A Complete Travel Guide for Your Visit to Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan Tourism always the famous place to explore among the nature lovers. Bishkek is the capital city of Kyrgyzstan and also the largest city of the country. It is located on the Chui valley and is a great place to explore beautiful mountains and lakes. It is famous among the youth for its amazing nightlife and small but cozy restaurants. Bishkek is a good option to start your silk route expedition.
In this article today, you will find plenty of information about the whole Bishkek tour: from beginning to end of the tour.

Bishkek Weather

Summers in Bishkek are mostly hot, dry and clear but comparatively cold in the mountain areas. The average temperature ranges from 23 degrees to 35 degree Celsius. The best time to visit Bishkek in summers is from May to September when the weather is mostly pleasant and clear.

Winters are chilly and snowy in Bishkek; frequent heavy fogs are also experienced. The minimum temperature often goes to around -3 degree Celsius. If you wish to go to Bishkek during winters just to enjoy the snowfall and cold cozy weather then the best time would be from November to February.

Overall to say, the best time to visit Bishkek would be in spring and autumn seasons: April-May and September- October. But if you are visiting higher altitude regions then May-September is best.

What to Pack

Summers: Half sleeves and light clothes are best during day time, a sun hat is necessary to protect you from the sunrays. You can also keep scarf for the windy day and a summer jacket would do great during evening. If you are going to the mountains for hiking, then you must pack hiking shoes, a hat and sweatshirts or jacket because it is quite cold in the hills.

Winter: Pack warm clothes like jackets, sweaters, scarf, gloves and a hat. Also keep your boots and shoes along and for hiking purpose pack your hiking shoes and snow boots to walk comfortably in the snow.

Other Essential Information:

• Carry a big backpack because you will have to travel a lot and it will be convenient to carry.
• A small backpack for the essentials like water bottle, snacks and camera as you might want to trek in the mountains.
• It would be best to keep a power bank for your electronic devices.
• A flashlight for the night. If you like to hike and stay in camps then it is a must.
• Rain gear is important because you never know when it starts to rain especially in the mountains.
• Keep your favourite snack and packed food with you as you might get bored of the same Kyrgyz food and want to change your taste. Also it is unlikely that you will get every food item there.
• As Bishkek is not that modern and locals are always seen wearing conservative clothes it is suggested that you avoid wearing short clothes like skirts and shorts.

How to Get a Kyrgyzstan Visa

Visa can be obtained from the Republic of Kyrgyzstan embassy. Visa is provided only if there is an invitation which is known as the LOI or Letter of Invitation from the travel agency licensed by the MFA, so to get the visa, LOI is important.

Documents needed for visa:

1. Two recent passport sized photos.
2. Proof for purpose of the visit.
3. Passport for at least 6 months from the date of application for the visa.
4. Visa application form dully filled.
5. Photocopy of the passport: back and front.

It takes around 5-6 working days for the visa processing after getting invitation from the MFA. If it is urgently needed then it takes 2 working days for the procession.
Visa fee is payable only through check in the favour of consular account of the embassy of Kyrgyz republic, India. The payment must be made through RBI bank and this payment is not refundable.

How to Reach Bishkek

You can reach Bishkek from India by flight. There are many flights which go to Bishkek from New Delhi. The total travel duration is about 3 hours 30 minutes. The flight lands at the Manas International Airport and it is only 25 minute drive away from the city centre. From the airport you can hire a taxi which will take you to your hotel.

What to See in Bishkek

1. State Historical Museum
2. Ala-Too Square
3. Osh Bazaar
4. M Frunze Museum
5. Panfilov Park
6. Dubovy Park
7. Vefa Centre

Kyrgyz Food

Kyrgyzstan meal features foods like bread, potatoes, rice and good quantity of meat. One of the famous dishes of Kyrgyzstan is plov: a Central Asian dish containing rice, garlic, meat and carrots. Another dish which you can try is shashlyk which has a grilled lamb and mutton or beef kebab, it is eaten with bread, onion and vodka. Samsas can be found at roadside stands all over the city. They are like Indian samosas with a filling of mutton and onion.

Apart from Kyrgyz cuisine, Russian cuisine is also widely available in Bishkek. There are many restaurants and cafes here which serve delicious food and variety of local and international cuisines.

Where to Eat in Bishkek

1. Supara: famous for authentic and original Kyrgyz cuisine. View is amazing from the restaurant.
2. Cafeteria: it is a coffee house serving quality breakfast meals and cocktails.
3. Sugar and Spice: Indian restaurant, serves good Indian food.
4. Dolce Vita Pizza: as the name suggests it serves amazing pizza in Bishkek. It also has variety of Italian dishes like pasta.
5. Buddha Bar: most popular restaurant in Bishkek, menu is provided in English and quite vast.
6. Shaolin: Chinese food heaven. Quality is of international level.
7. Faiza: Central Asian cuisine is served here. Service is quite good and price is also reasonable.

Travels Mantra provides quality services on each of its Bishkek Packages. Bishkek is always worth visiting. It is one small yet cozy city which is so welcoming that you might crave to come back here again and again. The people are friendly and the environment is safe for everyone, especially the solo travellers. Being surrounded by the mountains it is a one stop destination for the trekkers and adventure seekers. The city is peaceful and serene as it is world’s greenest city due to its numerous parks and gardens which makes it a great place to live.