Road trip in Kyrgyzstan: the complete guide to prepare your itinerary by 4×4, van, motorcycle or bicycle

Why travel to Kyrgyzstan?

Crossed from west to east by the Celestial Mountains and the famous Silk Road, Kyrgyzstan is a land of wild contrasts and beauty. Punctuated by vertiginous peaks reaching 7,000 m in places, the country unfolds through sumptuous green mountain scenery, where the slender silhouettes of horses and the white yurts of nomads blend harmoniously. From desert steppes to vast valleys shaped by erosion and time, this small landlocked country in the middle of Central Asia is the ideal destination for an off-the-beaten-track adventure.

Kyrgyz hospitality is outstanding. The door of their yurts is always open to you, for a bit of warmth, a cup of tea, warm bread or a glass of vodka… and this despite the language barrier (Kyrgyz and Russian mainly spoken).

Given the country’s topography and poorly-developed road network, we recommend the use ofan off-road vehicle: 4×4, trail bike or mountain bike. While it’s possible to stay on the country’s main asphalt roads, it’s the small mountain tracks that will give you access to magnificent, little-travelled regions, where the locals are keen to meet you. You can rent a 4×4, a van , a motorcycle or even a bicycle. It’s also possible to trek on horseback, a fun way to experience nomadic life in the mountains. We have a few local guides to recommend, and you’ll find them in our article dedicated to horseback riding in Kyrgyzstan.

The Explore Kyrgyzstan book

We were lucky enough to explore the country several times between 2017 and 2024. In fact, we return almost every year. In love with the country and its people, we decided to create the travel guide for travelers who want to discover and explore Kyrgyzstan off the beaten track. Explore Kyrgyzstanis aimed at all adventure-seeking travellers, whatever their means of transport – 4×4, van, motorcycle or bicycle. Designed as a road-book and illustrated with numerous maps and photographs, Explore Kyrgyzstan is both a beautiful book and an essential tool for your Silk Road adventure.

But the best people to talk about it are our readers!

In this book, we highlight 24 itineraries across the country, as well as over 60 sites of natural and cultural interest (hikes, archaeological sites, museums, etc.). You’re free to choose from our selection of trails according to your desires and the time you have available. Use this guide to build an itinerary that suits you, but don’t forget to let yourself be carried away by the hospitality of the Kyrgyz people and your own personal favorites. 💛

How to organize a road trip to Kyrgyzstan?

How long will you be in Kyrgyzstan?

Despite its small size (1/4 the size of France), the country boasts an incredible diversity of panoramas, from majestic glaciers and sparkling glacial lakes to arid steppes and verdant valleys. Due to its mountainous terrain and poorly-developed road network, we recommend a minimum stay of 15 days in Kyrgyzstan. to take full advantage of all the country has to offer. Don’t forget to take the seasons and weather conditions into account when planning your trip. The best time to visit Kyrgyzstan is from June to September, in summer, when temperatures are pleasant and most mountain roads are passable. Don’t leave without consulting our top 10 tips for planning your trip to Kyrgyzstan.

Driving in Kyrgyzstan: what you need to know

Road conditions is very uneven from one region to another.
Roads linking the main towns (Bishkek, Karakol, Osh) are asphalted and in good condition.
Mountain roads, on the other hand, can be severely damaged by landslides and floods.
Once you’ve left the main roads behind, you’ll make rapid progress on more or less well-maintained trails.
That’s why an all-terrain vehicle is a must.
To help you prepare for your trip, we’ve sorted the 24 trails in our Explore guide by the following categories difficulty level from 1 to 5 (depending on the vehicle you have, your experience, the difficulties, the gradient, etc.). And beware of the many Kyrgyz who drive fast and carelessly! 🙂

Where to sleep?

Wild camping in Kyrgyzstan is an experience not to be missed.
You’ll be alone, in the middle of nature, and you’ll have the chance to contemplate a starry sky free of light pollution.
Camping is permitted everywhere (except in certain protected areas that are not easily accessible).
In the mountains, you can also experience the pleasure of sleeping in a yurt and discover the semi-nomadic lifestyle.
In the valleys and in town, you’ll find small guesthouses and reasonably priced hotels.
We’ve also prepared an article on the best places to stay in Kyrgyzstan.

How do you plan your itinerary?

Download a navigation application onto your smartphone to geolocate yourself and download maps in advance (which can be consulted offline). We recommend, for example, Maps.me or OSMand. If you’re using a Garmin-type GPS, download the OpenStreetMap maps before you set off. For those who prefer, you can download the GPS tracks for the 24 trails in the Explore guide (with over 150 points: bivouacs, viewpoints, etc.). We can also provide you with a foldable A2 map of Kyrgyzstan (Scale 1:2,000,000). Here you’ll find the main roads, the 24 book trails and the country’s main tourist attractions. On the back of the map, you’ll also find a complete Kyrgyz-French lexicon!

If you are looking for a more precise map of the country. We recommend the 1:750,000 Gizi maps. Please note, however, that some roads are out of date.

Our 15-day 4×4 itinerary in Kyrgyzstan

During our first stay in Kyrgyzstan, we crossed part of the country in a Toyota Prado that we had rented in Bishkek with Almaz. The map below shows the itinerary of our 15-day road-trip, including 3 days on horseback(2 days at Lake Song-Kul with Timur and 1 day at Lake Kol-Suu).

This itinerary allows you to discover the different facets of the country, from the arid canyons of Lake Issyk-Kul to the mountains of Tian-Shan. It also offers a taste of nomadic life in the high-altitude meadows and the vestiges of the Silk Road, notably the Tash Rabat caravanserai.

Please note that crossing the Tosor Pass is reserved for travellers with off-road driving experience and a suitable vehicle (4×4 obligatory, ATV, trail-type motorcycle). If you travel before June, the pass may still be covered in snow. In addition, fording is more difficult in early summer (when the snow melts). Don’t hesitate to join our facebook group Overland Kyrgyzstan for live information on the slopes.

Prized by visitors for its turquoise-blue waters and shores invaded by horses and yurts in summer, Lake Song-Kul is now one of the country’s must-sees. Time permitting, we highly recommend a visit to Lake Kol-Suu. Perched at an altitude of 3,500 m, Lake Kol-Suu sparkles blue amid high granite cliffs. It’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the country! A border permit is required to visit this lake.

What you need to know before traveling to Kyrgyzstan

Budget for a 2-week road-trip in Kyrgyzstan

For a 15-day road trip to Kyrgyzstan in 2025 for 2 people, you’ll need to budget around €1887 per person. This road-trip consists of 12 days in a rented 4×4 with roof tent (Toyota Land Cruiser) and 3 days on horseback in high season (July/August). The budget calculation is based on our personal experience!

For 4 people, the budget per person is degressive, as the price of rental and fuel is divided by 4. What’s more, if there are 4 of you, the price of the trek on horseback is degressive: it’s around €225 per person for a group of 4.

For 4 people, the total budget is around €1,380 per person.

Our favorites in Kyrgyzstan

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