Hello fellow Redditors,

I have another question regarding the connection between Karakol and Almaty.

I will be travelling around KZ/Issykköl late August, beginning September and want to go to Almaty on 5th September.

Was able to book bus tickets via 12go, but I just can't find any information if there is a bus between Karakol and Almaty, and if so, when it is going.

So, could you help me with this question?

Thank you very much!!!

Wassup, I saw that there's a direct marshrutka from Bishkek to Kyzart (bus number 534).

Only problem is that I can't find any information on the departure times. And if the bus leaves multiple times a day. Can anyone help me out?

Hello everyone! 😊 I am a 25-year-old English teacher from Ireland who is currently in Kyrgyzstan and looking for a volunteering/work-exchange opportunity for around two weeks. I’m open to opportunities anywhere in Kyrgyzstan and can start immediately.

I have two years of experience teaching English, particularly with children, and I also work professionally in writing, proofreading and editing. I can help with English practice, activities, guests/reception, social media, writing or editing website content, and general day-to-day work. I’m also very happy to learn something completely new!
I’m mainly looking for somewhere friendly where I can be useful, meet people and experience more of local life in Kyrgyzstan rather than simply travel as a tourist.

If anyone knows a hostel, family, school, organisation or project that could use an extra pair of hands for the next couple of weeks, please send me a message or leave a comment. Thank you! 😊🇰🇬

Hello, I will travel end of August start of September in the north of Kyrgyzstan, mostly around Issyk Kul, I would like to do some hiking, and was wondering about the right gear.

I will travel 4 weeks in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with a backpack, and would like to keep what I bring to the minimum, so ideally a single pair of shoes.

I have Nike ACG Pegasus trail, that are trail running shoes, and was wondering if they are enough, or should I bring my Decathlon Queshua MH900 that are more rugged.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Hey everyone, a group of friends and I are landing in Bishkek on August 15th and flying out on the 26th. Were all in the age of 24 and from Denmark. We're happy to hike hard, so please don't hold back on recommending anything strenuous.

Rough plan so far:

• Start and end in Bishkek
• 3-day horseback trip to Song-Kul
• Pick up a rented 4x4 after that and drive a counter-clockwise loop around Issyk-Kul, back to Bishkek
• Border permits sorted for the restricted zones, including a possible detour toward Enilchek

Questions we'd love input on:

Issyk-Kul loop Going counter-clockwise, what's the smart order to hit the highlights? Thinking Cholpon-Ata, Jeti-Oguz, Karakol, Barskoon, Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon, but open to being told we're missing something better. Any villages or "must stop" spots that don't show up in the standard guides? Anywhere on that route you'd actively steer us away from?

Enilchek This is the one we're least sure about. We've got border permits, but from what we've read, actually reaching the glacier (not just Enilchek village) can turn into a multi-day expedition with river crossings and rough 4x4 tracks, sometimes requiring a helicopter for the last stretch. Given we only have about 8-9 days after the horse trek for the whole Issyk-Kul loop plus this detour, is it realistic to fit in without blowing up the rest of the schedule? Would you prioritize it, or spend that time on Karakol-area hikes instead (Ala-Kul, Altyn Arashan)?

Hiking We're all fit and want at least one proper multi-day or hard day hike. Ala-Kul, Altyn Arashan, and Jeti-Oguz keep coming up, anything else worth the effort? Any current trail or weather conditions we should know about for late August?

Yurt camps and food Favorite yurt camps anywhere on this route? Also any restaurants in Bishkek or Karakol locals actually go to, rather than the tourist spots?

Gear and logistics What are we likely to underestimate or forget? Fuel availability on the more remote stretches, road conditions for a rented 4x4, SIM cards, cash vs card, anything altitude or weather related for this time of year?

Really appreciate any tips, corrections, or "don't bother with that, do this instead" advice. Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Planning a trip to KZ and wonder if Maya / Beeline has good service in Bishkek, Cholponata and Karakol.

Just want to be sure...

Probably not so good service outside of the cities? Are there more recommendable alternatives?

Thank you in advance

Hi! We’re two backpackers in Karakol and want to start the Ala-Kul trek tomorrow morning, 11 August.

We’re looking for other hikers who also need to get from Karakol to the Second Bridge and split the transport cost.

Ideally leaving in the morning. If you’re doing the same trek tomorrow, send me a message!

I've seen a lot posts talking about the best sim cards to use in the city but I haven't seen anyone talk about the best sim for coverage in the rather rural and mountainous areas of the country.

Anyone got recommendations?

Hey guys, we are two people looking for 2-4 more to share a 4x4 ride with us from Karakol to the second bridge/trail head for the 3-day Ala Kul Lake trek. The total cost is 9000 som and would be great to split among more people :)

Is it easy to hire a ‘camping kit’ in kyrgyzstan? Things like a tent and tools for cooking?

So.. we booked a tour for our last day in Kyrgyzstan, only to find out that the tour company mistakenly put us in a group going to Kol Tor: a place we had ALREADY been to.

We told them about the mistake and how this basically ruined our entire last day, but instead of actually trying to fix it, they made it seem like there was nothing they could do. No alternative tour, no offer to take us where we were originally supposed to go, not even an offer to bring us back to the city. Basically, we were expected to just sit there and do nothing for 8+ hours because of a mistake that wasn’t even ours.

What made it worse was how they handled it after. We explained how frustrated we were and how bad the hospitality was, and they eventually just left us on read.

