DESTINATIONS:

Once in the country travel is a doddle you must be prepared to sleep rough as the concept of cheap accommodation hasn't yet arrived. A good contact in Bishkek is Alfia Nagaeva (tel. #996 312 418442). She can put you in touch with car hire and agency's who handle heliskiing, etc.

Two places worth a visit are the Alla Archa canyon, which is a national park and the Alle Medin valley. Alle Arche is only a $5 taxi ride from Bishkek and costs $2 a day to be there (Dec 1996), there is plenty of trekking and some superb mountaineering. Alle Medin contains hot springs around, where a sanatorium has been built. The sanatorium is now owned by the city heating company, mainly for the use of their own employees, but again Alfia can find out if there are any vacancies. Accommodation is in separate chalets sleeping up to six in comfort. Meals are served in the canteen. It is all a bit basic and run down but at $10 a night with three meals a day you can't complain. The surrounding valleys are well worth exploring and if you have any trekking skills it is possible to make three and four day excursions.

Issyk-Kuhl is a must to visit and Alfia can organise accommodation. It is well worth hiring a car and asking the driver to show you the Baranah Tower on the Silk Road. Standing on the tower at Tokmak looking along the vast Chu valley bordered by the celestial mountains especially in the early morning is a never to be forgotten experience. There are plenty of short treks around the Issy-Kuhl area. Try the trek to the broken heart rock in the Dzhety Oguz gorge. Kirghistan is a poor country and the people are rapidly realising that tourism is going to be one of the principal earners of foreign currency so you are assured of a good welcome.

Ned Rimmer