Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide

Browse the Kyrgyzstan Photo Gallery

Kyrgyzstan is blessed with jaw-dropping good looks and is undeniably stunning from every angle. Although tourism is starting to grow in Kyrgyzstan visitor numbers are still limited, so travelers are guaranteed a quiet corner all to themselves.

Mountains, glaciers and lakes
In Kyrgyzstan landscapes turn from hazel meadows to snow-topped peaks in the blink of an eye, while scenery of all colors provides the backdrop for every experience in the country.

The mountain vistas alone are reason enough to visit, but anyone who decides to venture into them will find glaciers and hidden sparkling blue lakes. A visit to Kyrgyzstan would be wasted without trekking to at least one of them and, as there so many locations to chose from, trekking can be done virtually anywhere in the country.

Osh and Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan's biggest cities highlight two different sides of this fascinating country. Osh is nestled next to the Uzbek border and the influence of its neighbor, along with Islam, is visible in the people and the place. In Bishkek, times have visibly changed and young people wander around in Western fashions, nodding their heads to hip hop and dub.

Geography

The landlocked nation of Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. The majestic Tien Shan (Heavenly Mountains) range occupies the greater part of the area and it, along with other valleys, makes up the whole country. The highest peak in Kyrgyzstan is Pik Pobedy at 7,439m (24,406ft) and the lowest point is Kara-Daryya at 132m (433ft). The differences in climate are equally extreme, ranging from dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan, from subtropical in the southwest to temperate in the northern foothill zone.