Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Geographically isolated and highly mountainous, it has been at the crossroads of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road and other commercial routes. It is impossible to imagine the history and culture of the Kyrgyz without the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountain ranges. The land of celestial mountains and the true nomadic lifestyle. Today a large proportion of the Kyrgyz population still live a nomadic traditional life, not very different from their ancestors.
tigr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kondephy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Peretz Partensky from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bruno Rijsman (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Ninara, (CC BY 2.0)
Laurent de Walick, (CC BY 2.0)
The best moment to visit Kyrgyzstan is during summer season (end-May until September). The climate of Kyrgyzstan is continental and dry in the majority of the country, including the largest cities. In the Ferghana Valley in the south and in capital Bishkek, summers are very hot with day temperatures between 30° and 40° Celsius. However, most of the country is situated more than 1500 meters above the sea level, where temperatures are in the mid-20s during summer. However, Kyrgyzstan is becoming increasingly popular for ski holidays. April, May, and June are usually the wettest months.
Skiing: the season of skiing activities start in mid-December until end-March.
Eagle hunting: you can watch the eagle hunting demonstration any time during the year, but their actual hunting season is in late autumn and winter.
Kok Boru: winter is traditional for village games, but summer festivals and national holidays are a good time to find a game. Mid-summer, the At Chabysh horse festival takes place at the foot of Peak Lenin (check their calendar). On Nowruz (21st of March), and Independence Day (31st of August), the Bishkek hippodrome will be packed for the game. The World Nomad Games is another opportunity.
CBT summer festivals: local CBT offices organise events during summer for tourists and locals alike, all offering a mix of horse games, eagle hunting, traditional crafts, song, and dance. Contact CBT to find out exact dates and planning.
The currency in Kyrgyzstan is the Som. The exchange rate approximately is 1 Euro between 78 – 97 Soms. 1 US Dolar is between 70 – 89 Soms.
Kyrgyz and Russian are the official languages. Russian is spoken more in larger cities and Kyrgyz everywhere. Kyrgyz language is similar to Kazakh, Uzbek and Turkmen and part of the Turkic family of languages. All tour guides speak in English, but very few people understand or speak English.
Kyrgyzstan offers visa-free travel for travellers of 69 countries (most Western countries) for a stay of up to 60 days. Others can make use of the e-visa system or will have to apply through an embassy. An additional letter of invitation is needed for passport holders of certain countries. The Kyrgyzstan tourist visa is issued for 30 or 90 days, with single or double entry. To get a Kyrgyzstan tourist visa, most passport holders need a letter of invitation from a tourist company. However, citizens of some countries do not need a letter of invitation, these are: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cyprus, Indonesia, Israel, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Oman, Philippines, Romania, San Marino, South Africa, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela. Citizens of these countries also do not need to register at OVIR. All others do. The letter of invitation takes 2 weeks to deliver and is valid for 1 month from date of issue. So, you need to get to an embassy within 1 month.
Since 2017, Kyrgyzstan has installed an e-visa system. You can apply via the E-visa government website. Everyone can use it, but passport holders of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must put China in their application. You also need an invitation letter for the e-visa, unless you are from one of the 21 countries listed above. The e-visa has a validity of 90 days with 30 days duration of stay. Be aware that visa validity starts from the date of visa approval.
In the capital, there are many ATMs that you can find in shopping centres, supermarkets or on the main streets. All of them accept Visa cards and some, like Kyrgyz Kommerts Bank, Demir Bank and Uni Credit accept other cards such as MasterCard or Maestro card. Outside of Bishkek, ATM’s can now be found in most towns.
Kyrgyzstan is primarily a cash economy. Money transfers are no problem with Western Union or another provider.
Offices and many businesses open from 9am to 6pm, from Monday to Friday and weekends remain close. Shops and stores are open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm, but they close 1 hour to lunch. Main bazaars are busiest at weekends, especially Sundays. Restaurants and bars are open from 10am to 11pm.
Time: GMT + 6 hours.
Manas International Airport (is the largest airport in Kyrgyzstan. The distance from the airport to the centre of Bishkek is 28 kilometres. By car, it takes 25 minutes to get to the centre)
Osh airport (is one of the smaller airports in the country. The distance from the airport to the centre of Osh is 11 kilometres. By car, it takes 12 minutes to get to the centre)
Issyk-Kul International Airport (is located near Tamchy village. The distance from the airport to the centre of Tamchy is 4 kilometres. By car, it takes 5 minutes)
Karakol International Airport (is an international airport serving Karakol. The distance from the airport to the centre of Karakol is 2 kilometres. By car, it takes 3 minutes to get to the centre)
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous land with high passes and many passes have rugged roads. Public transportation in Kyrgyzstan has its own peculiarities Main intercity roads have been recently repaired, newly paved, and well maintained. However, the roads in suburbs and in villages can be in poor condition or not paved at all.
