Kyrgyzstan Travel FAQs

Up to date information for vaccinations before you travel to Kyrgyzstan are available from the NHS website

For up to date information around safety and security in Kyrgyzstan read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office latest information for Kyrgyzstan.

The most suitable time to visit northern Kyrgyzstan is from June to September; March to October is perfect for Southern Kyrgyzstan.

British nationals don't need a visa to enter and stay for up to 60 calendar days.If you think you may spend more than 60 days in Kyrgyzstan, you should get a visa from a Kyrgyz Embassy before you travel or on arrival at the airport in Bishkek.

The official currency of Kyrgyzstan is the Kyrgyzstani som.

Wild boars, brown bears, Siberian Ibex, wolves, foxes, porcupines, Turkestan Lynx, Tien Shan Elk, Golden Eagle, and over 150 other bird species to name a few.

Beshbarmak is the Kyrgyz national dish, although it is also common in Uzbekistan and in Xinjiang (where it is called narin). It consists of horse meat (or mutton/beef) boiled in its own broth for several hours and served over homemade noodles sprinkled with parsley.

Kyrgyzstan is one of three former Soviet republics in Central Asia to have Russian as an official language, Kazakhstan (de jure) and Uzbekistan (de facto) being the others. The Kyrgyz language was adopted as the official language in 1991.

The currency in Kyrgyzstan is the Kyrgyzstani som. Most restaurants include a 10% – 15% service charge in the bill, even small hole-in-the-walls. Always make sure to look for it when the bill is presented. If there's no service charge, there's no real need to tip, although it's appreciated if you do.

Local Kyrgyzstan travel experts are available.