Journey Information to Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, or the Kyrgyz Republic to present it its official identify, is kind of merely one of the vital fascinating, pristine and exquisite nations in Asia, providing the adventurous traveller a wealthy and rewarding vacation spot. My identify is Jonny Bealby, I based Wild Frontiers, and on this brief movie I’m going to speak about tourism in Kyrgyzstan.
Though small, Kyrgyzstan is completely shaped. The Tien Shan – or Mountains of Heaven – that stretch throughout its size and breadth are lush and inexperienced, excessive and wild, dissected by sweeping steppe lands, primal forests, crystal streams, turquoise lakes and lofty snow-capped peaks. I first rode by right here on horseback in 1999 whereas writing a e-book and making a Discovery Channel movie, and I assumed then it actually was one of the vital lovely nations I had ever visited.
The nation is primarily a mountainous land rising in altitude from 400 metres within the Ferghana Valley to over 7,400 metre on the summit of Peak Pobeda. Greater than half of the nation is over 3,000 metres excessive, whereas a 3rd is completely lined in snow. However regardless of the immense pure great thing about this landlocked Central Asian, Silk Highway republic, it’s the individuals themselves that carry Kyrgyzstan to life, and on a lot of our excursions to the nation you’ll stick with native households with whom we’ve developed particular friendships.
So to the nation and the primary websites you’ll see. Heading east out of the leafy, tree-lined streets of the capital Bishkek – a spot famend for its markets, monuments and wonderful museum – you’ll first go the imposing 11th century Borana Tower, earlier than skirting the sting of Lake Izzy Kul. Right here, within the far northeast of the nation, you may spend a few days on the lake, go to the fascinating city of Karakol or head to Karkara Mountain Camp for a little bit of helicopter assisted glacier trekking, out there yearly on our Celestial Mountain Motion Journey.
From right here you’ll most likely transfer on across the southern shores of the lake, visiting one of many well-known eagle hunters, and presumably trek over the one of many many magnificent passes, earlier than hitting the primary street south in the direction of China, and one of many final remaining historic Silk Highway caravanserais at Tash Rabat. Right here you may go for walks, or journey one of many native’s horses, all of the whereas staying in one of many conventional yurts whereas Nazira and her household take care of you. Individuals usually ask me, the place is my favorite place on the planet – nicely, that is proper up there; sitting on the hills above the valley is without doubt one of the most peaceable settings I do know.
From right here most will both head over the border to China and the well-known Silk Highway crossroads city of Kashgar or west throughout the mountains to a different jewel within the Kyrgyz crown, Lake Son Kul. A 3,000 metre excessive glacial lake, some 40 kilometres in size, once more it affords a fantastic place to stroll or journey among the many hills and meet extra of the locals.
As you head additional west so you may cross the sensational Ferghana vary and go to the area across the Tajik border – notably travelling as much as Peak Lenin base camp – or head down into the Ferghana Valley and the traditional Silk Highway city of Osh. A lot of our journeys come this fashion as they head into neighbouring Uzbekistan, however persevering with on the circuit again spherical in the direction of Bishkek and also you come to yet one more fantastic area of pure magnificence, Sary Chelek Nationwide Park.
At Wild Frontiers we run each small group excursions and tailored holidays to Kyrgyzstan. Whereas some journeys focus solely on this nation, others absorb Kyrgyzstan on longer journeys by this Silk Highway area. It’s additionally the place that we run considered one of our greatest horse driving adventures; loosely following the route I took again in 1999, for these considering equine holidays, this journey is solely sensational.
As you may see, so far as pure mountain magnificence is anxious Kyrgyzstan is unrivalled within the area. It’s a nation with few political points, a spot with good vacationer infrastructure and but comparatively few vacationer. It’s a spot the place you may stroll, journey, mountain bike, raft or heli-trek – with us, all on a single journey! – and as of 2012 there are not any visa necessities for British and plenty of different nationalities.
As I say once I rode by the nation 15 years in the past, I knew I had found a gem…and so it’s at the moment. Kyrgyzstan actually is considered one of journey travels greatest saved secrets and techniques.

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