Kyrgyzstan · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Kyrgyzstan
These are the places worth your time in Kyrgyzstan, from Bishkek's bazaars and Issyk-Kul's beaches to the treks of Karakol, the yurts of Song-Kol and the Silk Road city of Osh. Classics sit beside quiet corners few travellers ever see, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in Bishkek
Things to Do
- Ala-Too Square (Centre)
The ceremonial heart of the capital, with the Manas statue and the hourly changing of the guard. - Panfilov Park (Centre)
An old fashioned funfair with Soviet era rides, popular with local families. - Victory Square (Centre)
A striking memorial with an eternal flame honouring the Second World War dead. - Burana Tower (Near Tokmok)
An eleventh century minaret among stone balbal figures in a wide mountain valley. - Erkindik Boulevard Walk (Centre)
A tree lined pedestrian avenue that is the city's best stroll.
Arts and Culture
- State Historical Museum (Ala-Too Square)
A renovated museum telling the story of the Kyrgyz from nomad times through the Soviet era. - Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts (Centre)
Felt work, embroidery and Soviet era painting in one compact collection. - Kyrgyz National Philharmonic (Chuy Avenue)
An evening of komuz music or classical concerts in a grand Soviet hall. - Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Maldybaev (Centre)
Affordable opera and ballet in a columned theatre from the Soviet golden age. - Frunze House Museum (Centre)
A small museum built around the cottage where Mikhail Frunze was born.
Nature and Outdoors
- Oak Park (Centre)
A shady old park filled with open air sculptures and families strolling in the evening. - Ala-Archa National Park (South of Bishkek)
Alpine valleys, glaciers and riverside walks within an hour of the capital. - Chon-Kemin Valley (East of Bishkek)
A quiet valley for horse riding, rafting and village guesthouses. - Kegeti Gorge (Chuy Region)
A waterfall hike in a green gorge, an easy escape from the city. - Botanical Garden of Bishkek (East Bishkek)
A large old garden for a quiet walk among trees and greenhouses.
Shopping and Markets
- Osh Bazaar (West Bishkek)
The classic city bazaar for dried fruit, spices, kalpak hats and fresh bread. - Dordoi Bazaar (North Bishkek)
A vast container market that shows how goods flow across Central Asia. - Tsum Department Store (Chuy Avenue)
A Soviet era department store with a souvenir floor of felt goods and crafts.
Restaurants
- Navat (Centre)
A popular Central Asian chain serving plov, lagman and manty in a decorative teahouse setting. - Faiza (Centre)
A busy local favourite for big plates of lagman, manty and shashlik. - Supara Ethno Complex (South Bishkek)
Kyrgyz dishes served in yurts and wooden pavilions on the edge of the mountains. - Arzu (Centre)
A long running family restaurant for Kyrgyz and Uzbek classics.
Cafés
- Sierra Coffee (Centre)
A pioneer of Bishkek's coffee scene with good espresso and breakfasts.
Events
- Nooruz in Ala-Too Square (Centre)
Spring New Year celebrations in March with sumolok, music and horse games. - Independence Day Celebrations (Ala-Too Square)
Concerts and fireworks on the last day of August.
Stays
- Hyatt Regency Bishkek (Centre)
A central international hotel with mountain views and a pool. - Sheraton Bishkek (South Bishkek)
A modern business hotel with good facilities near the mountains road. - Novotel Bishkek City Center (Centre)
A modern hotel within walking distance of restaurants and parks.
Places to Visit in Cholpon-Ata
Arts and Culture
- Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs (Cholpon-Ata)
An open air field of ancient carved boulders set against snowy peaks. - Rukh Ordo Cultural Center (Cholpon-Ata)
A lakeside cultural park with chapels to five faiths and a museum. - Tamga Stone (Tamga)
A boulder carved with a Tibetan Buddhist inscription above the village.
Nature and Outdoors
- Cholpon-Ata Public Beach (Cholpon-Ata)
A lively summer beach on the clear warm lake. - Grigorievka Gorge (North shore)
Green valleys and small lakes for walks and horse rides. - Semenovka Gorge (North shore)
Spruce forest and meadows where you can sleep in a yurt. - Skazka Canyon (South shore)
The fairy tale canyon of red and orange eroded rock. - Barskoon Waterfalls (Barskoon)
Waterfalls in a high valley above the south shore. - Kyrchyn Gorge (North shore)
A wide alpine valley that hosts nomad festivals.
Things to Do
- Bosteri Ferris Wheel (Bosteri)
A big wheel with views over the lake in the resort strip next door. - Eagle hunter demonstration at Bokonbaevo (Bokonbaevo)
See a golden eagle hunter at work on the south shore. - Issyk-Kul boat trips (Cholpon-Ata harbour)
Short boat rides on the lake from the town harbour.
