As a travel blogger who has spent nearly 8 months discovering Asia and living on three continents, I’m here to share my insights and experiences from my journeys.
Today, I’m going to tackle the less-explored nation of Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan.
For those of you yearning to explore the heart of this former Soviet state, situated along the ancient silk road but have some reservations about the unknown, fear not!
I’ve compiled a list of the top 7 things you should know before venturing into this magnificent mountainous country.
Let’s demystify this extraordinary landlocked country together, to make sure your journey is as least stressing and enjoyable as possible.
Let’s get started, no fluff, just my experience.
Table of Contents
Do you need a visa for visiting Kyrgyzstan?
Of course. One of the most important things to know before you visit any country – do I need a visa?
Many countries don’t need a visa for up to sixty days.
As I am an Irish citizen I could easily enter Kyrgyzstan without a visa.
Should you need a visa you can apply for an evisa before you travel. If you are unaware if you need a visa, you can check on the official website and select your country.
Just make sure to check well in advance to avoid any major problems getting into Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan has amazing cuisine
If you are not so familiar with central asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan then you may not be familiar with the local food.
And boy is it tasty!
Plov was my favourite dish and it was found everywhere in Central Asia.
Apart from a few times in rural areas where some restaurants we entered ran out of plov or simply made one dish in bulk and sold it throughout the day. The I had no plov.
Other than that, I enjoyed the tasty meat and potatoes (im Irish), shashlik, zhuurat and of course salad. My favourite salad had to be the Russian salad which was commonly found in all restaurants I visited.
Other typical food’s worth trying include Beshbarmak, the national dish (horse meat and noodles), Dimlama, Shorpo and kymyz.
Hearty and heavy is how I would describe Kyrgyz cuisine. I rarely left the table feeling hungry. Additionally, the people of Kyrgyzstan are extremely hospitable and together with some amazing food you can have many nice memories at the dinner table as I have.
Transportation in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan has a somewhat different transportation system to what I was used to back home in Ireland.
There are taxis and mini vans (mashrukta) which make travel easier. You can also hitch hike which is very common but I will come to that later.
When we travelled from Bishkek to Cholpon Ata and Karakol we used the mashrukta. It was comfrotable and cheap. The cost ranged between 400-1000 som and the mashrukta will only leave once full. Sp you may have to wait for others to fill the seats. having said that we only waited a short time before we departed.
Alternatively you can get a taxi to take you around the cities or to each region. But expect to pay much more.
You can also download and use Yandex. Similar to uber its a great way to travel cheaply around Kyrgzystan. More commonly found in the cities it is the best way to go I believe.
I wouldn’t rely on Yandex if I was going to the countries and wanting to book a lift back at night time as you may not find a driver. So beware of that.
If you hitchhike in Kyrgyzstan be prepared. The kyrgyz people were friendly to me at all times. No offce but drivers take more chances on the road from experience. I noticed people driving faster. You may not have seatbelts in the car. You will have to pay more than a mashrukta but it can get you out of a problem if you are stuck.
We and many locals simply stood on the roads and waved down some cars. More often than not they stopped. You will need to agree a cost before you enter the car too.
Having said all that it was nice to meet the locals and (try) to speak with them.
Thats my faourite part of travel!
Using Money in Kyrgyzstan
Atms’ are found typically in the cities and major towns.
If you are travelling to the countryside I advise having enough cash with you for the day. Once you get back to the city, you can top up your wallet again.
Typically while eating out we found most places accepted card. Occasionally one or two did not. This would usually be a small family run restaurant which only takes cash.
Certainly in the country or small towns like Barskoon or Tamga is was harder to use card.
Accommodation
You can find some fantastic guesthouses in Kyrgyzstan. From my experience Bishkek, Cholpon Ata and Karakol all have great options from hotels, to family run accommodation to more traditional options such as yurts.
We met a really nice family in Bishkek. The father, an accomplished author and mother who ran a creche with her daughter in the home. There son had started university during our stay.
They would allow us order dinner in the morning and they would have it ready for us on time that evening. What is great is to chat with the family as we eat and learn about their life and the history of the country.
This was my positive experience in Bishkek.
In Cholpon Ata we stayed in a hotel right on Issyk Kul Lake. The hotel was closing as the busy season was just about to end, So the day before we left (September 19th), the hotel closed to the following day and there as a couple of nights when it was just us who stayed in the hotel.
Awesome!
Outside of the capital and to get a real central asian experience, you can stay in a yurt.
A yurt is a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by several distinct nomadic groups in the steppes of Central Asia.
