KYRGYZSTAN
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan, an adventurous destination between the mountain ranges in Central-Asia. This country is often considered as the Switzerland of Asia. You can horsehide to alpine lakes high up in the mountains or sleep in a traditional yurt under the beautiful stars. In this blog, we take you along through our experience in this enchanting country, highlighting its cultural treasures, gastronomic delights and the warm hospitality of its people.
How to get to Kyrgyzstan?
Kyrgyzstan is located in the heart of Central-Asia, bordering Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan.
By plane:
Bishkek Manas international airport is the gateway to visiting the country. The airport is located 30 minutes from the city centre and offers direct flights to Moscow, Delhi, Istanbul & Dubai.
The airport of Osh offers direct flights to Russia & Turkey as well
By bus:
Introduction
We decided to spend our summer to discover Kyrgyzstan. Central-Asia is a region we both have not been before. Nevertheless, we were excited to visit the region.
We started in Bishkek, horse packed around Sung Kul lake and hiked around Karakol. Find out about our itinerary, travel tips and personal experiences on this page!
Click here if you would like to learn more about about our journey to Sung Kul lake
After breakfast at the Terrasse Hotel & Bar, we went to explore Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is a nice and not too big city, making it the perfect starting point for a tour of this beautiful country. In Bishkek, you’ll also find lots of greenery and parks where you can relax and unwind after a long flight.
The hotel was okay, but also weirdly empty. For the first nights we were the only guests in the whole hotel.
What stands out about Bishkek is that it is a young city and mainly consists of large apartment blocks and buildings from the communist era of the Soviet Union. This has resulted in wide boulevards and many monuments in honor of the military victories of the Red Army. This creates a Soviet atmosphere and it feels like time has stood still.
Another thing that quickly caught our attention was the fact there were no other tourist anywhere in Bishkek. Still, we felt very safe and accepted by friendly faces.
What to do in Bishkek?
Start your day at Ala-Too Square, which is the central square of Bishkek and was formerly called Lenin Square. There are many statues here, and the State Historical Museum is also located here. The guards change 2 times a day. The iron pole is an impressively large flag pole reaching far into the sky. The square is wide and has a large road separating the two parts of the square. On the other side is a large fountain with benches, which gives it a more accessible feeling. In the evening, this part of the square comes alive when locals gather to watch the fountains.
Visit Panfilov Park, which is named after a Soviet general. Take a ride on the old Soviet Ferris wheel and admire the city and the surrounding mountains from above. Nearby is the White House of Bishkek, the presidential palace and is infamous for the Tulip Revolution of 2005. The building is quite impressive.
Many great lunch places are located on Kiev Street because the University of Bishkek is situated here. For lovers of Japanese and Korean cuisine, the Cooksoo chain is recommended.
Something not to miss out on in Bishkek is the Osh Bazaar for the enormous amount of spices and products that can be found. It is interesting to to check out various stalls. Here you can also find the typical Kyrgyz dried milk balls, which have a very distinctive taste. Something that might be worth to try. We did not quite like the taste. Nevertheless, we were happy to try them.
A great restaurant tip for an authentic Kyrgyz evening is Navat. The interior is beautiful, and the menu is extensive with delicious local dishes. A great way to end a day of sightseeing!
From Bishkek it is very easy to make a day trip to the ancient Burana Tower, located just outside Tokmok. Scroll down for more information about this impressive monument.