Make it to fall: 5 reasons to go to Kyrgyzstan this summer

Make it to fall: 5 reasons to go to Kyrgyzstan this summer

There’s not much time left until the end of the season, but there’s still time to see this country in all its glory.

President of Pro-Vision, author of Vinogradov.story.

Despite geographical proximity, common past and trusting relations, Kyrgyzstan is still exotic for Russians in terms of tourism. You can speculate as much as you want about the expediency of a trip to the country of “heavenly mountains”, Genghis Khan and beshbarmak, but it is better to come once. To help the doubters I have collected a check-list of a trip to Kyrgyzstan, which will definitely be remembered for a long time. The season in Kyrgyzstan ends around the 20th of August, but you still have time to see it in all its glory!

Meet the velvet season in Issyk-Kul

Lake Issyk-Kul is the country’s calling card and one of the most popular vacation spots for locals. In August on the northern coast of Issyk-Kul starts a full-fledged velvet season: alpine meadows bloom, seasonal peaches, apricots and grapes ripen, and the water remains at a comfortable temperature for swimming.

Among the resorts it is best to focus on Cholpon-Ata – a modern recreational area where it is easy to alternate relaxed beach vacation with mountain hiking, horseback riding or diving. It is worth taking a ride on one of the elevators to see the lake from above: the scenery and size will hardly leave you indifferent.

Go trekking in the Tien Shan Mountains

The route along the “heavenly mountains” means long passages through ridges and descents into valleys, overnight stays in tents and yurts, pristine nature and complete absence of civilization. You can walk around Sary-Chelek Lake for a long time and not meet a single person. And then suddenly come across nomadic herds and get acquainted with the life of nomads. All this – surrounded by crazy mountain landscapes, moraine lakes, spruce forests, rocks and snow caps.

Relax at the balneological resorts of the Chui Valley

Issyk-Ata resort located in the Chui Valley was once considered an all-union health resort. Local mineral water “Arashana” is used for treatment of many diseases, peat mud is actively used in cosmetology, and geothermal springs help to relax and calm down. But the main thing is that the resort is located in an amazingly beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and waterfalls, thickets of barberry, sea buckthorn and rose hips, for which it can be forgiven a little infrastructural fatigue.

Walking around Bishkek

Perhaps it can be argued, but the most attractive locations in Kyrgyzstan are located outside the city limits – in the mountains, valleys and gorges of mountain rivers. However, Bishkek deserves to make an exception and stay in the city at least for a few hours. Take a walk by Ala-Too Square and the Parliament building. Climb up to the huge flagpole to see the most impressive panorama of the Kyrgyz capital. Check out the Manas sculpture complex and the Historical Museum. Taste beshbarmak and dine in a teahouse. And lastly – to buy souvenirs at the Osh bazaar.

Live in a yurt camp

Despite the fact that the nomadic way of life in Kyrgyzstan will soon become a part of history, the yurt as one of the symbols of the country will certainly retain its high status. In order to make it easier for Kyrgyz visitors to get acquainted with the country’s life, yurt camps are set up in the summer near popular tourist destinations, where you can try on the image of a nomad and live for a few days in an authentic Kyrgyz “house”. Such camps can be found, for example, on the southern shores of Lakes Issyk-Kul and Sonkyol and in the gorges around Karakol.