Brilliant in the Asiatic crown of ancient empires, Kyrgyzstan has so far been little studied by domestic tourists .And completely in vain - for the abundance of natural and historical attractions, opportunities for beach holidays, treatment and skiing this country is truly unparalleled .On the territory of Kyrgyzstan are the "heavenly mountains" of the Tien Shan and the Pamir ridges stretch, here the treasures of Genghis Khan conceal the purest highland lake Issyk-Kul, grow relic nut trees and beat hot sulfuric keys..However, for a loafing "supervisor" Kyrgyzstan prepared a lot of surprises: colorful yurts and felt carpets (and quite good hotels), kumiss and Osh pilaf, traditional equestrian competitions, chants, fairy tales and legends .In short, Asia in all its glory - that's what Kyrgyzstan is!

The capital is Bishkek.

The main cities are Osh, Karakol, Naryn, Balykchy, Kara-Balta, Talas.

How to get to Kyrgyzstan?

Moscow and Bishkek connect regular flights of "Airline Kyrgyzstan", S7 and "Aeroflot" .Aircraft "Kyrgyzstan Airlines" airborne 4 times a week, travel time - just over 4 hours .Aeroflot raises one flight on a daily basis and two on Wednesday and Friday (service is performed from Sheremetyevo-F) .On the wings of S7 you can reach Bishkek only with an intermediate landing in Novosibirsk .Residents of the northern capital can arrive in Bishkek on Wednesdays with the help of the "Airline Kyrgyzstan" and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays - "Aeroflot" .Travel time - about 5 hours .From Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk, a direct flight can also come to Osh .

Citizens of Belarus and Ukraine will have to travel to Kyrgyzstan with a transfer - in Moscow, Tashkent or Almaty.

• How it is better and cheaper to get from Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan

Visa to Kyrgyzstan is

Citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine do not need a visa to visit Kyrgyzstan.

Customs

Import and export of foreign and national currencies is not limited, but the declaration is obligatory .It is duty-free to import 1000 cigarettes and 1, 5 liters of spirits, personal items within individual needs and any goods worth up to 5000 USD .Prohibited to import weapons and ammunition, explosive and poisonous substances, drugs and narcotic drugs, pornography and any materials that offend the norms of Islam .Removal of minerals and rocks is possible only with the permission of the relevant services, gold and jewelry - upon presentation of documents confirming the purchase of .

Money and currency exchange

You can exchange currency at bank branches and licensed exchange offices. Banks work, as a rule, from 9:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Friday; "Exchangers" - a lot longer and without days off. To exchange, dollars are more readily accepted, while the most profitable rate is for notes in 100 and 50 USD. However, the European currency can also be exchanged without problems in Bishkek and Osh. It is recommended to change the currency in the capital, since the rate may be lower in the province.

You can easily withdraw money from a bank card in Bishkek and Osh, in other cities it can be difficult to find an ATM. By the way, cars give out soms, and dollars. You can pay with a credit card only in several large hotels, restaurants and shops of the Kyrgyz capital.

• Is it possible to exchange rubles for the Kyrgyz currency and what is its ratio to the ruble

Useful phone numbers are

Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Moscow: st. Bolshaya Ordynka, 64; tel .: (499) 237-48-82, 237-46-01; Web site; consular department: st. Bolshaya Ordynka, 62/1; tel .: (499) 238-50-69, 237-43-91

The Russian Embassy in Bishkek: Manas Ave., 55; tel .: (312) 610-905, 610-891, 612-614 (consular department); website

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Osh: st. K.Bobulov (Patrice Lumumba), 77; tel .: (3222) 263-04

Fire service - 101, police - 102, ambulance - 103, rescue service - 161, reference - 109

Safety of tourists

Kyrgyzstan is a completely safe country for Russian tourists..It is necessary to exercise usual circumspection: not to walk at night in unfamiliar places, to follow the bag and purse, to beware of pickpockets in crowded places and to bypass the noisy companies "drunk" .Despite the fact that most of the Kyrgyz are Muslims, there are quite free moral norms here, especially in the capital: walks "by the hand" and other chaste displays of affection will not attract the astonished looks .However, going to the remote place, it is better to behave with restraint and dress appropriately: without mini and transparent chiffons .

The Kyrgyz tap water is safe for drinking, tasty and even, according to the local, useful for health, because it comes straight from mountain springs. However, everywhere sold and bottled water, and the quality it is not inferior to any "borzhomam."

Transport

The most popular mode of transportation between cities and villages of Kyrgyzstan is buses and shuttles .The first de jure are sent on schedule, and de facto - when the salon is filled to the maximum, the second ones start to move only when all passenger seats are occupied .Marshrutki cost a little more expensive buses: for example, a trip from Bishkek to Balykchy by bus will cost about 3, 5 USD, on the shuttle bus - at 4, 5 USD .If you want to go immediately, you can just pay for the remaining seats .By the same principle, the minibus can be rented for a whole day at a contract price of .

Domestic flights of "Airline Kyrgyzstan" connect Bishkek with Osh (four times a day, 1 hour in flight), Jalalabad and Batken.

By rail, you can travel between Balykchi, Tokmok, Bishkek and Kara-Balta. Trains are twice cheaper than minibuses, but the journey turns out to be twice as long.

In the cities of Kyrgyzstan it is worthwhile to move by taxi - they are not at all expensive.

Rent a car

In general, car rental in Kyrgyzstan is not common because of not the best roads, lack of car insurance, frequent extortions of money by road patrol services and insecurities of independent travel away from cities. In order to, independently of public transport, independently travel around the country, it is recommended to rent a taxi with a driver. The rental day will cost about 50-70 USD.

