Hello, I’m Veronica
The sky is not completely dark at night. Were the sky absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object against the sky.
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A DETAILED TRAVEL GUIDE TO KYRGYZSTAN
I think I just stumbled upon my favourite country on the map😍
The downside of traveling often is that you get used to ‘pretty views.’ The naked sky full of stars, lush landscapes, magnificent architecture/buildings or flowing rivers become fairly common.I am grateful to experience this often but almost all times I know the scenery that awaits me.I knew Kyrgyzstan was beautiful by the very few photos I saw (ha! that’s why I decided to go) but Oh boy! Oh boy! I wasn’t prepared for the stunning views of impressive mountains everywhere and all around me!!! I never quite grasped what it meant when I heard, ‘hike anywhere and be stunned’ from fellow travelers who had visited.Oh Kyrgyzstan, you truly are a piece of heaven on earth❤️
Amidst the mountains of Kyrgyzstan ❤️
Photographer: Anshul KumarCentral Asia consists of ex soviet countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan which are colloquially referred as ‘the stans.’ Kyrgyzstan was part of several great old civilizations as part of Silk Route and then later on part of Soviet Union.Despite being largely Islamic, it hardly feels like a muslim nation.Kyrgyzstan is fairly a young nation which became independent on August 31st 1991.Bishkek,Osh and Karakol are well known cities of Kyrgyzstan.
Stunning landscapes ❤️ Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country and is filled with stunning dramatic landscapes everywhere you look!About half the people are Kyrgyz, the rest are Russian, Uzbek and other ethnic groups. Be whichever ethnicity, all share mutual love for mountains.One of the pleasant surprises apart from the impressive landscapes is Kyrgyz culture.The culture is largely influenced by nomadic lifestyle and you can still witness it once you move away from the cities.
Kyrgyz girl and her horse 
Kids here are so cute!
Photographer: Anshul Kumar
While I am excited to share my experiences (more blogs here), I thought it would be good idea to put together a travel guide for everyone who wants to visit this little piece of heaven. So let’s begin, shall we?
INDEX
- WHO SHOULD VISIT
- VISA FOR INDIANS
- TRANSPORT
- MONEY
- LOCAL AND INTER CITY TRAVEL
- STAY
- TREKS AND HIKING ESSENTIALS
- WHAT TO WEAR
- FOOD & DRINKS
- USEFUL APPS
- RESOURCES & SAFETY
WHO SHOULD VISIT
Kyrgyzstan is every trekker’s dream and photographer’s paradise.In order to enjoy this country to the fullest you need to little of both.The country is largely mountainous.By largely,I mean 99% :DI don’t remember a day or time when I didn’t see mountains.In fact all my time was spent gawking the mountains and thinking, how incredibly beautiful they are!. You cannot escape mountains when in Kyrgyzstan.The mountain range are known as Tien Shan, meaning ‘Mountains of Heaven’ or ‘Heavenly mountain’ is extension of Himalayas (not kidding!) pretty much covers >90% of the country.Wherever you are,irrespective of city or country side, one has mountains by the side. I won’t be wrong when I say ‘mountains’ are a constant in Kyrgyz people’s lives.
Goddamit! What a country to be born in! 
Sunset at Issakul
VISA FOR INDIANS:
You would be surprised as to how little information is found online when it comes to Kyrgyzstan.The visa process was exhausting mainly because there is no proper guidelines on how to get it.Although e-visa was introduced in 2017,a quick search told me that the rejection rates are high, mainly for Indians.I was skeptical to apply online as rejection meant waiting for a year before I could reapply! After weeks of research, I did end up getting the visa! Below are the two sure ways of getting the Kyrgyz visa:
Apply at embassy: Prepare all the documents and go apply in person at Kyrgyzstan embassy in Delhi. You can read through the document list here
Apply via agent: This is the easiest option but heavy on the pocket. I opted for this as I had less time and I also stay far from Delhi. I spent $175 and got the visa in a week from Travels mantra
Another important thing to remember while applying visa is unlike other countries, Kyrgyz Republic grant visas from the date of issue and they do not consider your travel dates meaning, If you apply for one month visa in September and plan to travel in November, your e-visa would be issued from the date you applied (September) up until October. Please be mindful of this while applying for the visa.
