A Self-Drive Journey Through Kyrgyzstan: What We Learned Along the Way

We’ve just returned from a trip around Kyrgyzstan. I know how difficult it is to gather information bit by bit, so I’ve put together a post with some useful tips based on our experience:

• 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 🙂.