| Trip 1- Great Trek| Trip 2- Secret Kyrgyzstan | | All trips information | Optional Trips | Kyrgystan Today |
COMMON TIPS FOR ALL OUR TRIPS.
|
VISA It is now possible and without any difficulties, to get your one month touristic visa at your arrival in Bishkek airport. It costs about 60€. Only condition: valid passport for at least six month from your entry date. This procedure is in place since 2002. Ambassade du Kirghizstan à Bruxelles Flights for Bishkek (FRU)
Time difference with Europe : 4 hours (GMT+6). -Vaccinations Diphtéria/tétanus/polio recommended. -Communications At the beginning and at the end of the trip, you can
contact the rest of the world by fax, Email, telephone or private express
mail. During the trip, mobile phone can be used from some places. -Temperature and climate The capital, Bishkek, is 800m above sea level. The climate is continental dry, very hot in summer in Bishkek and around (+ 30 to 40° C), by far cooler in the mountains. Many peaks are between 3500 and 7000 m and many passes are permanently covered with snow. -Currency Is called "som" and divided in 100 teen.
There are banknotes and coins. In Bishkek, almost all Banks can do every
transaction you may need (transfert, credit card, etc...) You can now take money with any credit card in some banks and special places, but it il preferable having some Dollars or Euros with you just in case it's not working ! -Language Two official languages : Kyrgyz (turco-altaïc) and Russian. Almost everybody speaks Russian, except in remote villages where teaching is only in Kyrgyz. -Clothes Kyrgyzstan is a moslem country, though religion doesn't appear to be the main preoccupation of people, but don't wear mini-skirts or go without shirt, specially in the countryside. -Facts about Kyrgyzstan As in other moslem countries, one eat with right hand, the left one is "unclean". Tea, the national drink, is served in small cups never filled up. It has to be filled very often. Offering a full cup of tea is considered as an invitation to go away. Delicious local bread, called "nan" is broken by the chief of the family so as everybody can take a piece. When invited for a meal, it is not rare getting up from the table and going away as soon as the meal is finished. -Silk Road Kyrgyzstan lies on the north branch of the great silk road, linking China to Europe, from the beginning of our millennium. Some of our trips are passing through these routes, where remains can be seen. *For general information about Kyrgyzstan, click "Kyrgyzstan".
|