TRANSPORT:
International flights operate from Bishkek.For those flying from India,the most economical option is Air Astana from Delhi.Air Astana flights mostly fly over Pakistan and given the tense situation in recent times the flights can be cancelled in case of air ban. Just so your travel plans don’t go kaput, book flights via different route.
BORDER CROSSING:
Kyrgyzstan shares border with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and China. All trains that operate between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan pass Kazakhstan. Similarly, minibuses from Tashkent to Bishkek pass through Kazakhstan. This means you will need a Kazakhstan visa as you will be entering the country. I planned one month(almost) trip only to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.Since we had no plans to visit Kazakhstan, we decided to fly and booked the flight on Uzbekistan airways. It was a short flight of 30-40 mins from Tashkent to Bishkek.
Breathtaking views!!!
Photographer: Anshul KumarTIP: Facebook’s Backpacking Central Asia group is a good place if you plan to travel via land.
MONEY:
The currency of Kyrgyzstan is Kyrgyzstani Som.There are ATMs in Bishkek and Karokol but many didn’t not work. We had roam quite a bit to find cash. Big establishments do take travel cards but from my experience always carry wad of cash,especially if you’re travelling outside Bishkek. You can also take help from local hostels/hotels while booking as few help with the exchange.
LOCAL TIP: Be sure to ask for a good mix of smaller bills.
LOCAL AND INTER CITY TRAVEL:
Personally, I loved walking around the streets of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital.Or you can forget the headache of negotiating and book on Yandex Taxis. In smaller cities and villages, marshrutkas are the cheapest and most common way to travel. In fact they are the heart of transport.Remember to ask for the price and negotiate before boarding.
One with vintage Lada
Photographer: Anshul KumarLOCAL TIP: Remember to find out the tentative price beforehand between places.
STAY:
We did couple of the bookings through Hostelworld and Booking.com. Hostels are good option at cities like Bishkek and homestays in rural areas. There were instances where we booked homestays on the go as our itinerary wasn’t decided. On the go booking works since the home stays almost are never fully booked(Yayy! offbeat destinations).
Lovely homestays 
Vintage everywhere! 
I’mma gonna take few 😛
WHAT TO WEAR:
Kyrgyzstan is mostly Islamic but hardly feels like one!You will see most women dressed in jeans,pants and dresses.Pretty much anything you wear back home will be acceptable here.That being said wearing hot pants/mini skirts/off shoulder/crop tops would make you look out of place.
The same relaxed attire is extended for men as well.Kyrgyzstan being mountainous is on cooler side all the time,so pack accordingly.Ok?
Too cold and way too stunned seeing the breathtaking mountains of Kyrgyzstan ❤️
Photographer: Anshul KumarFOOD & DRINKS:
Welcome to meat paradise!!!
The Kyrgyz cuisine is meat heavy and unique in taste.It can get difficult at times even for people who love meat as the Kyrgyz food revolves predominantly around horsemeat and beef. As for vegetarians/eggetarians worry not! I managed to relish on omelettes,delicious marmalade, fruits and sandwiches. Few restaurants do prepare the Kyrgyz dishes(plov,lagman etc) without meat on request.Check with the staff while ordering. Also, as you move further away from cities, vegetables are sparse.Hence protein bars are a must.
Alcohol is freely available everywhere and is part of daily life. Central asia is heavily influenced by Russia and as a result vodka(they love it!) and alcoholic drinks as part of Kyrgyz culture.Be aware,cocktails & shots are quite strong!
