  It averages 30 kph between Bishkek and Balykychy and takes 5 hours compared to the bus which takes 2.  We took it just for fun!

Examples of food prices

• Kebabs – 120 Som
• Samsas – 30 Som
• Ice creams – 20 Som

Sit down meals

• Stololovayas – Salad, main course and tea – 100 – 200 Som
• Askana – main meal –  100 – 200 Som
• Shashlik (grilled meat on a skewer) – 100 Som
• Tourist restaurants – Start at around 300 Som + service charge

100 Som = US$1.45 /  £1.13 / AU$1.98

Miscellaneous Costs

There are always a few extra Miscellaneous costs when travelling.  Museums, entry fees etc.  Unfortunately all the museums seemed to be closed when we were in Bishkek and a lot of the entertainment like the circus, theaters and opera close up for the summer.  Here are a few examples of those type of costs we incurred.

• Cinema entry in Bishkek – 180 Som for the matinee
• Beeline local Sim card – 95 Som for 1 week 4GB data (unlimited data between 1 and 7 am)
• Entrance to Bird of Prey festival – 800 Som
• Weigh yourself on the street – 5 Som
• Cheap Kalpak (felt Kyrgyz traditional hat, see below) – 280 Som

The True Cost of Travel in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is an excellent country to travel in and you can get around and live quite comfortably on as little as 1000 Som or US$15 a day if you are moving slowly.  This is budget travel.  If you are on a quick, short holiday you are probably going to want to do things a bit differently.  You may take more taxis in cities or faster shared taxis between destinations.  Add on some inclusive tours and eating in tourist restaurants and your budget will rise even more so double that.  On $50 a day you’ll be living very well.

We all do things differently and chose our budgets to reflect our comfort zones.  All in All Kyrgyzstan is an incredibly good value for money destination.  Probably the best in Central Asia.  However you travel here I’m sure you’ll have a great experience and, like us, will leave only wanting to come back for more!

Useful?  If you want to know what it costs to travel the world for an entire year as a frugal traveller.  Check out our year end report!!

We hope this article, What is the cost of travel in Kyrgyzstan? has been of use to anyone planning a travel budget to Kyrgyzstan.  Prices do change rapidly and also we may have missed many things out.  If you would like to add anything or amend any figures or if you have any questions, please write a comment in the form below.  We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Travels!

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Kyrgyzstan Price Guide. Prices in 2022

Many travelers who visit Kyrgyzstan often ask questions such as: “How much money should I take with me?”, “Are consumer prices high in Kyrgyzstan?”, “How much does it cost per day?”, “Is food expensive here?”, “Do I need a SIM card here?”.

Today we will answer all these questions so that each of our travelers is fully aware of these details.

How much money should a tourist take with him when traveling in Kyrgyzstan?

For 2022, the minimum budget for one day in Kyrgyzstan is 12 USD per person. For this amount, a tourist will be able to book an inexpensive hostel in Bishkek, take two public transport tickets, and also eat 2 times in a local canteen.

If the tourist wants to spend the night in a more comfortable room, travel by taxi, and visit local restaurants, then the price for one day will be about 50 USD per person.

Kyrgyzstan is considered one of the most budgetary countries. Here you can not only visit the best places for a small amount, but also taste unforgettable national dishes of huge portions with exquisite meat.

How much does an internet package cost?

Kyrgyzstan is considered one of the countries where the Internet is very cheap.

In Kyrgyzstan, mobile communication services are provided to the population by three telecom operators: O!, Megacom and Beeline. Each company is making efforts to increase the number of its subscribers.

Therefore, in each of the regions of Kyrgyzstan, you can find that somewhere the locals use the Beeline mobile operator, somewhere Megacom, and in some areas the majority of the locals use O!

Let’s find out what popular traffic plans exist for each of the mobile operators:

• 145 KGS – 10 GB of internet, 5 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to O!
• 285 KGS – Unlimited internet for 7 days, 60 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to O!
• 395 KGS – 30 GB of Internet for 30 days, 15 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to O!
• 495 KGS – Unlimited internet for 30 days, 60 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to O!

2 . Megacom

• 80 KGS – 500 MB of internet every day for 7 days, 10 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to Megacom, free 100 SMS to Megacom operator!
• 225 KGS – 500 MB of internet every day for 30 days, 10 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to Megacom, free 100 SMS to Megacom operator!
• 300 KGS – Unlimited internet for 30 days, free calls to Megacom, free 200 SMS to Megacom operator!
• 120 KGS – 5 GB of internet for 7 days, free calls to Beeline, free SMS to Beeline!
• 285 KGS – 20 GB of internet for 30 days, unlimited for such APPs as WhatsApp, ZOOM, Telegram, Skype, Google Classroom, Kelbil
• 490 KGS – 30 GB of internet for 30 days, 60 minutes of calls to any mobile operators, free calls to Beeline!

Upon arrival, each of the travelers has the opportunity to purchase a SIM card of any mobile operator at the airport for free.

If a tourist wants to stay in Kyrgyzstan for more than a month, we recommend connecting a corporate tariff plan that provides 40 GB of free Internet for a month, as well as free calls and SMS. The cost of such a traffic plan is 250 KGS (3.1 USD).

Accommodation costs

Accommodation in Kyrgyzstan is very cheap, but it also depends on the location of the area.

In small towns, the minimum cost of accommodation in hostels is from 350 KGS (4.3 USD) and up per night. In the capital, one night stay in a hostel is 550 KGS (6.8 USD).

Let’s look at the cost of living in large and small cities of Kyrgyzstan.

Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, so the prices for accommodation here are more expensive than in other cities:

• The most budget option is hostel accommodation – from 550 KGS (6.8 USD) per person / per night
• Guest houses – from 700 KGS (8.7 USD) per person / per night
• Apartment rental – from 1100 KGS (13.75 USD) per person / per night
• 3 star hotels – from 1600 KGS (20 USD) per person / per night
• 4 star hotels – from 2400 KGS (30 USD) per person / per night
• 5 star hotels – from 5800 KGS (72.5 USD) per person / per night

Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, it is also called the southern capital, for this reason, Osh has almost the same accommodation prices as Bishkek.

• Hostels – from 350 KGS (4.4 USD) per person / per night
• Apartment rental – from 1000 KGS (12.5 USD) per person / per night
• 4 star hotels – from 2800 KGS (35 USD) per person / per night
• 5 star hotels – from 6400 KGS (80 USD) per person / per night

3. Jalal Abad

Jalal-Abad is the third largest city of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, located in the south of the country in the foothills of the Tien Shan Range at an altitude of 763 meters above sea level.

Despite the fact that prices in Hostels and guest houses are more expensive than in big cities, living conditions are better here.

• Hostels – from 600 KGS (7.5 USD) per person / per night
• Apartment rental – from 900 KGS (11.2 USD) per person / per night
• 4 star hotels – from 3600 KGS (45 USD) per person / per night
• 5 star hotels – from 6800 KGS (85 USD) per person / per night

In other regions of the country, you can stay in guest houses – 900-1000 KGS (11.2 – 12.5 USD) per person / per night

In Kyrgyzstan you can also experience the life of nomads and spend an unforgettable night in a Kyrgyz yurt.

Yurts are usually located in remote areas of Kyrgyzstan. The cost of living in a standard yurt – 1500 KGS (18.7 USD) per person / per night.

In addition to standard yurts, you can also spend the night in a modern yurt, which is located in the Chunkurchak gorge. The cost of living in a modern yurt – 4500 KGS (56.2 USD) per person / per night.

Food Prices

By visiting Kyrgyzstan you can taste dishes prepared from incredibly tasty meat for a small amount of money.

In 2021, the head of the National Union of the Russian Federation for the Production of Meat recognized the meat of Kyrgyzstan as the most delicious in the world. The reason for the exquisite taste of meat is the plants in the mountainous areas where the animals feed.

The minimum amount of one lunch in local establishments in Kyrgyzstan is 120 KGS (1.5 USD). The cost of one teapot of tea is 30 KGS (0.37 USD). The minimum cost for local bread, also called “Nan”, is 15 KGS (0.18 USD).

If you come in a group, then you can order 1 kilogram of pilaf (a national dish of rice and meat), this is enough for a group of 8-10 people. The cost of one kilogram of pilaf is 1400 KGS (17.5 USD).

Also, for lovers of sour-milk products in the cities of Kyrgyzstan, almost through every street you can meet Shoro-ezheshka (It’s a popular word for a woman seller aged 30 and older) who sells such cold sour-milk drinks called “Maxim Shoro”. The cost of a glass of 0.5 liters is 28 KGS (3.5 USD).

Tourists who rent apartments and want to cook meals at home often do not know where to buy vegetables, fruits and other types of food.

Let’s look at the places where any foreigner can go to buy food:

       1. Supermarket “Globus”

Globus stores are one of the largest retail chains in Kyrgyzstan with the lowest pricing policy.

At the moment, the Globus chain of stores has 37 stores. Of these: 6 hypermarkets, 25 supermarkets, 3 Express stores and 3 Bereke stores.

      2. Hypermarket “Frunze”

The Frunze hypermarket chain has been pleasing the Kyrgyz people and foreign guests with the opportunity to make pleasant purchases for 7 years already. During this time, it has expanded to 26 stores in Bishkek, Osh, Jalal-Abad, the villages of Novopavlovka and Manas.

      3. Grocery store “Narodny”

“Narodny” is a national chain of stores in Kyrgyzstan, founded in 2002. At present, the Narodny chain of stores consists of 39 convenience stores. There are 34 stores in Bishkek and one each in the cities of Kara-Balta (Novo-Nikolaevka), Kant, Tokmok, Cholpon-Ata, and Bosteri.

Transport prices

From November 1, 2021, public transport prices have increased in Kyrgyzstan. The last time prices were changed was in 2012.

The increase in fares is due to higher fuel prices as well as higher prices for auto parts.

For 2022, the cost of one trip on public transport is: 15 KGS (0.18 USD) on a minibus (local transport minibus) and 11 som (0.13 USD) on a trolleybus.

Taxi prices are 70 KGS for landing and 12 KGS for each kilometer traveled.

If you want to travel from north to south, taxi prices from Bishkek to Osh are 1,700 KGS (21.2 USD) per person. There is also a more convenient way to get to southern Kyrgyzstan is by air, the cost of a one-way ticket is 2300 KGS (28.7 USD).

Despite the fact that recent events have had a very strong impact on the economy of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is still considered a country with a high level of happiness.

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Kyrgyzstan Itinerary: The Perfect 10 and 21 Day Itineraries

• Last Updated: January 10, 2023

Everything you need to know to plan your Kyrgyzstan itinerary for trips between 10 and 21 days!

This stunning expanse of land smashed between the other four Central Asian nations and China is one of the most stunning in the world.

The majority of travellers often visit Kyrgyzstan as part of a larger trip across Central Asia and as a result will budget a hefty chunk of time to play with.

Over the last few years, the number of visitors has grown considerably. This has improved the tourist infrastructure, as well as further opening up parts of the country that were previously inaccessible.

Kyrgyzstan is country that draws its visitors back again, and again. So whatever you can’t do this time, put them in your back pocket for next time.

We’ve put together 2 itineraries for 10 days and 3 weeks that will be of use to any traveller regardless of how long you plan to visit Kyrgyzstan . 

Table of Contents

Travel Time

East and/or west, day 1 – bishkek, day 2 – travel to jyrgalan via karakol, day 3 – hiking in jyrgalan – bulak ashuu day 1 , day 4 – hiking in the jyrgalan – bulak ashuu day 2 , day 5 – hiking in the jyrgalan – bulak ashuu day 3, day 6 – karakol – jeti oguz , day 7 – travel to kochkor for a horse trek, day 8 – song kul horse trek – day 1 , day 9 – song kul horse trek – day 2, day 10 – song kul horse trek – day 3, day 11 – kol ukok trek – day 1 , day 12 – kol ukok trek – day 2, day 13 – travel to arslanbob via seasonal road, day 14 – explore arslanbob , day 15 – explore arslanbob, day 16 – osh, day 17 – travel to sary-mogol, day 18 – hike to lenin peak base camp – day 1 , day 19 – hike to lenin peak base camp – day 2, day 20 – back to osh, day 21 – fly to bishkek, 10 day kyrgyzstan itinerary, day 2 – bishkek – day hike in ala archa , day 3 – travel to karakol , day 4 – karakol – hike to altyn arashan , day 5 – karakol – return from altyn arashan, day 6 – karakol – hike to jeti oguz , day 7 – kochkor – song kul, day 8  – kochkor – song kul, day 9 – kochkor  – song kul , day 10 – bishkek, day 2 – travel to arslanbob, day 3 – hiking in arslanbob, day 4 – hiking in arslanbob, day 5 – hiking in arslanbob, day 6 – travl to osh, day 7 – travel to sary mogol, day 8 – hiking to lenin peak base camp, day 9 – hiking back to tulpar lake, day 10 – back to osh and head home, the perfect kyrgyzstan itinerary – things to consider.

Before we dive deep into these Kyrgyzstan itineraries, there are a few things you need to consider depending on how much time you have.

Read Next: Looking for other awesome things to do in Kyrgyzstan ? Check out our post on all the activities you don’t want to miss!

Journeys in Kyrgyzstan can be long. In some areas, roads may not be in great condition (this is especially true if crossing from the east to the west or vice versa).

But the mountainous terrain can significantly increase even the shortest distance. 

Therefore when putting together any Kyrgyzstan itinerary it’s important to budget a day where possible for long journeys.

Additionally if planning on taking marshrutka the entire way it’s good to anticipate these journeys to take longer than advertised. Vans may not leave until full, they may be picking up and dropping off things en route, or they may break down.  

Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country worth every bit of time that you have. If you are able to commit to our 21-day itinerary then you won’t have to decide whether to explore the eastern or western part of the country.

However, if your time is limited then this is something you will need to decide on. Roads span to the east and west from Bishkek.

However, going from the east to the west in other parts of the country relies on a seasonal 4wd road. Therefore the chances of being able to go to both ‘sides’ of the country on a short trip are pretty unlikely. 