A yurt is made from a circular wooden frame with a felt cover. The felt is made from the wool of sheep that are said to move with the nomads as they travel.
You are probably aware that yurts are synonymous with central asia for thousands of year and make for a memorable stay in Kyrgyzstan.
Over the years the design of these yurts have barely changed, making it one of the oldest forms of indigenous shelter still in use.
Want to experience life as a nomadic Kyrgyz? Then you must stay in a yurt at least once.
Language
Though the official language is Kyrgyz (a turkic language) be prepared to hear a lot of Russian in too.
As a former member of the Soviet Union this fact changed the language from predominantly turkic language to a mix. hence why you can still see cyrillic sign posts in the country today.
The turkic language originated on the steppes on central asia and today its still going strong.
Though Almaty probably homes the most Russian speakers in central asia, Bishkek, Karakol and Cholpon Ata host many Russian speakers.
I wouldn’t say you need to learn Russian fluently to spend time in Kyrgzysran. But a few words will always help. That is something I have learned from my travels over the years.
Here are some basic Russian phrases that tourists can use:Привет (Privet) – Hello
- Спасибо (Spasibo) – Thank you
- Где туалет? (Gde tualet?) – Where is the bathroom?
- Сколько это стоит? (Skol’ko eto stoit?) – How much does this cost?
- Я не говорю по-русски (Ya ne govoryu po-russki) – I don’t speak Russian
- Вы говорите по-английски? (Vy govorite po-angliyski?) – Do you speak English?
- Меня зовут… (Menya zovut…) – My name is…
- Где находится…? (Gde nakhoditsya…?) – Where is…?
- Я потерялся (Ya poteryalsya) – I am lost
- Помощь! (Pomoshch’!) – Help!
Pro tip – download Google translate so you can always search for a new way to communicate or take a photo of a sign and translate it seamlessly.
The best time to visit Kyrgyzstan
The best time to visit Kyrgyzstan is from June to August.
Bishkek will have average 30 degrees celcius in June, a little higher in July and slightly lower in August at about 31 degrees.
Karakol will hover around 18-22 degrees celcius in the same summer months.
There are many positives to visit in the winer – you can enjoy the stunning snowcapped mountain from afar (or go trekking if your into that), you can enjoy the amazing hot springs or photograph a frozen waterfall.
Based on my travels, the had perfect weather in Kyrgyzstan in the late summer and early autumn, specifically in September and October.
During these months, the weather is comfortable and the landscapes are absolutely stunning. The colours of the season transform the scenery into a vibrant palette of reds, oranges, and yellows.
What I loved about this time of year was the beautiful colours of the trees and landscape. Yellows oranges and green were abundant and beautiful.
Kyrgyzstan Travel Tips
Sim card
The cost we paid for a sim card was about 1,500 som (€15.00) for the fastest internet available for one month.
You will be so excited to have landed in Bishkek you’ll be thinking how can I quickly send photos to family and friends of the amazing central asian landscape?
Well, upon arrival into Manas International airport you can purchase a sim card at the information desk in the centre before you exit the airport.
Our experience in the airport was excellent. The staff were superb and friendly. They were mannered and helpful. Something I have experienced the opposite of in Europe and north America.
You can also use eSim cards in Kyrgyzstan. To know more, take a look at me eSim article.
Travel insurance
Do no travel to Central Asia without travel insurance to Kyrgyzstan.
When we visited Kazakhstan Guadalupe needed to have an operation and without having Safety Wing travel insurance she would have had to €850.00.
Luckily we were covered and Safety Wing chased us for all the relevant paperwork. I would have thought before that insurance companies would do as little as possible to help us out, so they could try and dodge the payment.
But every email and communication we had with them, they were superb.
Clothing and hiking equipment
When will you be travelling to Kyrgyzstan? Will you be staying in the city? Sleeping in a yurt or hiking the mountainous terrain?
You should consider all of these questions before you travel.
When we got to Karakol we found a couple of second hand shops selling gear which we could use when we hiked to Ala Kul Lake and Ala Archa National Park.
I picked up a Columbia jacket for €15.00 which was extremely warm. You can also rent hiking gear like snow shoes and water proof leggings from Extreme shop Gold. We rented a tour guide privately with EcoTrek-Trekking & Travel (ask for Ermecka who was so great with us) and you wont be disappointed.
There are a couple of other places in Karakol that you could rent cloying and gear from but this was our experience using the two mentioned above.
Get photos with an eagle
Back in the day, eagles were used to catch animals for food. Tourists can now get a photo taken with an eagle and there are such an impressive creature.
They were much heavier than expected so after a few moments my arm and shoulder were exhausted and we had to hand them back.