TREKS & HIKING ESSENTIALS:
Since we have established on who should go, it is no surprise when I say hiking and trekking is a huge activity in Kyrgyzstan. The countryside, mountains, and lakes are some of the most beautiful and untouched places that I’ve ever seen. It can be quite a task to plan a trek in foreign land especially when they isn’t much information on the internet. But thanks to CBT Kyrgyzstan, arranging a trek is easy. Community based tourism aka CBT are a association who help you in arranging treks all over the country. They were pretty much suggested by everyone who had been to Kyrgyzstan.Advance booking is not really necessary. With offices in every corner of the country, it is the easy to book treks on the go in Kyrgyzstan.It is easier to interact with locals as well as CBT Kyrgyzstan‘s motto is to engage locals and build a sustainable tourism model.
Moooo please! 
Karakol peak
Horse treks are hugely popular in Kyrgyzstan. Almost all popular treks can be done on a horseback.Horses are a big part of Kyrgyz nomadic culture and horse treks are a good way to experience the nomadic ways of Kyrgyz culture.But my personal suggestion would be to explore the mountains on feet.
Don’t forget to bring biodegradable wet wipes and sanitizers for your bathroom breaks because running water will be scarce. There are toilets set up alongside the popular trails but it will be scarce at other places.Having something to clean and sanitize your hands and bottom will be necessary. Don’t you agree? Also,Sunscreens are a must!
Treks in Karakol valley 
Power foods
TIP: If you want to do more hikes/treks,I suggest going in a group as the trek cost can be expensive for solo.
USEFUL APPS:
- Google Translate:Your most important app! Kyrgyz and Russian are widely spoken and English is only limited to few government officials and receptionists at stays. Make sure you download both the languages so you can use them offline as well.
- Maps.me: I read google maps do not work properly and hence I downloaded this free, fast, detailed and entirely offline maps.Bonus points as offline maps save mobile data and battery!
- XE currency app: Helpful during exchange and shopping
- Booking.com:Airbnb is sparse and your best bet for good stays is booking.com.This app was helpful in showing the address (especially when signs are in local language) to taxi drivers and contacting the stay.
I would suggest places but then there are bloggers who have already done a fabulous job that it is only fair I mention them.The below blogs have helped me tremendously in planning my itinerary and I am sure it will help you too.Oops! some more reading for y’all.
RESOURCES & SAFETY:
- Lost with purpose Kyrgyzstan archives – I follow Alex regularly for offbeat travel and all credits to her for hooking me up with Central Asia
- Journal of Nomads – Again.One of the blogs I regularly follow for offbeat travel and probably the best blog out there for Kyrgyzstan. The nomadic couple also host tours around Kyrgyzstan. You can get regular update on tours here.
- Kyrgyzstan by Sandy Feet – A good collection of blog with equally stunning photos of the country!
Lastly, almost everyone to whom I mentioned about my Central Asia travel responded with,Kyrgyzstan…Uzbekistan…Whatttt? Whyyyy? and were legit concerned about the safety. Now that I am back in one piece let me assure that these countries are safe for group/solo travel.Despite language being a barrier, people here are always ready to help. There were instances where strangers helped us at supermarkets and to search for a stay in middle of a night.The whole experience has been nothing but positive.Kyrgyzstan is absolutely safe to travel.Period.
Horse riding in Kyrgyzstan I hope I have convinced you enough to want to explore Kyrgyzstan.It would be ideal to combine Uzbekistan along.Do take a look at my Detailed Travel guide to Uzbekistan.Comment below if you have any queries or feel anything needs more detail. Happy travels:)
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Photo Journal:Rustic Spiti
I guess sometimes the fondest memories are made on unplanned adventures.There are times when you prepare the whole itinerary with all the places to check off your list, cuisines to eat and things to try. And then there are instances where you never plan and just take off. So on that beautiful warm morning, I sat relishing on hot momos elated with joy that I was finally going to Spiti.
