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From Wikitravel

Kyrgyzstan (Кыргызстан, formally the Kyrgyz Republic (Кыргыз Республикасы) is a Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. Landlocked and mountainous, it borders Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the southeast. Annexed by Russia in 1876, it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

[edit] Understand

[edit] History

The Kyrgyz are descendants of tribes from the Tuvan region of Russia, which migrated to the area now known as Kyrgyzstan in the 13th century, during the rise of the Mongol empire. In 1876 the area was incorporated into the Russian empire and later the Soviet Union.

August 31st, 1991 marked a major event in the history of Kyrgyzstan. After unrest in various regions throughout the Soviet Union, a coup in Moscow against the regime of Mikhail Gorbachev failed. This move against the central government motivated the Kyrgyz power structure to declare independence from the U.S.S.R. Kyrgyzstan also saw during that time the election of the only non-communist party backed president in the Central Asian region, a physicist named Askar Akayev.

During the Soviet era, Kyrgyzstan’s economy was centralized and dependent on other Soviet states for trade. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, due to a combination of remoteness, poor infrastructure and lack of resources, Kyrgyzstan’s economy began to rapidly decline. By 1993, the unemployment rate was around 10%. In the following years, unemployment rates rose up to 77%.

As for President Akayev, it became evident that non-party affiliation did not guarantee honesty. The executive branch’s power increased through suppression of opposition and the President secured immunity from prosecution for himself and his family. After several years of questionable elections, in March 2005, massive groups of protesters from around the country converged on the capitol, causing Akayev to flee into exile in Russia.

The leader of the Tulip Revolution, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, formed an interim government and served as president and prime minister until later that July when emergency elections were held. Bakiyev ran for the office of President and won, but was unable to gain parliamentary approval of his cabinet until five months later. After several attempts to resolve a constitution, Bakiyev declared in 2007, that all previous versions of the constitution were illegal and instituted a modified constitution from the Akayev era. He then dissolved parliament and called for an early election to reform the parliamentary structure. The President’s own party gained the majority and the U.S. State Department expressed deep concern about the conduct of the elections, citing several issues including widespread vote count irregularities and exaggerations in voter turnout. Some of the current problems that Kyrgyzstan faces today are universal throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States, namely lack of political freedom, widespread corruption, and negative influences on democracy.

[edit] Climate

Dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone.

[edit] Landscape

Entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes. Highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m. The mountains are beautiful for hiking.

[edit] Regions

Due to the presence of several mountain ranges, Kyrgyzstan can also be divided into northern and southern regions. The northern (and cooler) region consists of Chui, Issyk-Kul, Talas, and Naryn oblasts. While the southern (and warmer) region contains Jalalabad, Osh. and Batken. The southern half of Kyrgyzstan is also part of the Fergana Valley, a fertile agricultural region shared by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Bishkek and the Northwest The area around Bishkek is home to most of the country's population, as well as the fabulous Ala Archa National Park, while the western part of the country is less visited and sparsely populated.

Issyk Kul and the Tian Shan Any adventurous travelers heading to this remote country undoubtedly have these two names in their heads, the beautiful high alpine, saline lake Issyk Kul, and the imposing Tian Shan, Heavenly Cloud, Mountains.

Ferghana Valley Culturally vibrant and diverse, hotter and lower lying than the rest of the country, the Ferghana Valley is both exotic and unstable.

[edit] Cities

• Bishkek — the national capital and largest city by far.
• Balykchy — the western gateway to Lake Issyk Kul.
• Jalal-Abad — a good bet for visiting a Ferghana Valley town, as it is significantly safer and easier to get to than Osh or destinations further southwest.
• Karakol — a gem at the remote east end of Issyk Kul.
• Kochkor — just south of Balykchy, serves as a launch pad for treks up into the Tian Shan Mountains.
• Naryn — right up in the Tian Shan, near Lake Song Kul, the gateway to the entire southeastern region, its ruins, mountains, and high alpine lakes.
• Osh — Kyrgyzstan's second largest city, a fascinating, 3,000 years old, wildly diverse, Ferghana Valley market town home to Central Asia's biggest and busiest outdoor market.
• Talas — a northwestern town just north of Besh-Tash National Park
• Tokmok — dwarfed by nearby Bishkek, but still large by Kyrgyzstani standards, Tokmok is right by the ancient Burana Tower and the ruins of an ancient Silk Road capital, Ak-Beshim.

