Osh Bazaar, Ala-Too Square, the Manas monument and green parks of the capital in one morning.
The taste of a real Central Asian capital: bazaar aromas, the changing of the guard and shady parks.
A comfortable sightseeing tour of the capital of Kyrgyzstan — the perfect start to your journey. A professional guide tells about the history of Bishkek, its Soviet heritage, traditions and modern life. The colourful Osh Bazaar lets you dive into local culture, and the National History Museum keeps unique exhibits about the nomadic heritage of the Kyrgyz people.
Distances and time by road without stops, calculated on OpenStreetMap data.
Pick-up from your hotel in the city centre. Your guide meets you in the lobby, and a comfortable air-conditioned car or minibus takes you along the whole route. Bishkek lies at the foot of the snow-capped Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, so mountain views open up right from the city streets.
The most colourful market of Bishkek: mountains of dried apricots, raisins and walnuts, spices, fresh round lepyoshka bread, kurut (dried yoghurt balls), honey and handmade souvenirs. A great place to taste local food and feel the everyday life of the city. Bargaining is welcome.
The Kyrgyz National Philharmonic named after Toktogul Satylganov is one of the landmarks of the capital. In front of it stands the monument to Manas, the legendary hero of the Kyrgyz epic, one of the longest epic poems in the world. Around it is the park of the Manas storytellers (manaschi) with sculptures of the epic's heroes.
The main square of the country with the national flag, the monument to Manas and the guard of honour. The National History Museum keeps unique artefacts of nomadic culture: jewellery, saddles, felt carpets, a real yurt and exhibits from the times of the Great Silk Road.
A memorial opened in 1985 in honour of the Victory in the Second World War. Three red granite arches form the shape of a yurt roof (tunduk) above the eternal flame, with the figure of a mother waiting for her son. Wedding couples traditionally come here to lay flowers.
The oldest park of Bishkek, shaded by century-old oak trees. Since 1984 it has also been an open-air sculpture museum with dozens of stone works by Kyrgyz and foreign sculptors. A calm place for a walk in the very centre of the city.
A walk along the central avenues with fountains, department stores and souvenir shops. Here you can buy felt toys, shyrdak carpets, the traditional white kalpak hat, Kyrgyz honey and other gifts.
Some photos are illustrative.
| Travellers | Price for the group | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $75 | ≈ $75 |
| 2 | $90 | ≈ $45 |
| 3 | $110 | ≈ $37 |
| 4 | $130 | ≈ $33 |
| 5 | $150 | ≈ $30 |
| Group of 6 or more | — | from $15 |
Private tour: one car and one guide for your group. The price is for the whole group. Children under 5 — free.
1 full dayFor groups arriving from Almaty: meeting at the Kordai border, lunch, hotel, city tour and dinner.
1 dayAn 11th-century minaret, stone balbal warriors and the story of the ancient city of Balasagun.
1 dayTwo in one: the Silk Road in the morning and a horse ride in the foothills in the afternoon.