Kyrgyzstan Itineraries

If possible, we recommend that you try and budget to spend 3 weeks in Kyrgyzstan. This will give you the best experience and leave you wanting for nothing more than to come back again.

But with 10 days you can do a whirlwind tour that will give you a taste of Kyrgyzstan and give you an idea of what you’ll want to revisit on a return trip.

We’ve broken down our 10-day Kyrgyzstan itinerary recommendations into an eastern and western itinerary.

The being said, here are our 3-week and 10-day Kyrgyzstan itinerary recommendations.

3-Week Kyrgyzstan Itinerary

With 3 weeks in Kyrgyzstan, it is possible to explore both the eastern and western sides of the country.

However, this itinerary would only work in the summer as the roads linking the western and eastern halves of the country are closed during the winter months. 

With three weeks in Kyrgyzstan, you will be able to take on numerous multi-day hikes, so you may wish to bring camping gear with you, especially for some of the less well-known destinations. 

I have jam-packed this itinerary. However, I will recommend alternatives where possible.

Naturally, you can replace some of the parts here with recommendations from the 10-day itinerary as you see fit. 

There is quite a lot of hiking here, so make so you take rest days if you need it!

The entry point for most people into Kyrgyzstan is the nation’s capital, Bishkek . There are few cool sights to check out that will keep you occupied.

Get your fill of food other than manti, plov, shashlik and lagman. As good as they are you will be eating a lot of them over the next 3 weeks!

For Day 2, get down to the bus station and hop on a marshrutka heading to Karakol. You will need to get to the bus station early as marshrutka will fill up prior to departure.

Upon arriving in Karakol your best to get to Jyrgalan will be a private taxi. This is likely to be $20-30 depending on your negotiating skills.

There are numerous trekking and hiking options in Jyrgalan. However, this 3-day route in Jyrgalan comes highly recommended. It’s an absolute beauty.

Here are a few posts we have on the best hiking in Jyrgyalan:

• Day Hikes in Jyrgalan
• Keskenkija Loop

The second day is a little easier than the first. Check out this post for more information on all of the details for this hike!

This is the shortest day in this hike. When you get back to Jyrgalan, take a taxi or marshrutka back to Karakol. 

You may want to spend the day resting. However, the day hike to Jeti Oguz is both spectacular and not too challenging on the knees.

Bring a picnic and find a spot overlooking the stunning jailoos.

Or alternatively, you could skip this and head to Kochkor a day early to give you more time later on in this Kyrgyzstan itinerary.

From Karakol, you can hop on a marshrutka to Kochkor. However, make sure you get to the bus stop at least 30 minutes before it’s due to leave to ensure you will be able to get a space. 

It is better to have booked the horse trek in advance if possible. This can be done through your guesthouse or the CBT in Kochkor.

We booked it through our guesthouse, Kochkor Family Guesthouse and cannot recommend them highly enough!  

Get ready to ache like you have never ached before! You will have some spectacular scenery on the first day. However, that is just a warm-up for day 2.

The scenery on the second day of the trek as you cross passes down to the lake itself is absolutely spectacular. Once you get to the yurt camp on the lake’s edge you can hike in the hills surrounding it. 

After getting back to Karakol, make sure you take it easy, as you will be rather achy. 

READ MORE: Plan your whole trip to Kyrgyzstan using our comprehensive Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide !

This spectacular 2-day trek begins a 15-minute drive from Karakol. The yurt camp is about 4 or so hours from the trailhead.

You can then hike onto the lake, Kol Ukok on your first day, return to the yurt camp and then hike back the next day. Or you can hike up to the lake and back on day 2, which was what we did. 

The reason for this was the weather was supposed to the be better on day 2 (incidentally it ended up being sunny on both days). 

Heading to the lake we got up just before sunrise, around 5:30 am, and started the trek to the lake itself.

The first couple of hours are not particularly spectacular. However, after the final climb, the lake appears before you, and it is worth the aches and sweats.

Hike along the lake’s edges for some spectacular mountain views beyond the lake. It is possible to carry on. However, you would need more time and your own camping equipment. 

Here is where we move over to the western side of the country. The most direct route is via a seasonal road to Arslanbob, home to the world’s largest walnut forest. If this isn’t open there is a much longer route that goes back around Arslanbob. 

Getting to Arslanbob is likely to very likely to require you to take a public taxi. It is best to try and book this as early as possible. 

Spend a couple of days exploring Arslanbob at your own leisure. There are a number of excellent day hikes in the area.

Despite its elevation, there is a lot of green here

Take another day to hike and explore Arslanbob and then travel to Osh in the afternoon/evening.

The journey to Osh is between 3 and 4 hours, if leaving in the early afternoon a marshrutka should be fine.

However, if going later than that then a private taxi will probably be your best bet.

Welcome to Kyrgyzstan’s second city. It is overlooked by Suleiman Too, a five peaked rocky crag, that seems to keep a watchful eye on you wherever you go. The city has is traditionally more Central Asian feel than Bishkek.

The bazaar in the heart of the city is one of Central Asia’s largest and is well worth a visit.

From Osh head to Sary Mogol to take on the trek to Lenin Peak Base Camp, which is not as challenging as you might think. 

Travel to Sary-Mogol can be a little tricky from Osh. However, we have an article on hiking to Lenin Peak Base Camp , which will be really useful.

Hike to Tulpar lake and onto the base camp itself. There are two base camps, the second being the advanced base camp which is further on.

If you have the time, gear and fitness then this is very possible. And it is possible to hike this route without a guide. 

On your second day hike back to Sary-Mogol with weary legs and some amazing photos.

Head back to Osh via marshrutka or private taxi. 

Osh is fast becoming a cheap entry and exit point for Kyrgyzstan. Therefore you may not need to fly back to Bishkek before heading home.

However, the vast majority of international flights enter and exit via Bishkek.

The flight from Bishkek to Osh is on 40 minutes, so it’s possible to fly first thing and arrive in Bishkek with plenty of time to spare for your next flight. 

With 10 days it’s pretty easy to take in most of Kyrgyzstan’s spectacular scenery. I’ve put together two 10 day itinerary’s for you. One focusing on the east, and one focusing on the west.

In these 10 day Kyrgyzstan itineraries I’ve taken in some of the country’s most well-known areas.

In Kyrgyzstan, it is very common to base yourself in one place for a significant period of time to take advantage of a number of hiking trails in the area.

As time is short it’s best to book as much as possible before you go. This will make things much easier when in Kyrgyzstan. 

10 Day Kyrgyzstan Itinerary – Eastern Kyrgyzstan

Spend your first day in Bishkek checking out some Soviet architecture, wandering in the cities parks and chowing down on something that isn’t plov, manti, shashlik or lagman.

In the evening Ala-Too square is lit up and the parks fill up with people enjoying an evening stroll.

Get out into Kyrgyzstan’s spectacular scenery on your second day in the Ala Archa National Park .

You can arrange a private taxi through your guesthouse or you can find on outside of the bus station. Make sure you go to the Alplager, as this is where the trailheads begin. 

There are numerous day hikes in the area so get ready for some achy legs. 

If you don’t fancy Ala Archa there are plenty of other hikes around Bishkek!

The journey to Karakol is a long one, about 8 hours by marshrutka and a little quicker by private taxi. If you’re taking a marshrutka to try and get to the bus station before 9 am to ensure you get a seat as they can fill up fast.

However as it’s such a common route, there are multiple marshrutka that run throughout the day. 

Upon arriving in Karakol head to your guest house and then possibly the CBT if you need to book a yurt camp in Altyn Arashan. 

For the next 3 days, Altyn Arashan will act as your base as you go hiking into the wilderness. The hikes I’ve suggested below can easily be switched or replaced as you wish. 

Head out to the trailhead bright and early to begin your hike to Altyn Arashan. This 2-day hike is one of the most popular in Kyrgyzstan.

You can book a yurt through the Karakol CBT or potentially through your guest house. 

The hot springs at Altyn Arashan are a perfect place to recharge your aching muscles. It is possible to hike from the hot springs to the edge of the Palatka Glacier in about 5 hours. 

On day 5 return to Karakol from Altyn Arashan. If the weather is good then you may want to hike beyond the yurt camp before returning to the trailhead.

From Karakol, the trailhead to Jeti Oguz is roughly 30 minutes away. This is one of the most spectacular one-day hikes in Kyrgyzstan.

The views overlooking the jailoos and onto the snow-capped mountains beyond. 

Bring a packed lunch and a book to enjoy looking out over the spectacular scenery around you. 

In the evening take a private taxi to Kochkor. 

Get up bright and early and head off to take in one of Kyrgyzstan’s most spectacular horse treks – Song Kul. This is an excellent addition to any Kyrgyzstan itinerary.

You can arrange this through CBT or through your accommodation if you haven’t arranged it in advance.

When I was in Kyrgyzstan I arranged this through my hostel. It was cheaper than CBT and we had a fantastic experience. 

The first day will leave you in oodles of pain (unless you regularly ride). You’ll pass through lush green jailoos as you cross a number of passes. 

The second day of a horse trek to Song Kul is nothing short of spectacular. The views from the final pass as you descend down towards the lake are awe-inspiring. 

As you get to flatter ground do not be surprised if your horse gets a wee bit excited at the change in surrounds and bolts off. This is exactly what happened to my wife.

Fortunately, the horse was very obedient and she was able to easily bring him back under control. My horse carried on trotting. It was safe to say he didn’t quite have the same level of enthusiasm. 

Spend the day hiking around the yurt camp and down to the lakes edge. 

The final day of the Song Kul horse trek will bring you along the lake’s edge and up over your final pass. The descent from here down is steep, and the balance of the horses is absolutely incredible. 

You will ache a heck of a lot after three days on the back of a horse, so make sure you take it easy when you get back to Kochkor. 

On your final day, head back to Bishkek via marshrutka or private taxi. 

10 Day Kyrgyzstan Itinerary – Western Kyrgyzstan

Land in Bishkek and spend your first day getting acclimatised. Take the time to stroll through city’s parks and check out Ala-Too square.

Get down to Bishkek’s bus station bright and early to catch a marshrutka to Arslanbob. You may need to take one going to Osh and change en route.

There is some particularly lovely mountain scenery on this route, so enjoy!

Home to the worlds largest walnut forest, Arslanbob is home to some epic hiking trails and lovely waterfalls. Spend your time here hiking the forest trails and checking out the waterfalls in the area.

That being said, Arslanbob is a lovely place to just watch the clouds go by, so you may just want to sit out with a cup of tea and watch the clouds glide past the mountains.

One of the most popular hikes is to the big and small waterfalls, which your guesthouse and most locals will be able to give you directions to.

The small waterfall is behind a mosque in the town whereas the big waterfall is roughly 2 hours there and back.

Arslanbob is home to some beautiful day hikes, with one of the most spectacular being Babash-Ata. The views on this hike are pretty awesome.

However, if you get amongst the walnut trees then the day hike to Kyzyl-Unkur crosses the forest itself.

From Arslanbob head to Kyrgyzstan’s second city of Osh. Nestled in the mountains with the peaks of Suleiman Too looking down over you, Osh is more Central Asian than Bishkek.

The sweaty climb to the top of Suleiman Too offers some great views over the city.

The city’s bazaar, as one of the biggest in Central Asia is legendary, so make sure you check that out too.

Getting here can be a little tricky so taking a private taxi may be your best option. From Osh, you may need to take a marshrutka to Sary Tash first, and then head onto Sary Mogol via private taxi.

Lenin Peak base camp is approximately 2 hours from Tuplar Lake, which itself is 5-6 hour walk from Sary Mogol. Many people will get a taxi to Tulpar Lake and then hike onto the base camp itself

There is a yurt camp at both Tulpar Lake and base camp, unsurprisingly the latter is more expensive.

There are plenty of hikes in the area, so once you have hiked up to base camp you could check out some of the trails in the area.

After spending the night at base camp hike back to Tulpar Lake and maybe take on one of the trails around the lake before taking a taxi back to Sary Mogol, or potentially back to Osh.

Head back to Osh where your Kyrgyzstan adventure ends. You can fly home directly from Osh, most likely via Bishkek.

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Richard Barnes

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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The 23 Best Things to Do in Kyrgyzstan

14 AWESOME Things to Do in Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan [2024]

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Home » Asia » Kyrgyzstan » What to Know Before Traveling to Kyrgyzstan – Tips, Tricks, and Answers

What to Know Before Traveling to Kyrgyzstan – Tips, Tricks, and Answers

Kyrgyzstan is becoming one of the most hyped-about travel destinations in 2020. Many travelers have heard stories about how breathtaking the landscape is, how friendly its natives are, and how untouched the country is by mass tourism.

Perhaps you’ve already heard something similar and have been planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan for a while now. Where do you start though? What do you need to organize before visiting?

There are definitely a few things to know before traveling to Kyrgyzstan. Where to stay, what to do, who to contact; these will all need to be considered before you actually make your way.

Below, I’m going to talk about some crucial things that everyone should think about before visiting, from dos and don’ts to tips and tricks to general questions. By the end of this article, you should have a clearer picture of what it takes to organize a trip to Kyrgyzstan and how to have the best adventure possible.

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Do and Don’ts When Travelling to Kyrgyzstan

Commonly asked questions about kyrgyzstan, extra tips and tricks when visiting kyrgyzstan.

So let’s take a look at the yes and no’s, the oui’s and the non’s and the do’s and don’ts of visiting Kyrgyzstan.

DO : Try the local food and drink

If you are visiting Kyrgyzstan , then you MUST try the food. Kyrgz cuisine is mostly a mishmash of Russian, Central Asian, and nomadic cuisines. It involves a lot of meat, a lot of bread, and a lot of sweets. Many people have remarked that the cooking in Kyrgyzstan is quite similar to that in the Caucuses.

In addition to these foreign cuisines, there are some really, really interesting local dishes in Kyrgyzstan that should not be missed. 

Manta , a Kyrgyz version of dumplings, is absolutely phenomenal especially with a bit of yogurt. Also be on the lookout for shorpa : slow-cooked beef that literally melts off the bone.

