Bishkek Travel Guide

 
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Pro

Upstate1NY profile photo

  becareful what you assume, that whiich you see may not be what you think, and then again,... 


Con

lotharlerch profile photo

  no real "City -Feeling" 


In a nutshell

Greatwalk0 profile photo

  Should be visited by Soviet buffs and others interested in trekking off the beaten path. 

 

Explore Bishkek

Things to Do  

Walk Around Town

Walk Around Town, Bishkek

 John195123 Says:  While the streets are paved with greedy and corrupt police (especially by Catstro Street) we never saw any or had to deal with any. What we did have to deal with were tree-lined, side-walk-lined streets that were very pleasant to walk along even during the heat of the day.... 

Watch the changing of the guards

Watch the changing of the guards, Bishkek

 Eish Says:  The most amazing part about this ceremony is that the steps do not differ at all from the changing of the guards in Moscow. This is part of the more innocuous legacy that the Soviets have left behind in the free Kyrgyzstan. It happens every hour from sunrise to sunset. 

Take a trip out of town to the Burana Tower

Take a trip out of town to the Burana Tower, Bishkek

 SallyM Says:  The Burana Tower is an 11th century building, that resembles the bottom of a huge minaret. Nearby is a mound which is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun. A small museum contains a variety of objects found in the area, including Buddhist and Nestorian carved... 

Dordoi market.

Dordoi market., Bishkek

 batyr76 Says:  A little bit outside of Bishkek there is a hughe outdoor market called Dordoi, where you can buy anything from sheep and horses to a spanking new cassette-player (yepp!). They also had copies of North Peak clothes, if you wanna look smart but dont feel like paying for it. If... 

Bowling

Bowling, Bishkek

 batyr76 Says:  You probably didnt travel to Kyrgyzstan to go bowling, but there is a fairly good bowling alley in the building behind Hyatt Hotel. They sell alcohol here, so it can be quite fun even if you are not a sworn bowling-addict. It is also a disco upstairs if my memory is correct,... 

Things to see in Bishkek

Things to see in Bishkek, Bishkek

 batyr76 Says:  Tourists come to Kyrgyzstan to climb and trek, and not to see Bishkek. The city can easily be seen in a day, in my opinion. A couple of hours walking, and you would have seen the most interesting sights. Start with Victory Square, walk up to TSUM shopping centre, and follow... 

Hotels  

Hyatt Regency Bishkek

 6 Reviews and 54 Opinions  Very nice hotel, but very expensive. Its location is best in the city. They don't have metal room... 

Hotel Jannat

 1 Review and 9 Opinions  Jannat is located far from the city center. They claim to be a "5 star" hotel, but by the western... 

Restaurants  

Tien Shan Legend: Shwarma!

Tien Shan Legend: Shwarma!, Bishkek

 John195123 Says:  One of the better quick meals we had was shwarma at this small restaurant front. There's seating inside, but we were waiting for a map office to open, so didn't have too much time. I think 50 som will get you a shwarma (gyro). Fresh vegetables, but possibly worth the runs!... 

Bombay Restaurant: Some of the best Indian food I have ever had

Bombay Restaurant: Some of the best Indian food I have ever had, Bishkek

 Greatwalk0 Says:  One of the few culinary treats in Bishkek is Bombay Restaurant. This quaint restaurant is very authenticly Indian and has quite an impressive menu. All the standard fare is available, with entrees starting at 150 Som. Beer and wine are also available. Chicken tikka is... 

Apelsin ("Orange"): Dining in Bishkek

Apelsin ("Orange"): Dining in Bishkek, Bishkek

 batyr76 Says:  The Apelsin is located in a weird shaped building right next to Spartak Stadium. It is quite posh, with a chiq bar on ground floor, and the restaurant in first floor. The food was good, but this is not for budget travelers. I advice you to check it out once if youre staying... 

Beta Gastronom: Fast-food

Beta Gastronom: Fast-food, Bishkek

 batyr76 Says:  Beta Gastronom is located in the Beta Store (shopping centre) on Chuy prosp. It has a variety of fast-food dishes at very reasonable prices. Burgers, shashlik and a variety of grilled meat, served with chips/fries, rice etc. Mainly young people/teenagers. Good value for... 

Nightlife  

Retro Metro, Heaven, Apple: Three of the best, plus a handy Bishkek Guide!

Retro Metro, Heaven, Apple: Three of the best, plus a handy Bishkek Guide!, Bishkek

 tea_drinker1983 Says:  We spent a week in Bishkek in Autumn 2009, going out drinking almost every night. There is an English language magazine that we found very useful and guided us to inumm,erable bars, restaurants and clubs (they have a website at http://www.thespektator.co.uk). Our favourite... 

The Golden Bull: Party 'til the break of dawn

The Golden Bull: Party 'til the break of dawn, Bishkek

 Rushland Says:  Well, there are more than a few clubs where you can party till the wee hours, but this one of my favs. It's smaller than some of the others, so you walk around and mingle better. Drinks are pretty cheap by American standards. But do as the locals do, drink vodka...straight... 