[edit] Other destinations

• Lake Issyk Kul — pearl of Central Asia, an enormous, crystal blue high alpine lake up in the Tian Shan Mountains.
• Lake Song Kul — Issyk Kul's little cousin, far more remote, and many would say more beautiful as well.
• Lake Kul Ukuk
• The caravanserai of Tash Rabat — a well-preserved 15th century stone caravanserai near Naryn.
• Burana Tower — all that remains of the ancient Silk Road capital of Balasagun, a massive minaret standing alone on the step.
• Ala Archa National Park — gorgeous Tian Shan high alpine landscapes within easy striking distance of Bishkek.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Turkish Airlines and Aeroflot offer direct flights to Manas International Airport in Bishkek (approx. 30km northwest of the city) from Istanbul and Moscow respectively. Additionally, Air Baltic offers connections via Riga and British Midland International (BMI) offers a service from London to Bishkek, with a brief refueling stop at Almaty.

• Weekly flights by Iran Aseman Airlines to [Mashad]
• Daily flights by Aeroflot from Moscow
• Three flights a week bmi from London
• Five flights a week Turkish Airlines from Istanbul
• Occasional flights to Urumchi (China), Delhi (India)

Upon arrival at Manas International Airport, you will proceed through customs and pick up your baggage, then you will pass through a final customs check-point where your baggage will be scanned. Immediately after the check-point is the exit, where (if you do not have a vehicle waiting for you) you will be inundated by taxi drivers. Be very careful when acquiring your taxi, you will most likely be arriving very early in the morning and will have no other means of traveling to Bishkek from the airport. The taxi drivers are well aware of this and the less scrupulous ones will take advantage of the fact. When selecting a taxi: 1) make sure they have a sign on top of their vehicle declaring their company (some of the more trustworthy taxi companies are CITY, UDACHA), 2) negotiate your fare before walking to the taxi (as of May 2009, the fare to or from Manas International Airport to Bishkek is 300 som, but in september it was 400 som, after long negotiation 350) write it on a piece of paper and make sure your driver agrees, 3) most importantly, unlike most cab rides in Kyrgyzstan this is a private taxi for you only, do not share your taxi from the airport with strangers.

[edit] By train

Trains to Bishkek depart from Moscow (Kazanskaia station) a few times a week (3714km, trip takes more than 3 days) going through Kazakhstan (Kazakh transit visa is required for most of non-CIS travelers). Details can be found at poezda.net or rzd.ru (the second one available only in Russian and contains current ticket prices which were about 100EUR in 2008 for "plackartniy" class). On the train it is forbidden to carry portable stove fuel cans.

[edit] By car

In the past driving in Kyrgyzstan was, by Western standards, dangerous. It still is! However, the government has invested very heavily in reconstructing a core network of roads that now rival the highways in many western nations. The principal highway from Bishkek to Osh is an engineering marvel through the mountainous region. Further, the highway from Osh to the Chinese border at Irkeshtam and from the village of Sary Tash to the Tajikistan border is being reconstructed in stages to international standards. Many other highways are likewise being rehabilitated as funding permits. In addition, the maintenance roads that feed into the core network are being improved as funds become available. Likewise, maintenance is being privatized on an experimental basis. This is not to say that driving in the Republic is easy. But given the limited economic resources progress is being made.

In the cities and outlying areas locals have become used to missing road drain covers, dry dusty roads (where water tankers sometimes sprinkle water to keep dust down) and generally bad roads that are not effectively maintained.

Interesting usage of main and large roads: If your side is too damaged to drive fast then is quite normal to use the other side of the road.

If you get stopped by the police it's likely to cost some money.

Watch out for mini buses pulling out too.