You also have to try that most iconic drink in Kyrgyzstan: kumis . It’s fermented mare’s milk that has turned semi-alcoholic and, whilst you probably won’t be able to drink much, it’s still good to try at least once.

If you’d like to try a unique delicacy in Kyrgyzstan, horse is consumed regularly and is actually quite nice when cooked properly.

DON’T : Worry if you’re a vegetarian

Kyrgyzstan is a very carnivorous country but there are still plenty of vegetarian options to find. 

Salads, mostly of the Russian kind with tomato, slaw, and/or cucumber, are very common. Eggs are served regularly for breakfast and the local bread is so tasty and filling that one could probably live off it alone.

Fried rice ( plov ) and noodles ( lagman ) are also very common in Kyrgyzstan. Whilst they’re usually made with some kind of meat, you may be able to order these dishes without it. Be sure to ask whoever’s cooking if this is possible. Say “YA ne yem myaso” which is “I don’t eat meat” in Russian.

DO : Spend a few days in Bishkek

Bishkek gets a bad reputation for being a depressing, post-Soviet city with nothing to do besides GTFOing. 

Whilst Bishkek is not as interesting as other Central Asian cities like Almaty or Samarkand, I find calling it skippable a little unfair. 

For one thing, Bishkek offers a lot of natural beauty. There are lots of parks in the city. Also Ala Archa National Park, which features several 4700+ meter peaks and alpine trails, is only 45 minutes away from the city.

Bishkek also has a surprisingly good nightlife. There are lots of great bars around town, like Save the Ales and Blonder, and a couple of speakeasies as well. For those of you you’d like to know the location of one, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you 🙂 

Due to its combination of outdoor opportunities and burgeoning bar scene, Bishkek actually reminds me a lot of Denver, Colorado. Granted, it’s not as big or as bustling as Denver but it could be one day.

DON’T : Expect a dry country

Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim nation but that does not mean it is a strict Muslim nation. Alcohol is still consumed in the country and sometimes in large quantities.

Vodka is the drink of choice in most parts and it is often offered to guests. When drinking with Kyrgyz, it is best to oblige them when they toast and to finish your shot of vodka in one go. The toast is an important part of Kyrgyz culture.

Local brandy is also popular in Kyrgyzstan and it can lead to a pretty gnarly hangover. Beer is also quite common and pretty damn good too. There are lots of great craft beer bars in Bishkek, like Save the Ales, Brewster, and Blonder Pub. 

DO : Consider renting a private vehicle

Kyrgyzstan is a big country with a ton of epic places to visit . It is possible to see many places just by relying on public transport as well. Marshrutkas or minibusses connect almost every major Kyrgyz settlement and where they don’t go, private taxis are available. These are relatively cheap, although not so cheap.

If you REALLY want to experience Kyrgyzstan to the fullest though, you need to have your own set of wheels. With the freedom to go where you want, when you want, you’ll be able to see as much of the country as you want without having to worry about schedules or the hassle.

You’ll need a 4×4 when driving in Kyrgyzstan and anything less would be a total waste. Kyrgyzstan is a rugged country and requires a rugged car to get around. Iron Horse Nomads is the first and probably the best place to start looking for a rental car in Kyrgyzstan.

DON’T : Feel the need to drive yourself

If you decide to hire your own car in Kyrgyzstan, you should also consider hiring a private driver along with it. The roads in Kyrgyzstan, whilst good overall, can deteriorate quickly and the best parts are usually completely off-road. An experienced, local driver will be best at handling both of these.

Drivers can also serve as translators, which in Kyrgyzstan would be extremely useful since hardly anyone speaks English. They can also help arrange accommodation, tours, and maintenance should the car break down, which would be bad if you were in the middle of nowhere.

Hiring a private driver in Kyrgyzstan might actually cost less than hiring a car without one. Daily rates are about the same and some drivers will cover gas themselves. So if you’re paying the same amount, why not just have someone else do the work for you?

DO : Spend a couple of nights in yurts

Accommodation in Kyrgyzstan comes in all shapes and sizes but none as iconic as the Yurt. The yurt is a traditional nomadic dwelling made from felt and wooden beams. It is one of the most important aspects of Kyrgyz culture and a true sign of their nomadic heritage. To not sleep in one of these while visiting would be an enormous shame. 

Yurts kind of resemble large tents, albeit they are much sturdier and much more spacious. They are very warm as well, especially when the stove inside is lit, and keep the cold out even in the middle of a snowstorm. 

There are lots of places to stay in yurts around Kyrgyzstan. They are mostly found around the most popular destinations in the country, like Issyk Kul and Altyn Arashan. The best place to stay in a yurt though is hands down Song Kul. They’re usually located right next to the lake and the entire scene truly feels like a nomadic paradise.

DON’T : Forget to bring your own tent anyways

Camping really is the most convenient way to sleep in Kyrgyzstan. There is just so much open space and so many great campsites spread throughout the country – campers dream of this kind of situation. Surrounded by mountains, no one in sight, your loyal steed nearby, and a cup of camp coffee brewing; heaven. 

Camping is also generally one of the cheapest ways to travel anywhere in the world. Kyrgyzstan can be expensive after taking transportation and guiding into account and your wallet will need a respite every once in a while. 

A lot of guesthouses will allow you to pitch your own tent on the property for only $5-$10. Plus, you’ll still be fed and have access to the bathroom and whatnot. 

If you’re going deep into the wilderness as well, there may not even be yurts or guesthouses around. In this case, you’ll definitely need a tent.

DO : Visit the South of Kyrgyzstan

Southern Kyrgyzstan is like a completely different country compared to the northern part. It is more traditional, more arid, and is not really on the usual tourist trail. 

For backpackers, this should be an irresistible call to action. 

Visiting Southern Kyrgyzstan is an awesome experience. Aside from the fact that it has a richer history than the north, the food is also better and there are some very unique things to do here. 

Osh is the capital of the South and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It serves as the starting point for not only the epic Pamir Highway but also ascents of Peak Lenin and excursions into the remote Pamir-Alai Mountains. The Pamir-Alai Mountains and the surrounding Batken region are among the most untouched and ripe parts of Kyrgyzstan for travel. 

TLDR: the South is where it’s at.

DON’T: Just visit the top attractions in Kyrgyzstan

Whilst the likes of Issyk Kul, Ala-Kul, and Song Kul are all amazing destinations and totally worth visiting, there’s more to do in Kyrgyzstan . There are a TON of hidden gems spread throughout the country just waiting to be found.

The Ak-Sai Valley is becoming a very popular place to visit but further up is the still virgin Kakshal-Too Mountains. Knorcheck Canyon offers arguably the best desert landscapes in Kyrgyzstan, not Fairytale Canyon. As we just discussed, Southern Kyrgyzstan is also full of untapped potential.

Definitely allocate enough time in your Kyrgyz itinerary to include the most talked-about places in the country. But also spend some time exploring the lesser-known corners of the country. You’ll be glad you did.

DO : Try horseback riding

Kyrgyzstan is probably the best place in the world to ride a horse. They are integral to Kyrgyz culture, ubiquitous, and very well trained. Just about anyone can ride a horse here, regardless of previous experience; they just need to be comfortable around the animals.

Local horsemen organize long-distance rides all the time for tourists. These are like multi-day treks except you’ll be riding a horse most of the time as opposed to walking. These treks often follow common Kyrgyz migration routes and you can even join a seasonal ride from the jailoos (high pastures) back to the valleys.

If you intend on organizing a horse trek in Kyrgyzstan , don’t underestimate how sore you will be. Riding a horse all day can be murder on your hips, thighs, and ass, and isn’t always comfortable. Don’t bite off more than you can chew and ride for too long.

DON’T : Underestimate the weather

The weather in Central Asia can be harsh. It can snow any time of the year – it snowed on us four times in JUNE – and the heat can be unbearable in the lowlands. You never really know what you’re going to get when you travel to Kyrgyzstan weather-wise, so it pays to be prepared.

Be sure to pack the proper gear when you plan a trip to Kyrgyzstan. Bring a good jacket, lots of layers, good boots, plus the usual equipment for any alpine adventure. 

At the same time, don’t forget to bring a swimsuit either – there are lots of great hot springs in Kyrgyzstan that are great to soak in after a long hike. It’s also possible to swim in Issyk Kul although it’s still pretty cold in the summer. 

DO : Try and witness a nomadic game

One way that Kyrgyz people celebrate their culture is through nomadic games. These range from the awesome i.e. Er Enish (wrestling while riding a horse) to the downright strange i.e. Kok-boru (a game that involves dumping a goat carcass in a tire while riding a horse).

Games like this are organized on several occasions. The World Nomad Games, which happens in Kyrgyzstan every two years, is probably the biggest occasion. Outside of this, locals still play these games in their free time. Foreigners are of course welcome to watch.

Note that Kyrgyz usually participate in nomad games in the winter, when they’re in the valleys and have nothing else to do. Summer is usually the time for pasturing and work, not so much fun. Most nomad games that take place in the summer are organized specifically for tourists.

DON’T : Rush through the country

Kyrgyzstan is a wonderful country and it should be enjoyed at the right pace. Trying to do too much in too little time is going to leave you disappointed. You will also need to consider that getting around the country and planning anything on the ground is going to take up some time as well. 

Plan on spending at least two weeks in Kyrgyzstan. This will leave enough time to organize activities and to see the best of the country.

If you don’t have two weeks – perhaps you’re on a short holiday or have a tight schedule – then you should consider heading to Kyrgyzstan with an organized tour. Having someone else plan your trip will help maximize the time you have there!

Is it Safe to Travel to Kyrgyzstan?

A lot of people think that Kyrgyzstan is a dangerous place to visit for various different reasons. Here is a couple I’ve heard in the past:

• “Kyrgyzstan is close to the Middle East and thus it is violent.”
• “It has the name ‘stan’ in it; terrorists live in the stans (like Afghanistan or Pakistan).”
• “I’ve never heard of Kyrgyzstan, so it must be a chaotic, third-world country.”

These are all ignorant, unkind and could not be farther from the truth. 

In reality, Kyrgyzstan is a very safe place to visit. 

There is very little in the way of terrorism here and, in fact, the locals are VERY opposed to any sort of radicalism.

Whilst the country has had its fair share of political problems in recent years – the Tulip Revolution of 2010 was a hectic time – these are rare and even more rarely affect tourists. 

Ultimately, Kyrgyzstan is one of the safest countries I have ever visited. I never felt threatened while I was there, outside of the occasional pissed off horse.

If you’d like to learn more about what to expect when visiting, then be sure to read our Kyrgyzstan safety guide.

Where is Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan is one of the 5-6 countries that comprise Central Asia*. As the name implies Central Asia lies in the middle of the Asian continent between China, Russia, India, and the Middle East. Kyrgyzstan shares borders with every other Central Asian nation besides Turkmenistan. 

Because of its unique geographic location, Kyrgyzstan is a very eclectic place. The geography is unlike anything else in this world and the culture is totally novel. Those who visit Kyrgyzstan are in for a real treat.

Because of its central location in the region, Kyrgyzstan is a great gateway to the exploring rest of Central Asia. From here, backpackers can start the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, visit the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan, and go big in the Kazakh metropolis of Almaty aka the “New York City of Central Asia.” 

Pakistan and China are also within striking distance, though you’ll need to arrange special permits/visas to visit those.

*Some people consider Afghanistan to be a part of Central Asia.

What Language do They Speak in Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyz is officially the native language of Kyrgyzstan although Russian is probably more commonly spoken. 

Kyrgyz is a Turkic language that is similar to other regional languages like Kazakh but not so not close to the Turkish of Turkey. Although it’d be quite a feat to become fluent in the language, it would still pay to learn a phrase or two; the locals will appreciate this and be more receptive. 

First, you should know rahmat , which means “thank you” in Kyrgyz.

Thanks to the former Soviet influence, Russian is the unofficial language of Kyrgyzstan and is mostly used for business and foreigners. If you know a little Russian already, it will pay off when you’re in Kyrgyzstan. 

Note that there is very little English spoken in Kyrgyzstan and this could be the most frustrating part of traveling here. If you’re concerned about communicating clearly with the locals, consider hiring a local guide or joining an organized tour.

When is the Best Time to Visit Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan has four seasons: 

• A brief and rainy spring (April-May)
• A hot and dry summer (June-September)
• A short and pleasant autumn (October-November)
• A long and frigid winter (December-March)

The seasons and climate can really vary depending on where you’re going in Kyrgyzstan though. 

For example, Southern Kyrgyzstan is generally warmer than the North and the autumn is a bit longer. The mountains also have a climate all their own.

If you want to do a lot of trekking then July-September is really the only time to visit Kyrgyzstan. Depending on the year, June and October sometimes are okay. Otherwise, the Issyk Kul region and Osh are nice during the spring and fall.

You can visit Kyrgyzstan in the winter and there still are plenty of things to do at this time. There’s a ski resort at Karakol and crossing-country skiing is becoming very popular these days, especially around Song Kul. Avoid Naryn though: it is considered one of the coldest places in the world during the winter.

Is Kyrgyzstan a Religious Country?

Islam is the official religion of Kyrgyzstan although it’s not what I’d call strict Islam. Kyrgyzstan’s brand of Islam (majority Sunni) is pretty lax compared to other hardline Islamist countries, like neighboring Uzbekistan or the countries of the Middle East. 

For one thing, drinking is not illegal in Kyrgyzstan and many people take part in it (maybe too much sometimes). 

Women are not nearly as cloistered as other Islamic countries either. You will not see many hijabs while traveling in Kyrgyzstan. Sometimes, women even have bare shoulders and knees (more so in the north).

Kyrgyzstan is also firmly against any sort of jihadism and the country has taken many steps to avoid this sort of radicalization, although some of these have been counterproductive . 

That being said, Kyrgyzstan does take faith seriously so it is important to remain respectful. Have an open mind and be aware of Islamic practices and you’ll be fine.

1. Change your money before leaving Bishkek

Aside from Osh and maybe Karakol, Bishkek is the only real city in Kyrgyzstan. Most if not all of the country’s financial centers are located here, which means you should be changing your money here as well. Outside of Bishkek, currency changers are pretty rare.

