Organize your stay Kyrgyzstan
Money Kyrgyzstan
The national currency is the Kyrgyz som (bank code: KGS), which is currently non-convertible outside the country. Denominations are 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 soms.
Dollars and euros are still very popular with individuals, but restaurants and major hotels are still obliged to accept payment in local currency. This is also often the case for drivers or even certain establishments located in remote areas and unable to exchange their currencies.
The exchange rate in April 2024 was as follows:
1 € = 94.8 KGS
1 CAN $ = 64.84 KGS
1 CHF = 97.59 KGS
Budget & Tips Kyrgyzstan
The following budgets are per day and per person. They have been established to help you plan your expenses according to the type of trip you are planning.
Economy budget: around €40 (overnight stay in Spartan comfort, meals in the bazaar and bus travel). True ascetics will spend much less.
Comfort budget: around €90/day/person (you can take shared cabs and rent a chauffeur-driven car from time to time, sleep in more comfortable rooms and enjoy one restaurant a day).
Luxury budget: from €180/day (luxury hotel in the capital and chauffeur-driven car for excursions, restaurant meals).
Generally speaking, eating out and making short trips are not expensive in Kyrgyzstan, as are nights in a yurt or, very often, with a local. The bulk of your expenses will come from renting a car with driver, organizing treks and staying in superior hotels.
Passport and visas Kyrgyzstan
Canadian, Belgian, French and Swiss nationals no longer need a visa to enter the country, provided their stay is less than 60 days. Beyond that date, you must leave the country or obtain a visa (which can only be requested outside the country's borders). Kyrgyzstan's neighboring countries (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan) can also be visited without a visa, so leaving and re-entering resets your counter to 0 days each time. Check your passport's expiration date: it must be valid for at least six months after the date of your final exit from the country.
Driver's license Kyrgyzstan
It is possible to drive yourself in Kyrgyzstan, provided you have an international driving licence. However, if you are on a leisure trip, we strongly advise against this option. The Kyrgyz people have a vision of the highway code that is quite different from ours, which can make your travels very difficult. Especially after dark. The state of the roads except the axis Bichkek-Osh is globally bad and rarely lit. Accidents are not uncommon. Renting a car with a driver will not necessarily be much more expensive and you will certainly feel more "on holiday".
Health Kyrgyzstan
No vaccinations are required for travel to the Kyrgyz Republic. Nevertheless, in view of local health conditions, it is advisable to be up to date with vaccinations against diphtheria, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis A and B. A rabies vaccine may be a good idea for those planning wilderness expeditions.
Here's a checklist for your ideal first-aid kit:
- Disinfectant, sterile compresses and bandages for minor physical injuries, or "double skin" bandages if you're planning long walks in the wilderness.
- Aspirin for headaches.
- Gastric dressings and anti-diarrhea treatment, as well as an intestinal disinfectant.
- An antihistamine for insect bites.
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- Sunscreen cream for desert and mountain use.
- Biafine®-type cream for burns.
- Mosquito repellent.
- Moisturizing lip stick, useful in the mountains and desert.
- Condoms.
- Tweezers.
- Plastic bags in case you get sick in transit.
- As a general rule, for long-distance travel, solid medications (pills or capsules) are preferable to liquid mixtures that are sensitive to heat and can harbor bacteria.
- If you are undergoing long-term treatment or have used syringes, be sure to take the relevant prescriptions with you.
Security Kyrgyzstan
On the whole, traveling in Kyrgyzstan in summer does not pose any major safety problems, and the usual precautionary advice will suffice for a pleasant, risk-free trip. For more information on safety, please consult the "Daily life" fact sheet.
For the latest information on local safety, consult the "Conseils aux voyageurs" section of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/voyageurs. Be aware, however, that the site provides an exhaustive list of potential dangers, and that this sometimes gives a rather alarmist picture of the real situation in the country.
Single woman. Kyrgyzstan's moderate Islam gives women the freedom to travel the country quietly and freely. Of course, in the provinces, a headscarf will be the order of the day, and in the villages you'll have to refrain from wearing clothes that are too short or too conspicuous. Otherwise, Western women are welcome in Kyrgyzstan, without discrimination. In summer, on the beaches of Lake Issyk Kul, you can even get out your bathing suit (after which you'll have to dare to dive into the 18°C water!). In the capital, young women are closer to Russian or Western fashion than to traditional dress, although since the Covid pandemic, there has been a strong return to traditional values and veiling, even in the capital. As for hospitality, there's no reason why you should enjoy it less than the men. Many of the country's women are left to fend for themselves when their husbands or sons have left to find work in Russia.
Time difference Kyrgyzstan
In universal time, Kyrgyzstan is located at GMT + 5, 4 hours ahead of Paris in summer and 5 hours in winter. Kyrgyzstan does not practice time change.
Spoken languages Kyrgyzstan
Russian will allow you to get by anywhere, no matter what encounters you make. Learning some Kyrgyz rudiments would not be of much use to you if you travel among the Uzbeks of the Ferghana Valley. The two languages have the same Turkish kinship, but differ significantly in accents, pronunciation and a large number of words. On the other hand, speaking Turkish will certainly help you to adapt more easily and to establish contacts with the population, whatever their ethnic origin.
Communication Kyrgyzstan
Getting a SIM card in Kyrgyzstan couldn't be easier. Your passport, a handful of soms and you're all set with mobile data for your trip. The cards can be topped up anywhere in the country, and local calls are generally included. Only texting abroad or calling your home country can make your credit run a little faster. The network is pretty good throughout the country, but expect to find yourself in frequent white zones when trekking at altitude.
Most hotels and B&Bs offer a wifi connection, and Internet cafés are gradually disappearing, replaced by game centers.
Electricity and measurements Kyrgyzstan
The voltage commonly used is 220 volts. The sockets are bipolar, and the periods are 50 MHz. Power surges and cuts are fairly common outside towns. In low-cost accommodation, outdated or poorly insulated installations are not uncommon and can damage overly sophisticated equipment. Make sure your equipment is sturdy, and take care when using laptops, as they can be subject to voltage feedback.
Asfor weights and measures, Kyrgyzstan uses the international metric system. We therefore speak in meters and kilometers, grams and kilograms.
Luggage Kyrgyzstan
In Kyrgyzstan, you'll have to battle against the temperature. Make sure you wear warm clothes in winter and even in summer: daytime heat quickly disappears at altitude as night falls. Conversely, the heat can be stifling in Bishkek, Naryn and the Ferghana Valley during the hottest months. So pack light cotton clothing, and don't forget a hat and sunglasses for your excursions. In both summer and winter, gloves will come in handy against either cold or sunburn.
If you don't want to ruin a good horseback ride, pack a waterproof jacket and pants, or a cape large enough to cover your body. Mountain climates, like ours, are often capricious!
Last but not least, you'll need good shoes for comfortable long walks on Bishkek's sidewalks and mountain hikes, as well as a pair of softer shoes or sandals to relax your toes in the evening.
Don't forget to bring a small electric lamp and spare batteries: power cuts are frequent, not to mention jailoos, which are not always equipped with electricity.
Most trekking tours in Central Asia, and Kyrgyzstan in particular, include overnight stays with local people. On some treks, however, you may well choose to set off unaccompanied and camp on your own (provided you have asked permission from any neighbors). In this case, please bring all the necessary equipment (camping gear, stove, water filter and sleeping bag). Some local organizations, particularly in Karakol and Arslanbob, can rent you equipment, but don't have a very large stock. You may find the stores empty in midsummer.
And in bulk : Swiss Army knife, alarm clock, sewing kit, high-protection sun cream (the sun is very strong), small pharmacy..
