Tian Shan Traverse, Kyrgyzstan

• Fly in and out of the capital, Bishkek.
• When to go: Due to a lot of snowfall at higher elevations, July to September is the best time to ride this route.
• Changing money is easy at the numerous small money changing storefronts in Bishkek. Rates are published on the outside and are fair. You get a slightly better exchange rate with big bills—US$50’s and US$100’s. Money can also be changed in Naryn and Baetov. Don’t expect to anywhere else on this route, however.
• In Bishkek, Naryn, and Baetov we had no trouble finding English speakers. English was very rare elsewhere.
• We hired a sprinter van and driver to take us to the start of the route in Kyzyl-Suu. Making this arrangement wasn’t complicated: we went to the main bus/taxi stand in Bishkek, found an english speaking driver, and relied on his help in asking around until we found transportation. It cost approximately US$150 total for the four of us with our bicycles and gear. Obviously, one could ride from Bishkek to Kyzyl-Suu, and there is likely to be an interesting route north of enormous Lake Issyk-Kul. This would add 3-5 days to the trip.
• Kyrgyzstan is mountain country (think Colorado or Switzerland). Come prepared with appropriate clothing and kit. It can snow at elevation in midsummer while the valley bottoms will have you sweating in shorts and t-shirt.
• There will be river crossings, so have a plan. E.g., bring a pair of sandals to change into or a pair of gore-tex socks to wear.
• We did this trip on three fat and one plus bike. They were ideal for the diverse and sometimes broken demanding terrain we encountered. At least one day is through rolling marshland with no regular track. Experienced riders with a good attitude could do this route on standard 2.2 inch wide mountain bike tires, especially with front suspension. There are numerous sections, however, where a traditional touring pannier setup with 1.7 tires on a drop bar bike would likely be overwhelmed or at least not much fun.
• The route includes an out-and-back spur to Tash Rabat, a 15th century silk road caravanserai and a well known tourist destination. We found the ruins there underwhelming and can’t recommend it. Still, it is an historically important area and the restored structure does give a sense of a romantic past. There are a few tourist yurt camps on the Tash Rabat road where an excellent inexpensive meal can be purchased.

• With its wide open spaces and traditional nomadic culture, wild camping in Kyrgyzstan is not only a cinch, it would be madness to spend the night in any other way. Our biggest camping challenge was deciding between merely gorgeous versus unspeakably astonishing campsites.
• Naryn has reasonably budget friendly lodging options including homestays and hotels. Stop in at the tourist office straightaway to avoid riding around town to check vacancies.
• Bishkek has a wide range of lodging, from US$10/night hostels to expensive western chain luxury hotels.

• It is crucial to ride a setup that can carry at least five days of food, preferably extendable to six or seven. The first 170 miles has no resupply opportunities. Riding fast could cover this distance, of course, in fewer than the five and a half days it took us, but we think that would be missing the beauty of the place.
• Do initial shopping in Bishkek; Kyzyl-Suu has no grocery store to speak of.
• Naryn has large grocery stores and a lively outdoor market.
• After Naryn, resupply opportunities are more frequent but still sometimes several days apart. Reliable groceries and restaurants can be found in At-Bashy and Baetov. There is a small store in  a tent on the south shore of Song-Köl, but it is seasonal and the stock is highly contingent on when the merchant last drove to the market. There are more permanent small stores at Kojomkul and Djong-Alysh (the route includes an out-and-back detour to the latter). Selection at the small stores is very limited and will require that you get creative with your meals. #ramencircus.
• Herdswomen will sell delicious loaves of bread that they’ve baked in their yurt, but some won’t be able to help seeing it as an opportunity for a ludicrous markup.
• Water is widely available in streams, rivers, and lakes, but should be purified. We each had a carry capacity of 3-5 liters and that was plenty sufficient for getting us between sources.
• At the end of your ride, be sure to visit Sierra Coffee in Bishkek. The great staff and friendly expat owner serve beer, real coffee, and excellent food.

Additional Resources

• Feature Story: Don’t Whistle Indoors
• Joe’s Blog entries from Kyrgyzstan