The climate of Kyrgyzstan is

In Kyrgyzstan, sharply continental with the transition to a continental climate .Precipitation is relatively small; in the year about 250 sunny days .In the plains and lowlands, the average January temperature is -4 .6 ° C, July - + 18 .24 ° C .In the highlands, both in winter and in summer, it is cooler because of the constantly blowing winds from Siberia: -14 .20 ° C in January and + 8 .12 ° C in July .In the Ferghana Valley in the summer period, the thermometer column usually rises above +35 ° C .The most favorable time for visiting Kyrgyzstan is September, when pleasant autumn heat reigns throughout the country .On the highland pastures "jailoo" can be sent from mid-May to early October, foot and horse tours are comfortable to spend from March to November in the south and from April to October in the north .Trekking and climbing are available throughout the year, while high altitude climbing is best done from late June to October .

See also the current weather forecast in Kyrgyzstan.

Shopping

From Kyrgyzstan, you can bring felt hats "kalpak" and items of national costume: quilted quilt "Ichken", trousers and swingers, leather shoes, traditional vessels and leather cases - for example, for making, storing and feeding koumiss to the table. >.A business card of Kyrgyz national crafts - a felt shirkak carpet made of sheep's wool decorated with bright national patterns .Such carpets are not cheap, but they are truly eternal $ ±.Pay attention to products made of wood: chests and boxes, cases, stands, interior items and chess .Representatives of the fair sex will appreciate Kyrgyz jewelry: traditional bracelets, rings, earrings and exotic headlamps and suspenders .

Kitchen and restaurants

Kyrgyz cuisine is an abundance of meat and "wet" food: soups, dishes based on broth and dishes with gravies, and dairy products .Of meat, mainly lamb and horse meat are used, also beef and poultry, but pork - for religious reasons - there is absolutely no Kyrgyz at the menu..One of the most popular dishes - "beshbarmak" ("five fingers"), which is prepared from a young lamb .Meat is boiled, the first dish is served with broth, then separate pieces of meat as a prelude to the second, and then finely chop the remaining meat and mix with broth and home noodles .The guest is traditionally offered delicacies - cheeks, brain and eyes .Another favorite dish - boiled horse sausage "chuchuk" .It is consumed both independently and in other foods .Many dishes came to the national cuisine of Kyrgyzstan from neighboring countries: shorpo soup, pilaf and shish kebab, samsa and manti - and they were enriched with local nuances and already perceived as primordially Kyrgyz .The best pilaf, for example, here is Osh .Fatty foods are washed down with milk drinks - koumiss based on mare's milk, ayran and local varieties of yogurt .In all other cases, a lot of tea is used: green or black (here it is called "kizil tea" - red tea) with nuts, dried fruits, cakes and pies .

Entertainment, Excursions and Sights of Kyrgyzstan

Unique natural attractions and ancient cities of the Great Silk Road - these are the two trump cards of Kyrgyzstan in attracting tourists .On the territory of the state lie the ranges of the Tien Shan and the Pamirs, here is one of the largest and deepest lakes of the planet - the poet of the East of Issyk-Kul, the relic nut forests of the alpine oasis Arslanbob, the Djety Oguz gorge and the generic hydrogen sulphide thermal springs, the legendary Son- Kul and Sary-Chelek, the giant glacier Inylchek and many other natural wonders .Fans of mountains make their ascent to the peaks of Lenin, Victory and Khan-Tengri, fans of tracking explore the Turkestan range and the lakes of the Western Tien-Shan, but the skiers are waiting - they will not wait for the opening of the season, so that the first to cut snow on the slopes of Kashka-Suu, Norus and Too Ashuu .By the way, the mountain-skiing Kyrgyzstan offers rich opportunities for heliski and paragliding .

Sights of Bishkek: ancient and picturesque bazaar Osh, Ala-Too Square, Independence Monument and Parliament building, Museum of National History and Museum of Art, historical oak and Erkindik gallery..In the vicinity of the city you should visit the Baityk Valley Nature Park and climb the Boz-Peldek Mountain, which offers a beautiful view of Bishkek..At the southern slope of the mountain is located the cemetery "Khanski graves", where the legendary ruler of the valley is buried .Pay attention to the forged tower with a magnificent dome .You can see rare plants in the Chon-Aryk Botanical Preserve, and improve your health - at the peat mud deposit in the village of Kamyshanovka .

In Osh there are remarkable monuments of Islamic architecture of the Ferghana style: the madrassas of Alymbek Paravanchi and Muhamedba Turk hal Muratbaeva, the Sadykbaya mosque and Shahid-Tepa .It's worth visiting the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Michael the Archangel (beginning $ .20 c) .Among historical sights - an ancient cemetery, a complex of medieval baths, ancient petroglyphs .In addition, Osh is a "gateway to the mountains": from here you can climb the Pamirs and Tien Shan, see the caves of Chil-Ustun and Chil-Mairam, as well as the unique karst spring-waterfall Abshir-si .

Lake Issyk-Kul - the second largest in the world and, perhaps, the first in surprising color - saturated blue, almost ultramarine. The water of Issyk-Kul is exceptionally transparent and slightly salty to the taste, since about 80 rivers flow into it, and none flows. In the vicinity of the lake hot springs are striking and there are deposits of therapeutic mud.

It is possible to live the nomadic life of a real Kirghiz by going to the highland pastures "jailoo" - a healthy dream under the canopy of the yurt, a cup of koumiss from the morning and all day in the fresh air - that's the guarantee of health in Asiatic.

Photos of Kyrgyzstan (17)