What to pack for Kyrgyzstan: lists by season and type of trip

• Light covering clothes in cotton or linen: covered shoulders and knees are appropriate in villages, mosques and markets.
• A warm layer for the evening: a fleece or a light jacket. By the lake and in the foothills it is noticeably cooler in the evening.
• Comfortable closed shoes for cobblestones and dusty roads, flip-flops for the beach and the guesthouse.
• High-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses with UV protection and a hat: the sun is stronger at altitude in the mountains and by the water.
• Repellent against mosquitoes and ticks, especially for parks and trips into the foothills (the CDC advises one containing at least 20% DEET).
• A swimsuit and a quick-drying towel. Do not swallow water in lakes and rivers.
• A reusable bottle to fill with boiled or filtered water.
• A small daypack, and a dust and rain cover for your phone and camera.
• A power bank and a plug adapter: Kyrgyzstan uses type C and F sockets (220–230 V, 50 Hz); plugs from the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada will not fit without an adapter.

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• Trekking boots or trainers with a lugged sole and good grip; non-cotton socks, with a spare pair in your rucksack.
• Three layers: a quick-drying T-shirt, a fleece, and a wind- and waterproof jacket. Take a rain jacket even on a clear morning.
• A hat and thin gloves: it is cold on the passes even in summer.
• Trekking poles if your knees need them; they make the descent easier.
• 1.5 to 2 litres of water per person, and a filter or tablets if you plan to refill from a stream. Do not drink raw water from a stream: filter or boil it.
• A snack with plenty of calories: nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, flatbread.
• An offline map (for example, Organic Maps), a charged phone, a power bank, a whistle.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat; a headlamp in case you return in the dark.
• A small first-aid kit (see below), a copy of your insurance and the assistance number saved offline.
• Tell the guesthouse owners your route and the time you expect to be back.

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• A sleeping bag suited to night temperatures; at around 3,000 m and above, frosts are possible at night even in summer. If you sleep in a yurt, ask whether blankets are provided.
• A sleeping mat if you go with a tent; yurts and guesthouses have beds, but conditions vary: check in advance.
• A rainproof tent with pegs, if you are not using yurts.
• A warm layer for the evening: a down jacket or a thick fleece, a hat, warm socks, gloves.
• A 35–55 litre rucksack with a rain cover, and bags for your things.
• A stove and cookware if you cook for yourself; food for the days of the route, with a day’s reserve.
• A water filter or tablets, and a spare container.
• A headlamp, spare batteries, a power bank, offline maps, a whistle.
• A border-zone permit if the route passes through such an area, and a copy of your passport. See the safety page.
• Cash in som: cards are not always accepted in yurts and villages. check for your date
• A first-aid kit and altitude sickness medication, only in agreement with a doctor.

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• Insurance whose terms explicitly mention horse riding. Confirm in writing; it is a common exclusion.
• Long, sturdy trousers without thick seams along the inside of the leg; soft shorts and thin leggings can be uncomfortable.
• Closed shoes with a small heel; do not take boots with a rigid, unflexing sole.
• A helmet if you are not sure of your skills; ask the organiser whether helmets are available, or bring your own.
• Gloves so the reins do not chafe your hands; a windproof jacket, a hat, a warm layer.
• A soft rucksack or bag (rigid suitcases will not do), with your things in waterproof bags.
• Anti-chafing cream, and soft pads or a saddle cover if you wish.
• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses: on the plateau the wind is strong and the sun is bright.
• Cash for tips for the guide and the yurt hosts.

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• A jacket with a membrane, a fleece and a warm layer, even for city trips to Issyk-Kul.
• Waterproof boots with a good tread; spare dry socks.
• A hat, gloves, a scarf. In September snow can already fall at altitude.
• Thermal underwear in case of a night in the mountains or cold evenings.
• In spring, avalanches, landslides and washed-out roads are possible in the mountains (FCDO, Canada): check your route with your hosts and the operator the day before you set out.
• Keep a margin of days: passes and roads can close, so do not book a flight home for the same evening.
• Ticks are active from spring to autumn: repellent, and check your body after a walk.
• An umbrella or rain jacket, and bags for wet shoes.

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• A warm jacket and trousers, thermal underwear, a fleece; it is very cold outdoors in the city in winter.
• A hat, a balaclava or neck gaiter, warm mittens and spare gloves, warm socks.
• Winter shoes with a non-slip sole: the pavements ice over.
• Ski clothing, goggles and a helmet; check hire and prices on the slopes with the resort. check for your date
• SPF cream and lip balm: snow reflects the sun.
• Hand warmers, a flask, a power bank (batteries run down faster in the cold).
• Keep a margin of days: snow can close roads, and rural areas have power cuts (FCDO).
• It is not worth driving in winter without winter tyres and experience: use a transfer.

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• Your regular medicines, enough for the whole trip plus a few extra days, with a prescription and the name of the active substance.
• A painkiller and a fever reducer, and allergy remedies.
• Remedies for stomach upsets, and rehydration (powders to make up a solution).
• Plasters, including blister plasters, a bandage, antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine, sterile wipes.
• A thin elastic bandage or an ankle support, disposable gloves.
• Sunscreen and after-sun cream, lip balm with SPF, an insect bite remedy.
• Repellent, tweezers or a tick remover for removing a tick.
• An ointment for bruises and chafing, an antihistamine.
• Medicines for altitude sickness and its prevention: only on a doctor’s recommendation, discuss them in advance.
• A rescue blanket and a whistle for mountain routes.
• Discuss vaccinations with a doctor 8 weeks or more ahead (FCDO); the CDC advises hepatitis A and B for the unvaccinated, and the CDC and TravelHealthPro mention rabies for risk groups and tick-borne encephalitis for hikes in the Chuy Region.

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• Passport: validity and pages for stamps; check the entry regime for your citizenship on the visa portal.
• You should carry your passport or a notarised copy with you while travelling (FCDO); Canada advises certified copies and keeping the originals in a safe place.
• An insurance policy, the assistance number and the list of exclusions (altitude, horse riding, skiing).
• A border-zone permit if the route passes through a border area. See safety and altitude.
• A driving licence and an international driving permit if you rent a car; UK photocard licences are valid for up to 30 days (FCDO).
• Tickets, bookings, addresses in Russian or Kyrgyz, the operator’s contacts.
• The contacts of your embassy or consulate in Bishkek.

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