Before heading out into the rest of Kyrgyzstan, you should definitely be changing your money in Bishkek. Most people will suggest going to the local banks but these don’t always offer the best deals. The best place to look is inside the GUM Shopping Mall. There are a few on the bottom floor that offer good rates and ask no questions.

2. Stay at local accommodation

Regardless of where I go, I always recommend staying in local accommodation over larger businesses. Staying in guest houses or homestays is a much better experience in my opinion and offers more opportunities to immerse yourself in the local culture.

The Community Based Tourism group, or CBT, is a pioneering association in Kyrgyzstan that connects local hosts with travelers. The group has existed since 2003 and by now they have a network over 15 different destinations around the country.

Using community-based tourism in Kyrgyzstan is not only a way to further enhance your own experience; it’s also a way to improve the lives of the locals themselves. By cutting out big business, you can be sure that your money goes directly into the hands of the people and not into a corporate bank account. This way, the common Kyrgyz has a better opportunity to support themself and their family.

3. Buy a local SIM card

Chances are, you probably won’t need to make a lot of calls or surf the internet while you’re traveling in Kyrgyzstan. For one thing, you should be out exploring the wilderness! For another, the connection is pretty shit outside of Bishkek and the larger towns. 

But having the ability to call ahead and confirm accommodation or connect with a local guide is still very useful. Considering the fact that SIM cards are so cheap in Kyrgyzstan – they’re around $10 – it really does hurt to pick one up anyway. I suggest using O! but Beeline and Megacom are also fine. 

If you choose O!, you can also buy a USB dongle that when plugged in gives you WiFi anywhere that there is data. We found it more convenient to use than searching for WiFi in cafes and offered a pretty strong connection as well.

4. Do your research beforehand

There are certain countries where you can just shoot from the hip and visit without making any plans whatsoever. Places like Thailand, India, and Peru are a couple of places where you can just show up without any sort of guide or booking and you’ll be fine.

Kyrgyzstan is not really one of these places. 

For one, tourism in Kyrgyzstan is very underdeveloped compared to many other destinations in the world. Things like hotels, tour operators, and transportation for travelers are much less frequent and much less apparent. You’ll have to go looking first before you find any of these. 

This means it pays to have a plan before visiting. Knowing where there’s accommodation, where you can find guides, and where to catch the bus beforehand will make your trip to Kyrgyzstan much more enjoyable.

We’ve written a pretty extensive backpacking guide for Kyrgyzstan that contains all of this info and more. Be sure to give it a good read before heading out.

5. Ditch the hostels

Hostelling is not really a thing in Kyrgyzstan at this point. Maybe it will be one day when the country becomes more well-known with travelers (and it will be) but right now the pickings are pretty slim. 

Instead, stay in alternative forms of accommodation in Kyrgyzstan. Staying in a yurt is an unmissable experience and there are plenty of guesthouses/homestays spread throughout the country as well. 

If you wanted to travel on a backpacker budget in Kyrgyzstan, the best way to do so would be to bring your own tent. Camping is by far the cheapest form of accommodation you can use while visiting.

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6. Don’t ride a horse if you don’t feel confident

Whilst the horses used to carry trekkers and tourists are generally very well trained in Kyrgyzstan, it’s important to remember that they’re still animals. They are sensitive creatures and can easily sense if you’re nervous or uneasy. 

If you’re afraid, the horse will be afraid and a fearful horse can be problematic.

If you’re unsure about riding a horse, then don’t do it. You need to be confident when riding one so you can properly control it. A horse requires stern directions and they will do whatever they want otherwise. 

7. Practice your handshake

The key to making a good first impression with the local Kyrgyz is with a firm grip and good eye contact. Kyrgyz shake each other’s hands when greeting each other and different kinds of handshakes indicate different levels of respect. 

A standard handshake with one hand is usually reserved for new acquaintances and strangers. If someone takes their other hand and grips the arm they’re using to shake, it means that they’re showing respect. The closer this grip is to their own hand, the greater the respect is shown.

After shaking hands, some Kyrgyz will also touch their heart with the hand they used to shake. This is an additional gesture and is pretty easy to adopt (it looks freakin’ cool). If you’re in the south, some people will also move their hands over their faces like they were washing it – this is a Muslim gesture and means good luck and health to you.

8. Learn a bit of history before visiting

The history of Kyrgyzstan has been pretty uneventful up until the last few decades. For most of its existence, Kyrgyzstan has mostly been a place where nomadic tribes roamed and only a few great dynasties have left their mark here.

But the history of the greater region, that of Central Asia, is very fascinating. This is where the Silk Road was born, where empires rose and fell, and where many of the world’s greatest leaders were born, like Barbur, Tamerlane, and Al-Khwarizmi. The history of Central Asia may take a back seat compared to Western Civilization but it has been no less influential. 

I suggest learning a bit about the history of the region before visiting. The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan gives a very comprehensive overview of Central Asia in relation to the Middle East and Europe. I also recommend checking out Peter Hopkirk’s The Great Game , which concerns the shadowy war fought between the Russian and British Empire in Central Asia in the 19th century.

9. Visas are super easy to get

Unlike some neighboring  countries, it is very easy to get a visa for Kyrgyzstan. Many nationalities qualify for a 60-day visa-on-arrival. 

To check and see if your nationality qualifies for a free visa, be sure to visit the official website for the Kyrgyz embassy.

10. Be ready to have your mind blown

Kyrgyzstan is one of the most amazing countries that I have ever visited. The landscape is mindblowing, Kyrgyz people are super welcoming, and the culture is unlike any other. Travelers are starting to catch onto this as well.

Kyrgyzstan, and all of Central Asia for that matter, is set to be the next big adventure destination. It won’t be long before people from all over the world start flocking here in search of epic mountains, fresh experiences, and unbridled hospitality. Get here before Kyrgyzstan is discovered!

Travel Insurance For Kyrgyzstan

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Kyrgyzstan is a very safe country to visit. However, no matter where you go in the world disaster and illness can strike so it is better to have travel insurance. We use World Nomads who are dedicated to covering adventure backpackers like us.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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The 25 most beautiful and best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan in 2024

Where to go in Kyrgyzstan? Here’s an overview of the most interesting, beautiful, and exciting places to visit in Kyrgyzstan, including famous landmarks in Kyrgyzstan and highlights, detailed info on how to get to all these places independently, and where to stay in each location.

My first visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2017 was a spontaneous trip while I was hitchhiking through Central Asia . I didn’t really know much about this destination as I hadn’t done any research. I was in for a big surprise!

I immediately fell in love with Kyrgyzstan. So much that I decided not to continue my overland journey and live here for nearly 11 months…

Is Kyrgyzstan beautiful and worth visiting? Absolutely!!

The country is defined by the beautiful Tien Shan mountain range which occupies 90% of the country, lush valleys and about 2000 crystal-clear alpine lakes. 

What is also special about Kyrgyzstan is that it still preserves and values centuries-old nomadic traditions .

If you love mountains and the outdoors and you’re interested in learning more about the nomadic lifestyle of Central Asia, then you’ll love traveling to Kyrgyzstan! It’s one of the few off-the-beaten-path countries where you can still get a taste of the authentic nomadic culture.

I return yearly to guide my Kyrgyzstan Tours and to visit new destinations in the country.

Would you love to go on an epic adventure on foot, on horseback or by 4×4 to the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan with a small group of adventurous travelers?

Check out my 6 Fantastic Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tours!

This post currently lists 25 places but it’s a work in progress. I’ll be adding more as I continue to explore Kyrgyzstan over the coming years. You’ll find links to my comprehensive destination guides for most of the locations mentioned in this article.

The best time to visit Kyrgyzstan and explore the places I’ve mentioned would be in late spring and summer, between the end of May and the end of September. Most of the destinations are located in the mountains, which are only accessible when the snow has cleared.

Here’s my (current) list with an overview of the most beautiful and best places in Kyrgyzstan to visit. I hope this guide will inspire you to travel to one of my favorite destinations in the world!

Disclaimer: This posts might contain affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for helping to support this website!

Kyrgyzstan Travel Essentials

• 20 things you need to know before traveling to Kyrgyzstan
• The 25 best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan
• The top 28 things to do in Kyrgyzstan
• The 14 best hikes & treks in Kyrgyzstan
• The 9 best horse riding destinations in Kyrgyzstan
• Kyrgyzstan Budget Guide
• Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tours & Kyrgyzstan Tour Planning
• Visa: Required Kyrgyzstan travel documents
• Getting there: Search for flights to Bishkek or Osh
• Where to stay : Find a yurt camp,homestay, hotel, hostel or guesthouses
• Travel Insurance: Choose the best travel insurance for Kyrgyzstan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Places to visit in Bishkek (Chuy Region)

Bishkek is the largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the country’s capital. It’ll very likely be the first place you visit in Kyrgyzstan as nearly all flights arrive at the international airport of Manas, only a 30-minute drive from Bishkek’s city center.

Bishkek is located at an altitude of 800 meters and borders the Central Asian Tian Shan Mountains. On a clear day, you can the spectacular peaks of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Mountains in the city’s background.

What is special about Bishkek? Bishkek doesn’t feel like a capital city to me. It’s a busy and bustling place but whenever I walk through its streets and parks, I have the impression I’m in a big provincial town rather than a capital city.

It’s Central Asia’s greenest city, with rich biodiversity in its tree-lined streets and many parks. You also won’t see any skyscrapers here.

While Bishkek is a modern and continuously evolving cosmopolitan, it still preserves the essence of the Kyrgyz culture and Soviet architecture. There are a ton of cool brutalist architecture that offer you a glimpse of the Soviet influence during its occupation in the 20th century.

I wouldn’t say that Bishkek is one of Kyrgyzstan’s highlights but it’s worth visiting the city for at least one full day to experience the mixture of modern and national culture.

You could go shopping at the colorful Osh Bazaar , Kyrgyzstan’s most famous market, in the morning and pop in a hipster cafe for a good cappuccino afterward. You could go on a self-made Soviet architecture tour in the afternoon and every now and then take a break and have ice cream in one of the many parks.

You can explore Bishkek’s nightlife scene in the evening in one of the many pubs, bars, and nightclubs. Or you can just relax with a cocktail and a nice meal on the outdoor terrace of one of the many restaurants in the city.

I highly recommend reading my Bishkek City Guide where you’ll find all the information from where to go and the top things to do, to where to eat and stay in Bishkek.

13 Top Things to do in Bishkek – Bishkek Travel Guide

How to get to Bishkek

• Getting to Bishkek from other countries:

Manas International Airport is the main international airport in Kyrgyzstan, located 25 kilometers northwest of the capital Bishkek. This is where currently all international flights (with a connection in Istanbul, Dubai, or Moskow) arrive.

There will be plenty of taxi drivers greeting you upon arrival at the airport. The cost of a taxi from the airport to the city center in Bishkek is between 600 to 800 som (around €8 / $10).

You can also reach Bishkek by land if you’re coming from Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan . Read the following posts for more information:

• How to get from Almaty (Kazakhstan) to Bishkek
• How to get from Tashkent (Uzbekistan) to Bishkek
• Getting to Bishkek from other cities in Kyrgyzstan:

As Bishkek is Kyrgyzstan’s capital city, you’ll find nearly in every big town or city a marshrutka (minibus) or a shared taxi going directly to Bishkek. They’ll overly likely drop you off at the Western Bus Station in Bishkek .

This bus station is a bit outside of the city center so I recommend installing the Yandex app to get a taxi to the city. This app works like Uber and has fixed rates so no need to waste time and energy on negotiating prices.

Where to stay in Bishkek:

• Koisha Hostel : dorm or private room, great location, garden, budget friendly. Check the price availability here
• Plaza Hotel : private room, great location, swimming pool: Check the price and availability here
• Orion Hotel Bishkek : deluxe rooms, great location, fitness and wellness center: Check the price and availability here.

2. Ala Archa National Park

Ala Archa National Park, located 40km south of Bishkek, is one of the few national parks in Kyrgyzstan that is easily accessible and fun to visit no matter what time of the year it is.

This National Park in the Tian Shan Mountains is the perfect introduction to the beauty of the Kyrgyz Mountains. It’s also a great place to acclimatize to hiking in high altitudes if you just arrived in the country.

There are some beautiful day hikes and multiple-day treks at Ala Archa starting at 1500 meters altitude and leading up to 2500 meters and higher.

Ala Archa is a popular destination and one of the more touristic places in Kyrgyzstan, not only for travelers but also for locals.

I visited this park on more than one occasion and I was surprised to see so many locals having a picnic and spending time with their family and friends cozily nested under the trees of the park.

The accessibility of this park (it’s located only an hour drive away from the city center of Bishkek ) and the fact that it’s at the base of the beautiful Tian Shan mountains makes it the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the capital city.

If you’re planning on visiting Ala Archa, remember that this National Park is located in the mountains.

The weather will be a lot cooler than in Bishkek, especially if you’re going to hike to the waterfall (2500m) or to the Ratsek Hut (3300m) so always bring a warm sweater and foresee rain gear. The weather in the mountains is very unpredictable!

You should also wear hiking boots, even when going on the short hike to the waterfall. I’ve seen people hurting themselves on the trail to the waterfall on more than one occasion as they weren’t wearing proper footwear.

There aren’t any shops so pack some snacks and a reusable water bottle with filter, like a Lifestraw Water Filter Bottle , so you can refill your bottle with the water from the many streams and rivers.

When visiting Ala Archa in winter, you won’t be able to go on any hikes as the trails are covered in snow but it’s still beautiful to go there!!

The 8 Best Hikes and Day Trips from Bishkek

How to get from Bishkek to Ala Archa by public transport

To reach the Ala Archa National Park, you will have two options.

You can either take a taxi directly to the Alpager base (where the hiking trails start) or you can take a mashrutka (shared minibus) to the entrance of the national park and then hitchhike or take a taxi to cover the remaining 12 km of asphalt road to the Alpager base.

• How to reach Ala Archa by mashrutka

In Bishkek, you’ll have to hop on mashrutka 265 . This shared minibus can be found at the bus stop at Moscow Street 229 ( near the entrance of Osh Bazaar ).

