The first thing you need to know about the yurts in general is that they have been a crucial aspect to the numerous nomadic nations, and back in the past served as a dwelling throughout the whole Central Asia, Russian Siberia, Mongolia and the other Indo-European territories. In Kyrgyzstan, the yurt is the symbol of our heritage and home that evokes proud senses in every kyrgyz heart. Even though nowadays most of the Kyrgyz population lead a modern secular lifestyle living in the flats, apartments and private houses, there still remains a significant role of yurts in modern Kyrgyzstan. 

Its purpose today:

   In the remote mountainous areas on so-called “jailoos” (from kyrg. – pastures) the yurt is a vital property of every shepherd, farmer and their families. Being a portable type of dwelling it serves as a house for those folks during the summer months of cattle grazing. 

   In the towns and capital city the yurt has its use too. People usually set them up in the courtyards and streets on any sort of special occasions: national holidays (Nooruz, Independence Day, etc.), family celebrations (kyrgyz traditions), and funerals. 

   As the tourism industry in Kyrgyzstan has been on rise for the last couple of decades, the yurt camps have grown very popular among the curious tourists looking for authentic experiences. Every traveller may stay overnight in a yurt for a fair price (usually from $5-20 including breakfast) in the remote valleys and sites like Son Kol lake, Bokonbaevo village, Jeti Oguz valley etc.

Construction:

   The construction of a yurt is extremely durable and able to stand up to the ferocious winds and earthquakes. Dimensions of an average kyrgyz yurt (alty kanat – 6 sections) are: 6m diameter, 30m², 3m height, 2m diameter of “tunduk”.

The main pieces of a yurt are:

Tunduk – the ring that fixes the dome. Serves as a roof, skylight and chimney. The symbol of hearth and home. By the way, tunduk is depicted on the flag of our country and symbolizes the sun with 40 rays (refers to our history, Kyrgyzstan is the land of 40 tribes). 

Uzuk – a felt material that covers the whole dome. 

Uuk – the wooden curved poles that make up the dome. 

Jabyk bash – an ornamented strip made out of felt.

Eshik – a felt canopy that hangs above the door, can be unrolled down to cover the entrance. 

Bosogo – a wooden entrance frame.

Kanat chiy – a straw matting for covering the framework.

Kerege – a wooden latticework that serves as a foundation of the yurt.

Kyrchoo – a rope that girds the whole yurt.

Tuurduk – a felt material that covers the yurt’s walls.

Curious facts:

25 sheeps are required to be shaved off to produce felt for one yurt.

25 years – that’s the average lifetime of one yurt in nomadic conditions.  

25 days – it takes for a craftsman to make a yurt’s wooden foundation. 

400kg – the average weight of a yurt.

2-3 persons can assemble a yurt in 1 hour. 

Disassembling a yurt is a bit harder task and usually takes about 2 hours. 

The whole structure can be loaded up on two horses. 

In 2014, at the World Nomad Games, the Kyrgyz national team set the world record having assembled a yurt for 17 minutes. http://worldnomadgames.com/en/page/About-the-WNG/

Well now, you’re already educated with those bits and pieces about the kyrgyz yurts. Being fairly easy to erect and transport, waterproof due to felt and of the durable structure – a yurt was a perfect solution for our nomadic ancestors! Nowadays, there are numerous yurt assembling shows held for tourists in Kyrgyzstan. So not only can everyone witness the demonstration but can also participate in this exciting experience. You know what to do! Grab your family or friends and come to visit Kyrgyzstan with all its wonders…https://venturatours-kg.com/trip-type/multi-day-tours/

The post A yurt or the traditional abode of Kyrgyz people first appeared on Ventura Tours Central Asia.

Nature 

Well…when one is asking what is the main advantage that Kyrgyzstan can boast of, we all scream in unison – NATURRRRREEE! And indeed, the nature here is breathtaking, stunning, astounding, magnificent, majestic and so on and so forth. Seems like the god or universe (what have you) have benevolently bestowed on Kyrgyzstan all those surreal landscapes, mountains, greenery, lakes, canyons, gorges, plains, forests, glaciers and much more! The climate in Kyrgyzstan is what is called continental which means that we have all 4 seasons here and that whenever you visit our country you won’t be left disappointed regarding the splendour of nature. Planning to visit in summer? – Perfect! Enjoy the rich green sceneries, lakes and all the possible experiences! Decided to come in autumn? – Great! Dive into the golden wonderland! In winter you’ll be enchanted by some dazzling snowy views, whereas in spring you will love to watch nature turn in bloom after a long sleep. 

