Essential packing list for Kyrgyzstan

You'll need the obvious essentials that you'd pack for any adventurous or backpacking trip, but there are a few specifics to consider when it comes to packing for your trip to Kyrgyzstan. If you've never experience high altitude before, and you're planning to visit Song Kul and Ala Kul lakes (both over 3000m), then you'll need to be prepared. The best way to experience a taste of the Kyrgyz nomadic culture is by horseback - although beginners don't need any technical kit for this, there's a few items which will make your experience more comfortable.

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Chrisy loved the horse-riding treks even though he's a beginner!

Prepare for Altitude

• Layers are essential. It can be very hot in Bishkek (30’c - 40’C) but once you start ascending into high altitude spots such as Song-Kul and Altyn Arashan, the temperature drops dramatically. We were thankful for our down jackets in the yurt camps! 

• Suncream and lip balm with a high SPF is essential - you will burn much faster at altitude. I would also recommend a thick sunblock for exposed areas such as your nose and cheeks. Reapply multiple times a day. Sunglasses and a buff will also help protect against the sun. 

• Consider picking up some altitude medication prior to your trip - I normally get this through Boots Online doctor. 

• Backpacks are easiest for getting about here and for squashing into marshutkras - take a large backpack and a smaller daypack to take on your horseriding excursions. These are Jordan’s and Chrisy’s trusty large Osprey backpacks. 

• Head torch - useful for the yurt camps at night. We use these. 

• Camping gear - we stayed in yurts and guesthouses, so we didn't need camping gear, but we did come across other travellers who were camping as part of multi-day hikes. Ensure you have a 4 season sleeping bag (ideally with down insulation) as it gets very cold at night at altitude, and a quality wild camping tent.

Horse-riding treks

• Comfortable clothing is key with full length leg cover (do not wear shorts!) to prevent any calf rubbing. Leggings or hiking trousers and long socks are ideal.

• Half chaps can be helpful if you have them to prevent rubbing, but not essential. Jordan brought a cheap pair (these) with her and wore them with walking boots (get them a size bigger than you think in order to fit over walking boots rather than riding boots). Chrisy didn’t have any but the guide did take pity on him and lend him some because he had an insect bite that was rubbing against the saddle! 

• Riding hats were provided on the Song Kul trip but not the Ala Kul trip (they could have been if we had asked in advance though). You can bring your own if you’d prefer.  

• A daypack for your clothes/essentials for the 3 day trips. At Song Kul, we were able to pack these into saddle bags (but left our large luggage behind). For Ala Kul, we had to wear our backpacks while riding (so be mindful of this and pack light!) 

• Thin gloves can be helpful to prevent blisters while riding. Jordan brought a pair of riding gloves with her but regular gloves would do.

• There’s no electricity at the yurt camps so bring a power bank and head torch. 

• Bring a swimsuit - at Song Kul, you can have a cold dip in the lake! At Altyn Arashan, you can use the hot springs - also remember to bring a quick dry towel

• Hand sanitiser will come in handy if there’s a lack of running water.

• Anti-histamines - a girl in our group unfortuaetly found out she was allergic to horses while on the trip! These can be useful for a number of allergies, just in case.

• Drinking water - this was provided on the Song Kul trip, but not the Altyn Arashan trip. You either need a decent reusable water bottle like this, a water bladder (we have these), which would be useful to hydrate while riding, or a filtration bottle. Jordan has the pouch version which was really handy for riding as she could clip them to her Uniqlo bag for easy access.

Experienced horseriders

As an experienced rider, obviously I would have been more comfortable if I had brought my own hat/boots/gaiters etc, but realistically we just didn't have the room in our backpacks. For 3 days riding at a time, it was fine to just wear walking boots and cheap chaps with either leggings or hiking trousers, and borrow the hat provided. I do have friends who embarked on longer riding holidays in Kyrgyzstan (14-21 days) and they did bring their own hats/boots etc. So really, it depends on your itinerary.

Jordan with "Azia" at Song Kul

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