Momo time! 
Who says waiting for bus is a pain?! Ladhak’s lesser known neighbor, Spiti is a cold desert mountain valley in the north-eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. The name “Spiti” means “The Middle Land”, i.e. the land between Tibet and India. I sat in the bus, quite accustomed to the treacherous roads and drawing comparisons of the various landscapes of Himalayas I had seen till date. With Spiti river cutting through the barren mountains,this part of Himalayas seemed harsh and rustic.
Simplicity is ultimate sophistication
At Spiti the rugged mountains, silent praying monks, the minimalistic way of village life echoed the above quote throughout the journey. I can describe the snow capped peaks of Kashmir or thick dense forests or Uttarakand but words will not be enough to describe the rustic Spiti. Hence, I am sharing snippets of the journey through the ever changing hues of this beautiful cold desert.
Stop 1 – Tabo
Tabo is a silent quiant town which is home to one of the oldest working monasteries in the world. The Tabo Monastery is unlike other Buddhist monasteries seen and has a primitive architecture built out of mud and limestone. As I walked through the monastery, I couldn’t help but wonder how the monks managed to reach this place in the then inhospitable terrain and construct it. I guess that’s why the town has a inexplicable comfortable feeling which made us stay here for a night 🙂
Yes!!! 996 CE 
Tabo Monastery 
Eternal love for doors Stop 2: Kaza
Kaza is the biggest town of Spiti and probably the most populated one. Half an hour walk from the main town takes you to the banks of Spiti and it was one of the most peaceful moments I had. Sightseeing in Kaza can be done in few hours.There is a path behind the Kaza Monastery which takes you to a viewpoint from where the town looks delightful.
Rugged mountain views & Spiti river 
Colorful views! Stop 3: Villages – Langza, Komic,Hikkim & Kibber
Spiti is completely surrounded by picturesque villages. We set out to explore these villages the next day and were completely awestruck by the beauty.
Beautiful Langza I have a thing for tiny little houses on the mountains. After gaining a quick altitude from 12000ft to almost 15500ft on the rockiest roads, I found myself at this tiny scenic farming village Komic which is touted to be world’s highest village.
😉 @15500ft 
Komic: Highest inhabited village @ 15500ft On the way from Komic to Kaza ,there is the beautiful village of Hikkim which boasts of World’s Highest Post Office at 14567 ft. The Post office is downhill from the Komic-Kaza Road , so pay attention to your left as there are no signboards on the road.The panorama views of this village is enthralling.
Hikkim hosts world’s highest post office 
Now that we are at world’s highest post office, let’s send some postcards ✉️✒️😎 
Squad goals: Kibber Stop 4: Key Gompa
Perched on a hill at an altitude of 13668ft, Key Monastery gives you a surreal feeling of being part of some fantasy novel setting 😍
Monastery views Is it a riverbed?
Has the river dried up?
Or is it the start of the river?
I wondered if it was something different as I saw this river network. My friend mentioned he had seen similar photos by Chris Bukard and it was none of the above. I made a mental note to check on this and turns out it’s called ‘braided river’. Braided rivers are those consisting of multiple small, shallow channels that divide and combine numerous times forming a ‘braid’ pattern. This happens when the volume load exceeds the river’s capacity and is usually found where land is flat and river moves slowly.See how travel makes you explore and invokes an eagerness to know the world around you.Geography seems beautiful to me now 🤓
Braided rivers Stop 5: Chandratal Lake
On our way back to Manali, we decided we would stop at Chandratal Lake!!! At 14,000ft, the turquoise (I still can’t believe the water color I saw!) cresent shaped lake surrounded by multicolored rugged mountains has to be one of most beautiful lakes I have seen. One needs to give oneself a good pinch to realise this lake is a reality and not a painting.
Painting or Reality? 
