Mitchell, L: Kyrgyzstan

Introduction viPART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 1Chapter 1 Background Information 3Geography 3, Climate 4, Natural history andconservation 5, History 9, Government and politics 21,Economy 23, People 25, Language 29, Religion 30,Education 32, Culture 33Chapter 2 Practical Information 49When to visit 49, Highlights 50, Suggested itineraries 50,Tour operators 51, Red tape 56, Getting there andaway 59, Health 62, Safety 65, Women travellers 66,Travellers with a disability 67, LGBT travellers 67, Travellingwith a family 67, What to take 68, Money and banking 69,Budgeting 70, Getting around 70, Accommodation 73,Eating and drinking 75, Public holidays and festivals 77,Shopping 78, Arts and entertainment 79, Photography 79,Media and communications 80, Business 81, Culturaletiquette 82, Travelling positively 83PART TWO THE GUIDE 85Chapter 3 Bishkek 87History 88, Getting there and away 89, Getting around 91,Safety 93, Tourist information 97, Where to stay 97,Where to eat and drink 101, Entertainment andnightlife 107, Shopping 108, Sports 110, Otherpracticalities 111, What to see and do 114Chapter 4 Chui Province 123Valleys south of Bishkek 123, Chui Valley 129, Chong-Kemin Valley 135, Boom Gorge 137, Kara-Balta 138,Suusamyr Valley 139Chapter 5 Lake Issyk-Kul - North Shore 145Lake Issyk-Kul 145, Balykchy 149, Tamchy 154, Cholpon-Ata 156, East of Cholpon-Ata 161, Karkara Valley 164Chapter 6 Lake Issyk-Kul South and the Central Tien Shan 171Karakol 171, Around Karakol 180, Trekking south ofKarakol 187, Th e Central Tien Shan 189, Lake Issyk-Kul's southern shore 193, Barskoon 195, Tamga 198,Bokonbaevo 200, Th e southwest shore 205Chapter 7 Talas Province 207Talas 207, South of Talas 212, West of Talas 213, East ofTalas 213Chapter 8 Naryn Province 215Kochkor 215, Excursions from Kochkor 219, West to theSuusamyr Valley 221, Lake Song-Köl 224, Naryn 226,East of Naryn 231, Naryn to the Torugart Pass 233, Th eTorugart Pass 238, Naryn to Kazarman 241Chapter 9 Jalal-Abad Province

Laurence Mitchell is a freelance travel writer and photographer and has travelled widely in Central Asia and the ex-Soviet world. He is the author of four other Bradt guides: Serbia, Belgrade, Norfolk and Suffolk.