Journey times:

• From Kazakhstan to Bishkek - from Almaty which takes 3-4 hours and from Taraz which takes 5 hours.
• From Uzbekistan to Bishkek, the road goes through Kazakhstan and drive would take more than 10 hours, and to Osh in the south
• From Tajikistan to Osh the road from Khudjant (Tadjikistan) and through Batken (Kyrgyzstan) further to Osh. The road is one of the most difficult to drive. The main road goes through the Uzbek enclaves but there is also an alternative way around the enclaves. If taking a taxi, remind the driver to go around the small bit of Uzbekistan. There is also a road from Khorog to Osh.
• From China there two passes - Irkeshtam leading to Osh and Torugart leading further to Naryn.

[edit] By bus

[edit] Get Around

Minibuses (marshrutka) and shared taxis are the best option for travelling within Kyrgyzstan, however also shared taxis for bigger companies are not bad. And it is also possible to hitch-hike but unlike in Europe/Australia/etc, you have to pay for that. Therefore ask before!

[edit] Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan's capital, like many places in the former Soviet Union, has an extensive network of minibuses, known as Marshrutkas. They typically have around 14 seats, with standing room for around ten extra people during busy periods. Marshrutkas are easily identifiable and display their number and basic route information (in Russian) on the front. To flag one down, simply hold out your right hand, parallel to the ground. Once you get on, pay the fare to the driver (as of May 2009, the fare is ten soms). When you want to get off say, "ah-stah-nah-VEE-tyeh" (Stop!). Note that although there are bus stops, and according to the law Marshrutkas should be hailed at bus stop only, but it is not followed too much. So, in practice you can ask driver to stop anywhere and and he will drop you off at any point on their route.

Bishkek also has a trolley bus system which is less extensive and generally slower (as of May 2009, the fare is five soms). They only stop at designated bus stops. Travellers enter at the back door and leave at the front, where they have to payl.

There are several private taxi firms in Bishkek that you can easily reach through their three digit numbers including: 150, 152, 154, 156, 166, and 188. Daytime taxis throughout the city are a flat rate of 75 soms and 100 soms past 10PM. There are also numerous "gypsy cabs" situated at nearly every intersection. While most travellers and long-time expats report no problems, you are cautioned to be aware, especially at night and near nightclubs.

[edit] Talk

The languages of Kyrgyzstan are Russian and Kyrgyz, a Turkic language related to Uzbek, Kazakh, and, of course, Turkish. Kyrgyz is more common in rural areas whereas Russian is the urban language of choice (in fact it's not uncommon to meet ethnic Kyrgyz people in Bishkek who cannot speak Kyrgyz). English, while becoming more popular, is still rarely spoken, so in order to effectively communicate one must at the very least learn a few basic words (yes, no, please, thank you, etc.) in Russian or Kyrgyz, depending on the location. If you are lost completely, try to ask young people, especially students.

Like most of the rest of the former Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which can present a problem for Western travellers. However, the characters are not too hard to learn and once that is done you'll find that many of the words are familiar. For example, "ресторан" is pronounced, "rest-o-ran," which means, "restaurant." But be careful. They use it for Kyrgyz language as well!

See the Wikitravel Russian phrasebook and Kyrgyz phrasebook for more information.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit][add listing] Do

• Wander around Osh Bazaar - Traditional Eastern market in Bishkek selling everything from spices to dishwashers
• Buy cheap Chinese goods in Dordoi Bazaar - The largest market in Central Asia, situated 20 minutes north of Bishkek
• Swim, sail and sunbathe in Issyk Kul - The world's second biggest high altitude mountain lake
• Stay in a yurt near Tash Rabat - Ruins of a Caravansarai in Naryn Oblast
• Live like a nomad in Son Kul - High altitude mountain lake less visited than Issyk Kul and ideal for seeing traditional semi-nomadic Kyrgyz life in action
• Hike or climb in Altyn Arashan - a secluded valley a 2 hour jeep ride from Karakol

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Cash

The official currency in Kyrgyzstan is the Som (written as 'com' or abbreviated as 'c' in Cyrillic, divided into 100 tyin). It comes in 10 tyin, 50 tyin, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and from the 2nd March 2009, 5000 som notes. They began producing coins in 10 tyin, 50 tyin, 1 som, 3 som, and 5 som denominations the past year.

