Medieval Burana Tower and Bishkek city tour

In the morning you’ll be picked up from a hotel to start your exciting city tour. The first place to visit will be the legendary open-air market Osh bazaar.

It is said that if one wants to experience the local culture and life of a place one should visit the local market and Osh Bazaar is one of the best examples of the local markets in Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan in general. You can find everything here from food products and spices to common household goods, clothes, souvenirs, and even musical instruments, you’ll be surrounded by all the products you could possibly imagine.The crowds, the smells, and the noises can feel a bit overwhelming but it’s an experience you won’t easily forget.

We will continue our city tour with the charming architecture of the Mayor's office, International University, and the Philarmony itself. The white marble of the Philharmonic makes an impression by virtue of its being situated on a hill, like an antique temple, with colorful stained glass and hammered copper.

The main square of the city - Ala-Too Square. "Ala-too" translates as "motley mountains" and this name perfectly describes the face of the country, famous for its stunning mountain scenery. Ala-Too Square is located in the center of Bishkek and combines several attractions. On its perimeter, there are State Historical Museum, numbering about 90 thousand exhibits; Oak park with a monument of Friendship of Peoples. In the center is a 45-meter flagpole with a national flag measuring 10 * 15 meters. The flag is guarded by a guard of honor. Nearby is the 10-meter-high equestrian statue of Manas, the legendary Kyrgyz batyr. Famous Panfilov park and Lenins monument is within reach.

The opera house in Bishkek is one of the landmarks opposite the Fine Arts Museum. During the Soviet era, opera and ballet were regardedas national arts. Opera houses and ballet theatres were erected in the centre of the capital of each Republic in the Soviet Union. In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, you can find a theatre in the centre of the city. The grand Bishkek Kyrgyz Opera and Ballet Theatre opposite the Fine Arts Museum presents the best performances in the country.

Check out the classical heritage which is clear in the facades and rich decor throughout the theater. Picturesque paintings and facades by Kyrgyz artists adorn the interior, and serve as a testament to the country’s rich history.

It is dedicated to the Victory in the World War II. In the center of the square stand three massive granite arches, forming the silhouette of a yurt(Kyrgyz nomad house). In the center of the composition is a sculpture of a woman with a cup in her hands at the feet of which the eternal flame burns, symbolizing a soldier’s mother waiting for her husband and sons to return from the War.

The Bishkek Central Mosque is considered as one of the largest mosque in Central Asia. The mosque is built in an Ottoman revival style, with four minarets, each with three balconies. Inside, the mosque can simultaneously pray up to 6 thousand people. Taking into account that in the courtyard of the mosque can still pray 20 thousand people.

In the afternoon we’ll head towards Burana Tower to the small town of Tokmok (80km from Bishkek). You will drive along the border with Kazakhstan and, if the weather is clear, you will see the beautiful scenery of the Tien Shan mountains. Tokmak was the second largest industrial city in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet times, and you can see some of the Soviet monuments while driving through the city. Then you will pass through several small but picturesque villages, and you will be able to see the life of the locals outside the capital.

Your guide will show you the mausoleums and other buildings discovered by archaeologists during excavations, you will have a chance to climb to the top of the ancient tower, where there is a beautiful view of the Chui valley and the Tien-Shan mountains open. Visit the small museum, which presents various archaeological artifacts, as well as an open-air museum, which contains ancient gravestones, rock drawings, and other interesting historical objects found on the territory of our country.