Keep in mind that this minibus will only leave once it’s completely full so this option won’t be the best one if you’re in a hurry to get to the park.

-> If you have an android phone, install the app  Maps.me , type in ‘ mashrutka 265 ’ and the app will show you exactly on the map where to find the bus stop.-

The marshrutka will bring you for 25 som all the way to Kash- Kasuu, the nearest village to Ala Archa. You can also ask the driver if he can drop you off at the entrance gate of the National Park for an additional 50 som. 

Once you’re at the entrance of the park you’ll have to pay 80 som to get in. At the entrance, you can catch a taxi that will bring you to the Alpager base for 500 som.

You could also hitchhike the remaining 12 km. If you’re there in summer, there will be a lot of cars with tourists and locals passing by and they’re likely to give you a lift for free.

• How to reach Ala Archa by taxi

If you want to get to Ala Archa early, you could get a taxi from Bishkek all the way to the entrance gate of the park for 500 som.

If you want the taxi to drop you off at the Alpager base (At the beginning of the hiking trails), you’ll have to pay the entrance fee for the car (400 som) + an additional 500 som for the taxi to drive you that extra 12 km.

If you’re planning on returning the same day, you can negotiate a price with your driver so he waits for you at the parking lot.

Otherwise, you’ll have to search for available taxis or try to hitchhike back.

If you’re just planning to spend the day at the park, I recommend requesting a private taxi for the day at your hostel/ hotel. This will be around €50 and covers all the costs, including the waiting time for the driver at the park.

WHERE TO STAY IN BISHKEK WHEN VISITING ALA ARCHA

It’s very convenient to do a quick day trip to Ala Archa and come back to the capital city in the evening if you don’t plan to  camp in the park or go on a multi-day hike there .

In Bishkek, I recommend staying at  Koisha Hostel or Bugu Hotel  because it’s located very close to the bus stop at Osh Bazaar from where the marshrutkas to Ala Archa National Park leave.

3. Burana Tower

The Burana Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in Kyrgyzstan. This 25m high tower is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun , a once flourishing city that welcomed thousands of Silk Road caravans.

Although the tower itself might not seem very exciting to many people, if you’re interested in history, this will be a fascinating and one of the mysterious places to visit in Kyrgyzstan.

It’s crazy to imagine that this archaeological site used to be such a big city and was once considered the center of the world!

The book The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan explains it all and is a must-read if you’re a history lover!

Another remarkable sight is the collection of ancient bal-bals in the field near the Burana Tower.

The bal-bals are gravestones, carved by the nomadic Turkic tribes who used to roam around Central Asia in the 6th century.

These gravestones were initially erected as a representation of slain enemies and later became memorials for the ancestors of the people who sculpted them. They are oddly proportioned, with strange heads and short torsos. 

The Burana Tower and the Lost City of Balasagun

How to get from Bishkek to the Burana Tower by public transportation

You can easily visit the Burana Tower as a day trip from Bishkek or on your way towards Lake Issy-Kul . The Burana Tower is about 8 km from the town of Tokmok.

There is no direct marshrutka (minibus) going from Bishkek to the Burana Tower but if you follow my instructions, you should be able to get there in two hours.

First, you’ll have to take a city marshrutka or a taxi to the E a stern Bus Station .

In the bus station, look for marshrutka #353 that goes to Tokmok. A ticket will cost about 50 som. The marshrutka stops a couple of kilometers outside the center of Tokmok. You can see a huge monument with the town’s name on it as you arrive in this village.

Once you’re there, you got 3 options:

The first option is to take a taxi. Burana Tower is a popular destination, so there will be a lot of taxis heading in that direction.

If you can, find a taxi driver who is willing to take you there and back for a maximum of 300 som (wait for the next one if they ask for more money).

I would suggest asking the driver to stay and wait there while you visit the tower. One hour is more than enough to visit the whole site.

You can always try and hitchhike. Hitchhiking in Kyrgyzstan is very easy and you won’t have to wait for very long, the only problem might be getting a free ride (I give great tips on hitchhiking in Kyrgyzstan here ).

It’s very common to pay for a ride in Kyrgyzstan however don’t pay more than you would for a one-way ride to the Tower with a taxi (around 150 som)

There are also a few mini-buses that run between Tokmok and Burana. You can ask a few locals about where you can take this marshrutka if you speak some Russian. 

You could also combine a visit to Burana Tower with a trip to another site near Bishkek.

4. Kol-Tor Lake

Kyrgyzstan has some of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the whole world and Kol-Tor lake is pretty high on that list. It shines in a bright turquoise shade and adopts different tones of blue throughout the day.

This lake is located at an altitude of 2700m above the village of  Kegeti , around 92 km outside of Bishkek.

The two-hour moderate hike to the lake will take you across some gorgeous alpine meadows and coniferous forests. Although the trail to the lake is relatively short, I would suggest wearing  good hiking boots  to get there.

This lake is very popular and easily accessible from  Bishkek  so it can get a bit crowded during summer. It’s still possible to access the lake throughout the rest of the year and it’s lovely in winter.

My friend Stephen Lioy has a great  photo report  of his hike there in November when the mountains surrounding the lake were already covered in snow.

Depending on whether or not you start hiking early, you could reach the lake in one day and be back in Bishkek in the evening.

If you want to stay longer near the lake, you can also sleep in a mountain hut owned by the Trekking Union of Kyrgyzstan. You can reserve this cabin by  contacting TUK  ahead of time and sleeping there will cost 600 som.

HOW TO get to KOL-TOR LAKE FROM BISHKEK BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The hiking trail to Kol Tor lake starts in Kegeti gorge so you’ll have to reach this village first. You can hop on the minibus 303 from the Eastern Bus Station in Bishkek to get there. The bus leaves at 9:30 Am and takes about two hours to reach the small village.

What could be a bit harder is returning to Bishkek by public transport since the last mashrutka from Kegeti Gorge leaves at 3:30 pm. You could either stay in Kegeti if it’s getting late or try to hitchhike back.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR KOL-TOR LAKE

Apart from the cabin owned by the Trekkers Union of Kyrgyzstan near the lake, there are a few homestays where you could stay in Kegeti.

None of these homestays can be booked online in advance but you can find their location on the maps.me app or ask around in the village.

5. Chon Kemin National Park

The Chon Kemin National Park, located 150km east of Bishkek, covers an area of 500 hectares and is home to many species of plants and animals, including the snow leopard.

This National Park in the heart of the Chuy Valley is surrounded by three mountain ranges and has a wide variety of landscapes, from semi-deserts to lush forests, alpine lakes and stunning glaciers.

The Chon Kemin Valley offers a wide variety of activities such as hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and rafting on the Chu River. There are several trekking possibilities, from easy short walks along the Chong Kemin River to adventurous hikes over 3 000m passes.

You can visit the park all year through and you can choose to relax, go on an easy day hike or spend a few days horse riding, trekking, and rafting. You definitely won’t get bored here!

Chon Kemin Valley is part of my 9-day Overland Expedition . Click here for more information about my Kyrgyzstan Tours!

How to get to Chon Kemin from Bishkek by public transport

There are daily minibusses going between Chon Kemin and Bishkek. Take mashrutka #309 at the Eastern Bus Station in Bishkek. A ticket costs 120 som and the journey takes around 2 hours.

Where to stay in Chon Kemin National Park

There are a few guesthouses run by local families by the forest in Chon Kemin. Most of them can’t be booked online in advance (yet), with the exception of Kemin Guesthouse .

It’s also possible to wild camp in Chon Kemin Valley.

Are you looking for a  customized guided tour  in Kyrgyzstan and/or other countries  in Central Asia ? Do you need help  planning your itinerary ?

Have a look at my   C e n t r a l   A s i a  tour and itinerary planning services !

Best Places to visit in Issyk Kul Region

6. issyk kul lake.

Lake Issyk-Kul is the world’s second-largest mountain lake in the world. It’s located at an elevation of 1609 meters in northeastern Kyrgyzstan. It’s 182km long, 60km wide, and covers an area of 6236 km²!

The name Issyk-Kul means “warm lake”. It gets a lot of scientific interest as the lake never freezes because it’s so deep – its deepest point is at 668 meters – and fed by thermal springs. Don’t get fooled by the name tho, it’d still be very cold to go for a swim in winter…

The lake is bordered by two mountain ranges of the Central Tien Shan mountains. You can see the Kungei-Alatau range (meaning “facing the sun” in Turkic) in the north and the Terskei-Alatau (meaning “turned away from the sun”) in the south, and they make the scenery around the lake magnificent.

There are a lot of resorts on its northern shore as it’s a popular holiday destination for local, Kazakh and Russian tourists.

The southern shore of Issyk Kul lake is, in my opinion, more interesting and beautiful to visit. It’s wilder than the northern side and has some very unique sights (which I mention below).

It’s also one of the places in Kyrgyzstan where you can do some interesting ethnocultural activities.

You can visit the village of Kyzyl-Tuu, the center of the yurt craftsmanship in Kyrgyzstan, where about 50 traditional yurt makers live and learn how to build a yurt there .

You can participate in a culinary or felt-making workshop in Bokonbaevo, one of the biggest towns on Issyk Kul’s Southern Shore.

It’s also the place where you can visit the last remaining Eagle Hunters in Bakanbaevo, see a demonstration and learn all about this ancient Central Asian tradition.

Some of my Kyrgyzstan Adventures Tours also include a demonstration by the eagle hunters.

How to get from Bishkek to Issyk Kul Lake by public transport

The easiest way to get to Issyk Kul Lake from Bishkek is by marshrutka (minibus). They leave from the Western Bus Station in Bishkek.

If you want to go to the north shore of Issyk Kul, you have to take the marshrutka to Cholpon Ata. It costs 300 som per person and the journey takes about 4 hours.

If you want to travel to the southern shore of Issyk Kul, take the mashrutka heading for Karakol and get off at Bokonbaevo or any other place you’d like to visit on the southern shore, see below for more inspiration. The journey from Bishkek to Bakanbaevo takes around 5 hours and costs 400 som.

You can also take a shared taxi. A shared taxi picks up other people and baggage, meaning you may have to be stuffed in with several other people and their bags. Shared taxis are faster and usually cost slightly more than marshrutkas but they also pick up other people along the way.

A shared taxi from Bishkek to Cholpon Ata costs 500 som and you’ll pay around the same price for a shared taxi from Bishkek to Bokonbaevo.

Where to stay at Issyk Kul Lake

Here are some suggestions where to say on the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake.

Bel Tam Yurt Camp is a fantastic yurt camp on the shores of the lake in Tong, not too far from Bokonbaevo (take a (shared) taxi to get there).

It’s one of my favorite tourist yurt camps in Kyrgyzstan and I also stay there with my groups during my adventure tours .

Check the prices and availability of Bel Tam Yurt Camp.

If you want to stay in Bakanbaevo, I recommend:

• Guesthouse Gulmira: check prices and availbility for Guesthouse Gulmira here
• Meerim Guesthouse: check prices and availbility for Meerim Guesthouse here

Reading Tip: Top Things to do at Issyk Kul lake – a one-week itinerary

7. Skazka Canyon

The Skazka Canyon, located between the villages of Tosor and Kaji-Say on the south shore of Issyk Kul, is one of the most spectacular canyons in Kyrgyzstan.

It’s small compared to the Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan but equally beautiful and impressive.

The Skazka Canyon is nicknamed “ Fairytale Canyon ” because of its irregular rock formations that resemble animals, fantastical characters and castles. Not only the shapes in this canyon are remarkable, but also the colors of the rocks are very unique.

You’ll find yourself in a world of red, pink, orange and yellow and it almost feels like you’re walking in a very colorful painting!

The panoramic views in the canyon are spectacular, especially when you get to the higher rock formations and see lake Issyk Kul in the background.

Skazka is a small canyon and 1 to 2 hours is enough to enjoy the views.

How to get to the Skazka Canyon

The Skazka Canyon is located on the road from Bishkek to Karakol along the southern shore of Issyk Kul and is easy to reach by public transport.

You can stop there on your way from Bishkek to Karakol (see How to get to Issyk Kul Lake in the section above).

If you’re coming from Bokonbaevo, take mashrutka #315 at the bus stop near the bazaar.

It’s a 30-minute ride. Ask the driver to let you out at the Skazka Canyon. He’ll drop you off 2km from the entrance of the canyon. If you’re coming from Karakol, ask the driver to do the same.

The entrance fee to visit the canyon is 50 som. After spending some time there, catch a marshrutka to Karakol, Bokonbaevo or Bishkek from the main road before 4 pm.

Where to stay at the Skazka Canyon

There are no accommodation options at the canyon itself but you can stay either in Bokonbaevo (30 minutes), Kaji-Say (10 minutes) or Karakol (1,5 hours).

• If you want to stay in Kaji-Say, I recommend Eco Summer House Garden
• For Bokonbaevo, I recommend Guesthouse Gulmira and Meerim Guesthouse .
• Hostels: Kurjun and Snow Leopard Hostel
• Guesthouses: Guesthouse Nice and Guesthouse Altay
• Hotel: Karagat Hotel

8. Barskoon Waterfall

The Barskoon Waterfalls are one of the most famous waterfalls in Kyrgyzstan.

They’re located in the equally stunning Barskoon Valley near Issyk Kul’s South Shore. The high mountains and thick spruce forests give you the impression that you’ve suddenly arrived in Switzerland.

The Barskoon Falls, which means “snow leopard tears”, is a chain of 3 waterfalls. The first small waterfall can easily be reached by following the uphill path behind a small yurt camp. It’s a 20-minute walk and not too steep.

The second waterfall, with an impressive height of 24 meters, is another 30-minute hike and is a bit harder to reach. The steep path leading to the waterfall takes you through a spruce forest and small meadows along the edge of the gorge. Be careful walking on slippery rocks!

The third waterfall is another 45 minutes of climbing but I don’t recommend going there by yourself as you’ll have to hike through wild and rough terrain. When you reach the top, you’ll also get a spectacular view of the Barskoon Valley and Issyk Kul lake in the distance.

