Travel Tips for Kyrgyzstan: Everything You Need to Know

Kyrgyzstan feels like it’s on the cusp of becoming the next big adventure travel destination. With remote mountainous landscapes covering majority of the country, there are endless trails, camping spots, skiing opportunities, horseback rides, and freshwater swims, all amongst some of the most jaw-dropping beauty you’ll ever see.

The landscapes are out of this world, combined with a historic nomadic culture and what feels like boundless natural space, it’s an outdoor lover’s dream. People are suddenly waking up to this country in Central Asia, that will undoubtedly top many bucket list for years to come.

But in a region that was long isolated to foreigners, there’s not a whole lot of knowledge and information out there when it comes to independently travelling in Kyrgyzstan. After spending two months hitchhiking, trekking, and horse riding my way around the country, I’m putting everything I know in this guide.

Here’s everything you need to know before heading to Kyrgyzstan, from visas to transport, what to pack, and everything in between. This is the ultimate travel guide for Kyrgyzstan.

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Quick Facts About Kyrgyzstan

• Population: 7.4 million
• Capital: Bishkek
• Currency: Kyrgyz som
• Dialling code: +996
• Official languages: Kyrgyz and Russian
• Religion demography: Islam (90%). Christianity (7%), Other (3%)

Visa Requirements

Kyrgyzstan has a very generous visa regime compared to other Central Asian countries. Most nationalities get a 60-day visa free on arrival. This includes Australia, most EU countries, Canada, New Zealand, United States, and South Korea. Nationals from Japan or Russia can stay indefinitely. 

All other nationalities can apply for an e-visa online. It’s always a good idea to check the current requirements for your nationality though, as these things change often. You can check on the official e-visa website here.

Arriving in Kyrgyzstan: How to Get There

It’s possible to arrive by air or land in Kyrgyzstan. There is a major international airport in the capital city of Bishkek and several land borders open to foreigners with different neighbouring countries.

Bishkek International Airport

Manas International Airport is around 25km north of the city centre and can take around an hour to reach or more, depending on traffic. Here’s how to get into the city after you arrive:

Bus | Marshrutka #380 operates from the arrivals terminal to the city centre from 6:30am until 9pm. It costs about 60 som. Otherwise, public bus #153 also operates from 7am until 9pm for around 10 som. It will likely take a bit more than an hour with several stops.

Taxi | You can grab a taxi from arrivals, although be prepared to bargain a little for the price. It should cost around 1000 som for the trip into the city centre, depending on where your hotel is.

Yandex | If you can download the Yandex Go taxi app (works like Uber), then you’ll be able to book a driver. It will cost less than a taxi and it also saves the language barrier of directing a taxi driver to your hotel.

Read next: 10 Best Things to Do in Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan Land Borders: Arriving by Road

You can enter Kyrgyzstan from China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. You can cross most border entry points by shared taxi, marshrutka (minibus), or self-driving. If you’re driving your own vehicle, ensure you have all the necessary documents and permits.

Popular border crossings, include the Dostyk Border Post between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan near Osh. For those driving the Pamir Highway, you can cross to and from Tajikistan at Kyzyl-Art Pass. Although, a permit is required. You can also cross to and from Kazakhstan, with the Kordai border crossing near Bishkek being the most popular option.

As with any border regions and land crossings, ensure you check up to date information on requirements and opening times, as things can change without warning.

When is the Best Time to Visit Kyrgyzstan?

You can technically visit Kyrgyzstan all year round, but there’s good reason why 99% of people visit during summer. Being a mountainous country in Central Asia, winters are long and brutal, making it difficult to get around and explore.

During the warmer months is when everything will be open. But there’s also some benefits to visiting just before or after peak season, which I’ll explain below.

High Season: Summer

From June to August is the high tourist season in Kyrgyzstan. This is when the weather is at its warmest, the skies are generally clear most days, and the mountain roads and passes will be open for exploring and trekking.

Summer is also traditionally when the nomads and shepherds take their livestock to higher grounds and establish jailoos or summer yurt camps. If you want to experience a night in a yurt, then summer is the best time to visit.

In these months, you’ll find that things are quite busy. Hiking trails will have plenty of people on them (although there’s always options where few people go), yurt camps fill quickly, and horse treks depart every day. This is a good time to join up with other travellers, but if you prefer more solitude then it may not be the best time to visit.

