Bishkek

Guided horseback excursions in the foothills south of Bishkek, connecting with the Kyrgyz nomadic equestrian heritage..

A self-guided walk through Bishkek's center to see remarkable Soviet Brutalist and neoclassical buildings including the White House, Philharmonia, and mosaic murals..

A small wooden house preserved inside a larger Soviet building, birthplace of Bolshevik commander Mikhail Frunze after whom Bishkek was once named..

One of the largest markets in Central Asia, a sea of shipping containers selling clothes, electronics, and goods traded along modern Silk Road routes..

The country's premier art museum with a collection spanning Kyrgyz applied arts, Soviet-era paintings, and Central Asian contemporary works..

An 11th-century minaret and archaeological site in the Chuy Valley, remnant of the ancient Silk Road city of Balasagun..

A granite obelisk and memorial flame in downtown Bishkek commemorating those killed during the April 2010 revolution that overthrew President Bakiyev.

A well-marked trail in Ala-Archa National Park leading to a glacial waterfall at the foot of the Tian Shan peaks — one of the most accessible alpine hikes from Bishkek.

An alpine national park in the Tian Shan mountains just 40 km south of Bishkek, with glaciers, waterfalls, and trekking trails up to 4,000 meters..

A striking Russian Orthodox cathedral with golden domes and blue walls, originally built in 1944 and beautifully restored in recent decades..

The main public square of Bishkek, site of the iconic Manas statue and the changing of the guard ceremony..

A solemn memorial square honoring WWII veterans, featuring a dramatic yurt-shaped granite arch with an eternal flame beneath..

A leafy central park named after WWII hero Ivan Panfilov, featuring towering oak trees, Soviet-era sculptures, and open-air art exhibitions..

The largest mosque in Kyrgyzstan, a gleaming modern structure completed in 2018 with Turkish-influenced architecture and capacity for 20,000 worshippers..

Kyzyl-Suu ('Red Water') Valley, 50 km south of Bishkek, features eroded red-sandstone badlands and canyons often compared to a miniature Grand Canyon — a dramatic landscape accessible as a half-day trip.

Kyrgyzstan's national museum at Ala-Too Square, spanning the country's history from nomadic times through the Soviet era..

A poignant memorial site 25 km south of Bishkek, commemorating the victims of Stalin's 1938 purges and the 2010 revolution..

Suusamyr is a vast, high-altitude jailoo (summer pasture) at 2,200 m, ringed by 4,000 m peaks, where nomadic herders graze horses and yaks from June to September — one of Kyrgyzstan's most iconic landscapes.

Bishkek's largest and most vibrant open-air market selling everything from spices and dried fruits to traditional Kyrgyz handicrafts..

Bishkek's largest modern shopping mall, offering international and Turkish brands, a cinema, bowling alley, and a food court popular with the city's young middle class.