How to get to the Barskoon Waterfalls

When you’re coming from Bishkek, Bokonbaevo or Karakol by mashrutka or shared taxi, you’ll have to ask the driver to drop you off at Barskoon Village. From there it’s a 15km walk to the waterfalls.

You can also try to hitchhike from the village to the trailhead.

If you’re staying in Bokonbaevo or Karakol, you could also ask your guesthouse or hotel to arrange a private taxi for you and combine it with a visit to the Skazka Canyon (see above) and Jeti Oguz (see below).

Where to stay in Barskoon

I recommend visiting the Barskoon Waterfalls as part of your trip to or from Karakol.

There aren’t any guesthouses nearby but as of 2021, there’s a glamping site called Molvilla not far from the path to the waterfalls. It’s a site with bright yellow 2 person tents. Staying there costs 1500 som per person, including breakfast.

9. Jeti Oguz

Jeti Oguz is the name of a valley but also of a stunning sandstone rock formation about 25 km southwest of Karakol.

This sandstone crag used to resemble 7 bulls and that’s where its name comes from. It was a sacred place for the original inhabitants of the area and once you see it, you’ll totally understand why.

The original formation was eroded with time and there are now 9 or 10 different reddish bluffs that overlook the valley below.

Jeti-Oguz is a very popular day trip from Karakol. People go there to see a few other rock formations apart from the seven bulls such as one called the Broken Heart which is the source of many tragic love stories.

In summer, you’ll also come across plenty of beekeepers in the area who bring their beehives to the valley filled with flowers around the protruding rocks.

1 0 – d a y I t i n e r a r y t o v i s i t K y r g y z s t a n i n w i n t e r

HOW TO GET TO JETI-OGUZ FROM KARAKOL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

If you are going to  Jeti-Oguz  with public transport, you’ll have to make sure you reach  Jeti-Oguz Kurort , a small village beside the seven bulls and not  the town of Jeti-Oguz , which is located 12km away from the stone formation.

To get to Jeti-Oguz Kurort from Karakol, first go to the Ak-Tilek Market in Karakol. From there, you’ll need to catch mashrutka 355 to Jeti-Oguz Korort.

The mashrutka doesn’t have a fixed schedule and departs only a few times a week from Karakol, typically late morning and possibly mid-afternoon. It costs 100 som and takes about 45 minutes to reach Jeti-Oguz Korort from Karakol.

A much better option to reach the seven bulls rock formation would be to take a shared taxi from Karakol to Jeti-Oguz Korort.

A taxi going there should cost, at most, around 150 som per person. You’ll have to make it clear with the driver that you are going all the way to Jeti-Oguz Kurort and not Jeti-Oguz town.

WHERE TO STAY IN JETI OGUZ

There aren’t many guest houses or hotels in Jeti-Oguz Kurort. If you want to stay in a place that offers a fantastic view of the seven bulls, I recommend staying in  Guesthouse Emir . It’s located literally just below the Seven Bulls, with a view of it out of almost every bedroom window.

The view of the rock formation is quite spectacular in the morning from this guest house.

They have an amazing breakfast served every morning on location and the guest house is also located very close to shops and restaurants. If you would like to cook your own meal, the kitchen is available. 

Click to check out rates and availability for “Guesthouse Emir”

10. Altyn Arashan Valley & Hot Springs

Altyn Arashan, which means ”Golden Spa” in Kyrgyz, is a lush green valley near Karakol and Lake Ala Kul.

The place is famous for its pristine untouched landscapes and natural hot springs.

It’s also a very popular trekking destination and attracts hikers and mountain enthusiasts from all over the world. It’s a valley in which I have hiked many times while in Kyrgyzstan.

Walking there always feels very soothing and it seems to recharge my soul and spirit with so much energy. The valley is breathtaking and could easily be used as a picture for a postcard.

This environment is ideal for camping, horseback riding, and hiking in nature. The area is a pristine nature reserve but the main attraction of the place are its natural hot springs.

The hot springs of Altyn Arashan are probably the most famous hot springs in Kyrgyzstan. The water is generally around 45 ºC and is known to help with diseases related to the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems.

T h e 2 8 Top Things to do in Kyrgyzstan

HOW TO HIKE AND TREK IN THE ALTYN ARASHAN VALLEY FROM AK-SUU

If you want to start the trek from Ak-Suu, you’ll have to reach this small village first by public transport or with your own car from Karakol.

The starting point of the trek to the hot springs is located south of Ak-Suu. The first part of the trek will take you along the beautiful Arashan river. You’ll be walking along pastures filled with flowers and grazing horses.

A few kilometers later you’ll start seeing the beautiful snow-capped mountain peaks that dominate the valley. At this point, the trail becomes steeper and steeper and goes through patches of pine forest before finally reaching an open area where the hot springs are located.

Along the way to the hot springs, you might come across mountain goats, horses and groundhogs.

HOW TO REACH THE ALTYN ARASHAN VALLEY FROM ALA KUL LAKE

It’s also possible to reach the valley coming north from Ala Kul lake as part of a 4-day trek . You can read how to reach this valley from the alpine lake  here .

Visit Altyn Arashan by joining one of my Adventure Tours in Kyrgyzstan !

WHERE TO STAY IN THE ALTYN ARASHAN VALLEY

If you have your tent, you can camp almost anywhere in the valley during summer as the weather is really ideal and there are tons of gorgeous flat areas where you can pitch camp.

There are a few yurts where you can stay in the valley and a few lodges and guest houses next to the hot springs. You can’t book them online as there’s no wi-fi reception in the valley.

I recommend staying at the  Guesthouse Elza . It’s a guest house where it’s possible to stay in a room or in a yurt and it its own private hot spring.

11. Ala Kul Lake

I’m at a lack of words when it comes to describing the beauty of lake Ala Kul, located at an altitude of 3500m in the Terskey Alatau mountains.

It’s so beautiful that the locals often refer to it as the ‘ pristine diamond of the Karakol Canyon ’ and it’s absolutely one of the most beautiful places to visit in Kyrgyzstan!

The water of this glacier lake changes hourly from azure to violet, depending on the weather conditions and the time of the year.

This lake is only accessible by going on a long strenuous multiple-day hike .

I yearly make the  trek to Lake Ala Kul   during my adventure tours and I would absolutely recommend anyone visiting the country to try hiking providing they are in shape.

How to hike to lake Ala Kul: a day-by-day trekking itinerary

HOW TO GET TO ALA KUL

It’s impossible to reach this lake by car or by public transport.  The only way to get there is by hiking. Reaching Ala Kul can be done independently or with a guide.

To get there, you will need to reach the Ala Kul Nature Reserve first and hike from there.

From the center of Karakol, you can take  marshrutka 101  to the entrance of the park. You can also take a taxi for 400 KGS that will stop between the entrance and a broken bridge farther along the trail saving at least 1 hour of walk.

Once you have reached the park, you can follow the  day-by-day instructions on how to hike to the lake here .

Tip → Download the  Maps.me  app and get a map of the region. The app has the whole trail mapped and is really useful. People occasionally get lost along this trail so check the app to stay on the right track.

If you don’t want to hike there by yourself and you’d rather go with a mountain guide and a fun group of international travelers, you could  join one of my Adventure Tours!

WHERE TO STAY IN ALA KUL

There are no yurt camps or guesthouses near the lake (only in the Karakol Valley or Altyn Arashan Valley on the first and third day of the hike).

If you have your tent, it’s possible to camp around the lake in various areas where the terrain is flat. Be aware that it’s very cold and windy up there so prepare well!

12. Jyrgalan Valley

The Jyrgalan Valley is nestled between the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains east of lake Issyk Kul and it’s probably one of Kyrgyzstan’s most picturesque regions. Right in the center of this valley, there is a small village with the same name.

Jyrgalan used to be a small coal-mining town. It was thriving at first under the Soviet regime but things changed after the fall of the empire. Many families abandoned the town in search of work elsewhere. What was once a booming center quickly became a ghost town.

Luckily things have been changing a lot for this region in the last few years.

There are now a few guest houses in town and new hiking trails, some horse treks, and even mountain biking routes are being developed. Jyrgalan Valley is slowly becoming the next best hiking destination in Kyrgyzstan .

When it comes to Jyrgalan valley, the question isn’t whether or not you should trek there but rather which day-hike or multi-day trek will inspire you the most. There are plenty of awesome treks to choose from and they cover a wide range of difficulty levels.

Whether you have been hiking for years or you are an absolute beginner, you’ll find something that will be appropriate for your level in this untouched environment.

They go from short half-day hikes to multiple days treks that climb almost up to 4000 meters. I cover a few of them in  the best hikes in Kyrgyzstan .

The Complete Trekking Guide to Kyrgyzstan with the best day hikes and treks

HOW TO GET TO JYRGALAN VALLEY FROM KARAKOL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

There are daily marshrutkas going from Karakol to Jyrgalan. They leave from the Ak-Tilek Market three times a day. The cost of a ticket from Karakol to Jyrgalan is about 80 som per person.

Another way to get there is to take a shared taxi to Jyrgalan. This can be done by visiting   Destination Karakol offices . They can help with arranging a taxi to the small idyllic town and provide information on all the various treks you can do in the valley.

WHERE TO STAY IN JYRGALAN VALLEY

There are now many guest houses in Jyrgalan. The one I absolutely recommend is  Alakol-Jyrgalan Guest House .  The owners are very knowledgeable about all the hiking trails in the region and I really felt at home there.

The owners made everyone feel welcome and after long days of hiking in the mountains, we would return to the guest house to be treated to the most sumptuous meals.

It was the perfect place to relax and discover the region at our own pace. The location is also ideal as the guest house is located where many of the best hiking trails in the region begin.

This guesthouse also features a traditional Kyrgyz Banya (Russian sauna) where I relaxed my legs after intense hiking around the valley.

Click to check out rates and availability for “Alakol-Jyrgalan Guest House”

13. Sary Jaz Valley

The Sary Jaz Valley, located 150km from Karakol, is a hidden beauty I’ve only discovered during my 4 th visit to Kyrgyzstan.

The valley is part of the Khan-Tengri National Park, the largest national park of Kyrgyzstan. It’s a stunning and wild place with vast landscapes as far as the eye can see.

It’s so remote that you won’t see people here, with the exception of a few sheep and yak shepherds and the guards at the checkpoints (you need a border permit to get here, more about that in How to get to Sary Jaz).

Sary Jaz means yellow spring and you’ll understand how it’s gotten its name when you see the rolling yellow hills with breathtaking views of the snowcapped Celestial Mountains in the background. Only in the months of April and May are the hills green.

Several powerful rivers cut the valley and bring water from the mountain glaciers, the main source of freshwater in Kyrgyzstan. You’ll also see some of Kyrgyzstan’s highest mountain peaks, including the Khan Tengri Peak at 7010m and Victory Peak at 7439m.

Sary Jaz offers some great hiking possibilities but it’s also nice to just drive there along the stunning scenery and imagine you’re all alone in the world.

How to get to the Sary Jaz Valley from Karakol

The Sary Jaz Valley is a restricted area and border zone so you need to have a border permit. You have to apply for this permit at least 14 days in advance and include a copy of your passport with your application. The costs of a border permit are between $20 and $30 per person.

I made the trip to the Sary Jaz Valley with Aydarbek from Hiking in Kyrgyzstan and he helped me with the application process.

You can only get to the Sary Jaz valley by 4×4 car. It’s a real off-road trip along windy gravel roads and steep mountain passes. If you want to drive yourself, you need to be a confident driver and know how to handle a 4×4 vehicle well.

You can also arrange a tour with a private driver and a 4×4 SUV vehicle.

The Sary Jaz Valley is a 6-hour drive from Karakol. You’ll be driving next to the border of Kazakhstan, close to Jyrgalan. There you’ll have the first military checkpoint where you need to show your passport and border permit.

The road then continues through the lush Turuk Gorge across the Turuk Pass (3481m) into the Sary Jaz Valley.

It’s also possible to take a different road through the Turgen Valley and across the beautiful Chong Ashu Pass (3800m). While you skip the bordering road with Kazakhstan, there is another military checkpoint on this road.

You can do this road trip as a day trip from Karakol. However, it’s a very long road and a lot of effort to just go there for one day.

My recommendation would be to combine it with a visit to the old USSR mine town Engilchek (see below) and make it into a 2- or 3-day trip.

Where to stay at the Sary Jaz Valley

Aside from some nomadic settlements, there’s absolutely nothing in the Sary Jaz Valley. Your only option is to camp here.

I loved the camping experience, the feeling of being completely alone in this wonderful part of the world and, the silence and the closeness to nature.

14. Engilchek Ghost Town and Hot Springs

I wouldn’t call Engilchek beautiful but it’s definitely one of the most fascinating places to visit in Kyrgyzstan!

The town of Engilchek (Inylchek) was once a prosperous mining town during the Soviet Union. It’s located in the isolated Engilchek Valley near the border with China.

Many young people came to work here in the early 1980s when the mining industry in the region was developing. A whole town including a school and a hospital got built to house the employees of the mine and entire families moved to Engilchek in the hope of building a good life and future here.

There were around 5000 people living here when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The mining was stopped, people lost their jobs and were forced to move to search for work elsewhere. Engilchek became a ghost town.

There are nowadays about 100 people living in Engilchek, many of them working with livestock in the mountains. I’ve been told that a Chinese company reopened the mines and is slowly providing new working opportunities.

I’ll be honest, I really wouldn’t want to live between these deteriorated buildings. It was very interesting to spend a day and an evening there, to experience how it must be to live in such a remote and abandoned place and to witness the daily life of the few people living there.

If you decide to visit Engilchek, don’t skip the Kara Tash hot springs. They’re wedged between the Sary Jaz River and a cliff, about 15 minutes driving from Engilchek town towards At Jailoo.

These hot springs consist of two open-air pools. One is so hot that you could boil an egg in there, but you can bathe in the other one and enjoy the surrounding views.

Remember that the Kara Tash hot springs aren’t always accessible – usually halfway spring – when the river level becomes so high that it covers the springs.