Shoulder Seasons: Spring and Autumn

As an alternative, the shoulder seasons are also very nice times to visit Kyrgyzstan. The weather will be starting to warm up by late spring (April-May), and the snow will be melting in most places below 3,000m. 

Similarly, early autumn (September-October) is a good time for exploring the country with less crowds. The temperatures will start to drop significantly by late October, and the yurt camps are usually packed up for the season by the end of October.

Visiting in the shoulder seasons can be a risk though, some high mountain passes may still have significant snow making high altitude treks more challenging and yurt camps are not always open. This will change year to year, depending on the timing and severity of winter.

I was there from end of July until end of September, and it turned out to be a perfect time to be there. However, by the end of September, the country was definitely much quieter and yurt camps were starting to close in preparation for winter.

Off-Season: Winter

Winter is long in Kyrgyzstan, running from November until March. It’s extremely cold and most of the mountainous areas will be inaccessible. You won’t be able to do the typical adventure tourism activities like horse trekking to Song Kul (although technically possible in winter, just not encouraged), trekking to Ala Kul lake, and camping under the stars near Lenin Peak.

However, if you want to go skiing without the crowds and high costs of Europe, then it’s definitely an intriguing option. The infrastructure may not quite be there, but they are rapidly building ski resorts around Karakol, which will mean Kyrgyzstan may become a more popular winter destination in years to come.

How Much Time Do You Need to Spend in Kyrgyzstan? 

It really depends how much time you have and what you’d like to do in Kyrgyzstan. With a 60-day visa, you can definitely travel to most corners of the country and see plenty of sights, although not every one can visit for so long.

With 10 days, you can certainly see the main highlights in the eastern and central regions of the country. If you increase it to 14 days, you’ll be able to include a four day trek. If you want to head to the southern half of the country, then you’ll most likely need three weeks in total. 

However, you can easily reduce the amount of time by skipping multi-day treks or activities like horse trekking. If you have your own vehicle, you can also cover a lot more ground at a quicker pace without having to wait for marshrutkas. 

Kyrgyzstan is definitely a country where you can spend a little or a lot of time. It really all depends on how you want to travel, what you want to do and how much time you have.

Getting Around Kyrgyzstan

You can get around Kyrgyzstan by marshrutka (minibus), shared taxi, train, plane and hire car. Unless you rent a car, the main form of transport is marshrutka. The train network is restricted to the Bishkek-Balykchy line and domestic flights are still only very limited (with plans for more as tourism takes off).

By Marshrutka

Marshrutkas are local minibuses that transport people between towns. This is the best and cheapest way to get around, although it requires some patience to navigate. Most towns and cities have a marshrutka station or stop where they tend to gather. It doesn’t always feel organised, but they do tend to have route numbers displayed on their windscreens and a rough timetable that they adhere to.

Marshrutkas stop frequently to pick up and drop people off, so if you know the route the minibuses will take, you can easily flag them down on the side of the road too. But this also means that the journeys can be long and slow. They don’t have huge luggage storage capacity, so if you have big luggage, they may charge extra if it takes up a seat.

By Shared Taxi

If you miss a marshrutka, then your other option is shared taxis. These are faster than marshrutkas but more expensive, as the cost is split between travellers. They’re not as organised as the marshrutkas and they’ll only leave when full, so you have to be prepared to wait sometimes.

Grabbing a taxi within a city or town is easiest with the Yandex Go app (like Uber). This is the easiest way to arrange getting from the airport into the city.

By Train

There is one main train line in Kyrgyzstan, which runs from Bishkek to Balykchy (Issyk Kul). I highly recommend taking this train if you’re travelling from the city to the lake, as it’s an incredibly scenic journey and an experience in itself. Read my full guide on how to take this train.

By Hire Car

Many travellers are starting to hire their own car to get around Kyrgyzstan with ease. If you have an international license and are confident driving on questionable road conditions, then it’s definitely a good option.

This will allow complete freedom and the ability to explore lesser-known spots that can’t be reached by public transport. However, with the sudden demand of tourists, you do have to book hire cars ahead of time. We found that there were almost none available when we inquired in the country, so plan ahead.

It’s also not overly cheap. Many 4×4 hire vehicles go for about US$120 per day. Although you can find some older models for less than US$100. It’s also possible to find some with rooftop tents attached or camping gear included, but this can cost even more.

By Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is a very common way of getting around the country. There are still towns and regions that aren’t serviced by marshrutkas. You might even see locals standing on the side of the road attempting to hitchhike themselves. 

I hitchhiked a lot in Kyrgyzstan, with another female traveller. We felt safe enough hitchhiking all around the country, sometimes taking up to four rides per day to get to our destination.

Generally, locals will expect some money to share the fuel cost. If you want to be picked up for free, ensure you say “som nyet” (which means no money) or agree on a price before getting in. We hardly paid for rides, but it did mean that some people didn’t want to take us, so we would wait a bit longer.

Trucks were the best and most reliable hitchhiking vehicles. We used trucks several times, and they were always the most comfortable and convenient rides, and the drivers never expected or wanted any money. 

It’s definitely an experience, and a great way to talk with the locals, although be prepared that none of them will understand English. We had to spend a lot of time trying to explain where we were going with a combination of Maps and Google Translate.

By Tour

If you’re short on time or prefer to have logistics taken care of, then there are some day trips and multi-day tours that can be arranged. While I tend to travel independently, we did meet some people who were getting around with a driver and guide.

It can be a good way to see a lot in a short time or have a complicated trek all planned for you. Check out some of these tour options:

Money and ATMs

The official currency of Kyrgyzstan is the Som (in Kyrgyz: сом), abbreviated to KGS. I recommend using the Xe app to be able to convert exchange rates quickly when you’re trying to buy something.

While ATMs are becoming more widespread and you can use a credit card to pay for things in the larger cities, cash is still very much preferred in Kyrgyzstan. 

As most of the country is quite rural and you’ll likely be heading off into the mountains on occasion, it’s ideal to keep plenty of cash on you at all times. Marshrutkas, guesthouses, local restaurants, and yurt camps, are all paid for in cash.

However, the major supermarket chain, Globus, accepts credit card payments and they almost always have a reliable ATM inside too.

Should You Tip in Kyrgyzstan?

Tipping is not a tradition or custom in Kyrgyzstan. Some fancier cafes and restaurants in the cities like Bishkek may add on a 10% service charge, but local places don’t tend to do this. 

If you liked the service and meal, then you can certainly round up the bill or leave 10%, but it’s definitely not expected.

For trekking or horse-riding guides and tours, it’s not necessarily essential to tip. However, considering the low wages in the country, it’s a nice gesture if you enjoyed your trip and the guide was friendly and helpful. Stick to the 10-15% rule for tipping, but certainly don’t feel like you have to.

Is Kyrgyzstan Cheap?

Kyrgyzstan is a very budget friendly country, and I found it to be even cheaper than Uzbekistan next door. If you’re using public transport or hitchhiking, staying in guesthouses or hostels, and eating at local restaurants, you can average as little as US$30 per day. 

Staying at more yurt camps, going on any tours or taking taxis, and staying at nicer guesthouses will bump up the daily expenditure a bit more. But in general, it’s a very affordable country.

How Much I Spent in 2 Months in Kyrgyzstan

After spending two months in the country, I averaged about AUD$40 per day. I hitchhiked a lot which saved on transport costs, and I also mostly stayed at local guesthouses and homestays which were very affordable. But this is still a very achievable budget if you want to explore on a low cost.

Here’s a breakdown of what I spent over 60 days (in Australian Dollars):

• Accommodation: $970
• Activities (camping gear hire, horse trek): $439
• Groceries: $393.50
• Restaurants: $325.50
• Transport: $104.50
• Laundry: $12
• Other: $105
• Total: $2,349
• Average daily spend: $40

Is Kyrgyzstan Safe?

Kyrgyzstan is a very safe country to visit, even for solo female travellers. After spending two months there and hitchhiking around the country, I can say that it felt very safe travelling around. Crime is not a big issue and you definitely don’t feel at risk of any petty crime. In saying that, as with travelling anywhere, you should still be cautious of your expensive belongings, like electronics, but I never heard of anything getting stolen.

Solo Female Travel in Kyrgyzstan 

As a solo female traveller, I felt safe. I travelled with other female travellers too, and in general it was fine. However, there are strong traditional patriarchal values in Kyrgyzstan society, and we were asked several times per day about marriage and having children. Almost everyone wanted to know how old we were and why we weren’t married. It is mostly out of curiosity rather than malice though. But it’s definitely something that you have to navigate as a woman travelling in Kyrgyzstan. 