After all that being said, Kyrgyzstan is also home to the second largest alpine lake in the world – His Highness Issyk Kul. If you’ve explored the beauties of both the northern and southern shores of this lake, you can readily say you’ve seen most of Kyrgyzstan! So, make sure you add our magnificent country to your lifetime-travel-list and come to explore it ASAP!

Below is the short list of the most popular places to visit in Kyrgyzstan:

• Bishkek city, obviously
• Ala Archa National Park
• Burana Tower
• Issyk Kul lake (Cholpon Ata town)
• Karakol town (northern shore of Issyk Kul, from now onwards – IK)
• Jeti Oguz valley (northern shore of IK)
• Skazka or Fairy Tale canyon (northern shore of IK)
• Barskoon waterfalls (northern shore of IK)
• Son Kol lake
• Kel suu lake
• Tash Rabat fortress
• Osh city
• Sary Chelek lake
• Arslanbob (the largest walnut forest in the world)
• Toktogul reservoir
• Suusamyr valley

Culture

   Thanks to our nomadic past, today Kyrgyzstan has so much to offer to those zealous travelers! The authentic experiences and indigenous traditions that will be of interest to everybody. In the capital city you will jump into a buzzing lifestyle of contemporary Bishkek, whereas in the regions you’ll be able to get an idea of the kyrgyz heritage, participating in the long-preserved traditions. Among those are: horse riding, falcon hunting, yurt camping, yurt assembling, felt carpet weaving and much more. 

   One of the most captivating parts of our culture is the national games. It will readily be conceived that those have everything to do with horses and equestrian sport. The most popular and most-played game is Kok Boru (from kyrg. Grey Wolf). This competitive game is played between two teams of men and the principles are quite similar to those of football or basketball. On each side of the vast ground pitch stands a well (goal). The aim of either team is to throw a sheep or goat carcass (ball) into the well as many times as possible. One goal – one point. This is an extremely rapid and rough game, since the players often get injured in a struggle for a sheep and sometimes even fall over their horse getting trampled. This powerful game can be witnessed in many parts of Kyrgyzstan during some national tournaments or ethnic festivals, and can also be arranged upon request in places like Chon Kemin valley or Bokonbaevo village (the average price is $130).

   Falcon hunting – is the ancient type of a hunt that Kyrgyz people have been practicing since many centuries ago till nowadays. Unique in its style and breathtaking in its performance, this experience will engross everyone. The process involves 5 participants who are: a hunter on a horse, a hound, a falcon and the prey of the hunt itself (usually fox or hare – real or artificial). So, the whole scene looks like this: the hunter is riding astride a horse with one arm stretched aside on which the falcon is sitting with its eyes covered. The hound is running ahead of them pursuing the prey. Next moment the rider takes off a cover from the falcon’s head whereas the second is dashing immediately towards the running animal leaving it no chance for escape. Cruel? – Well, yes. However, that’s how nature works in real life. Therefore we, at Ventura Tours Kyrgyzstan, insistently recommend you to choose an artificial animal carcass for this show. It is just a show! An average price for this sort of demonstration is $50. 

Safety

For this paragraph we will just copy the article from our “About Kyrgyzstan” page, since that one brings a great portion of assurance.

 “Kyrgyzstan can be readily called as one of the safest countries in the world! It actually has been placed in Level 1 group by international organizations along with the other central asian countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, which means they are among the safest places to travel to. Unfortunately, because of its ending – stan, the country is often associated with the other less popular and dangerous destinations. People in Kyrgyzstan are very friendly, warm and welcoming. Need a hand of help? – You’ll definitely get it! Very often we hear tourists say that they feel much safer in Kyrgyzstan than in some of the European countries. Of course, however, there’s always room for the force majeure circumstances, just like anywhere else, but Ventura Tours Kyrgyzstan team is always responsible for their travelers and surely there to take care of your stay in our friendly country!”