This region is also home to the Engilchek Glacier, one of the longest and largest glaciers of the Tian Shan Mountains. The Engilchek glacier is only accessible on foot. The trek starts at the At Jailoo base camp and it takes 2 to 3 days and 8 hours walking a day before reaching the glacier.

Don’t undertake this trek by yourself as the terrain is rough and dangerous! If you have $750 per person to spare, you can also go on a helicopter excursion to the glacier.

How to get to Engilchek Ghost Town

The Engilchek Valley lies right next to the Sary Jaz Valley and borders China so you’ll need a border permit to get there.

Apply for this permit at least 14 days in advance and include a copy of your passport with your application. The costs of a border permit are between $20 and $30 per person.

I combined my visit to Engilchek with the trip to Sary Jaz, organized by Hiking in Kyrgyzstan , who also took care of arranging my permit.

Engilchek can’t be reached by public transport. You can only get there with your own vehicle or by renting a 4×4 car (with an optional driver).

You’ll be driving on one of the highest roads in the country surrounded by spectacular sceneries and via the Chong Ashu Pass (3800m).

The accessibility to the village is limited during the winter due to large amounts of snow blocking the road and mountain passes.

Where to stay in Engilchek

I’d highly recommend spending one night in the only homestay in Engilchek as it will give you an insight into the daily life of the few families living there.

Nellie, who’s an English teacher at the school in Engilchek, is always happy to host visitors at her home. She’ll treat you to delicious homemade meals and will very likely invite you to visit the school with her and show you around.

You can’t book your stay in advance as there’s no cellphone or wi-fi reception. Just ask for Nellie when you arrive in Engilchek and people will show you the way.

Top Places to visit in Naryn Region

15. song kol lake.

Song Kol lake is definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit in Kyrgyzstan! I was charmed from the first moment I set foot on its shores!

It’s not an easy place to access but any traveler worth his salt knows that the more challenging it is to reach a destination, the more rewarding it will be. This is exactly the case with Song Kol Lake.

I visited it for the first time  while marking hiking trails with Discover Kyrgyzstan .  I was left breathless by the vastness of the mountains surrounding it and by how pristine and untouched the area around the lake was!

Song Kol is the second largest lake of Kyrgyzstan and lies at an altitude of 3000m (9895 feet). The lake is surrounded by mountains and lush meadows.

Nomads have used these meadows as pastureland for their flocks for hundreds of years and today there are still a lot of semi-nomadic shepherds who settle here for the summer and live in their yurts while tending to their herds.

It’s possible to  reach Song Kol by horse  almost throughout the whole year.

Kyrgyzstan is a country known for its horse culture and going on a horseback trek to this pristine lake almost feels like the epitome of everything Kyrgyzstan has to offer.

The complete guide to horse riding in Kyrgyzstan with the best horse riding destinations

HOW TO GET TO SONG KOL LAKE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

A great option is to take a marshrutka from  Bishkek  to Kochkor and then hitchhike or take a taxi from there to Kyzart. You can easily get to Kyzart by shared local taxi for less than 2 USD. If you want to go by private taxi, you will pay at least 10 USD.

Kochkor is one of the biggest towns near Song Kol and it’s easily reached from Bishkek. You can get a shared taxi or a marshrutka to this town from the  western bus station in Bishkek .

A marshrutka ticket from Bishkek to Kochkor should cost around 350 som and the journey to get there from the capital should take less than 3 hours.

Once in Kyzart, you can hike to the lake of Song-Kol over the course of two days.

Hiking to Song Kul Lake – 2 Trekking Itineraries

HOW TO REACH SONG KuL LAKE WITH A LOCAL GUIDE

Song Kul is quite a remote lake and definitely not the easiest one to access. There are many tour companies offering a multi-day trip to Song Kul lake

If you’d like to do this trek by horse and with a small group of like-minded travelers, check out my  Adventure Tours in Kyrgyzstan !

WHERE TO STAY AROUND SONG KOL LAKE

There are many yurt camps spread around the lake, operated by different travel organizers and families. You can arrange your stay in these yurt camps ahead of time or directly with the yurt owners upon arriving there.

Remember that these yurt camps are only there from the end of May/ beginning of June until mid-September!

16. Kel Suu Lake

Although this fantastic canyon lake is hard to get to, it’s one of Kyrgyzstan’s beautiful points of interest!

It was formed in the 1980s when part of the mountains around it collapsed and created a massive natural reservoir. Kel Suu is surrounded by cliffs so tall that it defies the imagination.

There are numerous caves and alcoves in the rocky crags around Kel Suu that you can explore on foot and there’s a small island in the center of the lake that you can reach by boat.

There are plenty of fun activities to do in the vicinity of the lake. The whole area can be explored on foot, on horseback, or by boat.

If you want to explore the farthest parts of the lake, you can rent a boat from the locals. If you like horseback riding, you can always rent a horse from the local shepherds. You could also go for a swim, however, the water is freezing (around 6ºC)!

This natural gem is considered to be one of the most beautiful and spectacular mountain lakes in the Kyrgyz Republic and it’s also one of the highest lakes in the world.

It’s located in a valley called Kok-Kiya at an elevation of about 3,520 meters altitude and not too far from the Chinese border. You’ll need a border permit to get here.

You can occasionally see wild eagles flying over the mountains and herds of wild yaks grazing in the distance. This is a place that would fit very well the description of untouched nature.

Since this lake is not completely closed off, its water level tends to vary considerably throughout the year.

When I went there with a group of travelers during one of my  Overland Expedition Tours  in 2018, Kel-Suu was empty but it was still beautiful and special to walk in the dry lake bed.

Reaching this lake requires a border permit that you can get by contacting the local CBT office in Naryn. The lake is also so remote that you will need a 4×4 vehicle to get there. 

A Handy Travel Guide to Kel Suu Lake and the Kok Kiya Valley

HOW TO GET TO KEL-SUU LAKE

This lake is very remote. The only road to get there is very rough and bumpy and there are many river crossings where there is no bridge. Even with a 4×4 car, the water level in these rivers might be higher than the floorboards.

There are no local marshrutkas that go there either so I would advise contacting a  local tour company  to arrange transportation to this lake.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR KEL-SUU LAKE

There is plenty of space for wild camping in the valley near Kel-Suu lake.

There are also a few yurt camps around Kel-Suu. You can arrange your stay there upon your arrival at the Kok Kiya Valley.

Visit Kel Suu Lake on my Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tours !

17. Tash Rabat

Tash Rabat was a very important place during the period when the Silk Road was used actively by Asian traders and merchants. It’s a place known as a Caravanserai, a roadside inn where the merchants could stop and rest for a few days.

On top of being the perfect place to rest for travelers, it was also a place where the various animals transporting the wagons along the silk road could be well fed and taken care of.

Caravanserais were scattered all along the silk road and were providing shelter in isolated regions from the hostile environment and from bandits.

What is so interesting about Tash Rabat is the unusual architecture of the place which leads many researchers to believe it was originally a Buddhist monastery before being used as a caravanserai.

This unusual building really stands out against the green mountains that surround it. It gives the place very peaceful and calm energy.

The whole area is very quiet and the silence is only occasionally broken by herds of horses running down from the hills.

Travelers coming here can spend a few days relaxing in the yurt camps nearby and go for a few hikes in the quiet mountains around the caravanserai.

If you are more adventurous, I would recommend renting a horse from one of the camps to go explore the valley more in-depth and spend some time on the trails that used to be part of the silk road.

You can rent a horse for about 3 USD an hour at the yurt camps and go ride by yourself or you can go on a longer guided tour to some of the more remote peaks of the region.

How to visit mysterious Tash Rabat Caravanserai – The Complete Travel Guide

HOW TO GET TO TASH RABAT BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

There are marshrutkas and shared taxis going directly from the bus station in Naryn city to Tash Rabat.

The distance between Naryn and Tash Rabat is 117 km and getting there by shared taxi should cost around 3000som.

You could also visit Tash Rabat by joining one of my   Kyrgyzstan Adventure Tours !

WHERE TO STAY NEAR TASH RABAT

Tash Rabat is the ideal place to pitch your tent if you enjoy camping. There are a lot of flat areas in the valley near this archaeological site and you should be able to camp there without being bothered.

If you would prefer to have a typical Kyrgyz experience, you can sleep in a yurt in one of the various yurt camps that you will encounter near the caravanserai.

They charge around 1500 som per person and dinner and breakfast are included in this price. You can arrange your stay in the yurts by walking directly to the camps and talking with the owners.

Beautiful Places to visit in the Jalal-Abad Region

18. too ashuu mountain pass.

The Too Ashuu mountain pass (3594 m) is on the mountainous road connecting  Bishkek  to Osh. It’s one of the most beautiful mountain passes in Kyrgyzstan and it’s easily accessed by car.

What is great about Too Ashuu is that it is located above two gorgeous valleys and the whole panorama there is truly a feast for the eyes.

From one side of the pass, you can admire Chichkan Valley and from the other side, you can see the Susamir Valley.

This place also looks incredibly in winter. The whole area becomes buried under big layers of snow and looks like a vast white desert. The road can be a bit dangerous if you drive there when there is a lot of snow so drive with caution.

In spring, the alpine meadows that are visible from the pass are blooming with more flowers than the mind can imagine and it’s likely you’ll see shepherds moving their animals across the pass in fall.

HOW TO REACH THE Too Ashuu MOUNTAIN PASS FROM BISHKEK BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

You can get to the Too Ashuu pass by public transport from Bishkek by (shared) taxi and marshrutka. You can take a shared taxi or hop on a marshrutka in Bishkek at the Western bus station or at the bus stand south of the Osh Bazaar.

You will need to take a shared taxi or a marshrutka going in the direction of Osh or Jalal-Abad to reach the Too Ashuu pass.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR THE Too Ashuu PASS

Since Too Ashuu is a very high mountain pass, staying there is practically impossible. There aren’t any hotels or hostels and camping there could be hard because there isn’t much flat ground in the surroundings.

What I would recommend is to continue your journey from the Too Ashuu pass towards the south until you reach  Toktogul (see the next place to visit in Kyrgyzstan below).

19. Toktogul Reservoir

Toktogul is the largest water reservoir in Kyrgyzstan and in the whole of Central Asia. It covers 284 km² and has an average depth of about 215 m. 

Toktogul is also home to Kyrgyzstan’s biggest hydro-electric station. The reservoir is sourced from the Naryn River, whose waters flow from the northern part of the Jalal-Abad region. The deep turquoise color of the water is a stunning contrast to the red hills surrounding the reservoir.

You can go for a quick stop at the reservoir or spend more time hiking up to the Toktogul Kyzyl-Too Panoramic view (around 6km) and camp at the reservoir. You’re even allowed to swim in certain permitted locations in the reservoir (the water is around 28 ° C in summer!).

HOw to get to Tokotogul Reservoir

Toktogul Reservoir lies on the main road between Bishkek and Osh. You can get there by marshrutka or shared taxi, coming from either direction and ask the driver to let you out at the reservoir.

Where to stay at Toktogul reservoir

If you have a tent, you can easily (wild) camp on the shores of the reservoir.

There are also a few guesthouses in Toktogul town.

The one I recommend is the  RAHAT Hostel in Toktogul . This place is owned and operated by a sweet elderly couple who will do their utmost best to ensure you have a comfortable stay.

Maria cooks very delicious traditional Kyrgyz food and we’re sure it will be some of the best you have in Kyrgyzstan.

The location of this hostel is very good. It’s located right on the main street, three minutes from the bus station and five minutes from the bazaar.

Click to check out rates and availability for “RAHAT Hostel in Toktogul”

20. Sary Chelek Lake and National Reserve

Sary Chelek is located in the Jalal-Abad region in the west of Kyrgyzstan, tucked into the Western Tien Shan Mountains at the foot of the Chatkal Mountain Range.

This alpine lake is the highlight of a larger area called Sary Chelek Nature Reserve which has been declared as a  UNESCO Biosphere Reserve  in 1978.

The reserve has seven alpine lakes with Sary Chelek Lake being the largest one. Located at an altitude of 1887 meters and created by a landslide, the lake covers almost 500 hectares. The depth varies across the lake, with its deepest point at 245 meters.

The other six lakes in the area are smaller but nonetheless beautiful! There’s a hiking trail in the park that allows you to visit almost all the lakes in one day.

The dense forest with its wild fruit and walnut trees and the valleys surrounding the lakes are a habitat for thousands of plant species, hundreds of birds, and around 40 species of mammals, such as bears and lynx.

I think Sary Chelek is a must-see destination as it’s absolutely one of the most beautiful places to visit, especially if you’re a nature and outdoor lover!

How to get to Sary Chelek Lake

The entrance gate to Sary Chelek Nature Reserve is located in the village of Arkit. Getting there by public transport from Osh or Jalal-Abad is the easiest but it’s also possible to travel to Arkit from  Bishkek .

How to get to Sary Chelek Nature reserve and things to do at Sary Chelek

Where to Stay in Sary chelek

There are no guesthouses or homestays in the nature reserve. The only way to spend a night near the lake(s) is by camping.

If you don’t want to camp, you can stay in one of the many guesthouses and homestays in Arkit village . They also offer meals at an additional price as there are no restaurants in the village.

The prices vary between 500 and 1000 som per person per night. Breakfast is usually included. If you want to have lunch or dinner, count on an extra 300 som per person per meal.

Visit Sary Chelek during the 10-day Feel Like a Nomad Horse Riding Adventure !

21. Arslanbob

Arslanbob is a village tucked in the eponymous valley in the Chatkal mountain range in the south of Kyrgyzstan.

It’s a destination that is popular for its hikes, horseback riding, and skiing but more than anything else, it’s famous for having the world’s largest walnut forest (nowadays around 11,000 hectares) right at its doorstep.

The Arslanbob walnut forest is estimated to be 50 million years old and is also home to 130 varieties of other nut and fruit trees. Some of the trees are more than 1000 years old!

There are about 16000 people living in Arslanbob and the main population is mainly ethnic Uzbek. They speak a local Uzbek dialect and still wear their traditional clothing. This is one of the things that makes Arslanbob special and different from other places in Kyrgyzstan.