We tried to have a bit of fun with the conversation, and say things like “we don’t need a man” and “weddings are too expensive” etc. Try not to be disrespectful though, but it’s definitely worthwhile explaining your point of view sometimes, as they are trying to learn about our culture too. 

There is always the chance of inappropriate behaviour by a man though. I personally didn’t have any issues, but I had two friends who had uncomfortable situations with men, one in a marketplace in Bishkek and the other in a public park. It’s definitely something to be aware of, but not to deter you from travelling there. Speak up and don’t be afraid to push someone away if they’re encroaching your personal space.

Dress conservatively 

Just a follow up to female safety. Kyrgyzstan is still a conservative society, with a Muslim-majority population. While not everyone covers their head, you will still find that most women dress modestly. 

In the southern part of the country, it’s even more conservative, and more women tend to cover their head when outside of their home. This is never expected of foreign women (unless visiting a mosque), but it’s generally best to dress conservatively.

While I do believe you should be able to wear whatever you want, I’d recommend being respectful to the local culture. This means wearing long pants or a skirt, at least below the knee, and tops that cover your shoulders. 

Food and Drink in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan cuisine is very meat and bread heavy. You’ll find plenty of hearty, rich meals like, laghman (noodle and meat soup), manti (dumplings, usually with meat), plov (rice and meat), kuurdak (meat and potatoes) and beshbarmak (meat and noodles). 

The meat is usually beef or lamb, although in some traditional local restaurants, you’ll find horse meat too. This is commonly eaten throughout the country, so it’s best to ask if you’re unsure.

Globus supermarkets are the best place to pick up snacks or fresh fruit and vegetables to cook your own meals. They’re found in most major towns and cities across the country, including Bishkek, Kochkor, Karakol, and Osh. You’ll also find other supermarket chains in Bishkek, like SPAR.

Vegetarians and Gluten Free Travellers

If you’re vegetarian or vegan or gluten free, then you’ll have a very difficult time, especially if you can’t be a little bit flexible. The concept of not eating meat is not very well understood, as so much of the local cuisine is based around meat consumption.

Even when you ask for vegetarian, don’t be surprised if they just remove some meat from the dish or just put a “little bit” of meat instead of the normal portion. If you’re vegan, you’ll have to explain in detail to most locals what you can’t eat and always be prepared with some snacks on hand, if you can.

Gluten free travellers (like myself) will simply be eating the same thing every day. Plov (rice and meat dish), shorpo (broth soup), and kuurdak (meat and potatoes) are generally the best and safest options, but you’ll have to be very careful of cross contamination, if you’re sensitive. Bread and noodles are such a huge part of the Kyrgyz diet, but you will find potatoes and rice too.

For vegan or dairy free travellers, there’s not too much dairy consumed in the local diet. If you want to purchase dairy free milk, I found oat milk and almond milk available at most Globus supermarkets, but it’s not overly cheap as it’s imported.

Read more: Complete Gluten Free Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan

Take a Filter Water Bottle 

I always recommend carrying a reusable water bottle to reduce single use plastic while travelling, but for Kyrgyzstan a filter bottle is even more convenient. This allows you to drink from anywhere in the country, from tap water to mountain streams, without the risk of getting sick. 

I use a Lifestraw filter bottle in every country I visit and have never been sick from water. I also used it when trekking in Kyrgyzstan and it made it so much easier to collect water along the way and not have to worry about purifying it before drinking. 

Tea Over Coffee

The preferred hot drink in Kyrgyzstan is tea. You’ll find that wherever you go in the country, you will be served a pot of tea. It’s often included at some local restaurants with your meal, or you pay just a small amount for a pot to share.

Coffee is rarely consumed by locals, and you’ll find it difficult to find at any local place. Some tourist-oriented cafes will serve decent coffee, although it’s not anything amazing. If you’re a coffee lover, it’s best to carry some with you (you can buy some at Globus supermarkets), because even the guesthouses and yurt camps won’t serve coffee for breakfast.

Internet and SIM Cards

Wi-Fi can be found easily in most cities and towns at accommodation and cafes, although it’s not always offered at homestays or guesthouses in smaller rural towns. It generally works okay, but is certainly not always the fastest or most reliable.