Stays
- Karven Four Seasons (Cholpon-Ata area)
A resort on the lake with gardens and beach access. - Tamchy village guesthouses (Tamchy)
Family run guesthouses near a long quiet beach.
Events
- World Nomad Games (Cholpon-Ata and Kyrchyn gorge)
Horseback games, wrestling and eagle hunting when the games are held here.
Restaurants
- Cholpon-Ata Bazaar Food Stalls (Cholpon-Ata)
Smoked fish and samsa from the town market.
Shopping and Markets
- Smoked fish sellers at Balykchy (Balykchy)
Roadside sellers of smoked lake fish at the western tip of the lake.
Places to Visit in Karakol
Arts and Culture
- Dungan Mosque (Centre)
A wooden mosque built without nails in the style of a Chinese temple. - Holy Trinity Cathedral (Centre)
A wooden Orthodox cathedral with golden domes among poplars. - Przhevalsky Memorial and Museum (Pristan)
A memorial to the Russian explorer near the lake shore.
Shopping and Markets
- Karakol Animal Market (Edge of town)
A Sunday morning livestock market of horses, sheep and cattle. - Karakol Bazaar (Centre)
The daily market for food, dried fruit and trekking supplies.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ala-Kul Lake (Karakol National Park)
A turquoise glacial lake reached on a classic three day trek. - Altyn-Arashan Hot Springs (Above Ak-Suu)
Natural hot pools in a high pine valley. - Jeti-Oguz Rocks (Jeti-Oguz)
The seven bulls red cliffs and the Valley of Flowers. - Karakol Valley (Karakol National Park)
Easy forest walks along a glacial river. - Chon-Kyzyl-Suu Valley (South of Karakol)
A quiet alpine valley with a weather station and trails. - Fairy tale forest walk at Jeti-Oguz (Jeti-Oguz)
Spruce walks above the broken heart rock.
Things to Do
- Karakol Ski Base (Karakol valley)
The country's main ski resort among spruce forest. - Karakol Tourist Information Centre (Centre)
Maps, trek advice and route registration before you head out.
Restaurants
- Ashlyam-fu stalls (Near the bazaar)
The town's famous cold spicy noodles with fried bread. - Dastorkon (Centre)
Kyrgyz and Uyghur dishes in a lively family restaurant.
Cafés
- Karakol Coffee (Centre)
A friendly café with good coffee and a social enterprise ethos.
Stays
- Altyn-Arashan Guesthouses (Altyn-Arashan)
Simple lodges with hot spring pools in the valley. - Jeti-Oguz Yurt Camps (Jeti-Oguz)
Yurts near the red cliffs for a night in the valley.
Places to Visit in Kochkor
Shopping and Markets
- Altyn Kol Felt Cooperative (Kochkor)
Women's cooperative making shyrdak felt rugs you can buy direct. - Kochkor Market (Kochkor)
The weekly town market for animals and goods.
Things to Do
- CBT Kochkor (Kochkor)
The community tourism office that arranges drivers, horses and yurt stays. - Horse trek to Song-Kol (Kyzart)
A two or three day ride over the passes to the lake.
Nature and Outdoors
- Song-Kol Lake (Naryn Region)
A high lake where herders summer in yurts under huge skies. - Kyzart Pass (Kyzart)
The starting point of horse treks and herders' camps. - Kel-Suu Lake (Naryn Region)
A remote lake among cliffs, reached with a permit and driver. - Naryn River (Naryn)
A dramatic valley and the gateway to the far south.
Stays
- Song-Kol yurt camps (Song-Kol)
Simple felt yurts on the shore with home cooked meals. - Tash Rabat yurt camps (Tash Rabat)
Yurts beside the old caravanserai. - Kochkor guesthouses (Kochkor)
Family homes offering beds, breakfast and travel help.
Arts and Culture
- Tash Rabat Caravanserai (At-Bashy district)
A fifteenth century stone caravanserai in a remote valley.
Places to Visit in Osh
Arts and Culture
- Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (Centre)
The UNESCO sacred mountain with shrines and city views. - Sulaiman-Too Cave Museum (Sulaiman-Too)
A history museum set inside the rock. - Asaf ibn Burhiya Mausoleum (Osh)
A small historic mausoleum near the sacred mountain. - Muhammad Yusuf Baihodja Mosque (Osh)
A historic mosque in the old city. - Uzgen Minaret and Mausoleums (Uzgen)
An eleventh century minaret and tombs.
Shopping and Markets
- Jayma Bazaar (Along the Ak-Buura river)
One of Central Asia's great bazaars. - Kara-Suu Bazaar (Kara-Suu)
A huge border market near the Uzbek frontier.
Things to Do
- Lenin Statue (Central Square)
One of the largest Lenin statues left in the region.
