Kyrgyzstan 2022

“It was July at Issyk-Kul, where gentle waves kissed every shore…”

Thursday, July 21, 2022. Off to Issyk-Kul!

Our short but unforgettable journey to sunny Kyrgyzstan is about to begin. This time, my mom and I are flying via Astana to Bishkek, and from there we’ll catch a bus to the legendary Lake Issyk-Kul.

For all the criticism our beloved low-cost airline gets, FlyArystan pleasantly surprised us. Even though our tickets didn’t include seat selection, the staff always did their best to seat us together at no extra charge—a courtesy not every budget airline offers. A one-way ticket cost us only about 30,000 tenge per person. On the way to Kyrgyzstan, we were treated to a breathtaking honey-colored sunset from above the clouds.

As soon as we landed at Manas Airport, we were greeted by a crowd of eager taxi drivers.
One piece of advice if you’re planning a trip to Kyrgyzstan: think ahead about how you’ll get from the airport into the city. Some unofficial taxi drivers use a clever little scheme—they collect passengers at the airport, charging roughly double the normal fare, lead them to what looks like a comfortable car, and then immediately transfer them to a different, more modest vehicle driven by someone else who actually takes them to Bishkek. The first driver simply makes money by finding customers. It’s much better to book a taxi in advance (Yandex Go works well) or, even better, wait for the airport shuttle. We only found out later that minibuses run regularly between the airport and the city—they’re comfortable, reliable, and very affordable, costing around 150 som at the time.
In general, prices were noticeably lower than back home. A local SIM card with unlimited mobile data, purchased right at the airport, cost the equivalent of only about 2,000–3,000 tenge, which was a great deal. At the time, the exchange rate was roughly 1:5, although it used to be even more favorable. And a simple set breakfast at a little cafeteria just across the street from our guesthouse cost less than 500 tenge per person—only 90 som!

Friday, July 22, 2022. Cholpon-Ata

Buses to Issyk-Kul leave regularly from Bishkek’s main bus station. The journey to Cholpon-Ata is about 261 km, and the fare costs less than $5—we paid just 400 som each. Meanwhile, the taxi drivers at the station are more than happy to offer tourists a ride “right now” for $100… or even $200. They certainly know how to aim high. 😀

So why did we choose Cholpon-Ata? Mainly because of its sandy beaches and the very shallow, gently sloping shoreline. That’s what the northern coast of Issyk-Kul is known for, while the southern shore tends to be rockier, with a much steeper drop into the water. It all depends on what you’re looking for. We figured soft sand would make for a more relaxing stay. The downside, of course, is that this family-friendly coastline attracts plenty of parents with young children, so the beaches are full of happy little toddlers running around.
Another advantage is the location. Cholpon-Ata is the closest resort town on the lake to Almaty. If you drive up to the Talgar Pass from Almaty, you’ve already covered nearly a third of the straight-line distance to Issyk-Kul. There’s even a small local airport nearby, Tamchy, which is served by seasonal FlyArystan flights.

The drive to the lake is surprisingly scenic, winding through a broad valley framed by dramatic rocky mountains. For us, it was a refreshing change from the endless flat steppe we’re used to seeing back home. Cholpon-Ata itself isn’t really a city—more of a laid-back village tucked against the foot of a breathtaking mountain range. In fact, these are the very same mountains that surround Almaty, just viewed from the southern side.
Once we arrived, we checked into a lovely guesthouse we had booked through Booking.com—Family Guest House. It was conveniently located within walking distance of both the bus station and the beach. The property had a beautiful shaded garden and a cozy dining room where generous, delicious breakfasts were served each morning, accompanied by soft music and the cheerful chirping of a pet parrot. Our hostess, Mira, was incredibly warm and welcoming, and the little parrot somehow managed to put everyone in a good mood before the day had even begun. It was a wonderful place to stay.

Cholpon-Ata is undoubtedly the main tourist hub on Issyk-Kul, and prices here felt several times higher than elsewhere in the country. The town attracts visitors from all over—not just Kazakhstan and Russia, but plenty of Western Europeans as well. Interestingly, many English-speaking travelers come not for the beaches, but for Kyrgyzstan’s spectacular wilderness. Some set off on multi-day horseback expeditions with local guides, venturing deep into remote valleys and mountain gorges, far from civilization and into some of the country’s most pristine landscapes.
Despite all the visitors, Cholpon-Ata itself is remarkably quiet and peaceful. The only odd thing was that almost every evening we could hear police sirens somewhere in town. Whether they were carrying out raids or simply keeping a close eye on things, I never did find out.