Exchange rates, as of December 21, 2008 are as follows:

Currency	Rate
US Dollar	42.5
Euro	54.9
British Pound	59.1
Russian Rouble	1.39
Kazakh Tenge	0.3267

In september 2009 you could get aprox 60 som per euro.

Changing money is relatively straightforward. Banks will accept a variety of major currencies while the money-changing booths that are ubiquitous in urban areas will typically only deal with US Dollars, Pounds, Euros, Roubles and Kazakh tenges. Note, however, that neither banks nor money changers will accept any foreign currency that is torn, marked or defaced in any way, or is excessively crumpled, so be sure to carefully check any notes you intend to bring into the country for defects.

[edit] Credit Cards & ATMs

Like other Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan is overwhelmingly a cash economy. Credit cards are rarely used. It is therefore advisable to enter the country with an adequate supply of cash in a major foreign currency - US Dollars are the most practical choice since they are more widely accepted.

There are a growing amount of ATM's connected the major services like Cirrus. Both Kazakkommerz Bank and Halyk Bank have several ATM's throughout the city. You can either withdraw USD or Kyrgyz Som. If withdrawing som, you will receive the interbank exchange rate, which is better than what the local exchange offices will give you.Visa is accepted everywhere, maestro in kazkommerzbank only!. It means that if you have maestro, you cannot even get money from machine at Manas airport.

KazakhKommerz Locations-

• Sovietskaya & Moskovskaya
• Panfilova & Chui (across from the White House)
• Kievskaya & Turizbekov (inside Narodnye Store)
• TSUM (Western Staircase) closes at 20:00
• Beta Stores

and more locations coming; Halyk Bank- TSUM (Eastern Staircase)

[edit] Costs

[edit][add listing] Eat

Kyrgyz food is the product of a long history of pastoral nomadism and is overwhelmingly meat-based. And if we are saying overwhelmingly, it means really overwhelmingly. Those with vegetarian fixations may wish to revise their habits, purchase their own fresh fruits, vegetables, and fresh bread from one of the many small stands or food bazaars that are ubiquitous in every city, eat in Chinese restaurants or stay at bread and tea only. While people from the West are programmed to think of large vegetables as desirable, small and flavourful is the rule here. Same is valid for pistachios, almonds as well. Washing vegetables before consumption is recommended.

Besh barmak (“five fingers”) is the national soupy dish of Kyrgyzstan (Kazakhs would probably disagree). For preparation, a sheep or horse is slaughtered and boiled in a large pot. The resulting broth is served as a first course. The meat is then divided up between those at the table. Each person in attendance receives the piece of meat appropriate to their social status. The head and eyes are reserved for guests of honor. The remaining meat is mixed in with noodles and, sometimes with onions, and is traditionally eaten from a large common dish with the hands, although nowadays more often with a fork or spoon. Kyrgyz people like soupy food in general, those food that are served as kind of pasta in Russia (pelmene), they prefer it as soup.

Most other dishes encountered in Kyrgyzstan are common to the other countries of Central Asia as well. Plov or osh is a pilaf dish that at a minimum includes julienne carrots, onion, beef or mutton, and plenty of oil, sometimes rosins. Manti are steamed dumplings that normally contain either mutton or beef, but occasionally pumpkin. Samsa are meat (although sometimes vegetable or cheese) pies that come in two varieties: flakey and tandoori. Flakey somsa are made with a phyllo dough while tandoori somsa have a tougher crust, the bottom of which is meant to be cut off and discarded, not eaten. Lagman is a noodle dish associated with Uyghur cuisine, but you can find everywhere from Crimea to Ujgurs. Most of the time it is served as soup, sometimes as pasta. The basic ingredients of lagman (plain noodles and spiced vegetables mixed with mutton or beef) can be fried together, served one on top of the other, or served separately. Shashlik (shish kebabs) can be made of beef, mutton, or pork and are normally served with fresh onions, vinegar and bread

Almost all Kyrgyz meals are accompanied by tea (either green or black) and a circular loaf of bread known as a lepeshka. The bread is traditionally torn apart for everyone by one person at the table. In the south of Kyrgyzstan, this duty is reserved for men, but in the north it is more frequently performed by women. Similarly, tea in the north is usually poured by women, while in the south it is usually poured by men.