The most common and cheapest way to travel around Kyrgyzstan by public transportation is by marshrutka, which is like a minivan or a small bus that travels a standard route and picks up and drops off passengers along the way. Another option is shared taxis, where you will usually find at the bus station or main markets, there is no set departure time. A shared taxi driver will leave once his car is filled with passengers (depends on the car, but often four people). Buses and shared taxis are usually the only way to get to smaller destinations. Less comfortable and more dangerous, we do not recommend taking them for long distances.
Kazakhstan is developing its rail network, and several high-speed trains now connect the major cities. Other trains are still slow, their speed reflected by their low prices. Taking the train is a great way to get around this enormous country. It is a cheap way to travel Kazakhstan in comfort, meeting locals along the way. You can find prices and timetables at the online booking sites of Tutu, Tickets.kz and Kazakh Railways.
Driving Kazakhstan is the best way to experience this huge country, since many of its attractions are difficult to reach on public transport. It is the perfect way to experience the freedom of Kazakhstan’s great outdoors. Car rentals have become more affordable in recent years.
Women should cover their shoulders wear trousers or skirts that fall below the knee, and men should not wear shorts.
Drinking water from the springs and many rivers you may encounter while hiking without purifying is not safe.
In rural areas picking flowers, especially pale blue-bell shape some of them have a component toxic.
Drink spiking is a risk.
Do not accept food, drinks, gum, or cigarettes from strangers.
Never leave your food or drink unattended.
Scams involving false identity (such as criminals posing as police officers and prearranged drivers at airports) have been reported.
Traditionally, Kyrgyz are pastoral nomads, raising horses, sheep, goats, and cattle, and some of their favourite foods include horse meat, fermented mare’s milk (qymyz), and a fermented drink made of millet and/ or other grains (bozo). Other components of traditional Kyrgyz food include lamb, potatoes, bread, rice, noodles, and yogurt. The main dishes in Kyrgyzstan are: “Shashlik “(one of the meals that define the region, grilled meat kebabs. Usually lamb, although chicken and beef can also be found. Usually served with red onions.), “Manti” (these steamed dumplings come in a variety of styles with fillings both meat and vegetarian options), “Samsa” (wrapped in crispy, flaky pastry. Like Manti, they come in both meat and vegetarian varieties), “Lagman” (thick noodle dish covered in vegetables and meat in a spicy, vinegary sauce), “Beshbarmak” consists of horse meat (occasionally beef or lamb) boiled its own broth and served over boiled noodles).
For Kyrgyzstan there are two associated plug types, types C and F. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type F is the plug which has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. Kyrgyzstan operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Public healthcare in Kyrgyzstan has made significant changes by implementing new clinical and practical directives. How the Kyrgyzstan Healthcare System Works for travellers: travellers can avail local services and amenities, but they will need to pay instantly in cash. Most local expats and tourists prefer Neomed as their first choice in Bishkek. Generally, in Kyrgyzstan, emergency medical services are not available in rural areas. Most of the emergency service workers do not speak English too. In such situations, travellers must seek help from a local colleague or acquaintance who can help bridge the communication gap. Travellers must procure an international health insurance policy before arriving.
Private healthcare in Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek has provisions and facilities for world-class medical care. Medical facilities are cheaper as compared to those in the West. Even then, the standard of healthcare in the country is not near to what is easily procurable in Western countries.
Meanwhile, pharmacies all over the country stock a variety of medicines and normally do not ask for prescriptions.
Some vaccines are recommended or required for Kyrgyzstan: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, tickborne encephalitis, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis). We recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
Tipping is not part of the culture in Kyrgyzstan and is therefore not required. In cafes, service of 10-15% is usually included on the bill. When you go on a tour, you are also not expected to pay an extra tip to the guide, driver, horsemen, or porters afterward. However, they will appreciate it as wages are low in Kyrgyzstan.
Always negotiate when arranging transport hire.
In Kyrgyzstan bargaining is extremely common from bazaar stalls to CBT offices and more.
For an extensive guide about Central Asia, visit https://caravanistan.com/
If you are invited to a Kyrgyz house, it is a nice touch to bring a small gift. Fruits and/or sweets from your home country are always well received.