WikiVoyage Kyrgyzstan March 2016 Contents 1 Kyrgyzstan 1 1.1 Regions ................................................ 1 1.2 Cities ................................................. 1 1.3 Other destinations ........................................... 1 1.4 Understand .............................................. 2 1.4.1 History ............................................ 2 1.4.2 Climate ............................................ 2 1.4.3 Landscape ........................................... 2 1.5 Get in ................................................. 2 1.5.1 By plane ............................................ 3 1.5.2 By train ............................................ 3 1.5.3 By car ............................................. 3 1.5.4 By bus ............................................. 4 1.6 Get around .............................................. 4 1.6.1 Flights ............................................ 4 1.6.2 By train ............................................ 4 1.6.3 Buses and Taxis ....................................... 4 1.6.4 Biking ............................................ 4 1.6.5 Wintersports ......................................... 4 1.6.6 Hitchhiking .......................................... 4 1.6.7 Horseback .......................................... 4 1.6.8 Driving ............................................ 4 1.7 Talk .................................................. 5 1.8 See ................................................... 5 1.9 Do ................................................... 5 1.10 Buy .................................................. 5 1.10.1 Costs ............................................. 5 1.10.2 Cash .............................................. 6 1.10.3 Credit Cards & ATMs .................................... 6 1.11 Eat ................................................... 6 1.12 Drink ................................................. 7 1.12.1 Drinking tea .......................................... 7 i ii CONTENTS 1.12.2 Vodka ............................................. 7 1.12.3 Traditional drinks ....................................... 7 1.12.4 Other drinks .......................................... 8 1.13 Sleep .................................................. 8 1.14 Learn ................................................. 9 1.15 Work ................................................. 9 1.16 Stay safe ................................................ 9 1.16.1 Corruption .......................................... 9 1.17 Stay healthy .............................................. 9 1.18 Cope .................................................. 9 1.19 Respect ................................................ 10 1.20 Connect ................................................ 10 2 Bishkek and the Northwest 11 2.1 Cities ................................................. 11 2.2 Other destinations ........................................... 11 2.3 Understand .............................................. 11 2.4 Get in ................................................. 11 2.5 Get around ............................................... 11 2.6 See ................................................... 11 2.7 Do ................................................... 11 2.8 Eat ................................................... 11 2.9 Drink ................................................. 11 2.10 Stay safe ................................................ 11 2.11 Go next ................................................ 11 3 Bishkek 12 3.1 Understand .............................................. 12 3.1.1 History ............................................ 12 3.1.2 Climate ............................................ 12 3.2 Get in ................................................. 12 3.2.1 By plane ............................................ 12 3.2.2 By train ............................................ 13 3.2.3 By car and bus ........................................ 13 3.2.4 By bicycle .......................................... 14 3.3 Get around ............................................... 14 3.3.1 By minibus .......................................... 14 3.3.2 By bus and trolleybus ..................................... 14 3.3.3 By taxi ............................................ 14 3.4 See ................................................... 15 3.5 Do ................................................... 15 3.6 Learn ................................................. 15 CONTENTS iii 3.7 Work ................................................. 16 3.8 Buy .................................................. 16 3.9 Eat ................................................... 16 3.9.1 Budget ............................................ 16 3.9.2 Mid-range ........................................... 16 3.9.3 Splurge ............................................ 17 3.10 Drink ................................................. 17 3.10.1 Cafes ............................................. 17 3.10.2 Bars .............................................. 17 3.11 Sleep .................................................. 18 3.11.1 Budget ............................................ 18 3.11.2 Mid-range ........................................... 19 3.11.3 Splurge ............................................ 19 3.12 Stay safe ................................................ 20 3.13 Cope .................................................. 20 3.13.1 Embassies ........................................... 20 3.14 Connect ................................................ 21 3.15 Go next ................................................ 21 4 Toktogul 23 4.1 Understand .............................................. 23 4.2 Get in ................................................. 23 4.3 Get around ............................................... 23 4.4 See ................................................... 23 4.5 Do ................................................... 23 4.6 Buy .................................................. 23 4.7 Eat ................................................... 23 4.8 Drink ................................................. 23 4.9 Sleep .................................................. 23 4.10 Connect ................................................ 23 4.11 Go next ................................................ 23 5 Ferghana Valley (Kyrgyzstan) 24 5.1 Regions ................................................ 24 5.2 Cities ................................................. 24 5.3 Other destinations ........................................... 24 5.4 Understand .............................................. 24 5.5 Talk .................................................. 24 5.6 Get in ................................................. 24 5.7 Get around ............................................... 24 5.8 See ................................................... 24 5.8.1 Itineraries ........................................... 24 iv CONTENTS 5.9 Do ................................................... 24 5.10 Eat ................................................... 24 5.11 Drink ................................................. 24 5.12 Stay safe ................................................ 24 5.13 Go next ................................................ 24 6 Batken 25 6.1 Get in ................................................. 25 6.2 Get around ............................................... 25 6.3 See ................................................... 25 6.4 Do ................................................... 25 6.5 Buy .................................................. 25 6.6 Eat ................................................... 25 6.7 Drink ................................................. 25 6.8 Sleep .................................................. 25 6.9 Connect ................................................ 25 6.10 Go next ................................................ 25 7 Osh 26 7.1 Understand .............................................. 26 7.2 Get in ................................................. 26 7.2.1 By plane ............................................ 26 7.2.2 By bus ............................................. 26 7.2.3 By car ............................................. 26 7.2.4 By bike ............................................ 27 7.3 Get around ............................................... 27 7.4 See ................................................... 27 7.5 Do ................................................... 27 7.6 Buy .................................................. 27 7.7 Eat ................................................... 27 7.8 Drink ................................................. 28 7.9 Sleep .................................................. 28 7.10 Connect ................................................ 28 7.11 Go next ................................................ 28 8 Issyk Kul and the Tian Shan 29 8.1 Regions ................................................ 29 8.2 Cities ................................................. 29 8.3 Other destinations ........................................... 29 8.4 Understand .............................................. 29 8.5 Talk .................................................. 29 8.6 Get in ................................................. 29 CONTENTS v 8.7 Get around ............................................... 29 8.8 See ................................................... 29 8.8.1 Itineraries ........................................... 29 8.9 Do ..................................................