Kyrgyzstan is a land of snowy peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, green hills, and even red rock terrain. The Kyrgyz people are semi-nomadic shepherds with the freedom to travel with the seasons while also having warm cozy yurts. It is also an incredible adventure destination with hikes through breathtaking natural scenery.

ADVENTURES

Fairy Tale Canyon (Skazka Canyon)

A red rock playground in a land of mountains and lakes

Seven Bulls & Heart Break Rock at Jeti-Oguz

Well named rock formations with emotional baggage

Devich’i Kosy Waterfall near Jeti-Oguz

A wildflower meadow on the way to a braided hair waterfall

Shatyly Overlook

Spectacular views of Issyk Kul, dreamy green valleys, and mountains

Chong-Kemin

A green valley north of Issyk Kul Lake

MUST SEES

Bishkek Memorials

Bishkek’s statues present Kyrgyz history. Manas rallied the people against Turks, Mongols, and Chinese. Kurmanjan Datka sacrificed her sons and persuaded the people not to resist the Russian annexation.

Osh Bazaar

Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar is a large marketplace where you can find almost anything. They have kurut (fermented cheese balls), dried apricots, horse meat, sprouted garlic bulbs, and sausages.

Burana Tower

Burana Tower was used as a light house to attract Silk Road travelers to the area. Archaeologists have found artifacts from different cultures: stones with Arabic inscriptions, Chinese coins, Turkish belt buckles, and rocks with crosses.

Yurt Camp

Kyrgyz nomads have the freedom to travel with the seasons in warm cozy yurts. The Bosogo Yurt Camp has 17 yurts spread out across the field about 1 km south of Issyk Kul lake.

Kurgan Stelae

The Kurgan Stelae, also known as balbals, are tombstones of the Scythians. They were an equestrian Iranian people, from 15 centuries ago. These stones have a face with a cup in one hand and a sword in the other.

Issyk Kul

Issyk Kul Lake’s water flows from the snow-capped Tian Shan Mountains. There are big rocks by the brown sand at the waterline. Just jump right in. The clear water is extremely cold. Quickly get out when you’ve had enough.

Making Felt

The lady hits shaved wool with a stick and places wool of a different color on top in an intricate design. The wool is rolled up in a mat. She pours hot water on it. Then she dances on the mat. Felt carpets make yurts more comfortable.

Assembling Yurts

Near Tamga, they show how to assemble a yurt in 30 minutes like the nomads do. We help attach wooden beams and felt coverings. At the top is a vent for releasing hot air, which is also the symbol of the Kyrgyz flag.

Dungan Mosque

Karakol has a brightly colored Dungan mosque. The Dungans are Chinese Muslims who fled China after a failed revolt and built the mosque in 1910. Using Chinese construction techniques, they carved a wooden frame with curving roofs and no nails.

Karakol

Karakol has a Russian Holy Trinity Orthodox church. The church was built in 1869 back when Karakol was a garrison town at the edge of tsarist Russia. It is a wooden Orthodox church with green trim and shiny golden onion domes.

Przhevalsky Museum

The Russian explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky led scientific research campaigns across central Asia. He described Przewalski’s horse, Przewalski’s gazelle, and the wild Bactrian camel.

Desert Oddity

The Tamga Sanatorium was a resort for cosmonauts to recuperate after missions. After Yuri Gagarin’s famous first flight into space, he relaxed here. After WWII, 125 Japanese prisoners built pavilions on the grounds of the sanatorium.

Tamga

When you leave Kyrgyzstan, you get a great perspective of the Tian Shan Mountains. The Küngöy Ala-Too range is to the north, Teskey Ala-Too to the south, and Issyk Kul Lake to the west. The mountains have a dusting of white snow. 

Tian Shan

Karakol has a Russian Holy Trinity Orthodox church. The church was built in 1869 back when Karakol was a garrison town at the edge of tsarist Russia. It is a wooden Orthodox church with green trim and shiny golden onion domes.

FOOD

Beshbarmak

Beshbarmak is the national dish of Kyrgyzstan. It is a nomadic plate with wide, thin, flat noodles in a lamb broth with beef and onions. It is also called Five Fingers to signify that the dish is eaten by hand. Try this at Navat.

Lepeshka

Lepeshka is a beautiful, round, leavened bread. Like a snowflake, no two are decorated with the same design.

Laghman

Laghman is a bowl of hand pulled noodles. You add chives, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, beef, and chilies and stir it all up. Uyghurs and Dungans have made this dish popular in Kyrgyzstan.

Strawberries

Kyrgyzstan has amazing strawberries. You can buy a giant bag of fresh strawberries on the side of the road. For $1, the strawberries are so big, sweet, and juicy. Here, strawberries are poised to become a $1B business.

Dastorkon

The Kyrgyz dining table is a welcoming spread of snacks, starters, and sweets. There are glass bowls of fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, chocolates, and jams. Dip the crispy fried borsook in jam and honey. This is all before any dishes are served.

Oromo

Oromo is a dumpling consisting of noodle sheets filled with carrots and green onions that are then rolled up. For communal cooking, this saves time, since you only have to roll out one giant sheet.

 

RECOMMENDED LODGINGS

Issyk Kul: Bosogo Yurt Camp

Glamping! Each yurt fits 3-6 people. The camp has flush toilets and showers. The camp also has a variety of swings including a plank swing built for two.

Tamga: Anyutayka Guest House

Gostevoy Dom “Anyutayka” is an oasis in Tamga. It has a beautiful garden with tall white poplar trees, sun rooms, swings, and a ping-pong table.

Chong-Kemin: Jekshen Guest House

Jekshen is a brand new guest house in Chong-Kemin. The rooms are large and made with high quality materials. It almost feels like you are in a cabin.

Other Stans

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