Having a SIM card is definitely an ideal way to ensure you’re connected anywhere you go, although as soon as you venture into the mountains, be prepared to be offline anyway. Network coverage is quite limited to permanently inhabited areas, leaving much of the country still disconnected.

You can pick up a local SIM at the airport in Bishkek (I would recommend either Mega and O!) or arrange an eSIM prior to arriving so you’re connected instantly for as long as you need to be. I used an eSIM from Holafly for the whole two months I was there and it worked well for me. 

Check out my more detailed guide on SIM cards in Kyrgyzstan, which details the different network options and carriers available.

Want an eSIM with unlimited data for your trip? 📲 GET 5% OFF HOLAFLY WITH MY CODE: BEYONDWILD

Do People Speak English in Kyrgyzstan?

English is not very widely spoken in Kyrgyzstan. Most people speak their native tongue, Kyrgyz, and Russian is the other official language, being an ex-Soviet state. English is hardly spoken or written at all, so you can’t expect people to understand if you’re trying to talk to them. 

Tour guides and younger people will likely speak a little more English, but communicating with locals is generally done through Google Translate. Trust me, it will be your best friend!

I highly recommend having Kyrgyz and Russian downloaded for offline use, although we found Russian to be more helpful. The Kyrgyz translation wasn’t very accurate and there’s also no audio available in Kyrgyz on Google Translate. It’s probably the most useful app while travelling in the country; I used it several times per day!

What to Pack for Kyrgyzstan

Packing for a trip to Kyrgyzstan will depend on what kinds of activities you plan on doing, although you should always pack with mountains in mind. You’ll need to ensure you have clothing for different elevations and seasons, even when visiting in summer. 

If you plan on hiking or horse riding, then you might want to consider packing different gear for that too. There’s the possibility of renting gear for camping and hiking, which is a good alternative to bringing your own from home.

As mentioned above, women should also try to pack clothing that is mostly modest and covers your knees and shoulders. Kyrgyzstan is a conservative society still, so it’s best to respect the local culture and pack mostly pants, long skirts or dresses, and t-shirts.

Pack Layers for All Seasons

One of the most important packing tips for Kyrgyzstan is to pack layers. The elevation changes so much as you travel around the country, from lower valleys up to mountain towns at over 3,000m. This means that the weather can change drastically, and temperatures can drop much lower once you head up to higher regions, even in summer.

Packing layers will ensure you have enough warmth to add as you go higher, but also comfort in knowing that you can take layers off when exploring the cities. Even in summer, you may need fleece or down jackets when camping up in the mountains, with temperatures dropping close to zero at higher elevations.

Packing a rain jacket is also a good idea, especially if you plan on doing any trekking in the mountains. The weather can be unpredictable with random storms occurring at any time of the year (August is actually quite a stormy month, despite it being summer for example).

Camping and Hiking Gear

If you plan on doing any overnight hiking trips or multi-day adventures into the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, then you may consider bringing camping gear. For any long treks such as the Ak Suu Traverse or Best of Alay Mountains, which are typically more than a week long, I’d recommend bringing your own camping gear from home.

This will provide peace of mind knowing your own gear is reliable and good quality, especially when it comes to unpredictable mountain conditions. If you bring a gas cooker, you can purchase gas canisters once you arrive in Bishkek or Karakol.

If you’d prefer not to carry your camping gear around for your entire trip but would still like to do a multi-day trek, then it’s possible to rent gear. Karakol is the best place to rent camping and hiking gear, as the adventure hub of the country. You’ll find decent equipment for rent at 4Rent (where we hired a tent, sleeping bags, sleeping mats and trekking poles for the Ala Kul trek) and EcoTrek. 

You can also rent camping gear from some CBT (Community Based Tourism) Offices, such as the one in Jyrgalan and Osh. Be aware though that some of the gear for rent at these places can be quite old and heavy (nothing ultralight!), so be prepared to carry some weight.

Some people we met hired a tent and sleeping bag from Bishkek for their entire trip around Kyrgyzstan. You can find a few outdoor stores and rental options in the city, including:

• Apple Hostel (they rent gear)
• Gergert Shop (outdoor store with camping, hiking and biking equipment for sale and rent)
• Red Fox Shop (outdoor store which make popular hiking tents and other outdoor gear)

Where to Stay in Kyrgyzstan?

