Central Asia. The 5 -Stans. A region of wild mountains, hospitable nomads, and endless bumpy marthrutka rides. It’s one of the best hiking regions in Asia, or even the world for that matter, but don’t expect much in the way of infrastructure or signage – prepare to be self-reliant and sort out all the logistics yourself.
Pick up most recent Lonely Planet: Central Asia guidebook to start planning your trip.
Kyrgyzstan: Chon Kaindy Valley Kyrgyzstan’s Chon Kaindy Valley (sometimes transliterated as Chong-Kaindy of Chong-Kaingdy instead) is not among the well-known trekking routes in the Chuy Oblast surrounding Bishkek, and therein lies much of the appeal. There are no epic peak panoramas, but an abundance of beautiful verdant nature away from […]
Kyrgyzstan: Ak Kol Loop Hike This Ak Kol Loop route begins and ends in the quaint log-cabin village of Ak-Kol in Naryn oblasts’ rarely-visited Jumgal region. Though access to the village isn’t easy (requiring a private transfer from the nearest village at Chaek), the surroundings are beautiful and the village […]
Kyrgyzstan: Ak Suu Arboretum Dayhike Ak Suu Arboretum is an easy dayhike outside the city of Karakol in the east of Kyrgyzstan. Not very physically demanding and with reasonably pleasant walking and nice views, it makes for a nice rest day in Karakol or a simple dayhike for travellers who […]
Kyrgyzstan Topographic Trekking Maps топографические карты Кыргызстана In partnership with national tourism brand Discover Kyrgyzstan, the USAID Business Growth Initiative recently helped design a set of topographic trekking maps covering their partner destinations across the country of Kyrgyzstan. Each map includes detailed descriptions, distance, and difficulty information along with photos of every […]
Kyrgyzstan: Ala-Archa Valley Trail Only a 30-45 minute drive from the capital city of Bishkek, the Ala-Archa Valley Trail inside the Ala-Archa National Park is perhaps the most accessible hiking destination in all of the Kyrgyz Republic. There are several marked trails and a number of unmarked options, but seemingly […]