Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, is located in the Chui Valley of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is a relatively young city with few historical landmarks, but it is an excellent starting point for treks to the Tien Shan mountains and alpine lakes.
Bishkek, on the other hand, is a fascinating example of a czarist planned city, with vast boulevards backed by irrigation canals and huge trees, marble-faced buildings, and Soviet residential complexes.
Many young tourists enjoy Bishkek’s nightlife, and the inhabitants are kind and welcoming. Bishkek is a city full with young people who congregate in clubs and little cafés. Kyrgyzstan has the most permissive tourist visa policy in Central Asia, therefore Bishkek is an excellent site to begin a Silk Road journey and get visas for neighboring countries.
The climate in Bishkek is humid continental.
The annual precipitation is roughly 440 millimetres (17 in).
In January, average daily high temperatures vary from 3 °C (37.4 °F) to about 31 °C (87.8 °F) in July.
The summer months are characterized by dry spells punctuated by thunderstorms that bring strong gusty winds and unusual dust storms. Along with the smaller chain that runs NW to SE, the mountains to the south form a natural border that protects from most of the harmful weather.
During the winter, the dominant characteristics include infrequent snow storms and frequent thick fog. When an inversion forms, the fog might continue for days.
The city’s core is mostly constructed on a rectangular grid pattern. The east–west Chui Avenue (Chuy Prospekti) is the city’s principal thoroughfare, named for the region’s main river. It was known as Lenin Avenue during the Soviet period. Many of the most significant government buildings, universities, the Academy of Sciences complex, and so on may be located along it or within a block or two of it. Deng Xiaoping Avenue is the avenue’s westernmost part.
Yusup Abdrakhmanov Street, still known by its previous name, Sovietskaya Street, is the principal north–south axis. Its northern and southern halves are known as Yelebesov and Baityk Batyr Streets, respectively. Several important commercial centers are situated along it, and it offers access to Dordoy Bazaar in the north.
Erkindik (“Freedom”) Boulevard extends north to south, from the major train station (Bishkek II) south of Chui Avenue to the museum district and sculpture park north of Chui Avenue, and farther north toward the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was once known as Dzerzhinsky Boulevard, after a Communist revolutionary named Felix Dzerzhinsky, and its northern continuation is still known as Dzerzhinsky Street.
Jibek Jolu (‘Silk Road’) is a major east–west thoroughfare. It runs parallel to Chui Avenue approximately 2 kilometers (1 mile) north of it and is part of Chui Province’s primary east–west thoroughfare. Jibek Jolu is home to both the Eastern and Western bus terminals.
The som, Kyrgyzstan’s currency, is used in Bishkek. The Som’s value swings often, but in February 2015, it averaged roughly 61 som per US dollar.
Bishkek’s economy is predominantly agrarian, with large numbers of fruits, vegetables, and cattle creating a coexisting system of bartering in the outlying districts.
Bishkek’s streets are often lined with vegetable merchants in a market-style setting.
The majority of downtown has a more urban environment, including banks, businesses, marketplaces, and shopping malls.
The most popular items are the hand-crafted artisan works, which include statues, carvings, paintings, and various nature-based sculptures.
Free WiFi is currently widely available. The majority of “foreinercafés” provide free wifi (Coffee, Foyer, Obama, Cyclone, Pirogoff-Vodkin, Vostok Zapad, Tubeteika, Movie City Bar, Buddha Bar, etc.). The vefa retail mall on the junction of Gorkiy and Soviet also has free wifi.
Getting mobile phone service or even internet connection is simple and a smart idea, even if you’re just staying for a few days. SIM cards (for GSM phones) are available from hundreds of vendors, including Beeline, Megacom, and Fonex. Nexi-com and Beeline both provide 3G internet access. A SIM card costs around 100 soms ($2.25) and can currently be recharged at various automated machines across the city, many of which include an English language program. If you don’t already have a compatible phone, you can get a new no-frills device for as cheap as 1200 soms ($27).