There are no obligatory immunisations for travellers to Kyrgyzstan although you should be up-to-date on Typhoid Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend that you seek out guidance from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct vaccinations and preventative treatment.

Drinks and food

Kyrgyzstan’s food is usually based on meat and rice. But, there are numerous other options for salads and vegetable choices. As you travel you will be able to taste local dishes from the region, which often overlap with the diverse cultures that have lived and moved through the millennia.

With regard to alcohol, your options are generally limited to vodka or beer so anyone wanting something different like Scotch or Gin for instance – must buy it duty free and take it home. Mixers, such as tonic water, are extremely difficult to locate in Central Asia.

Cultural Sensitivity

You will often interact with the locals, all with their unique customs and traditions. We therefore ask you to be courteous and treat them with respect. The tour guides and tour guides are always able to provide you with the appropriate advice.

The first thing to say about travelling through Central Asia is that most regions, especially the cities and towns, take a more laid-back approach to Islam than their neighbors to the south in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In areas such as Bishkek you’ll be shocked by the length of some women’s skirts! However, it needs to be remembered that Bishkek is technically classified as a Muslim region and therefore some caution is required in certain places. Both genders can wear shorts and T-shirts. When visiting mosques women should cover their shoulders in trousers or skirts. Men should avoid wearing shorts.

80% of the population are Islamic with just a little over 15% of them following

Russian Orthodoxy.

Religion and Language

Kyrgyzstan is among the two former Soviet Republics in Central Asia to retain Russian as an official language. Kyrgyzstan was declared an official bilingual nation in the 1990’s, adding Kyrgyz as the official language. Because of Soviet policies, you will meet ethnic Uzbeks as well as Tajiks in certain areas of Kyrgyzstan.

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