July 23–24, 2022. Beach Days

The next couple of days were all about slowing down and enjoying the beach.
Every morning, after another wonderful breakfast accompanied by the gentle chatter of our little parrot, we’d head straight to the lake for a swim and some sunshine. Around lunchtime we’d wander back into town for a meal, relax at the guesthouse for a while, and then make our way back to the shore again.
Issyk-Kul truly is the jewel of Kyrgyzstan—a vast alpine lake with brilliant ultramarine water, stretching for about 180 kilometers and famous far beyond the country’s borders. The endless sapphire-blue surface framed by rugged, snow-capped mountains is simply breathtaking. Every summer the lake draws visitors from all over, but despite its popularity, it’s still a high-altitude destination, sitting at around 1,600 meters (5,250 ft) above sea level, and you definitely feel it.
While Bishkek was baking in the summer heat, Issyk-Kul stayed surprisingly cool. The water was wonderfully refreshing—after ten minutes of swimming, all you wanted to do was run back onto the beach and warm up in the sun. Because the shoreline is so shallow, you have to walk quite a long way before the water even reaches your waist.
The mountain sun, however, is a different story. It’s incredibly intense. You don’t exactly feel warm—you feel as if you’re slowly roasting under the high-altitude UV rays. We ended up looking like boiled lobsters despite using sunscreen, and every bit of our tan peeled away a few days later along with our sunburned skin.

The beaches were lively without feeling overcrowded. There were plenty of water activities to choose from, and inflatable banana boats and giant dragon rafts zipped up and down the shoreline all day long, sending laughing—and occasionally screaming—passengers flying into the water during sharp turns.
At one point we even considered trying parasailing. The price was surprisingly reasonable, but after watching the instructor, who was hanging behind the parachute, literally give the tourists a push with his foot to help them take off, we suddenly decided we were perfectly happy staying on the ground. 😀
Vendors wandered along the beach selling roasted corn, cotton candy, and all kinds of snacks. We, however, couldn’t get enough of the incredibly sweet apricots and golden cherries that were sold everywhere for next to nothing.
One afternoon we stopped at a café on the way to the beach and ordered the most delicious trout, served in a rich lemon sauce. It was absolutely mouthwatering. They even brought us complimentary fruit compote afterward.
Something else we noticed: about half the tables in local cafés were traditional low tables, where you sit cross-legged on carpets instead of chairs. It felt unusual at first, but apparently that’s exactly how many locals prefer to dine.

The people here are wonderfully friendly, too—round-faced, sun-kissed, and always smiling. They reminded me of the cheerful faces from old Soviet travel posters promoting Central Asia. And in many ways, Kyrgyzstan itself still feels a little frozen in time, with traces of the Soviet era visible almost everywhere.
We also spent some time browsing the local market, where we picked up a few colorful shirts and summer dresses at bargain prices. One of my favorite purchases, though, was a painting by a local artist. For just 1,500 som, we bought a beautiful velvet painting of Issyk-Kul under the moonlight. It was quite large, but on the flight home the airline kindly let us bring it on board free of charge, even though it exceeded the usual carry-on allowance.

One day we booked a sightseeing boat cruise across the lake, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. We sailed far from shore, and I even jumped into the water above a depth of nearly 100 meters. On the way back, a song started playing through the boat’s speakers—one that couldn’t have been more perfect for the moment:
“It was July at Issyk-Kul, where gentle waves kissed every shore…” 🙂

July 25, 2022. Time to Head Home

Our journey home took us back through Bishkek, just as planned. This time, though, we skipped the taxi drivers altogether and headed straight for the airport shuttle minibus. It follows a fixed route through the city, and it’s easy enough to find the right stop online.
Bishkek greeted us with scorching summer heat—35°C. While waiting for the shuttle, we sat on a bench in the city center, happily enjoying deliciously cold ice cream from a nearby kiosk. At just 40 som each. Perfect!

Our flight wasn’t scheduled until late at night, and then it was delayed even further, so we ended up sleeping right at the airport. Fortunately, Manas Airport is actually quite comfortable for that. There are plenty of quiet corners with rows of seats where you can stretch out and catch a few hours of sleep.
Of course, no trip would be complete without one last adventure.
Our Bishkek–Astana flight was delayed yet again—this time by so many hours that we were able to change our tickets free of charge. Unfortunately, our Astana–Semey flight was also delayed (which seemed to happen all the time during the summer of 2022), so rather than lose an entire day waiting around, we rebooked once more… and ended up with a rather unexpected itinerary.
Instead of flying straight home, we flew to Astana, waited a couple of hours, then boarded another flight… to Almaty—almost back to where our journey had started geographically. Only after that did we finally catch our last flight to Semey.
By then, we were completely exhausted and desperately in need of sleep. Our flight schedule had become so packed that, for a moment, it felt like we were as cabin crew ourselves. 😀