What budget for activities and outings Kyrgyzstan?
Kyrgyzstan applies a double rate for entry to major monuments and museums, with tourists paying much more than locals. This is a common practice in Central Asia. In spite of this, the rates for visits are very accessible compared to France, but beware: you will often have to pay an extra to take photos, another to film, and yet another to benefit from a guided tour or an audio-guide. Apart from Osh and Bishkek, cultural sites are rare and nature is freely accessible, so the budget will be mainly spent on hiking, travel and supplies.
Budget-wise, it all depends on the parameters of your trip. Following a well-trodden trek in a well-serviced area frequented by many visitors each year will not cost you much. But going off the beaten track in a 4x4 and hiring the services of a competent guide to set foot around a deserted high-altitude lake can be very expensive... That's the advantage of Kyrgyzstan: you can opt for local transport and set off on your own in the middle of nature without paying for a kopek, or you can pay for the experience of a lifetime by paying €5,000 for an ascent of Lenin Peak! The choice is yours..
All over the country you can find handicraft souvenirs for very little money: small ceramics in the Ferghana valley, silk scarves enhanced with felt, knives... Felt is the main material for "small souvenirs": stuffed animals, hats or clothes of all kinds, but real shyrdaks require more work and are much more expensive
What budget to eat Kyrgyzstan?
You can eat for less than nothing in the small neighborhood tchaikhanas, but the menus will always be a bit the same: soup, tomato and onion salad, shashlyks, laghmans or plov sprinkled with tea, and always for the equivalent of a handful of euros. There is more choice in the canteens of the bazaars, with the advantage of being assured of the freshness of the products. But they usually only work at lunchtime. In the big cities, the bill can rise a little faster in shops reserved for the intelligentsia or expats. But there are now some very good mid-range restaurants offering fine local specialities for still very reasonable budgets, count between €10 and €20.
What is the budget for accommodation Kyrgyzstan?
Kyrgyzstan sees its hotel offer growing year after year, especially in Bishkek, where you can now find the whole range of hotels and B&Bs, for backpackers, business people and lovers of charm. In the other cities of the country, such as Djalalabad or Osh, the choice is already more limited while Karakol, a major meeting place for hikers from all over the world, is seeing the development of guesthouses. Everywhere else in the country, you will be able to rely on the important CBT (Community based tourism) network, which manages guesthouses and yurt camps in sufficient numbers to accommodate groups and individuals and for all types of budget.
You can sleep well in Kyrgyzstan from $20 per night, with breakfast. You can spend more for comfortable city stops, but elsewhere, it's the price for sleeping under the yurt!
Travel budget Kyrgyzstan and cost of living
The following budgets are per day and per person. They are established to help you plan your expenses according to the type of trip you are planning.
Economy budget: around 30 € (night in a Spartan home in Spartan comfort, meals at the bazaar and travel by bus). Real ascetics will spend much less.
Comfort budget: around 60 €/day/person (you will be able to borrow shared taxis, sleep in more comfortable rooms while allowing yourself one restaurant per day).
Luxury budget: from 150 €/day (luxury hotel in the capital and car with driver for excursions, meals at the restaurant).
Generally speaking, eating and making small trips is not expensive in Kyrgyzstan, as well as nights in a yurt or, very often, in a private home. The bulk of the expenses will come from renting a car with a driver, organizing treks and staying in a higher class hotel.