Next stop was Manali, and then to Chandigarh finally, where the journey would end. With water gushing through and little or no mud for grip this treacherous path troubled almost every biker and even cars sometimes.But everyone helped everyone else. Few guided the bikers on how to navigate, heavy vehicles waited for bikers to go first. People got down to lend hand to those who got stuck. There were no honks or angry callouts or any urgency to overtake.There are no strangers on the road, only friends you haven’t met yet👏. Every situation brings two choices – being kind and being negative. 🙏 to all travelers who choose to be kind and spread good vibes💞
Furry goodbyes! 
Sigh ❤ Tips & Info:
- Spiti is the least populated region of India and can be reached either via Manali or the Shimla- Kinnaur route. I started from Shimla – Kinnaur and headed to Manali on our way back. Read about Kinnaur – Mythical Kinnaur.
- Be a responsible traveler. You will find villagers trying to sell you fossils for few hundreds.It is sad that this happens as I personally prefer to see these fossils in its natural ambiance.Kindly say no.
- There is a HRTC Bus to Kibber from Kaza but the odd timing won’t make it possible to explore all these places in a day.
- You have early morning bus (around 4 am I think) from Kaza – Manali.Alternately you can get a shared taxi upto Manali which will cost Rs. 1200 per head ( we were 10 of us).
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RUCKSACK
Rucksack.
We all have them.
We all carry them.
While some of us pack light.
Many of us are hoarders.
Who have never learnt.
To part with memories that no longer makes us happy.
Or to let go of toxic connections that only bring us down.
However I do think there comes a time.
When rucksack becomes a little too heavy.
Even for the strongest shoulders.
And we are forced to sit down.
Unpack and face the mess.
And figure out what to leave behind.
To move forward.
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Photographs
The summery colors.
Brings back memories.
Of clicking endless pictures of vintage cars.
Of counting the fluffy clouds lying on sand.
Of soaking in the summer sun by the lake.
Of watching mountains that stretched endlessly.
While music whistled in the background.
Offlate.
The scattered photos.
Reminds me of moments.
Moments spent living.
Moments spent doing sweet nothings.
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HAVE YOU SEEN A WATERFALL?
Ever seen a waterfall?
No.
Listen.
I mean,
Do you see,
How water cuts through the rock?
And makes a path when there are none.
Do you see,
How valiantly it falls from great heights?
And leaves everyone mesmerized.
Do you see
How breathtakingly spectacular it looks?
Despite being odd man amongst lush greenery and pretty flowers.
Tell me,
Do you ever watch a waterfall,
And ponder.
Why am I trying to fit in instead of living my life?
Why am I afraid to take a risk?
Or what is stopping me from chasing my dreams?
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Sunsets
I wonder if the sunset knows,
how ravishing it is!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
how people get drunk over its cocktail sky!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
the numerous romantic moments it brings!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
the poems written about it!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
how relaxed one feels watching it from the calm shore!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
watte beautiful backdrop it makes for photos!
I wonder if the sunset knows,
how much we all adore,
it’s ability to end days beautifully.
no matter what happens!
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Romanticize Life
Long ago.
On a random day.
And on a random trail.
I met an old man.
Sitting on the mountain edge.
Taking slow drags off the cigarette.
Enjoying the monsoon mist.
Casually mentioning,
He comes to mountains everyday.
Ever get bored?
I asked, curiously.
The old man smiled.
And then spoke looking into my eyes.
My child,
You gotta believe.
Doing dishes everyday is cute.
You gotta believe.
Your everyday commute is fun.
You gotta believe.
Every cup of chai is the best you have had.
And enjoy it.
You gotta start romanticizing life.
By finding joy and beauty.
In mundane things.
By believing everyday things
Can be exciting and new.
And when that happens.
You will hum.
In mountains.
Or on the way to work.
Caring less.
Taking it all in.
And truly start living in the moment.
About Me
The sky is not completely dark at night. Were the sky absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object against the sky.
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