Situated in the heart of Central Asia, KYRGYZSTAN is a land full of snow fields and glaciers, cascading streams and rich green Alps. The territory of Kyrgyzstan is 198,500 sq. km. 94% of the country is covered with mountains that are among the highest in the world - Khan-Tengri (7010 m) and Pobeda peaks (7,439 m). Hot, dry summer alternate with cold winters. Kyrgyzstan is also famous for its unique Issyk-Kul lake ('Warm Lake' in Kyrgyz), its water never gets frozen in winter and white swans spend winter there, its a Swan lake. It is 668 m deep, situated 1,609 m above sea level. Issyk-Kul is a huge sweet water lake second in altitude only to the Titicaca Lake in South America.

The population of Kyrgyzstan is 4.5 mln. The Kyrgyz population extends throughout Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz are of Turkic descent, modified by contacts with their Mongol neighbors, and occupy the high plateau between the Hindu Kush, Pamir and Tyan Shan mountain chains. Kyrgyz live in yurts, felt covered frame tents, which provide moveable accommodation for whole families during the annual cycle of transhumant pastopralism. A favorable climate, a large variety of mineral springs: there are over 100 mineral and thermal springs at Ak-Suu, Arashan, Chayek, Ala-Archa; therapeutic mud baths, splendid beaches and high mountains provide an unlimited recreational potential.

The capital of Kyrgyz Republic is Bishkek. It is situated in the Chu valley, in the north of Kyrgyzsia, at the site of ancient settlements of VI - VII and XIII centuries. First fortress of Pishpek was built in 1825 to protect lands of Kokand kingdom. In 1863 Russian troops won it and Russian workers, peasants and merchants settled down there. Pishkek received the status of town in 1878.

Pishpek grew slowly until it was opened to the world when the railway connected Pishpek with Central Russia.It was a town of small houses and workshops. Local population was engaged in agriculture, trade and crafts. In 1926 it was renamed Frunze, a Red Army general born in old Tsarist town of Pishkek. In 1931 Kyrgyzstan became a republic and the city of Frunze - its capital. After the fall of the Soviet Union Kyrgyzstan became an independent state in 1991, and the capital was change from Frunze to the Kyrgyz version of its older name Bishkek. It is translated into English as "a village at the foot of the mountains".

Today the total area of the city is more than 132,000 hectares. Bishkek is the center of scientific work and modern culture of Kyrgyzstan, the city of monumental ensembles. Most buildings are typically Soviet - large, functionalist but dull. The population of the city is 750,000 inhabitants.

Bishkek is a pleasant city with trees everywhere, besides the streets are tidy and well - tended. The city is 806 m above sea level at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains. The permanent snows of Kyrgz Ala-Too range are as close as they look, 40 km from the southern outskirts. Waterfalls rush down the canalized Ala-Archa River into the town, where a network of aryks sends it gurgling along the streets.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to visit Kyrgyzstan, a splendid place for adventure holidays and nature tourism: mountaineering, trekking, horseback-riding, hunting, fishing, caving, river rafting, rock climbing, skiing. Kyrgyzstan, which was closed to foreigners till recently, is now open to welcome you.

HOTEL PINARA

Located close to city center. 38 km to the airport, 7 km to the railway station. Opened in 1995. 15 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 152 rooms: 124 singles, 16 doubles, 12 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color satellite TV, international direct-dial telephone, mini-bar. 24-h room service. Restaurant for 200 seats. Lobby bar for 45 seats. Bar for 30 seats. Banquet hall for 30 seats. Business Center. Service bureau. Sauna. Gym. Casino. First medical aid office. Beauty shop. Gift shop. Safety deposit box. Currency Exchange. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $170.

HOTEL DOSTUK

Located in the city center. 30 km to the airport, 2 km to the railway station. Opened in 1992. Renovated in 1999. 9 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 188 rooms: 113 singles, 52 twins, 9 doubles, 12 junior suites, 2 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom with emergency water heater, air conditioner, color cable TV, radio, international direct-dial telephone, mini-bar. Room service. Dostuk restaurant for 80 seats. Arizona restaurant for 34 seats. Bar for 20 seats. Banquet hall for 30 seats. Business Center. Service bureau. Sauna. Billiards room. Post office. Beauty shop. Souvenir kiosk. News stand. Safety deposit box. Currency Exchange. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $120.

HOTEL BISHKEK

Located in the city center. 29 km to the airport, 1 km to the railway station. Opened in 1974. Renovated in 1998. 5 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 98 rooms: 26 singles, 50 twins, 2 triples, 14 junior suites, 6 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, international direct-dial telephone, refrigerator. Room service. Restaurant for 150 seats. Bar for 20 seats. Banquet hall for 50 seats. Business Center. Service bureau. Sauna. Post office. Beauty shop. Souvenir kiosk. Safety deposit box. Currency Exchange. Laundry. Baggage storage. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $105.

Bishkek Museums

The History Museum. Operating hours: 10am - 4pm, closed on Monday. It is located in the former Lenin Museum. Its collections are displayed on the three floors, each floor is dedicated to a different aspect of the history of the area. The Ethnography Department presents an interesting insight into Kyrgyz nomadic life and traditional culture of the native population of Kyrgyzstan. The History Department traces the history of the country from ancient to modern times. Among the exhibits you will see the opulent and reverent shrine to Lenin as it was first installed. The third floor devoted pre - Lenin time of Kyrgyzstan. One of the new attractions is the display about repression victims.

