The best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan!

This post showcases some of the amazing places to visit in Kyrgyzstan. If you want to know more about the practicalities of visiting Kyrgyzstan instead, click here.

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I had never given much thought to visiting Kyrgyzstan until I sat down and looked at my map for travel inspiration. I am so glad I did!

Originally a nomadic people comprising of forty tribes, the Kyrgyz people have been absorbed into several empires throughout the centuries, the most recent being the USSR until the early 1990s. Whilst it’s clear to see the mark that the Soviet Union has left on the country via the architecture and Cyrillic alphabet, there’s so much more to Kyrgyzstan than just a rich history – it’s a place with a fascinating culture and landscapes unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. So, without further ado, here are some of the best places to visit in Kyrgyzstan!

Places to visit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Close to the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border, Bishkek is the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. We stayed at the Bugu Hotel (‘Bugu’ means deer in Kyrgyz) which was really lovely – the rooms are quite stylish and modern, too.

Ala-Too Square, Oak Park and the Victory Monument

The focal point of Bishkek is Ala-Too Square. Originally known as Lenin Square until Kyrgyzstan’s independence in 1991, the square was built to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, which is basically Kyrgyzstan as it was recognised as part of the Soviet Union. The square covers a large area and is also the home of the State History museum (above).

Adjacent to the museum is Oak Park, which is perfect for a stroll. Even in September the flowers were beautiful and it was quite surreal to see statues of Lenin and Karl Marx dotted around the park.

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Another nearby site worth visiting is the Victory Square, which was built in 1985 to commemorate the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. In the middle of the square is a statue of a woman awaiting the return of her husband, covered by three huge pillars representing a yurt.

Republic Mosque

We also visited the Republic Mosque, donning appropriate clothing before stepping inside (there are chador-style garments available if you don’t have a headscarf or long-sleeved clothes with you). I had never visited a mosque before and was immediately struck by how beautiful it was.

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Osh Bazaar

Although I didn’t have chance to visit, Osh Bazaar is a sprawling market selling traditional breads, spices, general household items and souvenirs to take home. It’s about a half hour walk from Ala-Too Square, or about 7 minutes in a taxi.

 

Burana Tower

An hour and a half away from Bishkek is Burana Tower. Constructed in the 11th Century by the Karakhanid people, Burana Tower is now the only structure left of the city of Balsagun and has withstood several earthquakes throughout the centuries that have passed since its original construction. 

Following renovations in the 1970s you can enter the tower via an external staircase. Climbing up is well worth it for the views although it is a bit hair-raising as the stairs are very steep and it is pitch black. In retrospect getting up was fine, it was getting down that was the scary part!

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Nearby there are some petroglyphs (rock carvings) and a very small visitor centre.

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Song Kul

From Burana Tower we drove on to Song Kul for a yurt stay. With winter shortly approaching the landscape was bleak but beautiful – the grass had turned a wonderful golden colour as you can see.

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Situated between the snow-capped mountains and the still lake (Kul means lake), the yurt camp and the surrounding area was tranquil. The owners of the camp, a woman and her young daughter, kindly prepared dinner for us whilst we went to explore. To my astonishment they had a dog, a cat and a white rabbit wandering around nearby. (I got the absolute fright of my life coming back from the toilet in the middle of the night and seeing a white object dash in front of me!)

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After dinner we watched the sun set across the wide, open steppe, and sat out to watch the stars appear. As it was a clear night we got to see the milky way stretching across the sky – I attempted some night photography and failed miserably.

There were several yurt camp settlements nearby, all of which were packing up for the winter (heavy snow was forecast the next day) and so we watched them dismantling the yurts whilst a man on horseback corralled the rest of horses across the plain. Horses are an incredibly important part of the culture in Kyrgyzstan; not only will you often see people riding them to get around, the national sports of Kyrgyzstan are all played on horseback.

The family that ran the yurt camp would pack up for the winter shortly after we departed. Prevented under Soviet rule, yurt living has since made a resurgence since the country achieved independence in 1991.

Issyk Kul

Issyk Kul could not have been more different to Song Kul. Here, the grass was lush and we were situated in a little valley surrounded by pine forest.

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This yurt camp was a little less transient than the one at Song Kul. There was a wooden swing and working (cold) shower, and the man who lived at the yurt camp had a flock of turkeys that grazed nearby. I found out later that he was paid to stay there over the winter and look after the land. It was hard to think that in a month or so this place would be blanketed by snow, completely cut off to the outside world.

As with Song Kul, we were able to roam around the area. We had planned to go horseriding but the heavens opened and there was a huge thunderstorm. It was a shame not to go riding but awesome to witness the storm from the cosiness of the yurt!

After a hearty meal and numerous cups of tea, we headed to bed. Thankfully it stayed toasty all night, unlike Song Kul!

Places to visit in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

Dungan Mosque

As the name suggests, this mosque was built in 1910 by the Dungan people, who emigrated from China to parts of Central Asia to escape persecution. Aside from being a holy place it is an amazing piece of architecture, with no nails being used in its construction whatsoever.

Holy Trinity Cathedral

This Russian Orthodox church was built in 1895. With its ornate wooden exterior and apple-green roof, this place is a must if you’re an architecture fan. A word of warning though – photography of the interior is a no-no.

And that’s it for my travels to Kyrgyzstan. If your curiosity is piqued and you’d like to know more about visiting Kyrgyzstan you can find out more here!