In the main cities like Bishkek and Osh, you’ll find the full array of accommodation choices from backpacker hostels to high-end business hotels. Where you stay here will depend on your budget. However, once you leave these two cities, your choices are much more limited.

Most towns in Kyrgyzstan offer basic hotels and local guesthouses, which are usually simple but comfortable. There’s less disparity in prices there, because you won’t find much in terms of higher end stays. However, there’s plenty of budget and mid-range options, so you can find something to suit your comfort level.

Here’s more information on accommodation options in Kyrgyzstan, including yurt camps and wild camping.

Local Guesthouses and Homestays

If you want to experience true Kyrgyz hospitality, then I highly recommend staying in a family guesthouse or homestay during your trip. I stayed in several guesthouses and can say they were some of my favourite experiences, as it provides a real insight into local life and the traditional hospitality of the people. 

While yurt camps definitely offer a bucket list type of experience (and something you should do at least once in the country), I’d say that the real warmth and friendliness we found were by the people and families who ran homestays. 

I can highly recommend these guesthouses from my experience, but there are plenty of others too:

• Kochkor: Guesthouse Liliya
• Jyrgalan: Salamat Guesthouse (book through Whatsapp +996 777 085 296)
• Arslanbob: Ibrahim Guesthouse (book through Whatsapp +996 777 733 056)
• Aksay: ABATAY Guesthouse 

Yurt Camps in Kyrgyzstan

A real bucket list experience in Kyrgyzstan is staying in a yurt. Traditionally, families have moved to the mountains in the summer months and set up jailoos or yurt camps for their animals to graze for the warmer months in the higher fields.

This nomadic tradition is still very much alive in Kyrgyzstan today, and you’ll see plenty of domesticated animals up in the mountains across the country. Some families have opened their yurt camps to visitors and tourists wishing to experience life in the jailoo, and now there’s many yurt camps for tourists across the country.

Often these yurt stays include a bed in a yurt (sometimes you’ll get your own yurt, but in high season you may have to share), an outdoor shared toilet (usually squat toilet, but sometimes a proper flushing toilet), and a shared dining yurt where meals are served. Typically, there’s no electricity in the yurts, just some solar powered lighting at night.

While a yurt stay is a cool experience for sure, they differ quite a bit in their authenticity. With tourism increasing in Kyrgyzstan, many yurt camps are purposely built for tourists, and lack that sense of nomadic culture. This is very much the case around Issyk Kul lake and Song Kul lake, where tourists visit very frequently. Even on the hiking routes like to Ala Kul lake, the yurt camps are generally built to cater for hikers rather than to graze their animals anymore.

However, you can still find traditional family run yurt camps in the mountains. The most accessible one that felt the most authentic to us was around Kol Ukok lake near Kochkor. There’s only three family run yurt camps there, and the one we stayed at for example had been setting up their yurts for generations in the same spot. We also got to see the yaks, horses, and cows that the families let graze around the lake.

If you’re going to stay in a yurt camp, here are some things I recommend that you pack:

• Power bank (most yurt camps only have solar powered lights)
• Snacks (the meals offered at yurt camps are often not overly filling)
• Warm layers (sleeping in a yurt can be quite cold even with the blankets offered)
• Water filter (the water is often collected from lakes or streams and not always filtered)
• Playing cards or similar (no internet connection means it can be fun to play cards in the evenings)
• Headlamp (if you need to make a toilet run at night, it can be good to have a torch)

Wild Camping in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has an incredibly liberal take on wild camping, and you can basically set a tent up anywhere you like. The Land of Nomads is one of the most welcoming to those who wish to explore on foot or bike and pitch a tent somewhere in the mountains.

This means on any of the hiking routes or in any of the canyons or valleys, you can pitch your tent practically anywhere. Someone will soon ask you nicely to move if you’re on private land, but typically this is unlikely as the right to camp is an important tradition in the nomadic culture.

If you plan on doing any of the hiking trails with your own camping gear, it’s a good idea to roughly plan your route with suitable overnight camps. Maps.me is a good resource (and free) with tent sites and water sources marked relatively accurately on there. We used it while doing the Ala Kul trek, and found all the camping spots and water sources to be correct on it. 

The only real risk to wild camping is adverse weather in the mountains and maybe some cows wondering into your camp at night. Be prepared for unpredictable weather conditions at any time of year, and try not to camp anywhere overly exposed.