At the end of a meal, Kyrgyz will in some cases perform a prayer. Sometimes some words are said, but more often the prayer takes the form of a perfunctory swipe of the hands over the face. Follow the lead of your host or hostess to avoid making any cultural missteps.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Drinking is one of the great Kyrgyz social traditions. No matter if you are served tea, kymys, or vodka, if you have been invited to a Kyrgyz person's table to drink, you have been shown warm and friendly hospitality. Plan to sit awhile and drink your fill as you and your host attempt to learn about each other.

[edit] Drinking tea

When offered tea, you might be asked how strong you want it. Traditionally, Kyrgyz tea is brewed strong in a small pot and mixed with boiling hot water to your desired taste. If you want light tea, say 'jengil chai'. If you want your tea strong and red, 'kyzyl chai'. You might notice that they don't fill the tea cup all the way. This is so that they can be hospitable and serve you lots of tea. To ask for more tea, 'Daga chai, beringizchi' (Please give tea again). Your host will happily serve you tea until you burst. So once you've truly had your fill and don't want to drink any more, cover your tea cup and say, 'Ichtym' (I've drunk). Your host will offer a few more times (and sometimes will pout if you say no), this is to make sure that you are truly satisfied. Once everyone at table has finished drinking tea, it is time to say, 'Omen', and hold your hands out palms up and then brush the open palms down your face.

[edit] Vodka

When entering a local store, you might goggle at the amount of vodka on display. Introduced by the Russians, vodka has brought much joy and sorrow to the Kyrgyz over the years. Most vodka you will find for sale was made in Kyrgyzstan and can provide travellers with one of the worst hangovers known, mainly if you are stupid and buy one of cheaper ones. But for aprox 2 euros you can have good kyrgyz vodka, ex. Ak-sai. Some professional vodka drinkers say that this is because foreigners don't know how to properly drink vodka. To drink vodka in the right way, you need to have zakushkas (Russian for the meal you eat with vodka). This can consist of anything from simple loaves of bread to full spreads of delicious appetizers. Quite common are sour or fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and of course meat.

First, find someone to drink with. Only alcoholics drink alone. Second, choose your vodka, the more you spend... the less painful your hangover. Third, choose your zakuska, something salty, dried, or fatty. This is so that the vodka is either absorbed by the food or repelled by the fat. Fourth, open your bottle... but be careful, once you open it you must drink it all (a good vodka bottle doesn't have a cap that can be replaced), now pour your shots. Fifth, you will toast! You must toast! Toast your friends, toast their futures, toast their sheep, toast their cars. Sixth, drink! Drink it all! Now chase it with a zakuska and repeat until you can't see the bottle or it is empty.

If you are drinking with locals its not problem to skip round. They would just pour you a symbolic drop and when they are clinking glasses you have to use your right hand and slap sparingpartners glasses slightly instead of your glass.

[edit] Traditional drinks

The Kyrgyz for generations have made their own variety of beverages. At first, these drinks might seem a bit strange, but after a few tries they become quite tasty. Most are mildly alcoholic, but this is just a by-product from their fermentation processes.

In the winter, Kyrgyz wives brew up bozo, a brew made of millet. Best served at room temperature, this drink has a taste somewhere between yogurt and beer. On cold winter days, when you are snowed in, five or six cups gives you a warm fuzzy feeling.

In the spring, it is time to make either jarma or maxim. Jarma, a wheat based brew, has a yeasty beerlike quality but with a gritty finish (it is made from whole grains after all). Maxim, a combination of corn and wheat, has a very sharp and zesty taste. It is best served ice cold and is a great pick me up on hot days.

Summer sees yurts lining the main street selling kymys, fermented mares milk. Ladled out of barrels brought down from the mountains, this traditional drink is one of more difficult to get used to. It has a very strong and pungent foretaste and a smoky finish. Kymys starts off as fresh horses milk (known as samal), the samal is then mixed with a starter made from last year's kymys and heated in a pot. The mixture is brought to just before boiling and then poured into a horse's stomach to ferment for a period. A local grass called 'chi' is then roasted over a fire and cut into small pieces. Once the milk is finished fermenting, the roasted chi and milk are mixed in a barrel and will keep for the summer if kept cool.