Kyrgyzstan has a colorful mixed population due to its renowned historical background. In the USSR more than 80 nationalities were friendly living in one huge country. So today, you will find in Kyrgyzstan an absolute diversity of people with different religions, confessions and beliefs that call this country home… 

Prices

This one is another seductive-to-visit Kyrgyzstan reason. Good news for you! The prices in Kyrgyzstan are so reasonably low that you’ll feel delighted when paying $10 at a restaurant for an enormous, dead-delicious dinner for two! And yet it’s not only about food. The fairly low prices are applicable to many aspects of life in Kyrgyzstan. 

   Thus, renting a decent 2 bedroom (not counting the living room) flat in the very city center will cost you between $300-500 a month. However, sometimes the prices for a hotel room per night might be similar to those in other countries. 

   Most of the meal products in Kyrgyzstan are produced and grown domestically, so you will not only love their costs but also the natural eco quality of our vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy products and other delicacies. 

   Wanna get around the city and use the taxi service? – that’s where another surprise awaits! The taxi ride within Bishkek will cost you $1-3 at most. But make sure the taxi has a meter, well most of them do. A ride from/to the airport costs 500 soms which is something around $6-8…it’s hard to keep up with those dollar bounces. 

   Ok, with all that being said we’ve made up a list of the average prices for some services and products that every traveler uses constantly: 

1 Taxi ride from the airport – 500 soms or $6-8. A ride within Bishkek – $1-3

2 Public minibus from the airport – 40 soms or $0,5

3 SIM card with an unlimited mobile internet and calls for one week – $2

4 Dinner at a restaurant – $6 (single), $10 (couple)

5 Bottle of beer of the local production (necessary) – $1

6 Cup of coffee – $1,5 

7 Ice cream – $0,3

8 Grocery shopping at a supermarket or at the Osh bazaar – $13 (couple of full bags)

9 Public transport within Bishkek (bus, trolley-bus) – 8 soms or $0,1 one way

10 Horse riding outside of Bishkek – $7 an hour

11 Pack of souvenirs (average, 3-4 items) $6-7

Well, the “prices” article has perfectly demonstrated that Kyrgyzstan can be the right place for an unforgettable, awesome but thrifty vacation! However, it doesn’t mean you can’t spend a good bunch of money here…

Easy-to-get-to country

Kyrgyzstan is simply the perfect destination for those last-minute travelers. Planning to go somewhere that is unexplored, unique, authentic and stunning? – just grab your passport, credit card and head to Kyrgyzstan, since with the visa-free regime for 69 countries, most of you will be able to do that! But even if you ever need a visa to our country, Ventura Tours Kyrgyzstan is always here to assist you with this matter…

Well, we hope that this concise but a pretty informative article has been of use to you. So, don’t hesitate to contact us any time regarding your dream journey in Kyrgyzstan… https://venturatours-kg.com/trip-type/multi-day-tours/

The post Top 5 reasons to visit Kyrgyzstan first appeared on Ventura Tours Central Asia.

1 Hiking

One of the best things about Bishkek is that you’re able to enjoy some really awesome views without having to go too far away. There are a lot of hiking options around our capital city but we think Ala Archa National Park is the best one. Merely 25 minutes of drive and you’re amidst the breathtaking mountains, juniper forest and river. The best part of Ala Archa is that it will suit absolutely everyone, from a newbie to an avid hike-lover! Not able to go up the mountains? – Not a problem, just take a tarmac path along the river all the way to the lovely picnic clearing. Looking for something more serious? – You’re covered too, turn left at the start point and follow the trail that leads up to the Broken Heart rock (2km) and the waterfall (4 km). Among the park inhabitants are: ibexes (mountain goats), marmots, gophers, stoats, squirrels, different kinds of birds and many more. There’s also a pride of Kyrgyzstan living high up on the snow-capped peaks – a snow leopard. Ala Archa is the absolute winner for spending your day out in the freshest air. The entrance fee to the park is 500 soms per car. The approximate taxi price to the place would be 700 (one way). 