Transportation  

Learn a few language basics...and buy a map

Learn a few language basics...and buy a map, Bishkek

 urbandecay Says:  The mini-buses (mar-shoot-ka's) are the best option most of the time. They have fixed routes and usually the price is 5 som (unless it's to a special destination like the market at Dordoi). When you get on one of these mini-buses be advised that it could be empty or... 

Shopping  

Kyrgyz Cartographic Agency: Buy maps for your hikes

Kyrgyz Cartographic Agency: Buy maps for your hikes, Bishkek

 Eish Says:  Hidden on the 1st floor of the building, it is here that you can buy detailed contour maps of Kyrgyzstan. They have 1:200 000 maps of the whole country, in Cyrillic. (Good opportunity to brush up on your Russian letters.) I have read that they have a good English map of... 

Tsum!: Communist Shopping

Tsum!: Communist Shopping, Bishkek

 Greatwalk0 Says:  I love Tsum! Every post-Soviet country I visit, I make an effort to visit their Tsum Department Store - holdovers from the Communist-era. Bishkek's is one of the best I have been to. Take the escalators to the top floor for all the cool souveniers, etc.. You can also find... 

Local Customs  

Turkic Hospitality

Turkic Hospitality, Bishkek

 traveloturc Says:  The typical Central Asian hospitality, that can in no way be compared with the way guests are greeted in the western world: Never you will come across a yurt without being invited for a cup of the national drink Kymyz (horse milk) and a when you first get acquainted, and at... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Be careful with some hotels

Be careful with some hotels, Bishkek

 srichmond Says:  I never thought I'd be issuing this tip, but I'd suggest only going to "international" hotels in this city. I checked into a fairly upmarket hotel opposite the Russian Embassy, where the staff didn't speak much English, and most of the folk there were from Central Asia.... 

Dirty Cops - An Unfortunate Reality in Bishkek

Dirty Cops - An Unfortunate Reality in Bishkek, Bishkek

 Greatwalk0 Says:  Be careful walking around Bishkek at night. While street crime is on the rise, you are more likely to be hassled by police officers aggressively asking for bribes. The cops in Bishkek are notorious for this, but you can avoid being a victim by taking the following steps:... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Hike in Tyoplye Klyuchi (Alamedin Canyon)

Hike in Tyoplye Klyuchi (Alamedin Canyon), Bishkek

 Eish Says:  South of Bishkek and about 30km away is the Alamedin Canyon, which offers some lovely hiking, and is apparently quieter than Ala Archa, although I must admit that neither were very busy when we were there. The hiking is beautiful, and the fields of flowers were the perfect... 

On the road- Aurora on Lake Issyk Kul to Bishkek

On the road- Aurora on Lake Issyk Kul to Bishkek, Bishkek

 Upstate1NY Says:  As we traveled back to Bishkek we passed several "road side stands" selling, produce and what I thought looked like dried fish plus other items I could not see well enough to identify, they may have been handicrafts either wooden toys or children's clothes etc. My driver... 

The Place

Plan a Bishkek vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Bishkek locals

Experience Bishkek
  •   97 Tips and Reviews
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The People

46 Members Live Here
 
Advice from the Locals
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 Kyrgyzstan - the country of celestial mountains! - Wild nature, developed infrastructure of capital make this place the best for tourism. 

46 members live in Bishkek

 

Questions and Answers

Matthias78 profile photo

Q:  I have two days to get from Bishkek airport to Suusamir (down on the M41, close to the junction left to Kochor) and I am looking... 

Fluffy_bunny profile photo

A: CBT (community based tourism) Kyrgyzstan can set up quality home-stays in a variety of villages throughout Kyrgyzstan. I would not recommend them for stays in either... 

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Top Bishkek Writers

1

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, my venture into Central Asia

Upstate1NY profile photo

 The picture is Lake Issyk Kul, the country, Kyrgyzstan (now known as the Kyrgyz Republic). These people are as independent as any you will read about. or meet. Especially the native Kyrgyz people. The... 

2

Very young and very green

lotharlerch profile photo

 I was in the Kyrgyz capital for only less than 3 days on a business trip. The most impressive in Bishkek is the great scenic view when looking South. Only a few kilometers from the city are mountains... 

3

Yurt (Home Land )

traveloturc profile photo

 Kirgizistan(Kyrgyzstan) is situated in Central Asia became independent in the year 1991, formerly called Frunze ,Bishkek is the capital with more than 1 million inhabitants, the country as a whole has... 

4

Bishkek

srichmond profile photo

 ... 

5

Kyrgyzstan

batyr76 profile photo

 Give anyone a world-map, and ask them to point out Bishkek for you. Yepp, they probably dont have a clue. Bishkek was named Frunze up until 1991, when Kyrgyzstan gained independence from The Soviet...... 

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