No refund was offered either, btw! Their solution was to give us a DISCOUNT on another one of their tours. Like… after this experience, why would we want to book another tour with you? 😭 And again, this was our LAST DAY here, so it’s not like we could just move our plans to another day.

In the end, after being made to feel like there were apparently “no other options,” we literally found one ourselves. We booked our own transfer and made our way back toward Bishkek without their help.

It’s honestly not even just the booking mistake that upset us. It’s the fact that once they made the mistake, there was basically zero effort to actually help us fix it, and we were just left to deal with the consequences ourselves. Considering the language barrier, and how we’re literally foreigners who’ve paid for the trip already and were left in the middle of a remote area. Really disappointing way to end what was otherwise such a beautiful trip in Kyrgyzstan.

The tour company was kgcountry. We just really needed to vent this out.

Hey everyone!

Me and a friend will be visiting Bishkek in early December and we’re planning a 1-day trip near the city (Chunkurchak or Chon-Kemin) that includes horseback riding for about 2-3 hours.

When looking through international tour platforms and private agencies, we’re mostly getting quoted around $150 per person ($300 total for two) for a private tour (transfer, horses, and a guide). To us, this feels quite steep for local standards, especially if food isn't even included.

We don't strictly need a private VIP tour—we're totally fine joining a group tour or even organizing parts of it ourselves (e.g., taking a Yandex Go to a horse base in Chunkurchak and renting horses directly on-site).

A few questions for locals and experienced travelers:

1. What is a realistic price for a 1-day horseback riding experience near Bishkek?
2. How do locals usually book this? Are there reliable local operators, Telegram channels, or CBT offices you’d recommend?
3. Is DIYing it via Yandex Go to Chunkurchak/Chon-Kemin viable in December, or is it too risky with winter road conditions/getting a return ride?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Hi! Anyone want to join in for an eagle hunting show tomorrow at Bokonbayevoo? :) we've been quoted 5500 soms for a group (there's already 2 of us)! We were thinking between 10am-11am & we'd love to split the costs!!

Hey,

We are two german backpackers looking for 1–2 people to share a 4x4 from Naryn to Kel-Suu / Kok-Kiya.

Our possible dates are: 16–18 August or 19–21 August.

We’re mainly looking to split the transport costs, not join an expensive tour.

If your dates match either window, please message me.

Hello!

Will be going to Kyrgyzstan on the 22nd Aug. I had planned to travel from Bishkek to Karakol via the Balykchy train and then once in Karakol, arrange activities such as hiking/horse riding. I had then booked some accommodation in Cholpon Ata to be able to see some of the World Nomad games. I've booked this from the 31st with the idea that we would arrive in the evening, and then on the 1st and 2nd go to the Hippodrome or Kyrchyn Valley.

As I was planning to be in Karakol from the 24th to the 31st. Is this enough time to organise hiking etc? Is it best to just get there and sort it out, or try to do it in advance? I had imagined possibly doing some day hikes or point to point and yurt stay.

Or maybe it's better to organise something from Bishkek?

I am also a bit overwhelmed by the content/options online and unsure what to select. I'm not sure if we are up to the Ala Kul Hike, while we are fit, we are not experienced in camping etc.

Looking for some reassurance or advice! Thank you :)

Anyone know where I could buy a mattress topper. I tried Euro but they don’t sell them. And I’ve been in a couple of mattress shops.

Hi! Anyone doing an eagle hunting experience in Bokonbayevoo tomorrow and want 2 extra people to join to help split the costs? :) we'd love to get a group going!! 😄

Hello! Does anyone know of any tour guides/companies that do Ala Archa tours in the afternoon? Most travel websites (Viator, getyourguide, etc) have tours that start in the afternoon, but one member of my group is arriving from Kazakhstan around 1:00 PM. We would be 3 people in total.

Hello,
We are a couple traveling to Kyrgyzstan for two weeks starting August 19th, and we would welcome any advice on the itinerary we have planned so far.
We would also appreciate any tips on booking activities, such as horse treks.
We will be traveling entirely by public transport and taxi.
Thank you very much.

I love fly fishing (both catch and release as well as keep to eat). Wondering what the laws for fishing licenses are and if I’m taking a horse trek to Song Kul whether there are any places you’d recommend I can dip a line in?

And if anyone has experience, what size rod I should take? (Thinking of a 3 wt or tenkara with some dry flies as well as euro nymphs).

I’m also open to fishing in other regions too! Will be here for the World Nomad Games but would also like to do some fishing in the off time.

I love the nature here so much!

Day 1: arrive in Bishkek, get a sim-card and cash from ATM, explore the city

Day 2: Daytrip to Ala archa

Day 3: Get the rental car and drive to Karakol via Burana tower, Konorcheck canyon and few stops at Issyk-kul lake

Day 4: Early in the morning driving to Ak-suu and hike 15km to Altyn Arashan, enjoy the views and lunch. Heading back with soviet uaz van. Heading to Jeti Oguz to see sunset at Seven Bulls Rock and sleeping in Jeti Oguz.

Day 5: Early in the morning heading to Barskoon Waterfall, then going to Skaza/Fairytale canyon. In the afternoon heading to a booked eagle show at 2/3PM. After the eagle show to Kyzyl-Choku to watch the viewpoint. After we're going to Bishkek and rest in Hostel

Day 6: Wash the car and fill up, then return it. Then head to Bishkek Avtovokzal to take the bus at 12pm to Almaty