The mountainous country of Kyrgyzstan has long been an enigma for backpackers and travellers alike. With its dreamy countryside, nomadic culture and friendly people, Kyrgyzstan is a country that really should attract more visitors. Understandably, many travellers often have questions when visiting this relatively unknown nation – how long should I spend in the country? Can I get by without speaking the local language? Do I need to book a tour to visit Kyrgyzstan? Let’s explore that last question.

Visiting Kyrgyzstan – Tour vs. Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

You might be wondering if you should visit Kyrgyzstan on a tour, or if you can visit independently. While you can certainly see the country independently, this is not the easiest option and we wouldn’t recommend it. Here are a few reasons why going on a tour is absolutely the better option.

Quality of Roads

If you’re visiting Kyrgyzstan, it’s almost a given that you’ll end up exploring the country’s rural landscapes, trekking options and natural wonders. While the capital city of Bishkek may occupy your time for a day or two, it really shouldn’t be the main reason you visit. The country’s true beauty lies as you venture out of the cities and into the heart of its culture, so you’ll need transportation to get around.

Kyrgyzstan does not have the best quality roads, especially as you get deeper into the countryside. Directions can be confusing as well. For this reason, we wouldn’t advise driving by yourself, as it could potentially be dangerous for a multitude of reasons. Hiring a private driver or going on a tour means you’ll have the added reassurance of having someone who knows their away around their home country at the wheel.

For the tour experiences that I embarked on, I couldn’t ever imagine driving by myself as some of those hairpin turns and random potholes were definitely got my heartbeat racing!

Language Barrier

While the younger generation is slowly learning English, this doesn’t apply for the whole country just yet. You might be able to get around Bishkek alright with English or basic Russian, but this won’t be the norm as you get into Kyrgyzstan’s countryside.

Kyrgyz people speak both Kyrgyz and Russian, but the latter in varying degrees. English is even more rarely spoken in nomadic villages and near mountain trek bases. It’s in these times that it would be super handy to have a local tour guide that can communicate for you.

Safety of Trekking

Thinking of going trekking in Kyrgyzstan? Kyrgyzstan has been dubbed ‘Asia’s Patagonia’, and for very good reason. The trekking options around the country are some of the best around the world, with breathtaking summits and alluring lakes dotted across the Kyrgyzstan’s landscapes. However, these treks are by no means the easiest to reach, and some can be extremely confusing to navigate.

Most of Kyrgyzstan’s most famous treks are multi-day hikes, which means the experience of a local guide who can show you the way, give tips when needed, and come prepared with equipment such as trekking poles, sleeping bags and food - is absolutely essential.

Few people embark on these treks by themselves, as you can imagine how isolated some of these mountains are.

Problem with Corruption

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as stunning as the country is, Kyrgyzstan still has a slight problem with corruption. You might sometimes hear about corrupt police officials approaching foreigners and asking them for a bribe. Although the country is slowly changing, these corrupt officials still prey on unsuspecting foreigners and it can be a scary situation if you’re not used to traveling around countries where corruption is a big problem. Common set-ups include the police asking you to show your passport, and if you fail to show it, you might be taken into the police station for questioning. In other instances, they might hand you a fine for taking a photograph of a statue. You never know when this will happen, so it’s best so safeguard yourself.

To minimize the risk of this happening, a local guide will be able to communicate for you, and it’s highly likely that police won’t approach you if they see that you’re traveling with other locals. Before visiting Kyrgyzstan, I was actually involved in a very tense situation with customs officials and police in neighbouring Uzbekistan and felt like my hands were tied behind my back as I tried to explain my innocence in English.

After arriving in Kyrgyzstan, I was so thankful that I booked my tours beforehand and that I had a seamless experience with someone who could communicate on my behalf. Who knows what could have happened had I not done this.

Local Knowledge

With its intricate nomadic culture and customs, Kyrgyzstan has so many layers of historical beauty. For example, my visit to the Burana Tower was made so much more enjoyable after learning about the background of the building – its folklore, significance, and the role it played during the Silk Road Era.

As travellers, we can do as much research on Wikipedia or other websites as we want, but nothing will really beat the local knowledge found in that country. Kyrgyzstan is especially a country that I feel travellers really need a guide so they can understand the full extent of how interesting the place really is.

So do I need to book a tour to visit Kyrgyzstan? We say yes.

Yes, after considering everything – the risks, convenience, local knowledge – we think that going on a tour to visit Kyrgyzstan will be a significantly better experience for you rather than going it alone. Perhaps you can visit Bishkek independently, but in terms of exploring anything outside of the Kyrgyz capital, we would highly recommend booking a tour beforehand.

Where can I book tours in Kyrgyzstan?

There are a handful of reputable tour companies in Kyrgyzstan, although not all are geared towards English-speaking travellers – so you should definitely check their websites carefully if you’re an English speaker. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the best tour experiences for you.

One Day Tours from Bishkek

• Ala Archa National Park (1 Day Tour) – Ala Archa National Park is one of the best day trips you can take from Bishkek. This is a tour that I have personally been on, and loved every single minute of it. My tour guide Ash was an extremely friendly and helpful guy, and spoke very fluent English. He was really patient whenever I had to stop to take an extra 5-minute rest here and there, and would even go the extra mile and take some awesome photos for me! The landscape here is just absolutely stunning, and I cannot recommend this tour enough.

• Turquoise Kol-Tor Lake Hike (1 Day Tour) – This day tour is for those who want to get a short trek in, without venturing too far from Bishkek. I went on this tour and also loved it. The guides were really patient and helpful, and the lake was breathtaking.

• Cultural Experience - Burana Tower, Issyk-Kul Lake and Cholpon Ata (1 Day Tour) – Learn all about Kyrgyzstan’s culture in this ‘best of’ Kyrgyzstan tour, where you’ll visit Burana Tower (one of Kyrgyzstan’s most recognisable landmarks), a splendid lake and spiritual centre. This is a long day trip but completely worth it to see the best of the country.

• Bishkek City Tour and Burana Tower – While it’s possible to visit Bishkek’s sites independently, this tour allows you to do that, plus visit the iconic Burana Tower. This tour is also run by the same company that runs the Ala Archa National Park tour, and they are one of the best tour companies in the whole country. Definitely recommended.

Multi-Day Tours

• Best of Kyrgyzstan – 10 Days Expedition – On this 10-day small group tour, you will be able to see all of Kyrgyzstan’s stunning highlights, including Song Kul, Issyk-Kul, Karakol, Tash Rabat, Barksoon and more. This is for those who want to see the absolute best of the country.

• 8 Days Trekking Adventure in Kyrgyzstan – If you’re visiting Kyrgyzstan for the trekking, then this tour is the tour for you. Featuring all of Kyrgyzstan’s most iconic treks, be prepared to see the full beauty of the country.

• 5 Day Voyage Around Issyk Kul Lake – this is a shorter, more relaxed tour that will see you visiting highlights such as Burana Tower, Chon Kemin Valley, Cholpon Ata, Semyonov Gorge, Karakol, Barskoon Valley and more.

• 3 Day Journey Around Issyk Kul Lake – this 5-star tour is an even shorter version of the previous tour, but still includes many of Kyrgyzstan’s highlights such as Konorchek Canyon, Grigoriev Gorge and Ak Sai Village.

There you have it! You should definitely book a tour before visiting Kyrgyzstan. Would you visit Kyrgyzstan? Let me know in the comments below!

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