Holidays and events in Kyrgyzstan, month by month

Dates from past years are marked with the year. Anything without a year is a usual guideline, not a schedule.

New Year holidays

In 2026, 1–7 January were non-working days. The main venue is Ala-Too Square in Bishkek: a tree, lights and a concert on the evening of 31 December. Entry is free.

Skiing in Karakol

The ski base above Karakol runs all winter; the season usually lasts from late November or early December until April. Check the lifts with the base itself. check for your date

Winter fair in Karakol

In January 2026 the traditional winter fair was held in the Karakol bus station building: food, souvenirs, craftsmen’s work and a concert. The dates for 2027 will be announced closer to winter.

Hunting with golden eagles

Outings with an eagle hunter on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul and near Karakol run from November to February, depending on weather and game. A guide price is 30–60 US dollars a day (one source). check for your date

Orozo (the fast)

In 2026, according to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims, the fast began on 18 February. In 2027 it shifts 10–11 days earlier, to about 8 February by calculation; the Muftiate will confirm the date. check for your date

Skiing and golden eagles

The same winter activities as in January: Karakol and the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. check for your date

Ak-Kalpak, 5 March

The day of the national men’s headwear. Not a day off: it is not on the list of non-working days. Greetings and processions take place in Bishkek, Osh and Batken.

Nooruz, 21 March

A spring holiday and a non-working day. In Bishkek in 2026 the programme on Ala-Too Square began at 11 a.m. with the “alas” rite, followed by concerts and a fair of national cultures. The city hall announces the schedule a few days before the holiday.

Orozo-Ait

In 2026 it fell on 20 March: that is the date the Muftiate gave, and the president congratulated the country on that day. For 2027, 9–10 March is expected by calculation; the Spiritual Administration will announce the official date. check for your date

Kok-boru at Nooruz

In 2026 a national tournament, “Nooruz-2026”, was announced for 15–21 March. The source does not name the venue; check with the Kok-boru Federation. check for your date

Aigul-Tash

The aigul flower grows on Mount Aigul-Tash in the Batken Region. It blooms for about two weeks, usually from mid-April. Tourist websites call it a “blossom festival”; we found no official announcement. Everything depends on the weather. check for your date

Getting there

It is about 19 km from Batken, roughly half an hour by taxi; in season there are shared marshrutkas and excursions, and you can ask at a guesthouse.

Apricot Day

In the first week of April the apricot orchards of Batken are in bloom, and locals celebrate Apricot Day. One source; check the date. check for your date

7 April

The Day of the April Revolution is a public holiday and a non-working day.

End of the ski season

The season in Karakol usually lasts until April. The base announces the closing date of the lifts itself. check for your date

Poppies

They bloom briefly, in May. In 2026 the bright fields were filmed in the Sokuluk District of the Chuy Region, not far from Bishkek. The exact week depends on altitude and weather. check for your date

Driving the herds up to the jailoos

From late April and through May, families drive their livestock to the high valleys. There is no poster: you will see herds, yurts and impromptu horse games among the shepherds along the way. Everything depends on the snow on the pass. check for your date

Edelweiss

It grows above roughly 2,500 metres and blooms from May to September. There is no point looking in the valleys; you need to go up into the mountains. check for your date

Kurman-Ait

In 2026 it fell on 27 May, a non-working day. For 2027, 16–17 May is expected by calculation; the Muftiate will announce the date. check for your date

Public holidays

1 May, 5 May (Constitution Day) and 9 May are non-working days. In 2026 people were off from 1 to 9 May.

“Kyrgyz Shyrdagy” and “Khan Koshoy”

On 28–29 June 2025, on the Sary-Tal jailoo in the At-Bashy District of the Naryn Region, there was a crafts fair, a national food contest and an international tournament in Kyrgyz wrestling. We found no repeat in 2026. check for your date

Kymyz in Kochkor

A tourist calendar lists a kymyz festival in Kochkor in late June. No year is given and there is no confirmation.

At-chabysh

Long horse races across the steppe take place from June to August, usually at local festivals. There is no single calendar: ask at your guesthouse.