Cows are friendly but they may try to eat anything left outside at night. Ensure you pack everything away (we heard stories of cows trying to nibble at tents in the night too, but you can always chase them away if you need!).

If you are camping around Kyrgyzstan, ensure you practice Leave No Trace Principles and leave your spot better than you found it. Try to use gas stoves where possible or if you do have a fire, ensure it’s put out cold before you leave. Carry all your rubbish out with you to the nearest town. If you need to go to the toilet, dig an appropriate hole away from water sources (or use drop toilets at the yurt camps).

Community Based Tourism (CBT) is a Good Source of Information

You’ll find Community Based Tourism or CBT offices in most towns around the country. These are set up to provide support for local tourism initiatives and to assist tourists in experiencing the best of the country.

CBT offices can help organise and book guesthouses, guided treks, horse treks and horseback rides, and taxis. Their pricing is non-negotiable and they tend to set competitive prices for all their services for each tourist season.

It’s a very non-fuss and practical way to organise and book things. They’re also highly responsive and you can contact most of their offices via WhatsApp. However, it’s still cheaper to organise or simply do things by yourself, if you’d prefer to travel completely independently. 

While I never booked anything directly through a CBT office, we did visit a few of their offices in Jyrgalan, Karakol, Kochkor and Sary Mogul. They’re a wealth of information and the staff all speak good English. We found them to be very obliging with providing free information and maps for different hikes and treks.

Acclimatisation and Preparing for High Altitude 

Almost 95% of the country is covered in mountains, making it one of the loftiest countries in the world. You’ll see mountains everywhere you go, from the city centre of Bishkek to nomadic yurt camps in remote valleys.

However, this also means that you may take some time to adjust to the changing altitude. Bishkek is quite low at just 800m, meaning you won’t feel anything when you arrive. However, almost everywhere else is higher than that, so you’ll start to adjust as you explore other parts of the country.

If you plan on doing any hiking, then you’ll have to be aware of the risk of altitude sickness. Take your time, pace yourself, keep hydrated, and ascend slowly. You may notice a slight headache and breathlessness when going above 3,000m. If it gets worse or doesn’t ease, then descending is the best solution.

Doing some day hikes or spending some time in mountain towns like Karakol or Jyrgalan will help you adjust a bit before heading off into remote areas.

Navigation While Exploring Kyrgyzstan

Google Maps is not very reliable in Kyrgyzstan and is often out of date and just plain wrong. I wouldn’t rely on it for navigation at all, unless you want to end up lost or following the wrong path. 

I recommend having Maps.me downloaded for offline use, which is free. This can be used for both driving and hiking navigation. We found it to be very useful and accurate, even to find campsites and water sources.

Another good option for checking out day hikes is AllTrails, this allows you to read reviews and see an interactive map of hikes in the country. There’s a free version, but the Plus version offers offline navigation, which is better if you plan on using it in the mountains. You can get 30% off with my code: elisha30 by clicking here.

Drones are Allowed

Drones are allowed in Kyrgyzstan. You’re allowed to fly them in most places, except anywhere near airports, military bases, border areas or urban centres. Many tourists travel with a drone to capture the incredible landscapes from above, which of course makes for incredible content especially with the mountain scenery. 

Just be considerate of other people around (especially at popular places like Fairytale Canyon) and ask before flying near any private property (especially yurt camps where there are children as well).

Where to Visit in Kyrgyzstan?

Here are all of my guides to the places we visited in Kyrgyzstan:

• Highlights: 20 Amazing Things to Do in Kyrgyzstan
• Sary Mogul: Guide to Hiking Travellers Pass and Tulpar Lakes
• Bishkek: 10 Best Things to Do in Bishkek
• Issyk Kul: How to Get From Bishkek to Karakol and Exploring Issyk Kul
• Karakol: 15 Best Things to Do in Karakol
• Ala Kul Trek: Complete Guide to the Ala Kul Trek
• Jyrgalan: Essential Guide to Visiting Jyrgalan Valley
• Song Kul: Guide to Horse Trekking to Song Kul Lake
• Kol Ukok: An Essential Guide to Kol Ukok Lake Near Kochkor
• Arslanbob: Essential Guide for Visiting Arslanbob and the Walnut Forest

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