https://venturatours-kg.com/itinerary/the-hiking-paradise-ala-archa-national-park/

2 Horse riding

If one is really into horseback riding then Bishkek and its surroundings is a great place to start from! There are two main options for this type of experience: the first is Chunkurchak ski resort (38km or 40 min), the second is much farther from Bishkek but also waaaay more stunning – Chon Kemin valley (160km or 2,5 hours). Both sites can boast of some really fantastic views, however Chon Kemin undoubtedly comes in first. It’s a much vaster, broader, greener valley. Additionally the horse riding path there goes higher up to the magnificent panorama. But if you don’t wanna spend or don’t have time for a whole day trip, then Chunkurchak ski resort would be a great choice as well.

3 Cultural leisure

After having done most of the activities in Kyrgyzstan, what could be a lovely summarizer for your trip? Of course the cultural walk around Bishkek that will immerse you into the vibrant lifestyle of the Kyrgyz. Below is the list of those necessary-to-visit spots of our capital city:

1 Victory Square – dedicated to the Second World War with the relevant monuments and eternal fire. During the War more than 360 000 Kyrgyz soldiers were sent to the front line, the third of whom never returned home.  

   2 Kyrgyz National Opera and Ballet theatre – the old and beautiful building that showcases the charming Soviet architecture. Was built in 1955 and is performed in the architectural style of classicism. 

   3 Ala Too Square – the main square of the city where the biggest flagpole with the sentinels are located. Have a walk around the place and see the historical museum, Manas hero monument and the White House. 

   4 Explore the charming “Erkindik” or “Freedom” boulevard and the old Railway Station which is a good example of the Soviet architecture of the early 20th century. 

   5 Kyrgyz State Philharmonic Hall – another beautiful place to capture a fascinating style of the Mayor’s office, International University and the Philharmony itself.
  6 Osh bazaar – The legendary open air market where you will dive into the culture of traditional shopping of Kyrgyz people. A perfect place for acquiring souvenirs, dried fruits, national delicacies and much more.

The whole city walk will take you about 3 hours by foot. 

https://venturatours-kg.com/itinerary/327/

4 Paragliding

Well, this one is for those adrenaline-seekers… A really exciting activity close to the city with some fascinating views. About 30 minutes away from Bishkek centre and you’re in the beautiful mountainous area called “Gornaya Maevka”. You can arrange a transfer by the provider to pick you up down at the foot of mountains and drive you uphill. There are two height options for this paragliding flight: 1 – 500m (2000 soms), 2 – 1000m (4000 soms). The scenery up there is amazing so you’ll be soaring in the air contemplating the lovely view of Bishkek. 

https://www.instagram.com/paraplan.kg/?hl=ru

5 River rafting

Have got a big company but don’t know what to engage in? Here’s another adrenaline activity for you – river rafting. The action takes place about 140km away from Bishkek on the Chu river. The category of this rafting is easy-medium so even the first-time rookie will be able to enjoy it without any stress. The distance is 25km and takes about 1,5 hours. The price per group varies from $150 to $200 and includes all the equipment (raft, oars, hydro suits, helmets, life jackets) and river guides-instructors. 

Explore one day tours from Bishkek

So, grab any of these activities and enjoy your beautiful time in Bishkek!

The post Top 5 activities to do around Bishkek first appeared on Ventura Tours Central Asia.

Cholpon Ata town (norhtern coast)

Grigoriev gorge (northern coast)

Karakol town (on the line between the northern and southern coasts)

Jeti Oguz or Seven Bulls (southern coast)

Kok Jayik or The valley of flowers (southern coast)

Skazka or Fairy Tale canyon (southern coast)

Bokonbaevo town (southern coast)

Chon Kemin valley (on the way back from Issyk Kul)

Explore our 2 day tour around Issyk Kul lake 

Explore our 3 day tour around Issyk Kul lake 

Explore our 4 day tour around Issyk Kul lake 

Explore our 5 day tour around Issyk Kul lake 

The post Issyk Kul in pictures first appeared on Ventura Tours Central Asia.