Kyrgyzstan

Ninety percent of Kyrgyzstan is made up of large mountains, glaciers, valleys, gorges and ice-blue lakes. This makes it very hard for this nation to be visited by outsiders. This fact however, makes it a perfect venue for the adventurous individuals out there who are into hiking, horseback riding, camping and other extreme activities they can think of doing in these mountain ranges.

Some of the most popular choices are the Alay Valley’s Pamir Alay and Central Tian Shan. You will have the delight of being served by the very hospitable locals who will surely be offering you bowls of fresh yogurt and fermented mare’s milk (hope you like them). Truly, you will find the nomadic traditions still taking place in Kyrgyzstan.

Also in Kyrgyzstan is the world’s 2nd largest alpine lake, the Issyk-Kol. You can have a view of it in from the hills and hunt for rabbits with the help of an eagle or partake in the local game of kok boru where riders will be wresting around to win the corpse of a goat without a head.

Another breathtaking spot is the Lake Song-Kol which is an excellent choice for camping. You will also get to meet many of the local herders here who bring their herds to the area during summer. After communism, the country is basically cash-strapped. This is however slowly being solved by the money brought over by tourism.

The best months to go to Kyrgyzstan are between July thru September which is the warm season. If you prefer to visit for hiking or camping activities, the ideal months would be between June and the middle of October.

Kyrgyzstan