UNESCO World Heritage Bishkek & the Chui Valley
Burana Tower
An eleventh-century minaret near Tokmok, all that remains of the Silk Road city of Balasagun. Nearby is a field of ancient stone grave markers called balbals.
Photo: Igor Tverdovskiy / unsplash.com / Unsplash License
Landmarks & places to visit
High mountains, wide lakes, summer yurts
An independent guide to Kyrgyzstan's mountain lakes, national park and an ancient Silk Road minaret.
Most of the country is mountains
Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tian Shan range, with snow peaks, glaciers and green valleys. Semi-nomadic herders still move to high pastures each summer and live in felt yurts, which travellers can often stay in.
Most visitors fly into Bishkek, the capital, and make day trips or longer journeys to the park, lakes and ruins covered here.
Featured landmarks
- UNESCO World Heritage
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Issyk-Kul
Issyk-Kul Lake
One of the largest alpine lakes in the world, ringed by the Tien Shan mountains. It never freezes despite its altitude, earning the nickname "warm lake".
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Naryn & the High Pastures
Song-Kol Lake
A high mountain lake at about 3,000 m, surrounded by summer pastures where nomadic herders set up yurt camps. Visitors can stay overnight in a yurt.
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UNESCO World Heritage Osh & the Fergana Valley
Sulaiman-Too (Osh)
A sacred mountain rising over the city of Osh, a pilgrimage site for many centuries and Kyrgyzstan’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.
Explore by region
Regions of this country, from the capital to the far corners.
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Bishkek & the Chui Valley The capital, a national park and an ancient tower · 2 places -
Issyk-Kul A huge warm mountain lake with beaches and canyons · 3 places -
Naryn & the High Pastures Yurt camps and wide grass plateaus · 2 places -
Osh & the Fergana Valley An ancient bazaar city under a sacred mountain · 1 place