The cost for this was nominal and for life you will have a memory of central asia that not many others can boast.
Packing list
Some important things I would bring for a trip to central Asia.
Reusable water bottle
When we camped in the mountains I often went to the river and filled up my bottle with the fresh mountain river. But have caution. My bottle had a bacteria neutraliser so the water became treated.
Even still, the horses walk through and poop in the rivers as you will see almost everywhere. So we had to walk about ten minutes away from out camp to find a place where to horses didn’t contaminate.
So be careful if you choose to do what we did and
Best places to visit
After spending several months in central Asia I can attest to its beauty and intrigue.
Below are a list of some of the best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan. Looking back at these places I really don’t know why I left.
Ala Kul Lake
One of the most famous places in all of Kyrgyzstan is Ala Kul Lake and rightly so.
Its tough to get there. Very Tough. But it is so worth the pain.
We took 2 days to get there, camped two nights and the natural beauty I witnessed made me consider living in the Kyrgyz mountains.
This country blew me away.
Ala Archa National Park
Another one of the most picturesque places I visited in Central Asia Was Ala Archa national Park.
Not old did we witness a beautiful cloud inversion, but we were treated to magical waterfall 2,700 metres above sea level.
This trek wasn’t too difficult and the hike was justified.
The only thing I didn’t enjoy about this experience was being chased by two small red squirrel . yes, you read that correctly. We must have infringed on their space so they followed us for about 30 metres and seemed a little aggressive. So watch out for the squirrels.
Bishkek
An interesting capital city with a plethora of things to see such as Ala Too Square, Panfilov Park, the State History Museum, Central Mosque and Victory Square but to name a few.
If you are a coffee drinker your in luck. I have never visited a city with such a densely populated number of coffee shops such as Bishkek.
Karakol
A great base to have when you want to explore the mountains and surroundings such as Jeti Oguz.
There are also a few interesting things to see apart from the landscape and surroundings such as Dungan Mosque, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Issyk Kul Lake, and Ak-Suu Hot Springs.
Ride a horse
Central Asia is full of horses running wild on the steppe.
You can take a horse treks tour experience if its something that may interest you.
If you don’t feel comfortable riding a horse then you can stay off its back and watch them roam freely on the beautiful landscape.
When we drove through the mountains we witness groups of wild horses running freely and tourist moving in groups of horses which looked to be a pleasant experience.
Song Kul
About 250km from Bishkek is the alpine lake of Song Kul.
Many people have this lake on their itinerary when planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan. The lake is at an altitude of over 3,000 metres.
At these heights I did feel a little funny if I can say it that way, so be prepared for some altitude sickness. Some people feel it worse than others.
Overall I was able to manage and tackle some of the beautiful heights of Kyrgyzstan on my trip and no doubt you will be able to also.
Final Thoughts…
The Kyrgyz culture and people are fascinating and open. Exploring an unknown country can be scary, I get it, but my experience in Central Asia and especially Kyrgyzstan was warm, exciting and unforgettable.
If you have reservations about booking your ticket and traveling to the region I would argue that the benefits outweigh the unknowns.
Let me know in the comments what place in Kyrgyz excites you the most?
Thanks for reading,
James
Byline
James Fahey is an Irish travel writer, photographer and video editor who as of 2024 has visited 25 countries. The blog started in late 2021 but took off in 2023 when James and his girlfriend Guada set out to visit Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Turkey. James Spent time living in Washington D.C, Nairobi working and volunteering where the travel bug kicked in. James has a goal – to make travel easier for people who want to visit the same places he has been.
Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that if you make a booking through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
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FAQs
Is Kyrgyzstan cheap for tourists?
Kyrgyzstan can be very cheap for tourists. Whilst you can find higher end places to eat or stay, we stayed in a guesthouse in Bishkek for 150.00 with breakfast included. Dinner was an extra 5.00 per person. Along Issyk Kul Lake we paid 45.00 for three nights with breakfast included. To use a mashrukta around Ala Kul lake region, you can expect to pay between 600-1000 som.
Is it easy to travel around Kyrgyzstan?
It is relatively easy to travel around Kyrgyzstan. Between taxis, mashruktas, buses and scooters in the cities, travel around is a lot easier than many people may think. It is harder to get to more rural areas. But it can be done with a little planning and thought.
What you need to know about Kyrgyzstan?
Kyrgyzstan is a wonderful place to explore. Though less frequented by westerns genrally that doesn’t mean there is nothing to do.Trekking, Horse riding, exploring new cuisines, history and unforgiving mountains are some of the best things to do and see when planning a trip.