Capital: Population: Language(s): Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek 5.8 million Kyrgyz; Russian is

NEED TO KNOW

Bring trekking poles for some of the steep downhill descents; smallnote US dollars prove handy; and take thick trousers because, at one stage or another, you’re more than likely to try horse riding.

Getting there

Turkish Airlines (0207 471 6666, turkishairlines.com) flies from London to Bishkek via Istanbul from around £400 return. Flight time is from around 11 hours, including stopover.

Getting around

The main forms of transport are marshrutka (minivans), shared taxis and private taxis. The shared options are good value but can be a bit squashed, cramming in four or five passengers. A marshrutka ride within Bishkek will cost around KGS10 (12p). A marshrutka to Karakol from Bishkek costs around £3; a shared taxi about £5.

Cost of travel

Kyrgyzstan is an inexpensive

A basic double room starts from around £10 to £12 per night, rising to around £40 to £50 a night. In a restaurant, a salad costs around £1.50, a sizzling beef/ mutton dish £3.50, five manti (dumplings) £1.50, a bottle of local beer around £1.15 and fizzy drinks 40p. An unlimited data SIM card costs £3 for two weeks.

Accommodation

Hotel Bugu (Bishkek; buguhotel.kg) is a funky and fantastic little hotel with exposed brick walls, murals and a superb breakfast. Greatvalue B&B doubles from £46.

Baiyish Camp (Song-kul; book via airbnb.co.uk) offers lakeside yurts with dinner and breakfast. Excellent value at £20pp.

Ak-sai Camp (Tash Rabat; ak-sai. com) is a small comfy yurt camp close to Tash Rabat caravanserai; open only in summer. A two-person shared yurt costs £47pp half-board.

Matsunoki Guest House (Karakol; facebook.com/matsunoki.kg) is a large, modern, friendly guesthouse run by a Japanese-kyrgyz family. B&B doubles from £38.

Food & drink

Meals are likely to feature flat breads, noodles, grilled meat, salads and soups, plus heaped trays of dried apricots, walnuts, raisins and confectionary. A popular fruit is

Archers in the Kyrchyn Gorge at the opening ceremony of the Kyrgyzstan World Nomad Games wanderlust.co.uk March 2019

watermelon, mainly imported from Uzbekistan. Dishes to try are beshbarmak (chopped boiled meat with noodles), manti (dumplings), plov (pilau) rice, fried borsok (dough) and jam, lepeshka breads ( pictured below), grilled shashlik and ashlan-fu cold noodles. Horse-milk kumis should be tried at least once.

Further reading & information

Kyrgyzstan (Bradt Guides, 2015) – the new edition is out April 2019 Shadow of the Silk Road (Vintage, 2007) by Colin Thubron – a taste of the Silk Road by one the greats of travel writing discoverkyrgyzstan.org – official site for Kyrgyzstan tourism 52 wanderlust.co.uk March 2019

When it comes to uncovering hidden gems on your travels, it’s the locals who know best. Their stories and insider knowledge help unlock the secrets of each destination – whether that’s the best place to eat in Greece (on the shore, it turns out, tucking into freshly grilled fish from a recent catch), or exactly where to stand to see the most spectacular Northern Lights (68.88378° N, 15.60273° E, according to Exodus local guide, Nigel).

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Get a different perspective on the Taj Mahal – visit early or late, or snap the ‘monument to love’ from the opposite bank for reflections in the Yamuna River