Restaurants
- Osh plov houses (Centre)
Big pots of the city's famous reddish rice plov at lunchtime. - Samsa ovens near Jayma Bazaar (Bazaar)
Tandoor baked samsa straight from the oven.
Cafés
- Chaikhana tea houses (Centre)
The city's tea houses where life slows down.
Nature and Outdoors
- Alay Valley (South of Osh)
A huge valley beneath the Pamirs and Lenin Peak. - Lenin Peak Base Camp (Achik-Tash)
Meadows below one of the highest peaks in the region. - Navoi Park (Centre)
A riverside park for evening walks with families. - Tulpar-Kol Lake (Alay valley)
A small lake with views of Lenin Peak and yurt camps.
Stays
- Sary-Mogol guesthouses (Sary-Mogol)
Simple homestays in the Alay valley. - Osh guesthouses near the bazaar (Centre)
Small family guesthouses close to the sights.
Events
- Nooruz in Osh (Osh)
Spring New Year celebrations with games and food.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Jalal-Abad Plov Center (Bishkek, Bishkek)
Big pots of southern style plov served at lunchtime. - Chaihona No. 1 (Centre, Bishkek)
A stylish teahouse menu of Uzbek and Central Asian dishes. - Dungan Kitchen near Osh Bazaar (West Bishkek, Bishkek)
Simple cafés where Dungan cooks serve ashlyam-fu and gyuro lagman. - Bublik (Centre, Bishkek)
A cosy bakery café with pastries and coffee loved by students. - Tubeteika (Centre, Bishkek)
A friendly café with Kyrgyz and fusion dishes and a relaxed crowd. - Save the Ales (Centre, Bishkek)
A craft beer bar with local brews and a friendly expat and local mix. - Metro Pub (Chuy Avenue, Bishkek)
A long running pub with live music on weekends. - Arbat Rooftop Bar (Centre, Bishkek)
Evening views over the city with the mountains glowing at sunset. - Kyrgyz Style Shop (Centre, Bishkek)
Handmade felt and textiles from rural cooperatives. - Apple Hostel (Centre, Bishkek)
A sociable hostel popular with backpackers sharing tips and drivers. - Kok Boru at the Hippodrome (Bishkek, Bishkek)
Watch the horseback game of kok boru during national holidays. - Yurt Camp Bel-Tam (Tamga area, Cholpon-Ata)
Lakeside yurts on a quiet south shore beach. - Raduga West (Cholpon-Ata, Cholpon-Ata)
A large resort hotel with gardens and a private beach. - Ruh Ordo Museum of Aitmatov (Cholpon-Ata, Cholpon-Ata)
Exhibits on Chingiz Aitmatov, the country's great writer. - Lakeside restaurants on the promenade (Cholpon-Ata, Cholpon-Ata)
Grilled fish and shashlik as the sun sets over the water. - Salburun Festival (Bokonbaevo, Cholpon-Ata)
A traditional festival of eagle hunting and horse games. - Kaji-Say Felt Workshops (Kaji-Say, Cholpon-Ata)
Small studios where women make felt crafts. - Kok-Sai Canyon (South shore, Cholpon-Ata)
Quiet red canyon walks away from the crowds. - Dungan home dinner (Karakol, Karakol)
A family feast of many small Dungan dishes arranged through guesthouses. - Fat Cat Café (Centre, Karakol)
Hearty breakfasts and cakes for hungry trekkers. - Zarina (Centre, Karakol)
A busy local eatery for plov, lagman and manty. - Karakol bar scene on Toktogul Street (Centre, Karakol)
A handful of small bars where trekkers trade stories. - Duet Hotel (Centre, Karakol)
A small, well run hotel in the town centre. - Riverside Hostel (Karakol, Karakol)
A friendly hostel with trek information. - Boz-Uchuk Lakes (Near Karakol, Karakol)
Little visited alpine lakes in a valley east of the main treks. - Karakol Ski Festival (Karakol ski base, Karakol)
Winter events and races when the snow is good. - Kochkor Regional Museum (Kochkor, Kochkor)
A small museum about local felt making and history. - Salkyn-Tor National Park (Near Naryn, Kochkor)
Pine forest and pastures near Naryn town. - Kochkor tea houses (Kochkor, Kochkor)
Simple cafés serving bread, soup and tea to travellers. - Kucha Restaurant (Centre, Osh)
Southern Kyrgyz and Uzbek dishes in a calm setting. - Abshir-Sai Waterfall (Osh Region, Osh)
A waterfall gushing from a cliff face. - Osh evening cafés (Centre, Osh)
Cafés with shashlik and live music in the warm evenings. - Uzgen rice market (Uzgen, Osh)
The source of the famous red rice used in plov.