STROLL
With 30 parks and squares to choose from, you’re bound to find the one for you. From early morning strolls to late evening unwinds – Bishkek has it all. Start from Erdindik Boulevard, and head south towards Panfilov Park, walking by Ala Too Square and the White House. Grab snacks from local vendors and walk through Adinai Park, Health Park and Yntymak Park (where locals often find themselves enjoying karaoke).
EXPLORE
Want to be transported back to Soviet-era Frunze but don’t know where to start? Begin with the Vladimir Lenin statue, then the Bishkek Wedding Palace for some classic brutalist architecture. Downtown Bishkek is a haven for communist mosaics – stay on the look out! Visit the Flea Market next to Ortosai Bazaar on Sundays between 7am - 11am for Soviet pins, old Kyrgyz jewellery, antique glassware and many other souvenirs.
SHOP
Have a hand at Dordoi Bazaar, Central Asia’s largest wholesale and retail market, for literally everything you could want. From curtains, carpets, and clothes, to shoes, books and spices – Dordoi has it all. Osh Bazaar is more central and will adorn you with a similar vibe. Have a hand at some classic Asian haggling while you’re there. Honourable mentions are Orto-Sai, Ak Emir, Madina, and Alamedin. Be sure to try the nuts and dried fruit.
LEARN
To truly immerse yourself in Kyrgyzstan’s rich history, begin with the Kyrgyz State History Museum which includes exibits of armor from the Bronze Age, stones with petroglyphs from Saimaly-Tash, & rich ethnographic items made of felt, wool, leather and wood. The Museum of Fine Arts will present you with modern-day and Soviet-era work, as well as some replicas of Egyptian, Greek and classical Western sculptures. Other museums worth visiting are Frunze Museum, Tinibek Sadykov Museum, & Aaly Tokombaev Museum.
HIKE
Kyrgyzstan’s geographical makeup is 93% mountains, so naturally hiking is a must. Accessible routes next to Bishkek are Ala Archa National Park to immerse yourself in the Tien Shan Mountains and the Ak Sai Glacier; Alamedin Canyon for its hot spring sanatorium and waterfall; Kegeti Gorge for the beautiful green Kol Tor lake; and Chong Kemin National Park for a hike on horseback & mushroom picking.
