Roads in Kyrgyzstan
Some of the tourists arriving in Kyrgyzstan are concerned about the quality of roads in Kyrgyzstan. We can perfectly understand their concerns since most of the trips to Kyrgyzstan we offer involve long-distance commutes by cars, jeeps and other vehicles.
Frankly speaking roads in Kyrgyzstan are not as good as those in Europe or in the States, although we can’t help noting that over the last ten years the Government of Kyrgyzstan has increased funding for roads and most of them have been brought to a pretty decent level. Now, to be absolutely clear, when speaking of roads in Kyrgyzstan we need to classify them into two types, the first ones are urban-suburban roads and the second ones are mountain paths and roads. As for city or village roads, they are good, and we always pick the best vehicles to make sure that our clients feel comfortable during the rides. The road to Issyk-Kul lake for instance is superb, it is well-maintained by the Kyrgyz Government and it takes about four hours to get there (with some stops to enjoy the scenery and take pictures). The road to Osh has been recently renovated to meet the international standards; it’s smooth and runs through spectacular, breath-taking views, 10 hour ride will never tire you out, since you’ll be charged with new emotions and positive feelings. We should also note that tourists who prefer to get to Osh quickly can take a plane which takes only 40 minutes to get to Osh!
The second type of roads – mountain roads and paths used during mountain trips. We’ll be honest with you here, if you’re planning a high mountain trip get ready for a little shake because 95% of Kyrgyzstan is made up of mountains. You might have a question, why don’t you build asphalt roads in the mountains. The answer is that laying asphalt will make mountainous roads almost impassable to any vehicle during winter, spring and fall as they get icy and it is not safe to use them; plus some roads get washed away during heavy precipitation. That’s why almost all mountain roads are gravel ones. Although such well-known mountain resorts such as Ala-Archa gorge, Issyk-Ata gorge, Hot Springs gorge and others have excellent roads leading to them. Although when it comes to a complete wilderness, if you want to get to places where few if no men have set foot on, they should expect a long ride along mountainous paths. We, on our part, will do our best to make the long rides more pleasant, such as making stops for a meal and enjoying the scenery, choosing proper vehicles to ensure a comfortable ride. One thing we know for sure is that after a long ride through the mountains, you might feel a little bit tired, but once you step out of the car and breathe in the fresh mountain air, hear the sound of the waterfall, all the tiredness from a trip will momentarily vanish.
When planning your trip to Kyrgyzstan, consider the places you want to visit, if you’re looking to spend your time in Osh, Issyk-Kul and some famous mountain resorts, you can expect good roads and comfortable rides. If you want to visit remote mountain spots and get closer to wilderness, then get ready for a little shake up in the car. Although it is definitely worth it when you finally make it to the destination point.
Should you have any questions relating to your trip to Kyrgyzstan, please write to us and the most frequent questions will be posted on our blog.
Those considering Kyrgyzstan as their 
So, the lovers of meat will be pleasantly surprised as meat is always fresh and delicious. We’ve asked our travelers to comment on the meat dishes they’ve tasted in Kyrgyzstan and all of them emphasized the amazing quality and taste of fresh meat. They are used to eating frozen meat back home, and according to them, there’s a world of difference between the fresh meat and the frozen one. Well, they surely know better, since we aren’t used to eating frozen meat products in Kyrgyzstan;)
We’ve also had some travelers who were either vegetarian or didn’t want to experiment with the national Kyrgyz cuisine. If you are a kind of a traveler who enjoys nature but prefers to stick to European cuisine, that’s possible in Kyrgyzstan. Around 60% of cafes in Kyrgyzstan serve European cuisine, the selection of dishes is wide, and you can be sure you’ll always pick something you like.
Along with that, they are plenty of places which serve the cuisine of various countries. To name a few: Fatboys, American Pub or Navigator – places where truly American cuisine is served. There are also quite a few restaurants where you will taste Italian cuisine, French cuisine, Turkish cuisine, Russian cuisine. Dine there and you’ll feel like you’ve never left home.
It goes without saying that we normally talk over the food preferences of our customers before they arrive. When in the mountains, we cook in nature, of course under these circumstances we can’t guarantee all the amenities of a luxury restaurant or a café, but after a long walk in nature, the food cooked in the mountains would usually taste like the best meal you’ve ever tasted.