Image Credit: Petar Milošević / Wikipedia / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Bishkek is the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic and sits in the Tien Shan mountain range in the Chui Valley. It is a relatively new city and has limited historical sites, but it makes a great place to start your trips to the mountains and alpine lakes of the Tien Shans. Bishkek is, however, an interesting example of a planned city; laid on a grid with wide boulevards flanked by irrigation canals and large trees, buildings with marble facades, and Soviet apartment complexes. Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal tourist visa regime in Central Asia, so it makes a great place to start your tour of the silk road and collect your visas to neighboring countries. Ala Archa Gorge is a mountain gorge just to the south of the capital of Bishkek. There are rare busses which run to the gate, but it's still several kilometers to the end of the road for cars and the alplagen.
The Burana Tower is a large minaret near the town of Tokmok in the Chui Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan. The tower, along with remnants of a castle and three mausoleums, is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun, dating from the 9th century. Lake Issyk-Kul is Kyrgyzstan's largest lake and at about 180 km long by 70 km wide and 668 meters deep at the deepest point, it is the world's second largest mountain lake. There are no streams or rivers running out of Lake Issyk-Kul so the lake has a higher salinity than fresh water, actually tasting salty. The Ala Archa National Park was created in 1976 and occupies about 120,000 hectares of snow-covered peaks, steep forested slopes and the fast-flowing, Ala-Archa river. The national park is rich in flora and fauna with over 800 species of plants and about 170 specials of animals including Marco Polo sheep, wolves, bears, lynx, boar, eagles, and snow leopards.
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Bishkek, Ala Archa
In the morning fly from Delhi to Bishkek via Tashkent. Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Arrival in Bishkek at 13:05. Meeting with your guide in Bishkek airport and transfer to the city for lunch. After lunch we visit Osh Bazaar. We will go through the rows with vegetables, fruits, spices, flowers etc. It is the real essence of the city life! Also we watch handicrafts made by Kyrgyz craftsmen. Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast sightseeing tour in Bishkek. Visit Manas Monument, the main national hero of the Kyrgyz people. Then excursion to the State History Museum and walking tour around main Ala Too Square to watch ceremony of changing of the Guard of Honor, Independence Monument, main governmental buildings, and finish at the Old Square with Parliament House and the only survived in Central Asia Lenin's Monument. Transfer to the Victory Square to finish the city tour by short excursion there.Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal).
In the afternoon one hour drive to Burana Tower (old minaret) near Tokmok city. That minaret was constructed in Balasagun town; one of the capitals of Karakhanid State existed in 12 centuries AD. Explore ruins of that important trading point at the Great Silk Road and visit a little local museum telling about that civilization. Also watch a collection of Balbals, Turkic ancient tombs. After excursion we drive back to Bishkek. Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Overnight in hotel.
In the afternoon guests may spend their time at leisure. For those interested in shopping we can offer a special shopping tour in the largest trading centers in Bishkek. If some guests are interested in winter sport practicing we arrange visit of one of the skating rinks in the city or its suburbs. Bishkek is very famous for its gambling business in Central Asia, so the Players are welcomed to the most fashionable casinos! Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal) with farewell folklore show of traditional Kyrgyz music and songs. Overnight in hotel.
In the morning drive to Ala-Archa National Natural Park located in a picturesque gorge of Ala Archa 40 km off from Bishkek. On the way to the park short stop at the traditional Kyrgyz cemetery and excursion to the Gumbez (mausoleum) of Baitik Baatyr, the local respected tribal leader. At the National Park you can easily hike along the main gorge of Ala Archa and back to enjoy views of magnificent peaks of Kyrgyz Alatau Ridge (Tien Shan Mountains). Drive back to Bishkek for lunch in a restaurant (Indian meal). In the late afternoon you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight to Tashkent and further to Delhi.
Image Credit: Vitaliknyc / Wikipedia / CC-BY 3.0
Bishkek, Ala Archa
In the morning fly from Delhi to Bishkek via Tashkent. Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Arrival in Bishkek at 13:05. Meeting with your guide in Bishkek airport and transfer to the city for lunch. After lunch we visit Osh Bazaar. We will go through the rows with vegetables, fruits, spices, flowers etc. It is the real essence of the city life! Also we watch handicrafts made by Kyrgyz craftsmen. Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast sightseeing tour in Bishkek. Visit Manas Monument, the main national hero of the Kyrgyz people. Then excursion to the State History Museum and walking tour around main Ala Too Square to watch ceremony of changing of the Guard of Honor, Independence Monument, main governmental buildings, and finish at the Old Square with Parliament House and the only survived in Central Asia Lenin's Monument. Transfer to the Victory Square to finish the city tour by short excursion there.Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal).
