Kyrgyzstan - Central Asia - page 240

short-staffed. Rafting and skiing trips are also
occasionally offered.
CBT (Map p240; % 077-771 8334, 54 00 69;
www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg; gorky 58; h 9am-
6pm Mon-Sat) For rural exploration CBT has a
great network of regional offices as well as an
extensive network of homestays, guides and
transport contacts.
Celestial Mountains/Advantour (Map p234;
% 31 18 14; www.celestial.com.kg; Kiev 131-4)
British-born Ian Claytor's agency is almost
legendary for its cultural tours, overland trips
and Torugart Pass experiences. The websites
are encyclopaedic.
Ecotour ( % 077-280 2805, 46 08 03; www.
ecotour.kg; Donskoy 46A, Umai Hotel) Run
by English- and german-speaking sisters
Elmira and Zamira. Has seasonal yurt camps
at Song-Köl and south of Issyk-Köl, including
one in isolated splendor at Temir Kanat (with
solar-heated water). Available as short stays
for budget travellers or as complete packages.
Book ahead.
Kyrgyz Concept (Map p234; % 90 08 66; www.
concept.kg; Tynystanov 231) Kyrgyzstan's
biggest tour operator offers cultural tours,
visa support, horse treks and homestays, and
is flexible with budget demands. It has several
offices (including one on Kiev) but this office
focuses on tours.
Ak-Sai (Map p240; % 59 17 59; www.ak-sai.
com; Soviet 65) This very active adventure
agency operates a series of summer fixed-
camps allowing trekkers and mountaineers to
travel light in the Karakol, Lenin-Peak, Kara-
vshin/Ak-Suu ('Kyrgyz Patagonia') and Khan
Tengri areas. Ak-Sai organises fly-in, fly-out
helicopter trips to the latter and a range of
packages are available. Many of their camps
are also available to independent travellers
when availability permits.
Shepherds Way ( % 077-251 8315, 66 13 92)
If you're planning a horse trek from the south
side of Issyk-Köl, it's well worth arranging
things in advance in Bishkek with this highly
reputable company. Call Ishen (philosophical,
great English).
Asia Mountains (Map p234; % 69 02 35; www.
asiamountains.net; Lineynaya 1A; h 9am-6pm
Mon-Fri, plus Sat in summer) This friendly,
well-organised agency offers a gamut of tours
and day trips, but their speciality is the ascent
of Lenin Peak. Tailor-made climbs, plus four
fixed-date departures each summer, depart
from their base camp at Achik-Tash (single/
double tent US$15/20, breakfast/lunch/dinner
US$10/20/15). The office is in the basement of
their charming Bishkek hotel.
Ultimate Adventure ( % 67 11 83, 077 911 2211;
www.kirghizie.fr; Kurenkeeva 185) Bishkek-
based French owner Stephane organises tours

througout the region, and as far afield as
northern Pakistan.
Dostuck Trekking (Map p240; % 50 30 82,
54 54 55; www.dostuck.com.kg; Igemberdieva
42-1) Long-established agent for treks, moun-
taineering, yurt-stays and visa help for those
nationalities who still require it.
Edelweiss (Map p240; % 54 20 45; http:
edelweisstravel.org; gastello 19) Offers trek-
king, mountaineering and skiing - notably
heli-skiing - even in summer. Their office is
behind red gates three doors southwest along
a streamside path between 42 and 40 Panfilov
(200m south of gorky).
AsiaRando ( % 517-73 97 78, 313-24 77 11, 313-
24 77 10; www.asiarando.com; Padgornaya 67,
Rot-Front, Chuy Oblast) French family-owned
company offering horse-riding trips from
its base in Rotfront, 65km east of Bishkek.
Rotfront was originally an ethnic-german
Mennonite village and is one of the last places
in Central Asia to retain a significant german
minority.
CAT (Central Asia Tourism Corporation; Map
p234; % 66 36 64; www.cat.kg; Chuy 124;
h 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, open Sat for air tickets)
Visa support, rental cars, air tickets, accom-
modation and inclusive tours. Very obliging
air-ticketing branch (Central Asia Tourism
Corporation; Map p234; % 89 63 39; www.cat.
kg; Manas 57; h 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
Sat) at Manas 57.
Tien Shan Travel ( % 46 60 34; www.tien-shan.
com; h 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Vladimir Birukov's
highly experienced mountaineering and trek-
king company has a raft of outdoor options and
operates base camps on both sides of Khan
Tengri, plus at Achik-Tash for Lenin Peak.
FantasticAsia ( % 055-530 3025, 45 67 49;
www.fantasticasia.net; Ovorodnyi per 8) Multi-
faceted travel fixers with a variety of niche web-
sites. Offers tailor-made and off-the-peg tour
options, as well as a few fixed-date departures.
Business is mostly organised online and run
from the home of the obliging Sergei Dubovik,
who speaks excellent English.
Top Asia ( % 055-595 4239, 66 45 83; www.top
asia.kg; Tynystanov 122) Offers a wide range of
mountaineering, trekking and tour options in
Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.

8 Getting¨There¨&¨Away
AIR
Manas International Airport ( % 69 31 09, 69
37 98; www.airport.kg) is 30km north of central
Bishkek. For a summary of international lights
see p309.
From Manas airport there are between two
to ive daily connections to Osh (1700som to
4000som), plus several weekly services to