• Food prices: lunch for two in canteens, cafés, and guesthouses usually came to around 1,200–1,500 som (about $13.70–17.10) for a starter, main course, and compote. Dinner was around 1,000 som ($11). Lunch in scenic-view cafés was around 2,500 som ($28). Breakfast was often included with the accommodation. The food is very tasty, and the portions are huge :) In general, prices in supermarkets and for many other things seemed lower than in Russia.
• But gasoline slightly more expensive than back home.
• We opened bank cards without registration. At O! Bank we got an instant, non-personalized plastic card in som and used it for payments and making reservations via transfers on the spot. At M Bank and Bakai Bank, they offer dollar/euro Visa cards and Elcard cards in som. (We had plenty of time, so we went with the standard processing option at no extra charge; the cards were ready in 2–5 days, though expedited service is available for an additional fee.) If you're looking into getting a card, I recommend asking directly in the bank’s app chat for the latest information. The rules change all the time.
• For car rental, I recommend “Russian Troika.” The guys there are reasonable, and they returned the deposit without any issues. We first drove around the Bishkek area. The road was perfect only to Ala-Archa; the roads to other gorges were hit-or-miss. Then we drove around Issyk-Kul. On the southern shore, almost the entire road was under repair, and the roads to the canyons are dirt tracks, so I recommend renting a larger vehicle. Among their budget options are older Lexus SUVs—old but comfortable, and they run on 92-octane fuel. Also, get a tire pump from them. The roads are often rough, and the chances of getting a flat tire on remote roads are quite high.
• Traffic fines are much cheaper than in Russia—more than twice the difference if you pay promptly with the discount. The permitted speed tolerance is +10 km/h, not +20 km/h like we have.

Accommodation we liked:

• Bishkek city center — the location is excellent, with shops, banks, a canteen, and a car rental office all nearby. It’s a budget apartment, but it has everything necessary, and we especially liked the host, who met us at 6 a.m.
  https://www.booking.com/Share-Rvmvdk
• Yurts. The host was also very welcoming. It was an unusual accommodation experience—cozy and warm. But only for people who don’t mind taking a shower outdoors 🙃
  https://www.booking.com/Share-KnhPD3k
• Accommodation in Karakol. The hostess was incredibly hospitable and cooked very tasty meals. She also helped arrange a vehicle to Altyn Arashan. The downside is that the toilet and shower are shared. However, there are several of each and not many guests, so we never saw a queue. Everything was clean. And I especially want to mention the comfortable mattress and pillows—that was a rarity during this trip :)
  https://www.booking.com/Share-Gw2KEs
• Vehicle to Altyn Arashan: +996 501 054 545. We paid 9,500 som ($108) for the trip. (Others were offering it for 10,000–15,000 som, roughly $114–171.) The driver was a professional, and the trip was very enjoyable. The vehicle was a well-prepared UAZ. I know he doesn’t only do Altyn Arashan trips, so you can probably contact him on WhatsApp for other excursions as well. Besides the UAZ, he also has a Mitsubishi SUV. (I strongly do not recommend going there on horseback—you’ll definitely suffer. The route is 14 km long, and the road consists of huge boulders.)
• Horses to Kol-Tor Lake in Kegeti. The route is about 8 km. Riding was quite difficult for us since we weren’t used to it. The round trip took 4.5 hours. We decided not to hike because there had been heavy rains for a week, and the mud was terrible. We were afraid we wouldn’t make it back to Bishkek in time to return the car. If you’re not confident in your abilities or are short on time, I recommend hiring a horse guide. We paid 8,500 som ($97) for two horses plus a third horse for the guide. You can contact him on WhatsApp: +996 776 528 560.
• Boat, SUP, and kayak rentals in the Sunken Forest (reservoir) — Na Vode (search for it on Instagram or 2GIS).
  +996 556 776 274. We booked through Instagram. It’s especially beautiful at sunset.
• In Ala-Archa, I recommend bringing treats for the squirrels 🐿️
• In Cholpon-Ata, there’s a kayak rental point on the city beach. It’s only 500 som ($5.70) for a plastic kayak for an hour. No need to book in advance.

Hope this information will be useful. Wishing everyone great travels 🙂.

Fruits and veggies are also better to buy at the market. Another tip: they charge tourists more, especially if you look like you’re not local 😁.

We checked out all the beaches. The city beach has been renovated—really nice surprise. Everything is new: umbrellas, loungers, changing rooms, and showers.

We really liked the beach near the city park. It’s small but also not too crowded.

Couldn’t go for a boat ride this year. They now do just one public ride at 3:00 pm (it’s packed), and everything else is private trips starting from 8000 som. Dinner for a family of 4 runs about 2500 som and up—no alcohol included.

For money exchange, I recommend the “Ethno” store in the city center—they give the best rates. Other places are noticeably worse.

The town really surprised us this year with improvements—new sidewalks, better roads.

We also spent time in Bosteri at the "Kyrgyz Seaside" sanatorium—really love the beach there. Walked around downtown and the little streets—liked that they removed all the mini kiosks along the shore, less trash, cleaner beach. The park’s been fixed up too. They even put in a medical station and a police post. Boat rides are 900 som per person.