In the afternoon one hour drive to Burana Tower (old minaret) near Tokmok city. That minaret was constructed in Balasagun town; one of the capitals of Karakhanid State existed in 12 centuries AD. Explore ruins of that important trading point at the Great Silk Road and visit a little local museum telling about that civilization. Also watch a collection of Balbals, Turkic ancient tombs. After excursion we drive back to Bishkek. Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Overnight in hotel.
In the afternoon guests may spend their time at leisure. For those interested in shopping we can offer a special shopping tour in the largest trading centers in Bishkek. If some guests are interested in winter sport practicing we arrange visit of one of the skating rinks in the city or its suburbs. Bishkek is very famous for its gambling business in Central Asia, so the Players are welcomed to the most fashionable casinos! Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal) with farewell folklore show of traditional Kyrgyz music and songs. Overnight in hotel.
In the morning drive to Ala-Archa National Natural Park located in a picturesque gorge of Ala Archa 40 km off from Bishkek. On the way to the park short stop at the traditional Kyrgyz cemetery and excursion to the Gumbez (mausoleum) of Baitik Baatyr, the local respected tribal leader. At the National Park you can easily hike along the main gorge of Ala Archa and back to enjoy views of magnificent peaks of Kyrgyz Alatau Ridge (Tien Shan Mountains). Drive back to Bishkek for lunch in a restaurant (Indian meal). In the late afternoon you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight to Tashkent and further to Delhi.
Image Credit: HylgeriaK / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Bishkek, Issyk-Kul, Cholpon Ata, Ala Archa
In the morning fly from Delhi to Bishkek via Tashkent.Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Arrival in Bishkek at 13:05. Meeting with your guide in Bishkek airport and transfer to the city for lunch. After lunch we visit Osh Bazaar. We will go through the rows with vegetables, fruits, spices, flowers etc. It is the real essence of the city life! Also we watch handicrafts made by Kyrgyz craftsmen. Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast sightseeing tour in Bishkek. Visit Manas Monument, the main national hero of the Kyrgyz people. Then excursion to the State History Museum and walking tour around main Ala Too Square to watch ceremony of changing of the Guard of Honor, Independence Monument, main governmental buildings, and finish at the Old Square with Parliament House and the only survived in Central Asia Lenin's Monument. Transfer to the Victory Square to finish the city tour by short excursion there.
Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). In the afternoon one hour drive to Burana Tower (old minaret) near Tokmok city. That minaret was constructed in Balasagun town; one of the capitals of Karakhanid State existed in 12 centuries AD. Explore ruins of that important trading point at the Great Silk Road and visit a little local museum telling about that civilization. Also watch a collection of Balbals, Turkic ancient tombs. After excursion three hour drive to the Issyk-Kul Lake, the second largest alpine lake in the world.Upon arrival in the lake area accommodation and dinner (European or National cuisine) in hotel.
In the morning you visit Cholpon Ata Petroglyphs site, the temple in the open air of Scythians and Hungsuns civilizations dated back 9-8 centuries BC till 3-4 centuries AD. After excursion transfer to Bishkek along the northern shore of the Issyk Kul Lake.
Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). In the afternoon guests may spend their time at leisure. For those interested in shopping we can offer a special shopping tour in the largest trading centers in Bishkek. If some guests are interested in winter sport practicing we arrange visit of one of the skating rinks in the city or its suburbs. Bishkek is very famous for its gambling business in Central Asia, so the Players are welcomed to the most fashionable casinos! Lunch in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal). Dinner in a restaurant in Bishkek (Indian meal) with farewell folklore show of traditional Kyrgyz music and songs. Overnight in hotel.
In the morning drive to Ala-Archa National Natural Park located in a picturesque gorge of Ala Archa 40 km off from Bishkek. On the way to the park short stop at the traditional Kyrgyz cemetery and excursion to the Gumbez (mausoleum) of Baitik Baatyr, the local respected tribal leader. At the National Park you can easily hike along the main gorge of Ala Archa and back to enjoy views of magnificent peaks of Kyrgyz Alatau Ridge (Tien Shan Mountains). Drive back to Bishkek for lunch in a restaurant (Indian meal). In the late afternoon you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight home.