Tang is another drink thought to be useful for the health and good for hangovers. It is made from gassed spring water that is mixed with a salted creamy yogurt called souzmu.

[edit] Other drinks

Kyrgyz have their own cognac distiller, which produces excellent, albeit highly sweet cognac, with the preferred brand being "Kyrgyzstan Cognac", which the locals sometimes call Nashe Cognac, meaning "our cognac".

You can also find an excellent selection of not so excellent local and imported beers as many Kyrgyz have been taking to drinking beer versus harder spirits. Locally produced beers include Arpa, Nashe Pivo, and Karabalta. Arpa is highly recommended by beer connoisseurs. While being considered a common person's beer, its style is somewhat similar to an American Pale Ale (less hoppy than its Indian counter-part). Due to the fact that Kyrgizes prefer more vodka than beer (actually, half litre of both costs the same...), beer is staying in tubes for longer time. Regular cleaning service is not common. Bottled beers are better, except their strange habit to pour all the beer into the glass at once.

There are also a multitude of bottled waters (carbonated or still) from various regions of the country. Especially popular with southerners is the slightly saline "Jalalabad Water".

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Many private citizens rent out their flats to foreigners and a fairly luxurious flat could be agreed for quite low price a week. Noting that the average salary was $44 in 2004, now it could twice as big, you may think you are paying excessively. Look for cable, toilet and bath, and clean quarters. More adventurous visitors may wish to stay in a "yurta," for example in Bishkek it costs from 3 dollar a night in "yurtadorm". These are boiled wool tents used by nomads. Some tourist agencies in Bishkek will arrange this sort of stay, but be prepared to truly live the lifestyle of the nomad which includes culinary delicacies which may seem foreign to the western palette.

[edit] Learn

For those who are interested in learning Kyrgyz or Russian languages - there are universities you can go and there is a private school called the London School. The London School in Bishkek offers pretty cheap individual lessons for about $4/hour and home stay/cultural programs.

[edit] Work

[edit] Stay safe

While the US travel advisory tells foreigners that some attacks on Westerners have occurred, the view of Kyrgyz people on this is varied. Fights and assaults generally focus around nightclubs and bars, just as in any other large city. There is to date no indication that Bishkek is particularly dangerous to foreigners. As for other cities in the Kyrgyz Republic, there is little evidence. Tourists will of course be drawn by Kyrgyzstan's amazing natural beauty although travel by car through mountain passes and villages is not advisable.

Although bride kidnapping is illegal in Kyrgyzstan, it is still common, particularly in rural areas, so women should be very careful - it would therefore be preferable that women travel with male family members or other men who they can trust to keep them safe. According to the United States Embassy, two American women were bride-knapped in rural Kyrgyzstan in 2007 [1], and you certainly don't want to be one of them.

Some friction exists between the Kyrgyz people and ethnic Russians and travelers on these lonely passes may be mistaken for Russians and have their cars stoned. Villages are generally safe but are best avoided. Especially avoid driving in a rented car from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan. The border area can be subject to roadblocks where carjackers impersonate security officials. The border zones are somewhat akin to a wild frontier and are best crossed in a tour bus. Even seasoned Kyrgyz travelers approach these areas with extreme caution.

On the other hand, Lake Issyk-Kul is a well developed tourist area as is the nearby Tien Shan mountain range and they can be approached on standard byways with little threat of carjacking, rock attack or ambush.

The Osh Market in Bishkek is known for false policeman who try to get money from tourists. Don't show them any of your notes if they ask.

[edit] Stay healthy

[edit] Cope

A popular local source of information for tourists is the regularly published ex-pat run Spektator magazine which features tourism and culture articles focusing on Kyrgyzstan and the wider Central Asian region.

[edit] Respect

Western norms of respect are standard. Though nominally a Muslim country the Kyrgyz people are highly westernized. No special dress codes are in effect. Although standards of dress in Bishkek are Western and often revealing, in the south of the country women would be advised to dress more conservatively or risk attracting unwanted male attention. Evenings can be charged as alcohol intoxication can be quite prevalent at this time. Proceed with caution.

[edit] Contact

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