ok, so I am all booked for 8 days in Kyrgyzstan
how would you spend your 8 days there - solo traveller - not really interested in trekking - maybe a short horse trip, thats it. Should I just focus on Bishkek and Issyk-Kul?
Would you just head to Bishkek and wing it from there, or is it worth having some plans in advance?
Will travel be difficult in Kyrgyzstan during Ramadan?
I will be there Aug.6-13, would love to meet up if anyone else is around
Day 1 Bishkek (nothing much there)
Day 2- minibus to Choplan Ata (petroglyphs)
Day 3- minibus Karakol
Day 4 - Karakol (go up to valley of Flowers and the rock formations)
Day 5- minibus to Kochkor
Day 6- to Lake Song-Kol sleep in yurt
Day 7- back to Kochkor
Day 8- To Bishkek and home
Don't forget the amazing enormous Lake Issyk-Kul at Cholpon Ata. (Karakol is at a bit of a distance from the lake.)
If you are interested in history of the Silk Road, you might want to visit the Burana Tower at Belasagun on the way to or from Bishkek. (About 10 km south of Tokmok.)
You shouldn't have any issues with visiting during Ramadan. You might have a driver say he will be stopping for a minute to pray. If you are visiting, your hosts might offer you food and drink, but might not partake with you. A few restaurants might be closed during the day. In Bishkek, I doubt you would notice anything.
Thanks everyone for the helpful replies.
Would you advise arranging something in advance, or arranging accomodation/transport on the ground in Bishkek on Day 1?
Depending on your budget, you could make a reservation at Sakura Guesthouse (budget) or at Celestial Mountains' Silk Road Lodge (high end) in Bishkek.
They could arrange for a driver to pick you up, but a less expensive plan would be to ask your lodging hosts, when you make the reservation, what a taxi from the airport should cost, and whether you would be allowed to pay in dollars, or whether you should pick up some Kyrgyz sum at the airport ATM.
When you depart customs, you will be descended upon by a hoard of taxi drivers, present at any time flights are arriving.
