Destinations

North & Central Asia
- Kyrgyzstan
  - Journey Ideas

Kyrgyzstan Holidays

The contrasts between the different people and scenery and to experience such an ancient civilisation - all just fascinating

Mrs J Pinney, China & Kyrgyzstan, September 2010

Visit the petroglyphs near Cholpan Ata and the 11th century Burana Tower
Stay with a local family in a nomadic yurt
View the natural scenic splendours of the country by foot, horseback or helicopter
Go bird watching to one of the remote regions
Cross the Turugart Pass to explore Kashgar

Charles's passion for travel has taken him to many fascinating places. He recently returned from a holiday to Kyrgyzstan where he explored some of the magnificent landscapes on foot. A personal highlight was his 3 day trek through the alpine Karakol Valley, steadily getting higher until he reached the high altitude lake of Ala-Kol, approaching 4000m! "It was amazing and there was nobody else there!" He then continued up the Ala-Kol pass and down into the Altyn-Arashan Valley passing beautiful green pastures, glacial rivers and majestic peaks on the horizon.

This sort of exertion may not suit everyone, however Charles would be delighted to chat with you about Kyrgyzstan and can tailor-make your holiday to your exact requirements; be it a family adventure, a luxury holiday or venturing off the beaten track. For a multi country adventure, Paul's knowledge of border crossings is hard to beat!

Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tien Shan Mountains and straddling the ancient Silk Road, the nomadic Kyrghyz encampments, with their herds of sheep and goats, give an almost biblical feel to this beautiful country.

Architecturally, there is little to see but any travel to Kyrgyzstan is more than compensated for by the magnificent views which can be found by riding or trekking in the mountains. Since independence from the former Soviet Union, life has been hard for the people of Kyrgyzstan, with no natural wealth apart from a little gold. For the visitor, however, it is a land of peace and tranquillity where many people are still nomadic, living in yurts and tending their sheep and goats.

The villages remain isolated since the end of the state-supported public transport system and the most common form of transport now is the horse. The historic sites, such as the petroglyphs near Cholpan Ata, are seldom visited and staying on the pristine shores of Lake Issyk-Kul is a relaxing way to pass a day or two, whilst venturing out to some of the nearby villages or the 7th century Burana Tower. Kyrgyzstan also provides access to Kashgar in China by crossing the Turugart pass.