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Kyrgyzstan Travel Information

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Land of strong nomadic traditions, magnificent mountain landscapes and impressive natural beauty, Kyrgyzstan is the yet undiscovered jewel of Central Asia. With its modest tourist services and infrastructure, Kyrgyzstan suits best for the independent travelers who like to explore new countries and to experience new adventures.

Kyrgyzstan, land of nomadic traditions and scenic landscapes

With high mountains, remote valleys, wild rivers, open landscapes, nomadic villages and ancient cities, Kyrgyzstan has plenty of beautiful and diverse nature attractions to offer. This mountainous Central Asian country offers also interesting cultural and architectural sights. The natural attractions of Kyrgyzstan start from the highest peak of the country, Jengish Chokusu, rising up to 7439 m as a part of the Tien Shan mountains that dominate the landscape of Kyrgyzstan. Another popular nature attraction in Kyrgyzstan is Ala-Archa Canyon, which is an impressive gorge and a state national park with a high number of suitable tracks for hiking, as well as some facilities for skiing.

More destinations. Lake Issyk Kul is an alpine mountain lake situated in stunning settings between the highest mountains of the country, and hosting some of the best spas in Kyrgyzstan, as well as suitable spots for fishing. Apart from its pristine nature, Kyrgyzstan offers also the ancient city of Osh, and the capital Bishkek, a Soviet style city reminding you of the times when Kyrgyzstan was a part of the Soviet Union, and offering you a good gateway into the astonishing nature of Kyrgyzstan.

Adventure destination with changeable weather

Kyrgyzstan is best reached through the international airport of Bishkek, which receives flights mainly from Russia, United Kingdom, and Central Asian and Middle Eastern locations. Moving around in Kyrgyzstan is an adventure, as the county offers mainly domestic flights, which are considered dangerous, and minibuses, with which traveling is quite slow. If you want to be independent, there is also the possibility of renting a car in Kyrgyzstan, in which case it might be wise to choose a 4WD jeep.

The climate in Kyrgyzstan is continental, with cold winters and hot summers. During the summer months (June-August) average monthly high temperatures in Kyrgyzstan are around 30°C, but during the winter (December-March) below zero temperatures are common all over the country. Overall, unless you travel there for snow sports, traveling to Kyrgyzstan is advisable between April and October, when the weather is at its best.


Photo: Madmonk, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)


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Visitor services. Kyrgyzstan is definitely not one of the world's most famous travel destinations, and this means you might have to accept some compromises when choosing accommodation and restaurants in Kyrgyzstan. Entertainment facilities and tourist information services found in the country are also modest. However, if you travel to Bishkek, the situation is much better than elsewhere.

Safety. Although adventurous, Kyrgyzstan is not a particularly dangerous place to travel to, except for the southern parts of the country. But it isn't the safest on earth, either. Traffic in Kyrgyzstan is chaotic, with bad roads, over speeding, missing signs and traffic rules generally neglected. English is not commonly spoken in Kyrgyzstan, so learning at least some phrases of Russian or Kyrgyz language is highly recommended.

From the Soviet rule to independence: History of Kyrgyzstan in brief

A Central Asian country that has been inhabited by nomadic tribes for centuries, Kyrgyzstan was annexed to Russia in 1876, after which the country showed strong resistance to the tsarist regime. However, Kyrgyzstan stayed under the Soviet rule until 1991, when the collapsing of the Soviet Union gave it a new status as an independent nation. During the first decade of its independence, Kyrgyzstan has suffered from some internal problems, which have fortunately calmed down during the first years of the 21st century.



Facts of Kyrgyzstan

Popularity
Price level
Safety
Happiness
Suitable for family
temperatures / when to go Best months to go
May, June, July, August, September
World heritages World heritages:    1
time zone Time zone:  GMT +6
population Population  5.4 M
capital / biggest city Capital:
Bishkek
language / languages Language(s)
Kyrgyz 65 % (official), Uzbek 14 %, Russian 13 % (official)
literacy Literacy level:   99 %

religion / religions Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%

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