CONTENTS:
Kyrgystan, the country
What to do
How to get there
Kyrgystan - a country somewhat smaller than the island of Great Britain - has a population of about 4.3 million, of which approximately half are ethnic Kyrgyzians, a Turko-Mongolian people. As in all ex-Soviet countries, Russian is widely understood. Besides humans the country is populated by over ten million sheep, the mainstay of the economy which is complemented by cattle herding, cultivated crops and a mining industry. The capital, Bishkek (formerly Frunze), is a mostly newly-built city with about 600 thousand residents. Kyrgystan declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Arrive in Bishkek, Kyrgystan's capital, and spend two or three days in this city with lush greenery, cheap, exotic food and fruits - a bustling city that is a shopper's delight with bazaars offering everything from sandals, colorful clothes, porcelain, wood carvings, pillows, etc. Become intoxicated by the exotic culture of this city, but as one of the first Westerners in the country you may well find yourself a center of attraction from inhabitants.
In Bishkek be met by a travel contact either at the train station or airport and be transferred to either an apartment or hotel. The apartment is especially economical which can be accommodated with up to eight guests, and if desired the kitchen can be stocked beforehand with food for breakfasts (which guests prepare themselves). The White Nights travel contact in Bishkek can provide you with a local travel guide.
From Bishkek go five or six hours by bus bringing you through scenic canyons and mountains to the interesting Issyq-Kul Lake, 1609 meters in elevation (one mile) and about 600 km (375 miles) in length and 59 km (36 miles) wide. Among Soviet peoples Issyq-Kul is a well known resort area, a very clean, salty lake with beaches, big fish and tourist facilities offering everything from restaurants, bars, cinemas, and discos to health massages and saunas. The lake area, surrounded by mountains, is ideal for hiking, and into the lake itself paddle boats are available for renting. The climate is hot and dry in summer, with the temperature usually over 20 deg C in August (68 deg F).
A week's stay in recommended for Issyq-Kul, and through White Nights reasonable accommodations are available in an apartment big enough for up to five persons, located in the village Komsomul near the lake (breakfast provisions are not available at this location). Through the travel contact of White Nights access to the tourist facilities at the lake are available at very reasonable prices (to be paid locally).
Travel note: the 31st of August, the Kyrgystan day of independence, is a very festive holiday.
Direct flights to Bishkek are available from Moscow. A daily, direct train departs from Moscow to Bishkek, about 3800 km away (2375 miles), a 77 hour journey. From Bishkek one can travel by train to Novosibirsk in the north, and from there hook up with the Trans-Siberian express either to Vladisvostok or to China. White Nights forewarns that unsanitary conditions may exist aboard trains, and that precautions be taken when buying food from vendors at rail stops. Train and flight tickets may be bought in advance and be picked up in Moscow, although price quotes can only be obtained after contact with our Russian office due to constant transport price increases. (In 1995 round-trip flights to Bishkek from Moscow were about $400, with train travel, as a rule, half as expensive.)