For those driving their own car—gasoline was 67.40 som.

We did a 2-day road trip around Issyk-Kul. The roads are under repair everywhere. Some parts are just gone. The stretch before Balykchy took us 2 hours for 70 km 😬. But if you want to see the gorges and other spots—it’s worth it. We drove a sedan and it handled everything just fine, visited all the tourist sites, roads were passable. The stretch near Skazka Canyon was really rough, especially driving at night—almost no road, lots of detours and construction.

Lots of people messaged me about travel insurance—just to be clear, I’m not advertising anything, just sharing since there’s so much promo stuff in this chat.

Oh, and I booked all our accommodations without any prepayment—paid everything on arrival. A couple of days before check-in, the hosts contacted me just to confirm, and that was it—they trusted my word.

Route: Bishkek – Balykchy – Cholpon-Ata – Karakol – Jeti-Oguz – Barskoon – Tosor – Balykchy – Bishkek

The “Issyk-Kul Roundtrip” is perhaps the most conventional route for a first encounter with Kyrgyzstan. I didn’t invent it; I merely adapted it to suit my desires and capabilities. There were things I overlooked, mistakes I made due to insufficient information or a carefree attitude, but overall, it all came together.

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From Bishkek to Karakol

The plane landed at Manas International Airport, named after Chingiz Aitmatov, at ten minutes to five in the morning local time. After retrieving my luggage, I bypassed the kiosk selling local SIM cards and exchanged a small amount of money at the currency exchange, just enough to cover my transport to the first hotel and any unforeseen expenses. Everyone knows that airport exchange rates are the least favorable.

In the lobby, a predictable group of suitcase-toting tourists was being eyed by private taxi drivers. I politely brushed them off until I had taken care of my tasks. Only then did I decide to address the nearest driver. He quoted a price of 1,000 soms to the bus station in Bishkek, located about 25 kilometers from the airport.

"Why so expensive? Others charge six or seven hundred," I protested.

"Oh, so you're a local?" he asked, dragging out his words.

As if I were his rightful catch, the driver led me to the dawning square in front of the airport. There, he met another taxi driver, and I was placed in the second car as a shared passenger. In the end, we split the cost, each paying 500 soms.

Along the roadside, rows of white-barked poplar trees stood tall, their broom-like tops reminiscent of cypresses. Unexpectedly, a brand-new Orthodox church appeared right by the road, followed by the domes of a mosque further along. In the indescribably hued dawn sky, the outline of mountains emerged from the clouds near the horizon.

Soon, we reached Bishkek and the Western Bus Station.

The car pulled into the station’s inner courtyard, lined with minibuses parked in neat rows. It was five minutes to six, but the place wasn’t deserted. A small group of people was already gathered by a minibus marked "Express Karakol." I quickly purchased my ticket at the counter for 500 soms—not for 25 kilometers this time, but for the 400-kilometer journey ahead.

The driver loaded my suitcase into the trunk. I picked a seat in the last row (later berating myself—I should have chosen a spot up front, next to the driver, while it was still available) and settled in to wait for departure.

These minibuses don’t run on a fixed schedule; they leave only when every single seat is filled. The driver won’t budge until the minibus is completely full. Moreover, no additional passengers are picked up along the route. This is something to keep in mind when planning travel across the country using public transportation—at least on express minibuses.

The road to Karakol along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul is more popular than the southern route—better road conditions and a shorter distance make it the preferred choice.

Our driver barely circled the minibus, calling out, "Karakol! Who’s going to Karakol? One more person to Karakol!" Soon, the last passenger arrived, took a seat next to me, and at half-past six, we departed.

Over the 400-kilometer journey, there was only one designated stop for a restroom break, surprisingly not far from Bishkek. By then, the road had transitioned from mundane to picturesque, with mountains and gorges appearing. The minibus pulled into a large area offering panoramic views, an ambiguous sculpture, a tourist information center, one large café, and a smaller yurt café. I opted for the latter. They sold tea, kumis, and pastries there.

It was my first experience inside a yurt and my first taste of kumis.

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The drink was ladled from a wooden vat, thoroughly shaken beforehand—no doubts about its authenticity. Its slightly tart flavor won me over immediately. Later, I discovered that it not only quenches thirst remarkably well but also invigorates. On a scorching day, armed with a bottle of kumis and a couple of kurut balls, one can easily skip lunch.

The journey continued without further stops. We passed the town of Balykchy (formerly Rybachye during the Soviet era), situated at the far western tip of Issyk-Kul. A railroad branch from Bishkek ends here. The town features a beach, a pier, and charming wooden-plastered houses of the "Russian school" style, complete with decorative window frames and shutters dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries—built by Russian settlers in Central Asia.

For the most part, however, the architecture along the route failed to delight. The buildings were often vague in style and appeared in various states of construction—or more likely, decay. The more beautiful the surrounding landscapes grew, the less appealing the structures became. It struck me that nature here seemed to resist construction, allowing only yurts, mosques, and cemeteries to blend harmoniously with the environment.

After Balykchy, the road ran closer to the lake, and glimpses of its waters began appearing to the right, promising a soon-to-come acquaintance. On my left side, I caught fleeting views of local highlights as best I could.