Visiting Bishkek

The air strip at the Manas Air Base doubles as Kyrgyzstan’s international airport. BMI, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot and Air Astana all offer flights from the U.S. and Europe to Kyrgyzstan via their respective hubs. Kyrgyzstan’s own airlines are not permitted to fly in European airspace due to their poor safety records. 

Nationals from Russia and the CIS do not normally require visas to visit Kyrgyzstan. However, if you are travelling on a U.S. or EU passport, a tourist or business visa is required. Single entry tourist visas are available on arrival at Manas International Airport and are valid for 30 days. All other visa types must be applied for at a Kyrgyz Embassy. 

There are a shortage of western-standard places to stay in Bishkek and, even more so, in the rest of Kyrgyzstan. The most popular location is the four-star Hyatt Regency Bishkek on Sovietskaya, which overlooks Bishkek’s Opera House. Hotel Ak Keme and Hotel Dostuk are slightly less expensive, Soviet-era alternatives, and the British-owned Celestial Mountains Guesthouse is popular with those travelling on a budget.