Families in Arslanbob spend fall harvesting nuts in this forest and it’s very interesting to be there and take part in the whole process. They will be more than happy to welcome you and show you how the walnut harvest is done if you offer a helping hand.

The ancient walnut forest isn’t the only reason why you should visit Arslanbob. There’s a variety of things to do and you don’t have to go far to visit the waterfalls, walk to the panoramic viewpoint, have a picnic in the forest or enjoy the village life and the picturesque mountainous views.

For those seeking more action and adventure, there are a number of outdoor activities, such a multiple-day hikes, horse treks, and options to go rock climbing and mountain biking.

12 Wonderful Things to do in Arslanbob Walnut Forest

HOW TO GET TO ARSLANBOB FROM OSH BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

There’s a marshrutka (minibus) that goes directly from Osh to Arslanbob village. This marshrutka leaves daily around 1.30 pm at the   new bus station in Osh ,   located on the corner of Lenin and Kasymbekova street.

The mashrutka from Osh to Arslanbob costs 200 som per person and the journey takes around 4 to 5 hours, including the 30-minute stop at Bazar Korgon.

WHERE TO STAY IN ARSLANBOB

There are a number of CBT guesthouses in Arslanbob Village that offer food and accommodation. You can  book some online in advance  or you can go to the CBT office to help you arrange your stay.

Most guesthouses are equipped with warm showers and (outdoor) toilets and have beautiful courtyards filled with fruits and flower gardens.

The average cost is around 600 som per person per night, including breakfast. Your host will also provide dinner at an additional cost of 250 som.  Note: these prices are subject to change .

Best Places to visit in Osh Region

Osh, located in the Ferghana Valley in the south of Kyrgyzstan, is the country’s second-largest city.

Osh is a great transit point to explore the south of the country and it’s also the gateway to the Pamir Highway and the Ferghana Valley, both leading to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan .

That’s why Osh is very often seen as the cultural capital of Kyrgyzstan as it’s a melting pot of Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uzbek cultures. It’s also one of the best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan to try several regional dishes that reflect the multicultural nature of the city.

Osh was also the first and therefore the oldest city of the country with a history of over 3000 years as the fertile soil of the Ferghana Valley attracted the nomadic people to settle down. From the 8th century, it developed into an important center of silk production.

The Suleiman Too mountain is the heart of the city. This sacred mountain has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses several mosques, a museum, and sacred caves, some of which women visit to increase their fertility.

Osh is definitely worth visiting for a couple of days and I’d highly suggest taking a guided tour around the city as there’s so much history and places to be explored.

I highly recommend Atabek from Best of Osh as your guide. He speaks fluent English, is very knowledgeable and is highly passionate to show people the incredible features of his hometown.

1 4 Top Things to do in Osh – Osh City Guide

HOW TO GET TO OSH

• By public transport

Most towns and cities have marshrutkas or (shared) taxi’s going directly to Osh.

The road between  Bishkek  and Osh is a long one (10 to 12 hours!) but it takes you through some of the most beautiful mountain passes in the country.

Since the road between the two cities is really winding and quite narrow in certain areas, it’s inappropriate for large vehicles, even for marshrutkas. The only way to get there by local transport is by shared taxi.

A shared taxi between the two cities costs between 1000 and 1200 som.

• Taking a domestic flight from Bishkek to Osh

With really cheap flights between the two cities, the easiest and fastest way to travel to Osh is to fly directly from Bishkek.

There are many flights linking the two cities throughout the day and travel time is very short. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the southern city from Bishkek by plane so it’s a great option if you’re on a tight schedule.

The airport in Osh is not very far from the city center and you can reach the city center by taxi for about 250 som.

WHERE TO STAY IN OSH

Osh is the second biggest city in Kyrgyzstan and the number of high-quality guest houses and hotels operating there is increasing every year.

This destination offers a good quantity of  budget hostels  for backpackers who want to save money to explore during the day and swap stories with fellow backpackers in the shared kitchen or bar in the evening.

If you are looking for more comfort and a place to wind down after the long journey there, the city also offers some fancy but affordable  hotels .

These are the hostels, guesthouses, and hotels I recommend in Osh:

• Lovely Home For You : dorm or private room, great location, beautiful garden, budget friendly
• Ethno Boutique Hotel : beautiful private rooms with mountain views
• Classic Hotel : deluxe rooms, great location, swimming pool and wellness center

23. the Alay Mountains

The Alay Mountains, also referred to as the Alay Valley, are a stunning sub-range of the Pamir-Alay Mountain system in the southwest of Kyrgyzstan.

They are known for being some of Central Asia’s most beautiful and dramatic mountains with their green and alpine landscapes.

The Alay region has small traditional villages with many nomadic shepherds living in yurt camps during summer. It’s a great place to learn more about local life, gain insight into the nomadic culture, and, of course, go on hikes to enjoy the wild and fabulous nature.

There are many hiking trails in the Alay Mountains – from day hikes to multiple-day treks – along luxuriant valleys and pastures filled with grazing horses, yaks, sheep, and cows, crystal-clear alpine lakes, and rugged mountain passes with panoramic views over snow-capped peaks and glaciers.

Some of the hiking trails are just one hour away from Osh in the  Kichik Alay , which means lower Alay Mountains.

The higher Alay Mountains in the southern part of the Alay mountain range have passes above 4000 meters altitude. The trailheads of the hikes in the higher Alay are close to Sary Mogul Village (about 4 hours driving from Osh).

There are just so many beautiful places to visit within the Alay Mountain region that it’s hard to point out just a couple.

Join the 12-day Best of Alay Trekking Adventure in Kyrgyzstan!

If you’re a physically fit person, then I highly recommend doing the Best of Alay Trek as this 12-day trek takes you to all the highlights of the higher Alay Mountains.

I’ve written a very comprehensive guide of all the most beautiful destinations and hikes within the Alay Mountains and how to reach them.

7 Best Hikes in the Alay Mountains

24. Tulpar Kol Lake

Tulpar Kol is one of the several small alpine lakes in the Alay Valley in the south of Kyrgyzstan.

This alpine lake lies at an altitude of 3500m. On clear days, the view of Lenin Peak, one of the highest mountains in Central Asia, is reflected on the surface of the lake.

Tulpar Kol is the largest of a string of 42 lakes. The surrounding landscapes are very colorful! The hills around these lakes consist of red soil, then you have the green grass growing around and the white snowcapped peaks of the Trans-Alay mountain range in the background.

I stayed a couple of nights in a yurt camp on the shores of this lake during my trek towards Lenin Peak Basecamp and Travellers Pass (see next best place to visit in Kyrgyzstan below).

It was such a good base for hiking in the area or just relaxing and enjoying the incredible beauty and peace of the place!

This destination is also part of my 12-day Kyrgyzstan Trekking Adventure and 16-day Best of Kyrgyzstan Trekking Tour !

How to get to Tulpar Kol lake

There’s no public transport going directly from Osh to Tulpar Kol Lake. You’ll first have to get to Sary Mogul Village.

You can get from Osh to Sary Mogul by (shared) taxi or marshrutka.

There’s  one daily marshrutka  that goes from Osh to Daraut-Korgon via Sary Mogul. It usually leaves around 2 pm from the Old Bus Station, which is located in the city center at the head of Osh Bazaar near Aravanskaya.

You can also take a  shared taxi  to Sary Mogul at the New Bus Station. These also don’t leave until the car is full, but several shared taxis run throughout the day. It costs 500 som, and the journey takes around 4-5 hours.

Tulpar Kul is a 25km drive from Sary Mogul Village. You can take a taxi or try and hitch a ride there.

You can also book a direct transfer from Osh to Tulpar Kol (5 hours) with CBT Osh , which would be around 6500 som per car.

Remember that you need a  Border Zone Permit  to visit Tulpar Kol Lake (the same one as for Lenin Peak Basecamp) as it’s close to the border with  Tajikistan . It takes 10 to 20 days to issue the permit, so you need to apply and pay in advance.  CBT Osh  can help you obtain this permit.

Where to stay at Tulpar Kol Lake

There are just a couple of yurt camps on the shores of Lake Tulpar Kol.

I stayed at the family-owned  Lenin Peak   Yurt Camp . You can also book your stay at the  CBT Yurt Camp .

25. Peak Lenin Basecamp & Traveller’s Pass

Peak Lenin is one of the highest mountains in Central Asia. This 7134 meters tall mountain, straddling the border of Kyrgyzstan and  Tajikistan  in the Pamir-Alay mountains, is on a clear day almost always visible from a distance.

When you go on the day hike to Traveller’s Pass, you’ll get a fantastic close view of Lenin Peak and its surrounding glaciers from this 4150m high ridge.

The trail to Traveller’s Pass starts right behind the yurt camp on the southern shore of Tulpar Kul. You’ll also pass Peak Lenin Basecamp along the way.

You might meet some mountaineers who are preparing for the climb to Lenin Peak. It’s quite a popular climb as it’s known to be the “easiest” 7000-meter summit in the world.

However, many people underestimate this climb. It’s not something you do in a day. Climbing Peak Lenin is a 3-week expedition and it’s a dangerous one!

Once you’ve reached the top of the ridge of Traveller’s Pass and see the magnificent view of glaciers tumbling off the majestic Lenin Peak, I guarantee that you won’t stop smiling for a while!

GETTING A BORDER PERMIT TO VISIT PEAK LENIN

Since Peak Lenin is located on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, getting there requires a border permit. There are a few military checks on the road to the base camp of the mountain and you will be required to show your permit to proceed.

It can take anywhere between 10 days to 3 weeks to get the permit and you can do so by  contacting CBT Osh .

It is better to get the border permit through the CBT office instead of through a travel agency because most travel agencies will tell you that you have to organize an official tour there with them to get the permit which is absolutely not the case.

HOW TO GET TO Peak Lenin Basecamp and traveller’s Pass

Peak Lenin Basecamp and Traveller’s Pass can only be reached on foot or on horse.

The trail starts right behind the yurt camp on the southern shore of Tulpar Kol. Read the full description of this hike here .

WHERE TO STAY NEAR PEAK LENIN Basecamp

You can camp anywhere you like along the trail or you could stay in one of the yurt camps near Tulpar Kol Lake and go on a day hike to Lenin Peak Basecamp and Traveller’s Pass.

Join one of my Kyrgyzstan Trekking Adventures to visit these places!

I hope this guide has inspired you to visit Kyrgyzstan and helped you plan your trip! Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions left!

Plan your trip to Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan Money Guide: Costs of Living and traveling in Kyrgyzstan in 2024

Best Tips and complete Packing List for Traveling in Central Asia in 2024 – When to go and what to wear when visiting Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan Horseback riding: Everything you need to know about horse riding in Kyrgyzstan+ the 9 best horse Riding destinations

Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide: 20 Useful Things you should know to visit Kyrgyzstan in 2024

The 28 Best Things to Do in Kyrgyzstan – culture, nature, history, and sights

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More kyrgyzstan travel resources.

• The Complete Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan
• The 14 best hikes in Kyrgyzstan
• The 25 most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan
• 8 beautiful lakes in Kyrgyzstan
• 15 useful safety tips for Kyrgyzstan
• The complete packing list for Kyrgyzstan
• 28 Things to do in Kyrgyzstan
• 13 Top Things to do in Bishkek – City Guide
• How to visit the Osh Bazaar in Bishkek
• 14 Top Things to do in Osh – City Guide
• 15 Best Things to do in Karakol – City Guide
• The 21 best hikes in Karakol and Jyrgalan
• Tash Rabat Travel Guide
• The complete travel guide to Kel Suu Lake
• The complete travel guide to Arslanbob
• How to visit Sary Chelek Lake and Nature Reserve
• Top things to do around Issyk Kul Lake, a one week itinerary
• Facts and legends of the Burana Tower
• Everything you need to know about horse riding to Song Kul lake
• A comprehensive guide to skiing in Kyrgyzstan
• 6 reasons why you should visit Kyrgyzstan in winter
• Visit Kyrgyzstan in winter by using this 10-day Kyrgyzstan winter itinerary
• Here are the 7 best hikes in the Alay Mountains near Osh
• Use this day-by-day itinerary to hike independently to Ala Kul lake
• Hike independently to Son Kul lake by using these 2 itineraries
• 8 great day trips and hikes near Bishkek
• Ready steady goat! An insight into Kok Boru, Kyrgyzstan’s unusual national sport
• Meet the Golden Eagle Hunters of Kyrgyzstan

10 thoughts on “The 25 most beautiful and best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan in 2024”

Hi, the detailed information provided in your central Asia travel blog is simply captivating & very helpful to those wanting an adventure in central asia. Well done & 2 thumbs up for your contribution. Keep it up.

with thanks, Ivan Lai

Thank you so much Ivan!

We are two seniors and would like to explore this beautiful country in September. Is there a tour to see all of these places in 8 days? Is it possible for a female to rent a car? Love your article, thank you so much.

Hi Arlene, I’m happy you loved the article!

I’m afraid it won’t be possible to see all these places in 8 days. Kyrgyzstan might be a small country in comparison with its neighbors (with the exception of Tajikistan) but it’s still quite a big country. The distances between all these places require a lot of driving and not all the roads are very good, which adds even more driving time. You’re always welcome to contact me and I can help you with an itinerary suggestion. It is also definitely possible to rent a car as a woman!

hey! great article! thank you very much for sharing to much experience and knowledge.

Thank you Roger!

What a great write up and stunning photos! We are planning a trip end of March/early Apr but looks like its not the right time to be visiting Kyrgystan. Were you there around that time? Please could you advise. Thank you!

Hello Ranjani, thank you! 🙂 It’s still very cold end of March/ early April and there won’t be many yurt camps around as most semi-nomads set up their camps from May on. But if you prepare for the cold temperatures, you can still get a very beautiful experience in Kyrgyzstan as the winter landscapes are stunning!

Great article! Do you still have a high resolution version of this picture? https://www.journalofnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_6488-1.jpg I’d love to use it as my laptop’s wallpaper. Cheers! Bob

Hi Bob, if you’re interested in one of our photos, please send us an email at hello(at)journalofnomads(dot)com or use the contact form on our website! 🙂

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