Kyrgyzstan - the country neglected by Dooyoo ? :-P (Asia)

Member Name: kyrgyzvodka

Product:	Asia
Date:	26/08/01 (138 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful scenery, great for walkers/trekkers, Quite cheap!

Disadvantages: Generally unsafe after dark (police)

Ok...there was no section for Kyrgystan in the travel bit !! :( So instead of leaving this small ex Soviet republic neglected in the eyes of Dooyoo, I thought I'd post an opinion in the Asia bit instead :D

General Info :-

Having just come back from a World Challenge trekking expedition to Kyrgyzstan, I felt I had to write on what I thought was a lovely country on the whole. Having never heard of the place before when our destination was announced (let alone being able to spell it!), I now fully intend to return someday and sample all of the countrys delights again. Kyrgyzstan is an ex Soviet republic bordering Uzbekistan, China and Russia (that's north and west of India a bit for the less geographically inclined ;-) We flew in by a British Airways flight from Heathrow via Baku with a one hour stop to Manas airport, which is about a half hour busride from the capital.Its proximity to the Himalayas is shown in that about 90% of the country is mountainous - this makes it a wonderful place to go trekking, walking and even climbing : the scenery is truely amazing, with snow capped mountains visible even from Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek! Access is comparitively easy, with a number of local trekking firms able to organise trips and equipment. There are many great ranges with areas of varying climbing/walking difficulty for those day walkers and campers - however, if you camp then be prepared for varying weather,which can set in very quickly, generally in the early afternoon. We visited the Gori Kuugan area to the southeast of Karakol (a town on the south east side of Lake Issyk-Kul) and the Ak Shiraak range to Issyk-Kul's south, both of which offered challenging trekking and spectacular views. Kyrgyzstan is also the proud owner of the second largest alpine lake in the world : Lake Issyk-Kul, which is pleasantly warm all year round and well worth a visit! A word of warning - as in the rest of the country, outside *squatter :-S* toilets te
nd to be..how can I put this nicely....not very hygenic, especially so at Issyk-Kul. So tread carefully.The main company we used whilst in Kyrgyzstan was I.T.M.C Tien Shan, whose offices (if they can be described as such!) are located in Bishkek, and shown on the Lonely Planet map of the city. They proved to be organised and competent, if a little expensive. For example, transport could have been arranged for a lot less, but for guides, interpreters etc they are excellent. The main language in the cities is Russian, and in the country Kyrgyz - all people speak a smattering of Russian however, and we were able to get by on a few simple words and phrases - the locals tend to mix Kyrgyz and Russian when they speak though, which can get very confusing!

Towns/Cities :
Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek is a city of around 600,000 inhabitants, is quite cosmopolitan and a pleasant place to stay. The city centre is not very large, and if you do get lost then you can cab to just about anywhere in the city for around 30 som ( 1 som is very roughly 1.5p, 48 som to the dollar ). Most attractions in the city are ex Soviet monuments : the Statue of Lenin is well worth a visit if just for photos, dominating the main square of the city. Those more interested in local culture can try the Museum of Fine Arts or the opera house. A must visit location is Osh Bizaar : an amazing large market offering everything from fresh meat through cigarettes to local crafts and fake western clothes! The atmosphere is terrific, and haggling is compulsory - the stall holders were very suprised when we agreed to their initial prices at first! However, as anyone foreign tends to stand out like a sore thumb you must be wary of beggars and occasional con artists who attempt to intimidate you into giving them money by gathering a large group of their friends. There is the usual risk in a large busy place of pickpockets and bag slashers, but we were fortunate enough not to experience any of th
ese difficulties on the contrary, a stall holder actually pointed out to one of my friends that his wallet was falling out of his pocket! Another market to visit only runs at weekends - it's called Tolchok/Tokchok, and sells a variety of touristy goods/western clothing,and can be reached by cab or bus. A good value hotel to stay in is the Business and management school, or the Hotel Salima - located close to the centre of town, and with shared rooms from $8 a night with fairly regular hot water and possibly fridges and tv's. Places we found reasonable to eat at were an indian restaurant with a blue and white awning close to the statue of Lenin (with Lenin to your back, walk left along the main road and its straight ahead). There was also a nice chinese restaurant near to the Whitehouse, or Kyrgyz Parliament buildin g (with the front of the building to your back, walk right and take the first right again.) For an english style lunch, Fatboys cafe is close to the main shopping centre in Bishkek, TSUM. Most cab drivers will know the way, but if they dont then ask to be dropped at TSUM and get directions, its very close and obvious. They also have a yard of ale available for all you drinkers, which can be an entertaining way to spend an evening ;) However, dont wander about on the streets in small numbers after dark, as the drunken police are prone to occasionally roughing up a foreigner - two of my friend got mugged with branches whilst slightly drunk in the hotel woods!

Another useful base town for anyone wishing to trek in the Ala Archa region is Karakol - a peaceful town on the southeast side of Issyk-Kul. With small bazaars, a useful department store in the town's centre and easy access to the lake and surrounding mountains, it is an ideal place to stock up before starting a trek. A great contact in Karakol is Yak Tours - run by a man called Valentine whos number is in the Lonely Planet Central Asia guide book. His hostel near the town centr
e is cheap if a little cosy - about 10 dollars a head for sleeping space, hot breakfast and dinner ! Valentin is also a goldmine of information - he was able to arrange us all sorts of services including transport, other accomodation and a traditional Dungan-Chinese feast, a great way to fill up! Another good way to stay around the area cheaply is to try and arrange a homestay with a local family - you will receive both immense hospitality and amounts of food, which you'll have to stuff yourself with to avoid causing offence!


K, this will definately be updated as I have only really brushed the surface, but I'm tired and need sleep :-P Kyrgyzstan is a great country for backpackers, walkers and climbers due to the scenery, or a good place just to relax cheaply for those less movement inclined. The people are on the whole exceedingly friendly, and will be most helpful providing you try to speak a little Russian! My advice to any budget travellers is to give it a shot for a couple of weeks - take a Lonely Planet Guide book (they're indespensible!) and an open mind and you shouldnt be disappointed!

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