The Fine Arts Museum. Operating hours: 10am - 4pm, closed on Monday. The museum's permanent exhibit halls cover traditional Kyrgyz decorative and applied art, Russian art and Soviet art, the latter with special emphasis on Soviet trained Kyrgyz painters, sculptors and graphic artists. The tradition art hall features a jurt, as well as a hypnotic array of shyrdaks - appliqued felt carpets with bold, curvilinear motifs. Works of traditional decorative art, as well as painting, drawing, sculpture, and graphic art, are for sale in the lobby.

The Frunze's Memorial Museum. Operating hours: 10am - 4pm, closed on Monday. Mikhail Frunze, the Red Army hero and political organizer of the Civil War period, was born in Pishpek in 1885 into family of a Moldavian assistant. In 1926, a year after his death, his hometown was renamed in his honor. The old house taking up the ground floor of the museum is supposedly Frunze's boyhood home in its original location and authentically furnished. The second floor traces Frunze's life and remarkable career. The third floor presents the achievements of Frunze's (the city's) industries, and chronicles Kyrgyzia efforts in WWII.

City Tour of Bishkek, 2.5 hours

During this tour you will see the historical center of Bishkek, the main square Ala-Too with the towering statue of Lenin, the Kyrgyz Opera and Ballet Theater, Fine Arts museum, Victory Square, Pishpek Fort and other historical monuments.

Central Square Ala-Too. Former Lenin Square (constructed in the 1980's). Lenin monument (erected in 1984). History Museum. Ilbirs textile mill. Friendship monument. The former TsIK (Central Executive Committee) building, which is the oldest structure on the square. Nowadays the building houses shops, cafes, restaurants and a bank.

Soviet Street. South Gates of Bishkek. Central Post Office. Opera and Ballet Theater. Fine Arts Museum. Lenin Library. Shopping area. Restaurants, cafes.

Manas Street. Hotel Pinara. Former Airport. Manas Cinema. Shampagne-Wine Factory. Kyrgyz Gold Company. Philharmonic Society building. Manas monument. Kyrgyz State National University and other higher educational establishments.

Chu Avenue. Former Lenin Street. EVM and Setun plants, October and Rossia movie halls. Shopping area: Central Department Store, Osh market, Altyn Jewelry. Building of the State Academy of Sciences. Central Bank. Central Telegraph.

TOURS AROUND BISHKEK

Tour of Burana Tower, 4 hours. The Burana Tower is located 70 km from Bishkek. This is an 11th century minaret of the ancient city of Balasaghun, which was once capital of the Qarakhanid State. Located in the middle of the Chuy Valley with fields around it and mountains in the background. Architecturally not very significant if one compares this to the monuments in Uzbekistan, but it was an important part of modern Kyrgyzstan's nation-building effort. Explanation panels at the site show artists' imagination of what the hey days of the city looked like. They showed horsemen with Kyrgyz costumes in the background. Also there is a number of ancient petrographs and rock carvings at the Burana site. The collection was brought from all over the country.

Tour of Ala-Archa Valley, 8 hours. Kyrgyzstan is known as the Land of the Tian Shan, or Celestial Mountains - one of the world's great ranges, whose peaks reach over 7,000 meters in height and stretch into neighboring China. Ala-Archa gorge is a recreational area, favorite place for tourists. It is a grand, but accessible gorge to the south of Bishkek (30 km away) with huge glaciers with picturesque rocks, mountain rivers, crystal waterfalls Ak - Sai and Adyge, archa - forest, bushwoods of willow bed, wild rose, various animals: 26 species of mammals, more than 160 species of birds. Most canyons are the part of state Nature Park.

Trip to the Hot Springs, 7 hours. There are over 100 mineral and thermal springs in Kyrgyzstan. We offer you to travel to one of them situated 40 km from Bishkek in the middle part of the Alamedin Gorge. Here at the altitude of 1981 m you will visit the Hot Spa based on the hot radon springs with a temperature of + 53 degrees C. On the way you will see the spectacular landscape of the gorge: peaks grown with bushes of barberry, dog-rose and black current, slopes grown with juniper, maintain ash and birch. Walk to the beautiful waterfall, which is situated 5 km away, enjoy fresh mountain air, bright sunny rays and healing water.

Tour of Merzbacher Lake. There is a great number of things which will grab your attention from the very first moment of this tour: the suburbs of Karakol, the valley of Inycher river, a mysterious Merzbacher Lake, a helicopter trip over "seven-thousand"-Khan-Tengry and Pobeda Peaks. Suggested travel time: July - August. Duration: 17 days. Group size: 8-16 PAX. Tour price starts at $ 1,188.

Horse Trips along the Great Silk Road are real adventure. You will ride along virgin nature of Tien-Shan with its Tien-Shan firtrees and jumper forests. Taste Kumyz - an ancient drink of Kyrgyzes, enjoy raging alpine rivers, where there are plenty of trout, visit boundless alpine meadows. Suggested travel time: July - September. Duration: 13 days.

Rafting on the rivers is a fascinating way of enjoying nature. You will experience the rivers' most exciting rapids, enjoy beautiful sceneries and hearty meals. Suggested travel time: all year round. Duration: 15 days.

See old relicts and monuments of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and China. This tour may fulfill your wildest dreams! Travel along the ancient Trade Road - the Great Silk Road. Suggested travel time: all year round. Duration: 26 days.