A Backpacker’s Guide to Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a rugged country in Central Asia along the ancient Silk Road. Dubbed the “Switzerland of Central Asia”, Kyrgyzstan is a backpacker’s heaven and the MOST naturally scenic country I have been to so far. Kyrgyzstan is jam-packed with adventure and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone that says otherwise. This is one of my favorite countries and one you must visit. Here’s a backpacker’s guide to Kyrgyzstan.

Visa Process:

Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal visa policy in Central Asia. In 2012, Kyrgyzstan introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of 44 countries up to 60 days. These countries include:

Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican City

Everyone else will be eligible for E-visas online, which is a simple process from what I hear.

*Always double-check before going, as policies do change!

Money & Costs:

Exchanging money in Kyrgyzstan is very easy, especially in the main tourist cities. Avoid exchanging money at the airport as the rate is less than ideal. As of 2018, the rate is $1=68.3 soms.

Kyrgyzstan is extremely cheap and you’ll probably only need $20 a day or 1400 soms a day max (excluding daily hotel expenses).

*Note: When you exchange money, try to avoid the 5000 ($73) notes as these are too large for most people. 1000 and 500 (most ideal) are the notes you’ll want the most.

Transportation: 

Transportation in extremely Kyrgyzstan cheap! Taxi rides within the city cost 100 soms or less.

Marshrutkas (minibus) are the most popular method of travel within the country. These buses or vans do not have a particular set time of departure, but rather leave when full.

Getting from Bishkek to Karakol will cost you 1000 soms for the 6 hour journey. Cheap right? If you want the marshrutka to depart early, you can pay for the remaining seats available or even book the entire van yourself for 6000 soms , which is still a bargain considering the length of the ride.

These marshrutkas can be found at “Western Bus Station.” You’ll see a sign in front of the window or hear drivers yelling the destinations. Just hop on and wait for it to fill up. Better to get there early and claim a good seat unless you want to be sandwiched in between old grandmothers with babies (this happens often).

Food:

Kyrgyz food is similar to the cuisine in other Central Asian countries. A heavy emphasis on meat, a lot of bread, tea, fresh tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. Oh yeah, and tons of dried fruit!

Accommodation:

Hotels are cheap and plentiful throughout Kyrgyzstan. In Bishkek, you can easily find a nice spot under $30 a night. In Bishkek, I stayed at Hotel Lavitor, a 3 star hotel with tremendous service.

Hotels in other cities will be around the same price. There are even cheaper options like shared hostel dormitories. Personally, I avoid anything shared and book private rooms when I travel, so I cannot attest to the quality of the dorms, but they do have good ratings.

If you’re in Kyrgyzstan, it is likely you’ll be doing some overnight trekking, so your accommodation will be a tent, not exactly luxurious, but pretty neat considering the view!

Best time to Visit Kyrgyzstan:

Kyrgyzstan, more specifically Karakol is a great country to visit during the winter time for skiing, snowboarding, etc. However, the main reason why anyone would want to visit this country is to trek and take advantage of its natural beauty. For this, the best time to visit is from June to September. May is also a good month to visit, but many of the trails will likely still be snowed in, so if trekking is on your list, wait until June. I visited the 2nd week of June and Ala-kul lake was still frozen! The night was also a bit cold in certain areas. If you’re worried about chilly weather or trails having snow, you can wait until July to be absolutely sure.

Communication: 

Most people do NOT speak English. You might run into a few English speakers near tourist areas, but overall, I didn’t meet many English speakers. The ones you do meet will be glad to strike up a conversation with you. Bring a Russian or Kyrgyz dictionary or have the offline Google translate app ready to go. Remember to write all addresses in the local language.

Areas of Interest: 

Bishkek: the capital and a city worth a day or two.

Tokmok: a small city about an hour from Bishkek. Close to Burana Tower, a large minaret built in the 11th century.

Karakol: your gateway to trekking and adventure!

Osh: the second largest city and one full of history. Home to the largest outdoor market in Central Asia. Close to Uzbekistan.

Issyk Kul: an enormous, crystal blue high alpine lake up in the Tian Shan Mountains.

Song Kul: similar to Issyk Kul, but far more remote.

Jyrgalan: a small, off the beaten track town 1 hour from Karakol. Great place for trekking and getting a feel for the true countryside.

Now you’re all set for Kyrgyzstan!