By air
Manas (FRU), ~25 km north of the centre
East Asia · Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
A green, unhurried capital with mountains in view
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October
Don't miss
Ala-Too Square
Osh Bazaar
State History Museum
Ala Archa National Park
Victory Square
Oak Park
Burana Tower
Things to do
Osh Bazaar
Ala-Too Square
The State History Museum
A day in Ala Archa gorge
An evening of Kyrgyz music
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Bgag · CC0
What to pack
Walking shoes, layers, a scarf for dust, cash for the bazaar
A quieter corner
The Sunday animal market on the city's edge, where herders trade horses and sheep before dawn
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bishkek?
April to June and September to October. What to pack: Walking shoes, layers, a scarf for dust, cash for the bazaar.
How do I get to Bishkek?
Fly into Manas (FRU), ~25 km north of the centre.
What is there to do in Bishkek?
Osh Bazaar, Ala-Too Square, the State History Museum, a day in Ala Archa gorge, an evening of Kyrgyz music. A quieter find: The Sunday animal market on the city's edge, where herders trade horses and sheep before dawn.
What should I eat in Bishkek?
Beshbarmak, laghman, manty dumplings, plov, kumis, samsa from the street ovens.
About Bishkek
- Mountains
Where it is
Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in the Chüy Valley at the northern foot of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, close to the border with Kazakhstan.
History
A Khokand fortress and then a Russian garrison town in the nineteenth century, Bishkek was laid out on a grid with wide, tree-planted streets and became the capital of the Kyrgyz republic in the Soviet era. It has kept its parks and monuments and has become the base for travel into the mountains.
People
A friendly city of Kyrgyz, Russians, Uzbeks and Dungans where Russian is widely spoken; nomadic traditions show in the felt crafts, the horse games and the kumis sold on street corners.
Known for
- Osh Bazaar
- Ala-Too Square
- Ala Archa gorge nearby
- Tree-lined Soviet boulevards
Did you know?
Bishkek is one of the greenest cities in Central Asia, planted with trees along nearly every street.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.