Horse games at Song-Kol

On 28 July 2025, at Lake Song-Kol (Batay-Aral), ulak-tartysh and er-enish were shown, along with a folklore show and national cuisine. We found no announcements for 2026–2027. check for your date

Gallops

An international horse rally-marathon. In 2025 it ran from 19 to 26 July: 40 km from the village of Kyzart to Song-Kol. We found no repeat in 2026. check for your date

Kyzyl-Oi, Suusamyr

In 2025, national horse games in Kyzyl-Oi: 3 August according to one calendar, 29 June and 8 August according to another. A ticket in the listing is 2,000 som with lunch. check for your date

Kok-boru

Kok-boru tournament series run from June to August, with teams travelling between districts. The schedule is held by the Kok-boru Federation.

Salbuurun

Hunting games and a display of birds of prey on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. In 2025 it was held on 10 August at the Jaichy yurt camp near the village of Kok-Say (Bokonbaevo): hunting with golden eagles and falcons, tazy races, archery, crafts. A ticket cost 2,600 som with lunch. Usually in early August. check for your date

Independence Day, 31 August

A non-working day. A parade, concerts and fireworks in Bishkek; some central streets are closed.

Start of the World Nomad Games

In 2026 the Games opened on 31 August in Bishkek. Details are in the September section.

The World Nomad Games

The VI Games took place from 31 August to 6 September 2026: the opening in Bishkek, the competitions and the closing in the Issyk-Kul Region (Cholpon-Ata, the Kyrchyn Gorge). The next ones, the VII, are announced for 2028 in Kazan, not in Kyrgyzstan.

What spectators saw

Kok-boru, national horse races, archery, wrestling, the “World of Nomads” ethno-village in Kyrchyn and concerts. Some venues were free; the finals and concerts were ticketed.

Song-Kol: the end of the season

The grazing season there lasts from June to September, and by the end of the month the herds move down. check for your date

Start of the walnut season

From the second half of September, families move into the Arslanbob walnut forest. Details are in the October section. check for your date

Kymyz in Suusamyr

One calendar lists a September kymyz festival in the Suusamyr Valley. We found no second source.

Walnut gathering in Arslanbob

From late September and through October. Families rent plots of forest from the forestry authority and live there for weeks: the men shake the branches, the women and children collect. There is no poster; the guesthouse owner takes a guest along. The harvest can be poor, so check with your hosts for that year. check for your date

Getting there

Arslanbob is in the south; the nearest towns are Bazar-Korgon and Manas (formerly Jalal-Abad). There is an ATM in Bazar-Korgon; bring cash with you. Book guesthouses in advance in season.

Weather

It is already cold in the mountains, and high-altitude trekking is closed. Bring warm clothes. check for your date

Days of History and Remembrance of Ancestors

7–8 November are public holidays and non-working days.

Opening of the ski season in Karakol

The season opened on 27 November (2021) and 2 December (2024), and in 2025 the official start was 6 December. As a guideline: late November – early December. check for your date

Eagle hunters

The golden eagle hunting season begins in November; winter outings are arranged on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul and near Karakol. check for your date

Jaryk Fest in Karakol

The official opening of the winter season at the ski base. In 2025, on 6 December: a ceremony and a mass descent by participants in national costumes. Entry is free, and it is meant to be an annual event. The organisers have not yet announced the date for 2026; it is usually given in early December. check for your date

Manas Day in Talas

On 4–5 December the Manas epic is recited round the clock at the Manas Ordo national complex. The date is confirmed for 2020; check the current programme with the Ministry of Culture. check for your date

New Year

Bishkek, Ala-Too Square: a tree, lights and a concert on 31 December.

2026

Orozo-Ait is on 20 March. Kurman-Ait is on 27 May, a non-working day.

2027

Orozo-Ait is expected on 9–10 March and Kurman-Ait on 16–17 May. This is an astronomical calculation, not an announcement by the Muftiate. Check 2–3 weeks before your trip. check for your date

If it falls on a weekend

The day off is moved to the next working day. Leave some slack for travel before and after the Eid. check for your date

• BishkekAla-Too Square: Nooruz, 31 August and New Year.
• Ala-Too SquareThe main venue for the capital’s holidays.
• KarakolThe ski season and Jaryk Fest.
• Issyk-KulSalbuurun, the Nomad Games, hunting with golden eagles.
• Cholpon-AtaVenues of the 2026 Nomad Games.
• Song-KolHorse games and summer yurts.
• ArslanbobThe walnut forest, September – October.
• TalasManas Day, Manas Ordo.
• BatkenAigul-Tash and apricots in spring.
• Karakol off seasonWhat is open when it is not summer.