Image: Ala Archa National Park
Kyrgyzstan is a small country in Central Asia — a land of mountains, rivers, and lakes. About 90% of its territory is covered by mountains, and what could be better than mountains? Only more mountains. All four seasons are clearly felt here.
In spring, fruit trees and flowers begin to bloom — tulips, roses, apricot, cherry, and sour cherry blossoms. Their flowering often reminds visitors of the famous sakura season in Japan, although rainfall during this time is quite rare.
Then comes summer, considered the best season by many. Lush green valleys contrast with snow-capped peaks, herds of horses, flocks of sheep and goats roam freely, and rivers flow through the landscapes. Most rivers originate in the Naryn region, but in autumn they are also abundant in the Issyk-Kul area, as well as in the Grigorievskoe and Semenovskoe gorges.
Summers in Bishkek can be hot, so locals often escape to the mountains — especially to nearby gorges such as Ala-Archa, Alamedin, or Chunkurchak. There are many other beautiful places as well, though reaching them requires more time.
During summer holidays, many families travel to Lake Issyk-Kul — the pearl of Kyrgyzstan. Most visitors stay on the northern shore, in the town of Cholpon-Ata or the village of Bosteri, where the majority of resorts, guesthouses, hotels, apartments, and attractions are located. Summer temperatures here are usually around 25–28°C.
The name “Issyk-Kul” translates as “Hot Lake,” yet the water is actually cool. It received this name because it never freezes, even in winter. Issyk-Kul is one of the largest alpine lakes in the world: 178 km long, 60 km wide, and nearly 700 meters deep.
Image: Jeti Oguz
Besides the lake itself, there are many stunning places to visit nearby. Popular canyons along the road to Issyk-Kul include Kok-Moynok, Konorchek, Ak-Sai, and Skazka (Fairy Tale Canyon). Famous gorges include Grigorievskoe, Semenovskoe, Barskoon, Jeti-Oguz (Seven Bulls), Karakol, Yrdyk, Jyrgalan, Altyn-Arashan, and the Karakol and Turgen gorges.
There are also beautiful waterfalls such as Maiden’s Braids, Tears of the Leopard, Broken Heart, the Manas Bowl, as well as small alpine lakes like Ala-Kul, Black Lake, and others.
For those seeking complete peace and tranquility, Son-Kul Lake is a perfect destination. Located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters above sea level, it has no waves, and the starry sky above appears so close that it feels like you could touch it with your hands.
Image: Song Kol Lake
Autumn brings entirely different colors — shades of green, red, orange, and yellow. In September and early October, swimming in Issyk-Kul is still possible. By November, snow can already be seen in some mountain gorges. Winter offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and relaxing in natural hot springs.
Travel in Kyrgyzstan is very affordable, and the cuisine is diverse and delicious. In almost every café, you can find traditional dishes such as beshbarmak, plov, samsa, manty, lagman, and shashlik, as well as Russian dishes like pelmeni, borscht, pies, and a wide variety of European meals and salads.
In conclusion, Kyrgyzstan can be compared to Switzerland or Norway, with its majestic mountains and breathtaking views — but at prices that are approximately ten times lower.
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